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PRINCETON,  N.  J. 


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BX    8109     .M32    1871 

Menno  Simons,  1496-1561. 

The  complete  works  of  Menno 

Simon 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2009  with  funding  from 

Princeton  Theological  Seminary  Library 


http://www.archive.org/details/completeworksofmOOmenn 


MENNO  SIMONS. 


Born  in  Witmarsen,    in  Friesland,   Holland,    in  the  year  1496,    and  died  in 

Woestevelt,  formerly  called  Oldeslohe,  on  the   13th  of  January  1561, 

in  the  66th  year  of  his  age. 


V 


'Om, 


THE 


JUN    5  \^^r\ 


COMPLETE  WORKS 


OF 


1/ 


MENNO  SIMON, 


TRANSLATED   P'ROM  THE  ORIGINAL 


DUTCH  OR  HOLLAND, 


Containing  Renunciation  of  Popery,  Foundation  and  Plain  lusti-uction,  The  True  Christian  Faith, 
Concerning  the  New  Birth,  Cross  of  Christ,  Pleasing  Meditation  on  the  Twenty-fifth  Psalm, 
The  Spu-itual  Resurrection,  Excommunication,  The  Education  of  Children,  Reply  to 
Gellius  Faber,  A  Supplication  to  Christians,  Apology,  Reply  to  John  A'Lasco, 
The  Triune,  Eternal  and  True  God,  Father,  Son  and  Holy  Ghost,  Chris- 
tian Baptism,  Reason  Why,  AConfession,  Reply  to  Zylis  and  Lem- 
mekes,  Re])lication,  The  Incarnation,  Reply  to  Martin  Mic- 
ron, Jesus,  'I'lic  Tiue  Scriptural  David, Letters,  &,<•. 


Fii^sT  :pa.i^T- 


'The  mouth  of  the  righteous  speaketh  wisdom,  and  his  tongue  talketh  ol  Judgment; 
the  Law  of  his  God  is  in  his  heart;  none  of  his  steps  shall  slide."   Ps.  37:  30,   31. 

'Remember  them  which  have  the  rule  over  j-ou,  who  have  spoken  unto  you  the  word 
of  God;  whose  faith  follow,  considering  the  end  of  their  conversation."  Heb.  13:  7. 


ELKHART,  INDIANA. 

PUBLISHED  BY  JOHN  F.  PUNK  &  BROTHER. 

1871. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1871,  by 

JOHN  F.  FUNK  &  BROTHER, 
In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington. 


PUBLISHERS'  PREFACE. 


The  writings  of  a  good  man,  when  read 
with  an  unbiased  mind,  and  with  a  sincere 
desire  to  be  profited  and  instructed,  are  al- 
ways beneficial  to  those  who  read  them ;  for 
"of  the  abundance  of  the  heart  the  mouth 
speaketh,''  and  "a  good  man,  out  of  the 
good  treasure  of  the  heart  bringeth  forth 
good  things." 

Such  writings  may  be  the  means  of  doing  i 
much  good  among  men,  especially  in  these 
times  of  worldly  conformity,  in  which  there 
is  such  a  great  opposition  to  the  cross  of 
Christ;  in  which  men  love  ease  and  pleasure, 
and  who  make  many  devices  to  avoid  those 
self  denying  principles  of  the  religion  of 
Jesus,  and  hope  to  gain  the  crown  of  life  in 
some  other  way  than  that  in  which  he  him- 
self walked,  and  pointed  out  to  all  his  true 
followers;  in  which  mankind  are  so  much 
given  over  to  the  pursuit  of  the  perishable 
things  of  this  world,  to  honor,  wealth  and 
power,  and  are  so  deeply  sunk  in  sin  and 
unrighteousness ;  in  which  error  and  decep- 
tion are  so  prevalent  that  on  every  side  we 
hear  the  cry,  "Lo,  here  is  Christ," and,  "Lo, 
he  is  there,"  so  that  sometimes  it  seems  al- 
most impossible,  for  those  who  are  not  firm- 
ly established  in  the  faith,  to  maintain 
themselves  unmoved,  and  remain  unshaken 
in  the  midst  of  this  "crooked  and  perverse 
generation." 

We  believe  that  these  works  of  the  zeal- 
ous and  pious  Mennc  in  which  he  protests 
so  powerfnlly  against  the  prevailing  cor- 
ruptions of  the  times,  both  in  the  church 
and  in  the  ordinary  walks  of  life;  in  high 
and  in  low  places,  or  wherever  found,  and 
advocates  with  such  uncompromising  firm- 
ness and  devotion,  the  imperative  necessity 
of  a  true  and  sincere  change  of  heart,  through 
the  regenerating  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
a  new  life,  a  pious  and  holy  walk,  which 
delights  in  good  works,  follows  the  foot- 


steps of  Jesus  in  love,  humility,  and  meek- 
ness; is  a  light  in  the  world,  and  labors  for 
the  glory  of  God  and  the  salvation  of  all 
men,  are  well  adapted  to  promote  vital, 
christian  piety,  to  strengthen  and  confirm 
the  faith  of  believeis,  to  encourage  and  cheer 
the  weary  pilgrim  on  his  journey  zionward; 
to  instruct  and  teach  us  clearer  views  of 
duty;  to  set  before  us  the  true  character  of 
the  truly  penitent  child  of  God,  what  he 
must  do  and  how  he  must  live  to  become 
an  heir  of  the  kingdom  above;  to  show 
what  the  church,  and  what  all  believers 
should  be;  to  warn  the  impenitent;  to  ex- 
pose erroneous  views ;  to  teach  sinners  the 
way  of  life,  and  admonish  them  to  turn 
from  their  evil  ways,  to  flee  from  the  wrath 
to  come,  and  seek  the  Lord  while  he  may  be 
found;  and  thus  believing,  we  have  felt  that 
these  writings  should  be  placed  before  the 
public  in  English,  so  that  all  who  under- 
stand this  language  may  have  the  opportu- 
nity to  read  and  examine  them  for  them- 
selves. 

These  works  were  originally  written  in  the 
Dutch  language,  only  a  portion  of  which  have 
been  previously  translated  into  the  English 
and  German  languages.  Hence  the  greater 
portion  of  the  book  will  be  entirely  new  to 
most  of  the  readers  of  the  present  day.  And 
inasmuch  as  the  church,  bearing  the  name 
of  Menno,  has  now  so  extended  itself  that 
it  has  become  a  body  of  considerable  im- 
portance, and  many  of  the  members  are 
much  better  versed  in  the  English  language 
than  in  the  German,  it  is  meet  that  the  com- 
plete works  should  be  published  in  the  En- 
glish language,  so  that  those  professing  the 
same  faith  with  Menno,  may  enjoy  the  ben- 
efit of  his  labors  even  at  this  distant  day. 

For  the  foregoing  reasons  we  have  under- 
taken the  arduous  and  laborious  task  of 
translating   from   the  original   Holland  or 


IV 


PUBLISHERS'  PREFACE. 


Dutch  language  the  entire  work,  including 
all  his  writings,  as  far  as  known,  with  the 
exception  of  such  of  them  as  he  himself  re- 
jects and  of  which  he  makes  mention  in  his 
article  on  the  Ban  or  Excommunication. 

In  the  translation,  we  have  followed  the 
edition  of  his  works,  published  in  the  Dutch 
language  by  John  VanVeen,  in  Amsterdam, 
in  Holland,  in  1681. 

The  first  part  of  the  writings  of  Menno 
Simon,  with  the  exception  of  the  "Account 
of  the  severe  persecutions  of  Menno  Simon," 
&c. ,  and  several  letters  in  the  latter  part  of 
the  volume, "were  formerly  translated  into 
the  German  language  and  published  in  sev- 
eral editions;  and  from  the  German  trans- 
lation, they  were  again  translated  into  the 
English  language,  by  I.  Daniel  Rupp,  and 
published  by  Elias  Barr  &  Co.,  in  Lancas- 
ter, Pennsylvania,  in  1863.  This  translation 
has  been  followed  in  part  in  the  present 
work,  though  the  whole  of  it  was  diligently 
compared  with  the  original  Dutch  language, 
revised  and  corrected. 

The  work  has  required  a  greater  deal  of 
time,  care,  labor  and  expense.  The  original 
work  being  written  in  very  old  style  lan- 
guage, on  which  account  many  passages 
were  difficult  to  be  understood,  but  the 
translators  have  worked  faithfullj^,  and  by 
comparing  such  passages  with  diiferent  edi- 
tions of  the  work,  and  using  such  other 
means  as  they  could  command,  we  feel  as- 
sured that  we  can  offer  to  our  readers  a  rea- 


sonably correct  translation  of  the  works  of 
Menno. 

We  have  found  a  few  places  where  nei- 
ther the  English  nor  the  German  editions 
formerly  published  were  entirely  correct, 
and  this  will  account  for  some  differences 
which  the  reader  may  observe  by  comparing 
the  different  translations,  and  there  may 
still,  possibly,  lie  some  passages  which 
could  be  greatly  improved,  but  without 
boasting  of  anything  that  we  have,  humbly, 
in  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  sought  to  accom- 
plish, we  believe  that,  as  the  result  of  our 
labors,  we  are  enabled  to  present  to  the 
reader,  a  book  which  gives  a  very  correct 
expression  of  the  writings  of  Menno,  in  the 
English  language. 

And  if  by  the  publication  of  this  work 
we  may  be  instrumental  in  doing  good  to 
the  souls  of  others;  if  thereby  the  cause  of 
Christ  shall  be  advanced  and  the  faith  of 
believers  confirmed;  if  thereby  a  single  soul 
may  be  saved,  and  God  glorified,  then  we 
shall  feel  that  our  labor  has  not  been  in  vain. 

May  God  bless  the  work:  may  it  be  the 
means  of  doing  much  good;  yea,  through 
it,  may  many  souls  beconverted,and  brought 
from  the  darkness  of  sin  and  error  to  the 
glorious  light  of  the  gospel  of  Truth.  May 
God  be  glorified  and  honored  and  mankind 
humbled  and  brought  to  Jesus.  Tliis  is  the 
prayer  and  sincere  desire  of  your  humble 
servants, 

The  Publishers. 


THIE 


CONVERSION 


OF 


MENNO  SIMON, 


AND  HIS 


RENUNCIATION 


OF   THE 


CHURCH  OF  ROME, 


WHEREIN  IS  BRIEFLY  AND  PLAINLY  NARRATED  HOW,  AND  FOR  WHAT  CAUSE, 

HE  RENOUNCED  POPERY;    ALSO  HIS  SUBSEQUENT  CALLING  TO  THE 

PREACHING  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 


WRITTEN   BY   HIMSELF, 


^\NB   0RTf4INALLY  PUBLISHED  IN  THE  DUTCH  LANGUAGE 


A.   D.  1554. 


TO  THE  READER, 

Beloted  Reader,  We  are  falsely  accused,  by  our  opponents,  of  following  the 
teachings  of  Munster,  concerning  the  king,  the  sword,  rebellion,  retaliation,  polygamy 
and  other  abominations.  But  my  kind  readers,  know  ye  that  I,  never  in  my  life, 
accepted  any  of  tlie  foregoing  doctrines;  but  on  the  conti-ary,  I  have  opposed  them 
for  more  than  seventeen  years,  and  to  the  best  of  my  abilities,  have  warned  all  man- 
kind against  this  abominable  error.  I  have  also,  througli  the  word  of  God,  led 
some  on  the  right  way.  Never  in  my  life  have  I  seen  Munster,  nor  have  I  been  in 
the  commnnion  of  that  sect.  I  also  hope,  through  God's  grace,  neither  to  eat  nor 
drink  with  such  (if  sxrch  there  are),  as  the  scripture  teaches  me;  unless  they  confess 
their  error  with  all  their  heart,  bring  forth  frnits  meet  for  repentance,  and  follow 
the  Gospel  in  the  right  manner. 

ilENNO  SIMON. 


Menno  Simon's  Renunciation 


OF   TUB 


C II U  Ft  OH  OF  ROME. 


My  Readek, 

I  write  to  yon  the  truth  in  Christ,  and  lie 
not.  In  the  year  1524,  being  then  in  my 
twenty-eighth  year,  I  nndertook  the  dnties  of 
a  priest  in  my  father's  village,  called  Ping- 
jnm,  in  Friesland.  Two  other  persons  of 
about  my  age,  also  officiated  in  the  same 
station.  The  one  was  my  pastor,  and  was 
well  learned  in  part;  the  other  succeeded 
me;  both  had  read  the  scriptiu'es  partially; 
but  I  had  not  touched  them  during  my  life, 
for  I  feared,  if  I  should  read  tliem  they 
would  mislead  me.  Behold!  such  a  stupid 
preacher  was  I,  for  nearly  two  years. 

In  the  tu-st  year  thereafter  a  thought  oc- 
curred to  me,  as  often  as  I  liandled  the  bread 
and  wine  in  the  mass,  that  they  were  not  the 
Hesh  and  blood  of  the  Lord.  I  thought  that 
it  was  the  suggestion  of  the  devil,  that  he 
might  lead  me  off  from  my  faith.  I  con- 
fessed it  often — sighed  and  prayed,  yet  I 
could  not  be  freed  from  this  thought. 

Those  two  aforementioned  young  men  and 
myself  spent  our  time  daily  in  playing, 
di-inking,  and  all  manner  of  frivolous  diver- 
sions, alas!  as  it  is  the  fashion  and  way  of 
such  useless  people ;  and  when  we  were  to 
treat  a  little  of  scriptm-e,  I  could  not  speak 
a  word  with  them  without  being  scoffed  at; 
for  I  did  not  know  what  I  asserted.  Thus 
concealed  was  the  word  of  God  to  my  un- 
derstanding. 

At  length  I  resolved  that  I  would  examine 
the  New  Testament  attentively.    I  had  not 


proceeded  far  therein,  ere  I  discovered  that 
we  were  deceived.  My  conscience,  which 
was  troubled  on  account  of  the  sacramental 
bread,  aforementioned,  was  soon  greatly  re- 
lieved, without  any  human  aid  or  advice; 
though  I  was  encoiu'aged  by  Luther  in  the 
belief,  that  human  authority  cannot  bind  to 
eternal  death. 

Through  the  illumination  and  grace  of 
the  Lord,  I  continued  daily  to  examine  the 
scrip tm-es,  and  was  soon  considered  by  some, 
thoiigh  undeservedly,  as  being  an  evangel- 
ical preacher.  Every  one  sought  my  com- 
pany, the  world  loved  me  and  had  my  affec- 
tions, yet  it  was  said  that  I  preached  the 
word  of  God,  and  was  a  line  man. 

Afterwards  it  happened,  before  I  had  ever  1 
heard  of  the  existence  of  brethren,  that  a  God- 
fearing, pious  man,  named  Sicke  Snyder, 
was  beheaded  at  Leeuwarden,  for  being  re- 
baptized.  It  sounded  strange  to  me,  to  hear 
a  second  baptism  spoken  of.  I  examined 
the  scriptures  assiduously  and  meditated  on 
them  earnestly,  but  could  find  nothing  in 
them  concerning  infant  baptism.  After  I 
had  discovered  this,  I  conversed  with  my 
pastor  on  the  subject;  and  after  much  dis- 
cussion, he  had  to  admit,  that  there  was  no 
scriptural  foundation  for  infant  baptism. 
Notwithstanding  all  tliis,  I  dared  not  trust 
my  own  imderstaudiug,  but  consulted  several 
ancient  authors.  They  taught  me  that  child- 
ren were  to  be  washed  by  baptism  from  their 
original  sin.    I  compared  this  doctrine  with 


MENNO  SIMON'S  KENUNCLATION 


the  scriptures  and  foixnd  that  it  made  bap- 
tism take  the  place  of  the  .blood  of  Christ. 

Aftenvards,  desiring  to  know  the  grounds 
for  infant  baptism,  I  went  and  consulted 
Luther.  He  tanght  me  that  children  were  to 
be  baptized  on  acconnt  of  their  own  faith. 
I  perceived  that  tliis  also  was  not  in  acc-ord- 
ance  with  the  word  of  God. 
I  Next  I  consulted  Bucer.  He  tanght  that 
infants  were  to  be  baptized,  that  their  bap- 
tism would  cause  those  who  had  their  train- 
ing, to  be  more  careful  in  bringing  them  up 
in  the  way  of  the  Lord.  I  perceived  that 
this  doctrine,  too,  was  without  foundation. 

I  then  consulted  Bullinger.  He  directed 
me  to  the  covenant  and  circumcision.  This 
I  found  incapable  of  being  substantiated  by 
scripture. 
\  Having  thus  observed  that  authors  varied 
greatly  among  themselves,  each  following 
his  o^vn  opinion,  I  became  convinced  that 
we  were  deceived  in  relation  to  infant  bap- 
tism. 

Shortly  after,  I  went  to  the  village  in  which 
I  was  born,  called  Witmarsum.  Covetous- 
ness  and  a  desire  to  obtain  a  great  name, 
were  the  inducements  which  led  me  to  that 
place.  There  I  spoke  much  concerning  the 
word  of  the  Lord,  without  spirituality  or 
love,  as  all  hypocrites  do,  and  by  this  means 
I  made  disciples  of  my  own  stamp,  such  as 
vain  boasters  and  light-minded  babblers, 
who,  alas!  like  myself,  cared  but  little  about 
these  matters.  Although  I  had  now  acquired 
considerable  knowledge  of  the  scriptures, 
yetlwasted  that  knowledge  through  the  lusts 
of  my  youth  in  an  impiu'e,  sensual,  unprofit- 
able life,  without  any  fruit,  and  sought  noth- 
ing but  gain,  ease,  favor  of  men,  splendor, 
reputation  and  honor,  as  all  generally  do 
who  embark  in  the  same  ship. 

Tims,  my  reader,  I  obtained  a  knowl- 
edge of  baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper, 
'  tlu-ough  the  illumination  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
through  much  reading  of  the  scriptures, 
:  and  meditating  upon  them,  and  through  the 
gracious  favor  and  gift  of  God,  but  not 
by  means  of  the  service  of  misleading  sects, 
as  it  is  reported  of  me.  I  hope  that  I  write 
the  truth  and  do  not  seek  vain  glory ;  though 
some,  doubtless,  may  have  contributed  to 
my  assistance  in-  the  pui-suit  of  truth,  yet 


will  I,  for  this,  render  thanks  to  the  Lord 
forever. 

Meanwhile  it  happened,  when  I  had  re- 
sided there  about  a  year,  that  quite  a  num- 
ber broke  in  upon  baptism ;  but  whence  the 
fii-st  beginners  came,  or  where  they  resided, 
or  who  they  properly  were,  is  to  this  hour 
TinknowTi  to  me,  neither  have  I  ever  seen 
them. 

Afterwards  the  sect  of  Munster  made  in- ) 
roads,  by  whom  many  pious  hearts  in  our 
quarter,  were  led  into  error.  My  soul  was 
much  troubled,  for  I  perceived,  that  though 
they  were  zealous,  they  erred  in  doctrine,  k 
I  exerted  my  feeble  efforts,  as  far  as  I  was 
able,  in  opposing  them  by  preaching  and 
exhortations.  I  conferred  twice  with  one  of 
theii"  leaders,  once  in  private,  and  again  in 
public;  but  my  admonitions  availed  noth- 
ing, because  I  did  that  myself  which  I  well 
knew  was  not  right. 

The  report  spread  far  abroad,  that  I  could 
readily  silence  these  persons.  All  looked 
to  me.  I  saw  that  I  was  the  leader  and 
defender  of  the  impenitent,  who  all  depended 
upon  me.  This  pained  my  heart;  I  sighed 
and  ijrayed.  Lord  help  me,  lest  I  make  my- 
self partaker  of  other  men's  sins.  My  soul 
was  troubled  and  I  reflected  upon  the  result 
of  my  doings,  namely,  that  if  I  should  gain 
the  whole  world,  and  live  a  thousand  years, 
and  at  last  have  to  eudm'e  the  wrath  of  God, 
what  would  I  have  gained^ 

Afterwards,  the  poor  straying  flock,  who 
wandered  as  sheep  without  a  shepherd,  after 
many  severe  edicts  and  slaughters,  assem- 
bled near  my  place  of  residence,  called  Oude 
'  Klooster,  and,  alas!  through  the  ungodly 
doctrines  of  Munster,  and  in  opposition  to 
the  Spirit,  the  word  and  the  example  of 
Christ,  drew  the  sword  to  defend  themselves, 
which  the  Lord  commanded  Peter  to  put  up 
■  in  the  sheath. 

After  this  had  transpired,  the  blood  of 
the  slain,  although  it  was  shed  in  error, 
grieved  me  so  sorely  that  I  could  not  endure 
it.  I  could  find  no  rest  in  my  soul.  I  re- 
flected ui5on  my  carnal,  sinfirl  life,  my  hyp- 
ocritical doctrine  and  idolatry,  in  which  I 
continued  daily  under  the  ■  appearance  of 
godliness.  I  saw  that  these  zealous  chil- 
dren willingly  gave  their  lives  and  their  es- 
tates, though  they  were  in  error,  for  their 


OF  THE  CHURCH  OF  KOME. 


5 


doctrine  and  faitli.  And  I  was  one  of  those 
who  had  discovered  some  of  their  abomina- 
tions, and  yet  I  myself  remained  satisfied 
with  my  unrestrained  life  and  known  de- 
filements. I  wished  only  to  live  comfortably 
and  without  the  cross  of  Christ. 

Thus  reflecting  upon  these  things  my  soul 
was  so  grieved  that  I  conld  no  longer  endm-e 
it.  I  thought  to  myself— I,  miserable  man, 
what  shall  I  do  ?  If  I  continue  in  this  way, 
and  live  not  agreeably  to  the  word  of  the 
Lord,  according  to  the  knowledge  of  the 
truth  which  I  have  obtained ;  if  I  do  not  re- 
buke to  the  best  of  my  limited  ability  the 
hypocrisy,  the  impenitent,  carnal  life,  the 
perverted  baptism,  the  Lord's  supper  and 
the  false  worship  of  God,  which  the  learned 
teach-,  if  I,  through  bodily  fear,  do  not  show 
them  the  true  foundation  of  the  truth,  neither 
use  all  my  powers  to  direct  the  wandering- 
flock,  who  would  gladly  do  their  Anty  if  they 
knew  it,  to  the  true  pastures  of  Christ — Oh, 
how  shall  their  shed  blood,  though  shed  in 
error,  rise  against  me  at  the  jiidgment  of  the 
Almighty,  and  pronounce  sentence  against 
my  poor,  miserable  soul. 

My  heart  trembled  in  my  body.  Ipraj^ed 
to  God  with  sighs  and  tears,  that  he  would 
I  give  to  me,  a  troubled  sinner,  the  gift  of  his 
grace,  and  create  a  clean  heart  within  me; 
that  through  the  merits  of  the  crimson  blood 
of  Christ,  He  would  graciously  forgive  my 
unclean  walk  and  unprofitable  life,  and 
bestow  upon  me,  wisdom.  Spirit,  candor  and 
'  fortitude,  that  I  might  preach  his  exalted 
and  adorable  name  and  holy  word  unper- 
verted,  and  make  manifest  his  truth  to  his 
praise. 

I  began  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  to  preach 
publicly,  from  the  pulpit,  the  word  of  true 
repentance;  to  direct  the  people  into  the 
narrow  path,  and  through  the  power  of  the 
scriptiu-e  to  reprove  all  sin  and  ungodliness, 
all  idolatry  and  false  worship,  and  to  pre- 
sent the  true  worship,  also  baptism  and  the 
Lord's  Supper,  according  to  the  doctrine  of 
Cluist,  to  the  extent  that  I  had  at  that  time 
received  gxace  from  God. 

I  also  faithfully  warned  every  one  in  re- 
lation to  the  abominations  of  Munster,  con- 
cerning  Tiings,    'polygamy,    dominion,    the 
^.  siDord,  &c.,  until  after  the  expiration  of  about 
1  nine  months,  when  the  gi-acious  Lord  grant- 


ed me  his  fatherly  Spirit,  aid  and  power; 
then  I  voluntarily  renounced  all  my  world- 
ly honor  and  reputation,  my  unchristian 
conduct,  masses,  infant  baptism,  and  my  un- 
profitable life,  and  at  once  willingly  submit- 
ted to  distress  and  poverty,  and  the  cross 
of  Christ.  In  my  weakness  I  feared  God;*; 
I  sought  out  the  pious,  and  though  theyi; 
were  few  in  number,  I  found  some  who  were 
zealous  and  maintained  the  tnitli.  I  con- 
versed with  the  erring,  and  through  the  aid 
and  power  of  God,  ■with  his  word,  reclaimed 
some  fi-om  the  snares  of  damnation,  and 
gained  them  to  Christ,  whOe  the  hardened 
and  rebellious,  I  comm.ended  to  the  Lord. 
Behold,  thus,  my  reader,  the  God  of  mercy, 
through  the  benign  influence  of  his  abound  ■ 
ing  grace,  exerted  upon  me,  in  my  heart,  a 
miserable  sinner,  produced  in  me  a  new 
mind,  humbled  me  in  his  fear,  taught  me  to 
know  myself  in  part,  tm-ned  me  from  the 
way  of  death,  and  graciously  called  me  into 
the  narrow  path  of  life,  to  the  communion 
of  his  saints.  To  him  be  praise  forever  more. 
Amen. 

About  one  year  thereafter,  while  I  was 
secretly  exercising  myself  in  the  word  of 
Godby  reading  and  writing,it  happened  that 
six,  seven  or  eight  persons  came  to  me,  who 
were  of  one  heart  and  one  soul  with  myself, 
in  their  faith  and  life,  and  as  far  as  man  can 
judge,  were  unblamable,  and  according  to 
the  testimony  of  the  scriptures,  separated 
from  the  world  and  subdued  to  the  cross. 
They  sincerely  abhorred  not  only  the  sect 
of  Munster,  but  the  anathemas  and  abomi- 
nations of  all  other  worldly  sects.    For  the 
sake  of  those  pious  souls  who  were  of  the 
same  mind  and  spirit  both  with  them  and 
with  me,  they  with  much  solicitude  kindly 
I  requested  me,  to  reflect  on  the  gTeat  suffer- 
ings  and  necessity  of  the  poor,  oppressed 
i  souls  (for  the  hunger  was  very  great  and  the 
I  faithful  stewards  were  very  few),  and  apply 
1  to  advantage  the  talents  which  I  liad  un- 
i  meritedly  received  from  the  Lord. 

When  I  heard  this  my  heart  was  greatly 
troubled.  Trouble  and  fear  were  on  every 
side;  for  on  the  one  hand  I  was  sensible  of 
my  limited  talents,  my  great  ignorance,  my 
weak  nature,  the  timidity  of  my  flesh,  the 
unbounded  wickedness,  perversity  and  tyr- 
anny of  the  world,  the  powerful  sects,  the 


MENNO  SIMON'S  KENUNCIATION 


subtlety  of  different  minds,  and  the  heavy 
cross  that  woTikl  oppress  me,  shonkl  I  com- 
ply with  their  solicitations,  and  on  the  other 
hand,  the  miserable,  starving  condition  and 
necessity  of  these  God-fearing,  pions  chil- 
dren, for  I  saw  plainly  that  they  erred  as  in- 
nocent sheep  which  have  no  shepherd. 

At  last,  after  much  prayer,  I  placed  my- 
self and  these  circumstances  before  the  Lord 
and  his  church,  in  order  that  we  might  pray 
earnestly  to  the  Lord  for  a  season;  should 
it  accorcl  Avith  his  acceptable  and  holy  will 
that  I  could  or  might  labor  to  his  praise, 
that  lie  woxrld  give  me  such  a  mind  and 
heart  as  would  enable  me  to  say  with  Paul, 
"Woe  is  me,  if  I  preach  not  the  Gospel," 
and  if  not,  that  he  might  provide  a  way  to 
prohibit  the  same,  for  Cluist  says,  "That  if 
two  of  you  shall  agree  on  earth  as  touching 
anything  that  they  shall  ask,  it  shall  be 
done  for  them  of  my  Father  which  is  in 
heaven.  For  where  two  or  three  are  gath- 
ered together  in  my  name,  there  am  I  in  the 
midst  of  them,"  Matt.  IS:  19,  20. 

f  Thus,  my  reader,  behold,  I  was  not  called 
j  to  serve  among  the  followers  of  Munster,  nor 
'  of  any  other  seditious  sect  (as  it  is  falsely  re- 
ported concerning  me),  but  I  havebeen  called, 
imworthily,  to  this  office  by  a  people  who 
were  ready  to  receive  Christ  and  his  word, 
led  a  penitent  life  in  the  fear  of  God,  served 
their  neighbors  in  love,  bore  the  cross,  sought 
the  welfare  and  salvation  of  all  men,  loved 
righteousness  and  tnith,  and  abhorred  wick- 
i  edness  and  unrighteousness,  which  shows 
pointedly  that  they  were  not  such  perverted 
persons  as  they  are  slanderously  reported 
to  have  been.  But  they  were  true  Christians, 
though  unknown  to  the  world,  if  in  anywise 
we  believe  that  Christ's  word  is  true,  and 
liis  unblamable,  holy  life  and  example  in- 
fallible. 

Thus  have  I,  a  miserable  sinner,  been  en- 
lightened of  the  Lord,  converted  to  a  new 
mind,  fled  from  Babel,  entered  into  Jerusa- 
lem, and  finally,  though  unworthily,  called 
to  this  high  and  arduous  semce. 

AYhen  the  jDersons  before  mentioned,  did 
not  desist  fi-om  their  supplications,  and  my 
own  conscience  in  some  degree  made  me  un- 
easy (although  in  weakness),  because  I  saw 
the  great  hunger  and  need,  already  referred 


to,  I  surrendered  myself,  soul  and  body,  to  I 
the  Lord  and  committed  myself  to  his  grace,  | 
and  commenced  in  due  time,  according  to 
the  contents  of  Iiis  holy  word,  to  teach,  and 
to  baptize,  to  labor  in  the  vineyard  of  the! 
Lord  with  my  limited  talents,  to  build  up  his| 
holy  city  and  temple,  and  to  repair  the! 
dilapidated  walls.  The  great  and  mighty  ' 
God  has  made  known  and  revealed  the  word 
of  true  repentance,  the  word  of  his  grace  and 
power,  together  with  the  salutary  use  of  his 
holy  sacraments,  through  our  humble  service, 
doctrine  and  unlearned  wiltings,  together 
with  the  careful  service,  labor  and  help  of 
our  faithful  brethren,  in  many  towns  and 
countries,  to  such  an  extent,  and  made  the 
condition  of  his  churches  so  glorious  and  be- 
stowed upon  them  such  asubduingpower  that 
many  exalted  and  proud  hearts  not  only  be- 
came humble;  the  unclean,  pure;  thedrank- 
en,  sober;  the  avaiicious,  benevolent;  the 
ferocious,  mild,  and  the  ungodly,  pious;  but 
they  also  faithfullj^  yielded  their  posses- 
sions and  blood,  bodies  and  lives,  for  the 
blessed  testimony  tliey  had,  as  may  yet  daily 
be  seen.  These  are  not  the  fruits  and  evi- 
dences of  false  doctrines,  in  which  God  is 
not  a  co-worker.  Neither  could  they  endure 
so  long  under  such  grievous  misery  and  op- 
pressive crosses,  were  it  not  the  j)ower  and 
word  of  the  Almighty  which  sustains  them. 
Yea,  more,  the  Lord  endued  them  with  such 
grace  and  wisdom,  as  Christ  has  promised 
to  all  his  children  in  their  trials,  so  that  all 
the  worldly-wise  and  renoA\med  teachers,  to- 
gether with  the  blood-guilty,  daring  t.yrants, 
who,  O  God,  boast  that  they  are  Christians, 
Avere  vanquished  and  abashed  hy  these  in- 
vincible champions  and  pious  witnesses  of 
Christ.  Those  ferocious  persons  Iviiew  of  no 
other  weapons  or  refuge  to  which  to  i-esort 
than  those  of  banishing,  seizing,  punishing, 
burning,  murdering,  and  destroying,  even  as 
has  always  been  tlie  custom  of  the  old  ser- 
pent, from  the  beginning,  and  as  may  yet, 
alas!  be  daily  witnessed  in  many  places  of 
our  Netherlands. 

Behold  this  is  oiir  calling,  our  doctrine 
and  fi'uits  of  our  lal)or ;  on  account  of  which 
we  are  so  grievously  slandered,  and  so  ma- 
levolently persecuted;  whether  or  not  all  the 
prophets,  apostles,  and  faithful  servants  of 
God,  have  endured  similar  sufferings  on  ac- 


OP  THE  CHURCH  OF  ROME. 


count  of  their  faithfulness,  we  mllingly  leave 
all  the  pious  to  judge. 

But  as  much  as  regards  my  poor,  weak 
and  imperfect  life,  I  freely  confess  that  I  am 
a  poor,  wretched  sinner,  conceived  in  sin, 
of  sinful  seed,  and  sinfully  brought  forth.  I 
can  say  with  Da-vdd,  that  my  sins  are  ever 
before  me.  My  thoughts,  words  and  actions 
convince  me.  I  see  with  holy  Paul,  "That 
in  me  (that  is  in  my  flesh),  dwelleth  no  good 
thing,"  Rom.  7:  18.  Nevertheless,  I  must  be 
allowed  to  boast  this  much  in  vny  weakness, 
if  this  wicked,  desolate  world  would  hear  our 
doctrine  (not  om's,  but  the  doctrine  of  Christ), 
with  patience,  and,  in  the  true  fear  of  God 
follow  it  submissively,  this  woirld  imdoubt- 
edly,  be  a  more  christian-like  and  better 
world  than,  alas,  it  now  is. 

I  thank  God,  who  has  made  me  mlliug 
i  with  holy  Paul,  to  hate  the  evil  and  follow 
the  good;   and  willingly  would  I  with  my 
o\^Ti  blood,  reclaim  this  wicked  world  from 
iungodly  and  evil  works,   and  gain  it  to 
I  Christ.    Through  tlie  grace  of  God,  it  is  my 
desire  to  fear  the  Lord  with  all  my  heart; 
to  love,  seek  and  seiTe  him,  to  do  right  be- 
fore  him,    and   be  an  unblamable   pious 
Christian. 

I  hope  through  the  mercy  and  assistance 
of  the  Lord,  that  no  one  upon  earth  may  have 
reason  to  accuse  me  of  leading  an  avaricious 
and  luxurious  life.  Money  and  affluence,  I 
have  not;  neither  do  I  desire  them,  although 
alas,  some  from  a  pei-verted  heart,  say  that 
I  eat  more  roasted  than  they  do  seethed; 
and  drink  more  wine  than  they  do  beer. 
My  Lord  and  Master,  Jesus  Christ,  was  also 
called  a  winebibber,  and  a  glutton.  I  tnist 
that  through  the  grace  of  the  Lord,  I  am  in- 
nocent in  this  matter,  and  stand  acquitted 
before  God. 

He  who  pui'chased  me  with  the  blood  of 
his  love,  and  called  me,  who  am  imworthy, 
to  his  seiwice,  knows  me,  and  knows  that  I 
seek  not  wealth,  nor  possessions,  nor  luxurj^ 


nor  ease,  but  only  the  praise  of  the  Lord, 
my  salvation,  and  the  salvation  of  many 
souls.  For  this  I,  my  poor,  feeble  wife  and 
childi-en  have  for  eighteen  years  endured 
extreme  anxiety,  oppression,  affliction,  mis- 
ery and  persecution,  and  at  the  peril  of  my 
life,  have  been  compelled  everywhere  to  live 
in  fear  and  seclusion ;  yea,  when  ministers  j 
repose  on  easy  beds  and  downy  pillows,' 
we  generally  have  to  hide  ourselves  in  se- 
cluded corners ;  when  they  at  weddings  and 
feasts,  pipe  and  beat  the  tambour,  and  vaunt 
loudly,  we  must  look  out,  when  the  dogs 
bark,  lest  the  captors  be  at  hand.  Whilst 
they  are  saluted  as  doctors,  lords  and  teach- 
ers by  every  one,  we  have  to  hear  that  we 
are  ana-baptists,  hedge  preachers,  deceivers 
and  heretics,  and  must  be  saluted  in  the  name 
of  the  devil.  In  short,  whilst  they  are  glori- 
ously rewarded  for  their  seiwices  with  large 
incomes  and  easy  times,  our  recompense  and 
portion  must  be  fire,  sword  and  death. 

Behold,  my  faithful  readers,  in  such  fear, 
poverty,  misery  and  danger  of  death,  have 
I,  wTetched  man,  performed  to  this  hoiir, 
without  change,  the  service  of  the  Lord,  and 
I  hope  through  his  grace  to  continue  therein 
to  his  glory,  as  long  as  I  remain  in  this 
earthly  tabernacle.  "WHiat  I  and  my  faith- 
ful co-workers  have  sought  or  could  have 
sought  in  performing  these  our  arduous  and 
dangerous  duties,  is  apparent  to  all  the 
well-disposed,  who  may  readily  judge  from 
the  works  and  their  fruits. 

I  will  here  humbly  entreat  the  reader  for 
Jesus'  sake,  to  accept  in  love,  this  my  con- 
fession in  relation  to  my  illumination,  con- 
version and  calling,  and  to  meditate  thereon. 
I  have  made  it  out  of  urgent  necessity,  for 
the  information  of  the  pious  reader,  because 
I  was  slandered  by  the  clergy,  and  am  ac- 
cused, without  foundation  of  truth,  of  being 
called  and  ordained  to  this  service  by  a  se- 
ditious and  heretical  sect.  He  that  feareth 
God  let  him  read  and  judge. 


MENNO  SIMON. 


AN  ACCOUNT 


OF   THE 


SEVERE  PERSECUTIONS  OF  MENNO  SIMON,  AND  A  DESCRIPTION  OF  THE 

PLACE  WHERE  HE  LAST  PREACHED  THE  GOSPEL, 

DIED  AND  A¥AS  BURIED. 


"All  that  will  live  godly  in  Clirist  Jesus," 
says  Paiil,  "  shall  suffer  persecution,"  2  Tim. 
3 :  12.  These  words,  although  often  conhi-med, 
through  the  inconsiderate  wickedness  of  this 
world,  we  find  particiilarly  confirmed  in  the 
example  of  our  author  Menno  Simon.  For, 
after  he  had  been  persecuted  in  many  ways 
and  sought  for  by  his  opponents,  they,  in 
order  that  their  design  might  be  accom- 
plished with  certainty,  issued  a  decree  in 
which  it  was  stated  that  whosoever  should 
shelter,  or  in  any  manner  conceal  INIenno 
Simon  or  any  of  his  followers,  should  suffer 
death;  which  decree  was  enforced  in  the  year 
A.  D.  1539  in  the  case  of  Tjaert  Reyndertz,- 
a  peasant  living  near  Harliugen  (prov.  Fries- 
land,  Neth.),  who,  because  he  secretly  har- 
bored Menno  Simon  in  his  house,  in  his  great 
danger  and  distress,  was  a  few  days  after, 
taken  to  Leeuwarden  (in  the  same  province), 
and  as  an  ungodly  criminal  put  on  the  wheel, 
though  even  his  enemies  acknowledged  that 
he  was  a  pious  man. 

Besides  this,  another  decree  was  issued 
in  the  year  A.  D.  1543,  throughout  West 
Friesland,  by  which  a  general  pardon,  the 
favor  of  the  Emperor,  freedom  of  the  country, 
and  besides,  one  hundred  Carl  g-uilders** 
was  promised  to  any  criminal,  even  murder- 
er, who  would  deliver  Menno  into  the  hands 
of  the  executioner;  and,  in  order  that  their 
piirpose    might   be   more   readily    accom- 

*  Sec  Martyr's  Mirror,  Englisli  edition,  puljlishcd  by 
J).  Miller,  Lampeter  Squnre.  Pa.,  1837,  Piifje  389. 
**  Forty  Dollars. 


plislied,  his    name,  person,  clothing  and 
statui'e  were  described,  and  this  description 
posted  upon  the  church-doors;   so  that  he 
could  not  even  find  a  hut  of  straw  where  he 
could  quietly  rest  with  his  wife  and  little 
children,  for  any  length  of  time.     Menno 
himself  relates  that  in  1546,  at  a  certain 
place,  where   they  yet  boasted  of  being 
evangelical  christians,  four  dwellings  were, 
at  once,  confiscated,  because  the  owner  had 
rented  one  of  them  for  a  short  time  to  his 
sick  wife  and  little  children,  though  the 
neighbors  were  not  aware  of  it.   This  severe 
persecution  compelled  Menno  to  remove  to 
a  place  situated  between  Hambm-g  and  Lu- 
beck,  six  and  a  half  or  seven  miles  from 
Hamburg,  three  miles  from  Lubeck,  and 
nearly  a  mile  from  Oldeslo,  which  formerly 
was  a  large  forest  of  oaks,  but  which  is 
now  an  open  field,  generally  called  Woeste 
Veldt,    belonging    to    the    nobleman    and 
estate  of  Van  Vriesenburg;  which  nobleman 
was  at  that  time  a  very  cruel  person,  on 
which  account  he  was  generally  shunned 
and  feared.    But  having  spent  much  of  his 
youth  in  the  Netherlands,  and  having  often 
witnessed  the  death  of  martyi's,  he  was  very 
compassionate  towards  them,    being  con- 
versant vdth  their  doctrines.     He  clandes- 
tinely gave  them  liberty  to  dwell  there,  and 
assiduously  and  faithfully  assisted  them ; 
although  he  was  requested  by  the  king's 
order  not  to    permit  them  to  live  there; 
therefore  he  announced  to  them,  through 
one  of  his  servants,  that  they  should  leave 


AN  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  SEVERE  PERSECUTIONS,  &c. 


9 


before  sxin-down,  at  the  risk  of  piinisliment, 
yet,  lie  sent  a  faitlifiil  seiTant  after  tlie  tii'st, 
to  tell  tliein  tlie  cause  of  this  aunoiTUcement, 
and  to  inform  them  that  the  men  should 
either  absent  or  conceal  themselves  for  a 
week  or  two.  In  the  mean  while  he  suc- 
ceeded in  quieting  this  excitement,  through 
one  of  the  coiu'tiers.  After  this  the  exiles 
came  hither  from  every  side,  imtil  there  was 
quite  a  little  community  there,  who  lived  in 
comparative  quiet.  Each  family  had  to  pay 
one  dollar  a  year  for  this  protection,  and 
were  taxed  no  fiu-ther.  This  may  well  be 
considered  a  special  dispensation  of  Grod's 
providence,  that  the  exiles  were  fostered  and 
protected  by  a  very  cruel  person,  who  was 
feared  by  all  arormd  him.  For  which  reason 
Iklenno  considered  it  expedient,  as  it  was 
said,  to  remove  to  that  place. 

Menno  Simon  died  about  thirty  years  af- 
ter he  left  the  chiu'ch  of  Rome.  Dimng  this 
time  he  taught  and  proclaimed  the  gospel, 
purified  of  Roman  idolatry  and  supersti- 
tion. His  last  exhortation  was  given  on  his 
death-bed,  whUe  the  hand  of  death  seemed 
already  to  rest  upon  him,  showing  his  un- 
c[uenchable  zeal.  He,  however,  partially  re- 
covered and  was  better  for  several  days,  but 
on  the  day  of  the  anniversary  of  his  renun- 


ciation ofpopery, he  suddenly  became  worse, 
though  well  taken  care  of,  and  the  next  day, 
being  Friday  the  13th  of  January,  1561,  he 
calmly  fell  asleep  in  Jesus,  in  the  sixty  sixth 
year  of  his  age,  and  was  biuled  in  his  own 
garden,  which  according  to  Hoornbeck,  was 
also  customary  with  the  primitive  Christians 
under  the  persecutions  of  the  pagans. 


-o- 


NoTB  1.  —  Although  the  "Martyrs'  Mirror,"  page  59, 
and  T.  J.  vau  Braght  in  his  "Bloody  Theatre"  and 
others,  write  that  Menno  Simon  died  on  the  13th  of 
January  1559,  yet  we  arc  led  to  think  that  he  died  in 
1561,  for  the  following  reasons: 

The  old  biography  of  Menno  Simon  mentions  1561  as 
the  year  of  his  death,  which  statement  we  deem  cor- 
rect; also  on  the  33rd  of  January  1559,  he  wrote  a 
tract  (see  his  Reply  to  Zylis  and  Lemniekes  in  this 
book),  and  sent  it  to  the  German  teachers,  Zylis  and 
Lemniekes.  Now,  if  he  died  on  the  13th  of  January 
1559,  he  must  have  written  this  ten  days  after  his 
death. 

Note  2. — The  reader  should  know  that  although  some 
old  biographies  mention  1505  as  the  year  of  his  birth, 
yet  wc  will  take  1490;  for,  the  "Martyrs' Mirror," 
"The  Bloody  Theatre,"  "  The  Decline  of  Tyrants"  and 
"Annals,"  all  mention  that  he  died  in  his  sLsty  sLsth 
year.  If  Menno,  then,  died  in  1561,  he  necessarily 
was  born  in  1496,  or  else  he  died  in  the  fifty  sixth 
year  of  his  age. 


FOUNDATION 


AND 


Plain  Instruction 


OP  THE 


i^aljing  Mctrin^  of  §ur  Sortr  %tsns  m^thtf 


BRIEFLT  COMPILED  FROM  THE  WORD   OF  GOD. 


TOGETHER  WITH  OTHER  INSTRUCTIVE  TREATISES, 


BY 


MENNO    SIMON. 


TRANSLATED  FROM  THE  DUTCH  INTO  THE  ENGLISH  LANGUAGE. 


"  For  other  foundation  can  no  man  lay  than  that  is  laid, 
which  is" Jesus  Christ."     1.  Cor.  3:  11. 


ELKHART,  INDIANA: 

PUBLISHED  BY  JOHN  F.   FUNK  AND   BROTHER. 

18  7  1. 


TO  THE  READER. 

PiOTJS,  Belovi:d  Reader,  Since  I  perceive  that  onr  worlv,  called,  "Tiie  Founda- 
tion OF  Chkistiak  Doctrine,"  whicli  I  published  a  few  years  ago,  has  been,  through 
the  grace  of  God,  to  whom  be  eternal  praise  and  thanks,  productive  of  much  good 
to  some;  and  God's  holy  word  which  was  obscured  for  such  a  long  time,  has  been 
again  a  little  explained,  through  our  limited  talents,  and  as  many  well  disposed  chil- 
di'en,  requested  and  entreated  me,  diligently  to  revise  and  correct  such  parts  as  were 
obscured  through  the  negligence  of  the  printer,  and  which  deprived  the  reader  of  the 
sense,  I  was  prevailed  on,  and  did  so.  In  some  places  I  made  additions ;  ex- 
plained the  obscure  parts,  corrected  those  that  were  defective,  and  omitted  redun- 
dancies; the  style  and  language  I  improved,  in  order  to  be  better  suited  to  aid  the 
kind  reader,  and  to  make  known  and  acceptable  to  many,  the  despised  truth. 

Not  my  reader,  that  I  changed  the  original  doctrines  and  contents;  by  no  means! 
I  have  not  changed,  but  as  apjiears  to  me,  improved  its  form,  and  given  it  more 
force  and  distinctness.  Those  who  fear  God  may  judge.  The  fonner,  as  well  as  this, 
is  God's  word;  and  all  that  the  first  teaches,  this  teaches  also.  Mny  the  Almighty, 
Merciful  Father  grant  that  through  his  grace  oui'  little  work,  so  lightty  esteemed,  may 
produce  much  fniit  in  many  thousands,  Amen. 

IMENNO  SIMON. 


r  R  E  F  A  C  E. 


Note. 


-The  following  Preface  s7iows  to  wliom  this  book  is  addressed,  and  teas  loritten 
at  tJie  time  lohen  tlie  errors  of  Munsier  yet  'prevailed. 


To  those  in  autJiority  and  all  otJters,  of  lohatever  condition,  class  or  ccdlinr/  they 
he,  Menno  Simon  wishes  the  illumination  of  the  Spirit,  and,  the  pure  Icnowledge  of  the 
Jdnffdom  of  God,  from  our  heamnly  Father,  and  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  our  Lord,  who 
has  loved  %is  and  toashed  tis  from  our  sins  with  his  hlood.  To  him  he  praise,  honor, 
glory,  and,  thanlcsgiving  forever,  Amen. 


Dear  Sirs,  Friends  and  Brethren,  since  we 
learn  from  the  scriptures,  and  from  experi- 
ence find,  that  the  prediction  of  the  prophets, 
Christ  and  of  the  apostles,  concerning  the 
terrible  oppression,  misery,  want,  persecu- 
tion, danger,  anxiety,  and  false  doctrine,  in 
these  latter  times  is  being  accomplished  to 
its  full  measiu-e.  Matt.  24;  Mark  IS;  Luke 
21;  1  Tim.  4;  2  Tim.  8;  2  Pet.  2;  Jude  1, 
and  this  so  powerfully,  that  unless  the  mer- 
ciful Father  graciously  shortens  these  days 
no  flesh  will  be  saved. 

Therefore,  we  poor  miserable  men  entreat 
and  admonisli  every  one,  and  that  through 
the  mercy  of  the  Lord,  for  once  candidly  to 
read  our  doctrine  and  faith,  lay  it  well  to 
heart  and  understand  it  correctly,  that  you 
might  know  what  kind  of  doctrine  we  in- 
culcate, what  kind  of  faith  we  maintain, 
what  kind  of  life  we  lead,  and  how  we  are 
disposed,  on  account  of  vv-hich  we  have  to 
hear  and  suffer  so  much,  endure  imprison- 
ment, exile,  be  robbed,  derided,  defamed 
and  slain  as  poor,  innocent  sheep.  In  order 
that  you  may  sincerely  lament  and  weep  over 
yoiu-  former  bloody  deeds,  before  God,  and 
with  greater  circumspection  guard  and  pre- 
serve yourselves  from  such  things,  and  hence- 
forth be  found  a  more  pious,  sincere,  yea,  a 
more  God-fearing  magistracy,  Ex.  18:  23; 
Dent.  1 :  17 ;  not  afflictors  and  destroyers,  but  I 
fathers  and  guardians  of  all  miserable  and  I 


wretched;  not  exterminators,  but  defenders 
of  righteousness;  not  persecutors  but  follow- 
ers of  Christ  and  his  word.  Therefore,  anoint 
yoru"  eyes  with  eye-salve,  that  you  may  see 
and  understand  which  is  the  light  way,  the 
trutli  and  the  life;  the  way  which  is  so  strait 
and  narrow  and  found  of  so  few;  the  truth 
which  is  known  to  none,  except  those  who 
are  taught  of  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord,  illumin- 
ated and  drawn  by  the  Father ;  the  life 
which  is  to  know  God  the  Father  as  the  only 
true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ  whom  he  sent; 
that  you  may  see  him  whom  you  fiercely 
pierced,  and  that  you  may  with  holy  Paul, 
with  your  whole  hearts,  humble  yourselves 
before  the  Lord  with  much  fasting  and  weep- 
ing; clothe  yourselves  in  sack-cloth;  rend 
yourhearts  and  not  yom"  garments,  that  you 
may  find  gi-ace  in  his  sight.  For  he  is  long- 
suffering,  gTacious  and  merciful,  and  par- 
dons the  iniquity  of  all  who  sincerely  repent 
and  seek  his  grace.  Be  no  longer  like  Jero- 
boam ,Ahab  and  Manasseh,  but  like  David, 
Hezekiah  and  Josiah;  that  you  need  not  on 
account  of  the  office  entrusted  to  you  stand 
confounded  in  the  great  and  dreadful  day  of 
the  Lord,  in  that  day  which  shall  bum  as 
an  oven ;  and  all  who  have  dealt  unrighteous- 
ly and  used  violence  upon  the  earth,  shall 
l)e burnt  iip  as  diy  straw  and  stubble,  Mai.  4. 
Therefore,  we  most  humbly  entr(^at  you, 
for  the  sake  of  the  merits  of  Christ,  that  you 


14 


PREFACE. 


u 


would  thoroughly  ponder  and  reflect  iipon 
our  faith,  doctrine  and  imdertaking;  and 
not  esteem  ns  to  be  worse  than  you  do  tliieves 
and  miu'derers,  whom  you  do  not  condemn 
without  having  certain  knowledge  of  their 
case.  Oiu"  doings  are  not  thievish,  nor  have 
we  to  do  with  perishable  possessions,  but 
with  God  and  his  word,  oiu'  Iwdies  and 
souls,  eternal  life  or  eternal  death.  There- 
fore do  not  look  upon  the  usages  and  cus- 
toms of  the  fathers,  nor  upon  the  worldly 
wise  and  the  learned,  for  it  is  deeply  hidden 
from  their  eyes.  They  were  always  those 
who,  from  the  beginning,  thrust  from  them 
the  wisdom  of  God  through  their  owni  wis- 
dom and  haue  trampled  it  irnder  foot;  for 
the  wisdom  of  God,  which  we  teach,  is  that 
wisdom  which  none  may  luiderstand,  except 
those  who  are  desirous  of  living  and  walk- 
ing according  to  the  will  of  God;  it  is  that 
wisdom,  which  is  not  to  be  brought  from 
afar  nor  taught  in  colleges.  It  must  come. 
from  above  and  l^e  learned  through  the  Holy 
Ghost;  as  Paul  says,  Rom.  10:  6—9.  "Say 
not  in  thine  heart,  who  shall  ascend  into 
heaven?  (That  is,  to  bring  Christ  do^voi 
from  above).  Or,  who  shall  descend  into 
the  deep?  (That  is,  to  bring  up  Christ  again 
from  the  dead).  But,  what  saith  it?  The 
word  is  nigh  thee,  even  in  thy  mouth,  and 
in  thy  heart;  that  is,  the  word  of  faith  which 
we  preach;  that  if  thou  shalt  confess  with 
thy  mouth  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  shalt  believe 
in  thine  heart  that  God  hath  raised  him 
from  the  dead,  thou  shalt  be  saved."  There- 
fore, look  to  God's  word,  to  the  testimony 
and  example  of  the  holy  prophets,  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  and  his  apostles.  Let  these  be 
your  doctors  and  teachers,  and  not  the  ambi- 
tious, mercenary  preachers  of  this  world; 
then  you  will  soon  perceive,  whether  we  are 
within  or  without  the  trath.  May  the  al- 
mighty and  eternal  God  give  you  such  hearts 
and  minds.  To  him  l)e  honor,  praise  and 
gratitude,  dominion,  power  and  majesty 
for  ever.  Amen. 

Seeing  then,  beloved,  that  satan  can  trans- 
form himself  into  an  angel  of  light,  2  Cor. 
11,  and  thus  sow  tares  among  the  Lord's 
wheat,  such  as  the  sword,  polygamy,  secular 
kingdom,  and  kings  and  other  like  errors 
on  account  of  which  the  innocent  have  to 
suffer  much ;  hence  we  are  prompted  to  pub- 


lish this  our  faith  and  doctrine;  and  we 
desire  for  Jesus'  sake  that  we  might  obtain 
so  much  grace,  that  they  would  not  treat  and 
.judge  us  except  according  to  the  word  of 
God,  as  is  reasonable  and  just.  But  should 
we  not  obtain  so  much  grace,  we  have  to 
commend  it  to  the  Lord,  who  is  the  only  help- 
er of  every  one  in  need .  We  ■will ,  nevertheless , 
thi'ough  the  grace  of  God,  abide  in  the  word 
of  the  Lord;  and  comfort  om-selves  with  the 
scriptures,  which  say,  "Thus  saith  the  Lord 
that  created  thee,  O  Jacob,  and  he  that  formed 
thee,  O  Israel,  fear  not ;  for  I  have  re- 
deemed thee,  I  have  called  thee  by  thy  name; 
thou  art  mine.  \Vlien  thou  passest  through 
the  waters,  I  will  be  with  thee;  and  through 
the  rivers,  they  shall  not  ovei-flow  thee ;  when 
thou  walkest  through  the  fire,  thou  shalt 
not  be  bui'ned;  neither  shall  the  flame  kindle 
upon  thee;  for  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  the 
Holy  one  of  Israel,  thy  Savioiu-,"  Isa.  43:  1, 
3.  Again:  "Fear  ye  not  the  rej^roach  of 
men,  neither  be  ye  afraid  of  their  revilings ; 
for  the  moth  shall  eat  them  up  like  a  gar- 
ment and  the  worm  shall  eat  them  like  wool . " 
"I,  even  I,  am  he  that  comfort eth  you:  who 
art  thou  that  shouldst  be  afraid  of  a  man 
that  shall  die,  and  the  son  of  man  which 
shall  be  made  as  grass?"  Isa.  .^1:  7,  8  and 
12.  Christ  also  says :  "  Fear  not  them  which 
kill  the  body,  but  are  not  able  to  kill  the 
soul;  but  rather  fear  him  which  is  able  to 
destroy  both  soul  and  body  in  hell."  "Who- 
soever therefore  shall  confess  me  before  men, 
him  will  I  confess  also  before  my  Father 
which  is  in  heaven;  but  whosoever  shall 
deny  me  before  men,  him  will  I  also  deny 
before  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven,"  Matt. 
10: 28, 32, 33.  "  With  the  heart,"  saith  Paul, 
"man  believeth  unto  righteousness;  and 
with  the  moiith  confession  is  made  unto 
salvation,"  Rom.  10:  10. 

Since  then  the  scriptures  urge  us  so  much, 
both  to  believe  and  to  confess,  and  so  kindly 
comfort  us  against  the  raging  and  raving 
of  men,  therefore,  we  also  desire  to  abide  by 
the  same  iintil  death.  And  hereby  testify 
before  you  in  Christ  Jesus,  that  we  neither 
have,  nor  know  any  other  foundation,  faith 
or  doctrine,  than  that  which  may  be  plainly 
read,  heard,  and  understood  in  the  follow- 
ing, from  the  word  of  God,  Amen. 

MENNO  SIMON. 


THE  DAY  OF  GRACE. 


I      In  the  tirst  place  we  teach,  what  Jesus, 
i  the  teacher  from  heaven,  the  Oracle  and 
i  Word  of  the  Most  High  God  himself  taught, 
I  John  3 :  2,  that  now  is  the  time  of  grace,  a 
:  time  to  awaken  from  the  sleep  of  oiu-  abom- 
■  inable  sins,  Rom.  13:  11,  and  obtain  an  up- 
right, converted,  renewed,  contrite  and  peni- 
tent heart,  and  sincerely  lament  before  God, 
our  past  profligate  and  dissolute  coui'se  of 
life,  and  in  the  fear  of  God,  to  crucify  and 
mortify  our  depraved,  sinful  flesh,  temper 
and  nature,  and  arise  with  Clu'ist  into  a 
new,  righteous,  and  penitent  life  and  con- 
duct, Eph.  4:  22;  Gal.  5:  24.   Even  as  Christ 
says,  "The  time  is  fulfllled,  and  the  king- 
dom of  God  is  at  hand:  repent  ye  and  be- 
lieve the  Gospel,"  Mark.  1 :  15. 
'      The  time  is  fulfllled ,  that  is,  the  promised 
day  of  grace  approaches ;  the  time  for  the 
appearing  of  the  promised  seed;   the  time 
of  redemption,  the  time  of  that  ofiering  by 
which  all  things  were  to  be  reconciled  in 
heaven  and  upon  earth.  Gen.  3:15;  Col.l: 
19 ;   the  time  for  the  consummation  of  all 
the  literal  and  figurative  transactions  into  a 
new,  spiritual  life  and  an  abiding  truth ;  the 
time  for  which  the  fathers,  Jacob,  Moses, 
Isaiah,  David,  Daniel,  &c.,  with  all  the  pa- 
triarchs and  prophets  hoped,  and  which  they 
desired  with  many  tears,  and  througli  faith 
saw  from  afar,  and  drew  comfort  and  hope 
therefrom,  Heb.  11:  23;  yea,  it  was  to  them 
such  a  great  and  pleasing  consolation,  that 
good  old  Simeon  desired  to  live  no  longer, 
when  he  beheld  the  time  and  saw  the  Re- 
deemer.   He  said,  "Lord,  now  lettest  thou 
thy  sei-vant  depart  in  peace,  according  to 
thy  word,  for  mine  eyes  have  seen  thy  sal- 
vation, which  thou  hast  j^repared  before  the 
face  of  all  people,"  Luke  2:  29—31. 
I       T7ie  time  is  fulfilled,  the  predictions  of  the 
\  prophets  and  promises  of  the  fathers  appear 
j  in  theii-  full  power;  the  sworn  oath  is  accom- 
plished; Israel  has  received  its  King  David, 


its  Prince  and  Chief  who  has  arisen  as  a 
mighty  one  to  prepare  his  way,  Ps.  2:  7; 
Is.  9:  5;  Jer.  30:  9;  his  going  forth  is  from 
the  heavens ;  the  Anointed,  who  was  the  de- 
sire of  all  nations,  has  come,  girded  about 
his  loins  with  the  sword  of  the  Spirit  and 
valiant  for  battle,  Mic.  5;  Hag.  2;  Is.  24. 

He  has  declared  the  gospel  of  the  Idng- 
dom,  the  word  of  his  Father;  he  taught  and 
left  unto  his  followers,  an  example  of  pure 
love,  and  an  unblemished  life.  Matt.  4:  17; 
Jn.  7:  14,  15;  conquered  the  mighty,  de- 
stroyed the  power  of  the  devil,  bore  our 
sins,  abolished  death,  reconciled  the  Fa- 
ther, acquired  for  all  the  chosen  children  of 
God,  gi'ace,  favor,  mercy,  eternal  life,  do- 
minion and  peace,  Heb.  2;  1.  Pet.  2;  1.  Cor. 
15,  and  has  been  ordained  by  his  Eternal  and 
Almighty  Father  as  an  omnipotent  King 
over  the  holy  Moimt  Zion,  as  the  head  of 
the  Church,  a  Provider  and  Dispenser  of 
heavenly  blessings ;  yea,  an  Almighty  Ruler 
over  all  in  heaven  and  on  earth.  Is.  2;  Eph. 
2 ;  and  this  is  what  Christ  here  declares, 
"The  time  is  fulfilled,  and  the  kingdom  of 
God  is  at  hand,"  Mark.  1 :  15. 

Out  of  compassion  and  a  sincere  heart,  I, 
exhort  you  with  the  apostle  Paul,  that  you' 
take  heed  to  this  day  of  grace,  and  be  obe- 
dient to  the  word  of  God,  which  says,  "I 
have  heard  thee  in  a  time  accepted,  and  in 
the  day  of  salvation  have  I  succored  thee; 
behold,  now  is  the  accepted  time;  behold, 
now  is  the  day  of  salvation,"  and  with 
Paul  let  us  "give  no  ofl"ence  in  any  thing, 
that  the  ministry  be  not  blamed;  but  in  all 
things  approving  ourselves  asthe ministers  of 
God,  in  much  patience,  in  afflictions,  in  neces- 
sities, in  distresses,  in  stripes,  in  imprison- 
ments, in  tumults  (understand  this  in  relation 
to  things  which  befall  us),  in  labors,  in  watch- 
ings,  in  fastings;  by  pureness,  by  knowl- 
edge, by  long-suffering,  by  kindness,  by  the 


16 


THE  DAY  OF  GRACE. 


Holy  Gliost,  by  love  iinfeigned,  by  the  word 
of  truth ,  l)y  the  power  of  God,  by  the  armor 
of  righteousness  on  the  right  hand  and  on 
the  left,  by  honor,  and  dishonor;  by  evil 
report,  and  good  report;  as  deceivers,  and 
yet  true;  as  unkno\\Ti,  and  yet  well  known; 
as  dying,  and  behold,  Ave  live ;  as  chastened 
and  not  killed ;  as  sorroAvf ul ,  yet  always  re- 
joicing;  as  poor,  yet  making  many  rich; 
as  having  nothing,  and  yet  possessing  all 
things,"  3  Cor.  6:  2—10.  Oh,  my  beloved 
Sirs,  Friends  and  Brethren,  my  mouth  is 
open  unto  you,  and  my  heart  is  enlarged 
towards  you;  for  yoru'  sakes  I  am  much 
grieved  that  you  are  so  careless,  and  do  not 
observe  the  people  by  whom  these  plain 
and  intelligible  scrijitiu'es  were  written ;  that 
you  so  entirely  despise  the  word  of  the  Lord, 
and  suffer  this  precious  time  of  grace,  which 
God  gives  us  all  for  improvement,  to  jiass 
away  so  shamefully,  and  regard  nothing 
more  than  to  live  with  the  whole  heart,  ac- 
cording to  the  impure  and  wicked  lusts  of 
your  flesh,  bowing  the  knees  before  dumb 
idols.  Alas!  it  is  time  to  awake!  Remember 
that  the  angel  has  sworn.  Rev.  10:  6,  by  the 
eternal  and  living  God,  who  created  heaven 
and  earth,  that  after  this  time,  there  shall 
be  time  no  longer.  From  the  scriptiu'es  we 
cannot  otherwise  conclude,  but  that  this  is 
the  last  watch  of  the  year,  the  last  procla- 
mation of  the  holy  gospel,  the  last  invita- 
tion to  the  marriage  of  the  Lamb,  which  is 
to  be  celebrated,  promulgated  and  sanctifi- 
ed before  the  great  and  terrible  day  of  the 
Lord.  Hereby  we  may  learn  and  determine 
that  the  summer  will  pass  away  and  the 
winter  approach.  Those,  who,  like  the  fool- 
ish virgins,  neglect  to  prepare  their  lamps, 
will  come  too  late,  luiock  in  vain  and  be 
excluded,  Matt.  25:  11.  Therefore  comfort 
not  one  another  with  idle  comfort  and  vain 
hope,  as  some  do  who  think  that  the  word 
should  be  taught  and  obsei^ved  whilst  they 
reject  the  cross.  I  mean  those  who  know 
the  word  of  the  Lord,  but  do  not  live  ac- 
cording to  it.  Oh,  no!  it  is  the  word  of  the 
cross  and  will,  in  my  opinion,  remain  so  to 
the  last,  for  it  must  be  sustained  with  much 
sutfering,  and  sealed  with  blood.  The  Lamb 
is  slain  from  the  foundation  of  the  world. 
Rev.  13:  8;  yea,  he  did  not  only  suffer  in 
his  body,  but  also  through  the  cross  and 


death  entered  into  that  glory,  which  he,  for 
a  time,  had  left  for  our  sakes,  Lid^e  24 ;' 
Jn.  11 :  25.  If  Christ  then  had  to  sutler  such 
torture,  angaiish,  misery  and  pain, how  shall 
his  servants,  children  and  members  expect 
peace  and  freedom  from  suffering  while  in 
the  flesh?  "If  they  have  called  the  Master 
of  the  house  Beelzebub,  how  much  more 
shall  they  call  them  of  his  household?" 
Matt.  10:  25.  "^111  that  will  live  godly  in 
Cluist  Jesus,"  says  Paul,  "shall  suffer  per- 
secution," 2  Tim.  3:  12. 

Christ  also  says,  "Ye  shall  be  hated  of 
all  men  for  my  name's  sake,"  Matt.  10:  22, 

Therefore  banish  the  pernicious  thoughty 
that  .you  may  hope  for  another  time,  from 
your  hearts,  and  be  not  deceived  by  yomr 
vain  hopes,  for  I  have  known  some  avIio 
waited  for  a  more  convenient  season,  but 
did  not  live  to  realize  their  hopes.  Had  the 
apostles  and  fathers  thus  waited,  the  gos- 
pel of  the  kingdom  would  not  at  this  day 
have  been  preached,  and  the  word  of  the 
Lord  would  have  remained  unknown. 

Alas!  were  you  christians  and  the  people 
of  God  as  yon  boast  youi-selves  to  be,  you 
shoidd  be  al)le  to  say  with  Paul,  "Who 
shall  separate  us  from  the  love  of  Christ?" 
Rom.  8:  35.  For  then  the  flesh,  the  devil, 
sin,  hell  and  death  would  all  be  subdued; 
there  would  then  be  no  desire  to  remain 
long  in  this  depraved,  wicked,  sanguinary 
world;  neither  would  ye  then  boast  of  any- 
thing save  the  cross  of  Christ,  Gal.  6:  IG, 
and  like  Paul,  with  the  whole  heart  desire 
to  be  delivered  from  this  body  and  dwell 
with  Christ,  Phil.  1:23. 

I  sincerely  desire  that  you  may  awake, 
and  not  hope  nor  wait  for- a  more  accept- 
able time.  If  however  the  merciful  Father 
will  give  us  liberty  and  peace,  we  will  gladly 
receive  them  with  all  thanlifirlness,  from  his 
gracious  hands;  but  if  he  will  not,  his  great 
name  shall,  notwithstanding,  be  praised 
forever. 

"We  have  aU  enjoyed  the  acceptable  time 
of  gi-ace,  for  now  is  the  day  of  salvation. 
Is.  49:  8.  Let  us  therefore  not  be  like  un- 
grateful, disobedient,  blood-thirsty  Jerusa- 
lem, who  Avith  such  perverted  minds  re- 
jected the  divine  peace,  the  heavenly  gi-ace 
and  merciful  calling ;  but  let  us  awake,  with 
sober  hearts,  and  give  ear  to  the  inviting 


SINCERE  A^B  TEUE  REPENTANCE. 


17 


voice,  and  in  this  accepted  time  arise  from 
the  deep  slumber  of  our  abominable  and 
offensive  sins,  for  the  Lord  is  at  hand.  "  The 
night  is  far  spent,  the  day  is  at  hand;  let 
us  therefore  cast  off  the  works  of  darkness, 
and  let  us  put  on  the  armor  of  light,  let  ns 
walk  honestly,  as  in  the  day;  not  in  rioting 
and  druirkenness,  not  in  chambering  and 
wantonness,  not  in  strife  and  envying;  but 


i  put  ye  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  make 
not  provision  for  the  flesh,  to  fullil  the  lusts 
thereof,"  Rom.  13:  12—14.  Let  every  one 
be  vigilent,  and  improve  the  time  which 
God  has  graciously  given  for  repentance. 
Scce  nunc  tern/pus  acceptum,  ecce  nunc  dies 
salutis.  "Behold,  now  is  the  accepted  time, 
behold,  now  is  the  day  of  salvation,"  2 
Cor.  6:2. 


SINCERE  AKD  TRUE  REPEXTAXCE. 


In  the  second  place  we  exhort  you  in  the 
language  of  Christ,  ' '  Repent  je,  and  believe 
the  Gospel,"  Mark.  1:15.  Oh,  thou  faithful 
word  of  grace!  Oh,  thou  faithful  word  of 
divine  love!  thou  art  read  in  books,  sung 
in  hymns,  preached  with  the  mouth,  with 
life  and  death  and  proclaimed  in  many 
countries,  but  in  thy  power  they  desire  thee 
not;*  yea  more,  all  those  who  rightly  teach 
and  receive  thee,  are  made  a  prey  for  the 
whole  world.  Alas,  beloved  Sirs,  it  will 
avail  us  nothing  to  be  called  christians,  and 
boast  of  the  Lord's  blood,  death,  merits, 
grace  and  Gospel,  as  long  as  we  are  not 
converted  from  this  wicked,  impious  and 
shameful  life.  It  is  in  vain  that  we  are 
called  christians;  that  Christ  died;  that  we 
were  born  in  the  day  of  grace,  and  baptized 
with  water,  if  we  do  not  walk  according  to 
his  law,  counsel,  admonition,  will  and  com- 
mand and  are  not  obedient  to  his  word. 

Therefore  awake,  and  behold  the  doings 
of  the  world.  On  every  hand  you  see  noth- 
ing but  sensuality,  wine-bi])bing,  infernal 
pride,  lying,  fraud,  avarice,  hatred,  strife, 
adultery,  fornication,  war,  mm'der,  hypocri- 
sy, open  blasphemy,  idolatry,  and  false 
worship,  Hos.  4:  11;  Mic.  6:  14;  Gal.  5:  19 
— 21;  in  short,  nothing  but  a  powerful  per- 
secution of  all  that  God  teaches,  commands 
and  enjoins.  Who  can  relate  the  terrible 
and  alarming  condition  of  the  world  at  the 
present  time?  yet  they  (the  wicked)  want  to 

*  There  are  Diultitudes  iu  the  world  who  profess  to 
Ijclicve  in  the  word  of  God,  Imt  by  their  works  deny  the 
power  tliercof 

3 


1 


call  themselves  the  holj'  christian  church 
Oh,  no !  they  who  do  such  things,  saith  Paul,  X 
shall  not  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God,  1. 
Cor.  6:  9, 10;  Gal.  .5: 19;  Eph.  5:  5.  Oh,  ye 
men  awake  and  see  for  yourselves,  for  thus 
saith  the  word  of  the  Lord,  Verily,  verily, 
I  say  imto  you,  except  ye  be  born  from 
above  ye  shall  not  see  the  kingdom  of  God, 
Jn.  3:  3.  Also,  "Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto 
thee,  except  a  man  be  born  of  water  and  of  v, 
the  Spirit,  he  cannot  enter  into  the  king- 
dom of  God,"  Jn.  3:  5,  and  again,  "Verily, 
I  say  unto  you,  except  ye  be  converted,  and 
become  as  little  children,  ye  shall  not  enter 
into  the  kingdom  of  heaven,"  Matt.  18:  3. 
What  does  it  profit  to  speak  much  of  Christ 
and  his  word,  if  we  do  not  believe  him,  and 
obey  his  commandments?  Again,  I  say, 
awake  and  banish  the  accirrsed  unbelief 
with  all  unrighteousness  from  your  hearts, 
and  live  a  pious,  penitent  life,  according  to 
the  scriptures;  for  Christ  says,  "Excej)t  ye 
repent,  ye  shall  all  likewise  jaerish,"  Luke 
13  :  5.  Here  do  not  understand  such  re-  . 
pentance  as  is  taught  and  practiced  by  an 
erring  world,  which  consists  only  in  an  out- 
ward appearance  and  human  righteousness, 
such  as  hypocritical  fastings,  pilgrimages, 
praying  and  reading  Pater  Nosters  and  Ava 
Marias,  hearing  frequent  masses,  auricular 
confessions,  and  the  like  hj'pocrisies  which 
Christ  and  his  apostles  did  in  no  wise 
teach  and  command.  Hence  it  cannot  be 
a  propitiatory  sacrifice,  but  rather  will  be  a 
provocation,  and  tend  to  excite  the  divine 
displeasure.     Such  doctrines  are  nnavailing 


18 


SINCERE  i\ND  TRUE  REPENTANCE. 


and  fruitless  commands  of  men,  the  acciTrsed 
and  enchanted  wine  of  the  Babylonian 
whoredom ,  which  those  who  have  dwelt  upon 
the  earth,  through  the  just  anger  of  God, 
have  drunk  for  so  many  ages,  Rev.  17:  3. 
But  we  sjieak  of  a  repentance  possessed  of 
power  and  works,  as  John  the  BajJtist  teach- 
es, saying,  "Bring  forth  therefore  fruits 
meet  for  repentance,  and  think  not  to  say 
within  yourselves,  we  have  Abraham  to 
our  father,"  Matt.  3:  8.  "And  now  also  the 
axe  is  laid  unto  the  root  of  the  trees;  every 
tree,  therefore,  which  bringeth  not  forth  good 
fruit  is  hewn  down  and  cast  into  the  lire," 
Luke  3:  9. 

Behold,  dear  reader,  the  repentance  we 
teach,  is  to  die  unto  sin,  and  all  ungodly 
works,  and  live  no  longer  according  to  the  ! 
lusts  of  the  flesh,  even  as  David  did,  2  Sam. 
13:  13;  18:  1.  When  he  was  reproved  by 
the  prophet  on  account  of  his  adultery,  and 
for  numbering  the  people,  he  wept  lutterlj^, 
called  upon  God,  forsook  the  evil,  and  com- 
mitted these  sinful  abominations  no  more. 
Peter  sinned  very  grievously  but  once,  and 
no  more.  Matthew,  after  being  called  by 
the  Saviour,  did  not  again  return  to  his  ways 
of  life.  Zaccheus  and  the  sinful  woman  did 
not  again  I'eturn  to  their  impm-e  works  of 
darkness.  Zaccheus  made  restitution  to  those 
whom  he  had  defrauded,  and  gave  half 
of  his  goods  to  the  poor  and  distressed.  The 
woman  wept  very  bitterly,  and  washed  the 
feet  of  the  Lord  with  her  tears,  and  wiped 
them  wdth  the  hair  of  her  head;  she  anoint- 
ed them  with  precious  ointment,  and  sat 
humbly  at  his  feet,  to  listen  to  his  blessed 
words. 

These  are  the  precious  fruits  of  that  repent- 
ance, which  is  acceptable  to  the  Lord ;  there- 
fore, it  was  said  to  David,  that  the  Lord  had 
put  away  his  sins  from  him ;  to  Peter  it  was 
proclaimed,  that  the  Lord  had  arisen  from 
the  dead;  Matthew  was  called  to  be  an 
apostle;  Zaccheus  was  told  that  he  had  be- 
come a  son  of  Abraham,  and  Mary,  that  she 
had  "chosen  that  good  part  which  shall  not 
be  taken  away  from  her,"  Luke  10:  43.  To 
the  adulterous  woman,  Christ  said,  "Go, 
and  sin  no  more,"   Jn.  8:  11. 

Such  a  repentance  we  teach,  and  no  other, 
namely,  that  no  one  can  glory  in  the  grace 
of  God,  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  th*^  merits 


of  Christ,  and  count  himself  pious,  unless  he 
has  truly  repented.  It  is  not  enough  that 
we  say,  we  are  Aliraliam's  children,  that  is, 
that  we  are  called  christians  and  esteemed 
as  such,  but  we  must  do  the  works  of  Abra- 
ham, that  is,  we  must  walk  as  all  true  chil- 
dren of  God  are  commanded  by  his  word, 
as  John  writes,  "If  we  say,  we  have  fellow- 
ship with  him  (God)  and  walk  in  darkness, 
we  lie,  and  do  not  the  truth;  but  if  we 
walk  in  the  light,  as  he  is  in  the  light,  we 
have  fellowship  one  with  another,  and 
the  blood  of  Jesus  Clirist,  his  Son,  cleanseth 
us  from  all  sins,"  1  Jn.  1 :  6,  7. 

I  ask  all  my  readers,  if  they  ever  have 
read  in  the  scriptures,  that  an  impenitent, 
obdru-ate  man,  who  fears  not  God  nor  his 
word,  who  is  earthly  minded,  sensual,  devil- 
ish, and  lives  according  to  his  lusts,  can  be 
called  a  child  of  God  and  a  joint  heir  of 
Clirist?*  I  believe  you  mil  be  constrained 
to  answer,  no.  But  he  that  with  all  his 
heart,  ceases  fi"om  evil  and  learns  to  do  well, 
to  him  the  grace  of  the  Lord  is  proclaimed 
throughout  the  whole  scriptures,  as  the 
prophet  says,  "AVash  ye,  make  you  clean; 
put  aw^ay  the  evil  of  your  doings  from  before 
mine  eyes,  cease  to  do  evil;  learn  to  do  well; 
seek  judgment,  relieve  the  oppressed,  judge 
the  fatherless,  plead  for  the  widow.  Come 
now,  and  let  us  reason  together,  saith  the 
Lord.  Though  your  sins  be  as  scarlet,  they 
shall  be  as  white  as  snow;  though  they  be 
red  like  crimson,  they  shall  be  as  wool," 
Isa.  1:  16—18.  Again,  "If  the  wicked  will 
tui'u  fi'om  all  his  sins  that  he  hath  commit- 
ted, and  keep  all  my  statutes,  and  do  that 
which  is  la'U'fid  and  right,  he  shall  sm^ely 
live,  he  shall  not  die ;  all  his  transgressions 
that  he  hath  committed,  they  shall  not  be 
mentioned  unto  him,"  Ezek.  18:  21,  32.  And 
further,  read  and  search  the  whole  scriptures, 
the  tme  instructions  and  testimonies  of  the 
holy  prophets,  evangelists  and  apostles, 
and  you  will  lind  it  clearly  set  forth,  how 
this  godlj^  repentance  is  to  be  earnestly  re- 
ceived and  practiced,  and  that  without  it  no 
one  can  receive  gi'ace,  enter  into  the  kingdom 
of  heaven,  or  ever  hope  for  it.** 

*  The  impenitent  are  witliout  grace. 

*  *  These  remarks  apply  to  tliose  who  have  cars  to  hear 
and  hearts  to  understand,  and  not  to  infants  that  are  in- 
capable of  understanding. 


SINCERE  AND  TRUE  REPENTANCE. 


19 


In  short,  as  far  as  in  xis  lies,  we  teach  re- 
pentance from  the  word  of  the  Lorcl,  in  order 
that  we  may  subdue  those  carnal  lusts  which 
war  against  the  soul,  1  Peter  2:  11,  crucify 
the  liesh  with  the  affections  and  lusts,  Gal. 
5 :  24,  refrain  from  conformity  to  this  world, 
Rom.  12:  2,  cast  off  the  works  of  darkness 
and  put  on  the  armor  of  light,  Rom.  13: 
12;  that  we  "love  not  the  world,  neither 
the  things  that  are  in  the  world,"  1.  Jn.  2: 
15;  "put  off  the  old  man  with  his  deeds,  and 
put  on  the  new  man,  which  is  renewed  in 
knowledge  after  the  image  of  Him  that  cre- 
ated him,"  Col.  3:  9,  10;  yea,  cast  off  the 
old  Adam  with  his  whole  natirre  and  deceit- 
ful lusts,  such  as  pride,  avarice,  ujichastity, 
liati'ed,  envyings,  gluttony,  drinking,  idola- 
try, and  put  on  the  new  man,  which,  after 
God,  is  created  in  righteousness  and  true 
holiness,  whose  fruits  are  faith,  love,  hope, 
righteousness,  i^eace,  and  joy,  in  the  Holy 
Ghost,  Eph.  4:  22;  Rom.  14:  17;  Gal.  5:  16; 
be  patient  in  suffering,  merciful,  comjiassion- 
ate,  chaste,  sincerely  hating  and  rebuking 
all  sin,  and  entertaining  a  sincere  love  and 
zeal  for  God  and  his  word.*  I  repeat  it, 
that  this  repentance,  which  we  teach,  must 
be  sincere,  fruitful  and  acceptable  to  the 
Lord,  according  to  the  instructions  of  his 
word.  He  that  receives  this  repentance  in 
sincerity,  and  abides  therein  unto  the  end, 
may  rejoice  and  thank  God,  for  the  end 
thereof  is  eternal  life.  But  he  that  rejects 
it  and  does  not  desire  it,  let  him  take  warn- 
ing that  the  end  thereof  is  eternal  death. 

Beloved  Sirs,  Friends  and  Brethren,  do 
for  once  truly  and  sincerely  lay  it  to  heart, 
what  it  is,  and  what  the  consegxrences  will 
be,  willfully  to  transgress  the  commands  of 
the  Lord  and  haughtily  sin  against  the 
word  of  God.  Adam  and  Eve  did  but  once 
eat  of  the  fruit  of  which  the  Lord  had  for- 
bidden them,  therefore,  for  Adam's  sake  the 
earth  was  cursed.  In  the  sweat  of  his  face 
he  was  doomed  to  eat  his  bread  all  the  days 
of  his  life.  Eve  and  her  daughters  must 
bring  forth  in  pain,  and  be  in  subjection  to 
their  liusbands.  They  were  driven  from 
Paradise,  and  with  all  their  race,  .doomed 
to  return  to  dust,  from  whence  they  were 
taken.    Here  also  there  was  no  forgiveness 


*  Such  are  the  fruits  of  true  repentance. 


nor  consolation  of  grace  to  be  obtained. 
But  the  Eternal  AVord,  God's  Eternal  Son 
must  needs  come  from  high  heaven,  assume 
human  nature,  suffer  hunger,  temptation, 
misery;  the  cross  and  death,  as  the  scrip- 
tures teach.*  Oh,  beloved  Sirs,  if  this  single 
transgression  was  so  great  before  God,  what 
will  become  of  thosewho  so  proudly,  all  their 
days,  despise  the  holy  word,  covenant,  will 
and  commandment  of  the  Lord,  who  do  not 
confess  their  sins  and  transgi'essions,  though 
they  are  full  of  iniquity  from  the  crown  of 
their  heads  to  the  soles  of  their  feet.  Cain 
was  cursed  and  became  a  vagabond  upon 
the  earth  as  long  as  he  lived,  because  he  so 
enviously  slew  his  innocent  brother  Abel. 
Alas!  what  will  become  of  those,  who,  at 
the  present  day  without  compassion  or  jus- 
tice, persecute,  plunder  and  murder  the  pi- 
ous Abelites,  who  with  fervent  hearts  seek 
Christ  and  eternal  life? 

The  ancient  world  was  drowned  in  the 
waters  of  the  flood,  because  the  sons  of  God 
looked  upon  the  daughters  of  men,  that  they 
were  fair,  and  took  to  themselves  vdves  of 
all  which  they  chose,  and  also  because  they 
would  not  be  reproved  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  V 
for  every  imagination  and  thought  of  their 
hearts  were  evil  continually.  Reflect  upon 
the  lusts  with  which  the  marriages  of  the 
Avorld  at  the  present  time  are  contracted, 
yea,  like  dumb  beasts;  how  the  Holy  Ghost  ^ 
is  reviled,  slandered  and  grieved,  and  how 
they  all  walk  in  their"  perverted  ways  which 
lead  to  hell,  yea,  to  eternal  damnation  and 
death. 

Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  with  the  sm-round- 
ing  cities,  on  account  of  their  pride,  wanton- 
ness, cruelty,  and  al)ominable  crimes,  were 
burned  up  with  the  fire  of  the  furious  wi-ath 
of  God,  and  cast  into  the  abyss  of  hell. 
Alas,  alas,  what  will  befall  those  miserable 
men  in  the  gi"eat  and  terrible  day  when  the 
Lord  will  appear  in  his  glory,  whose  pride, 
excess,  debaxichery,  pomp,  tyranny,  blood- 
thirstiness,  adultery,  fornication,  and  papal 
abominations,  no  heart  can  conceive,  no 
tongue  express,  no  jsen  describe!  Rom.  1 :  24. 

Koran,  Dathan  and  Abiram,  though  they 
were  of  the  seed  of  Abraham,  and  some  of 


*Thus  Christ  came  into  the  world  to  redeem  man- 
kind. 


20 


SINCERE  iVND  TKUE  KEPENTANCE. 


tliem  were  born  of  Levi,  yet  because  they 
revolted  against  Moses  and  Aaron,  and 
songlit  to  enter  into  the  sacerdotal  office, 
without  being  called,  they  and  all  their 
company,  were  swallowed  up  by  the  earth 
alive,  Num.  16:  32.  Consider  what  will  ul- 
timately happen  to  oui'  Korites,  whom  God 
never  acknowledged,  much  less  were  sent  by 
him,  and  whose  office,  calling  and  service 
are  not  from  God  and  his  word,  but  as  the 
scriptures  teach,  from  the  bottomless  pit, 
the  dragon  and  the  beast.  Rev.  9:1;  13:  4; 
20:  1 — 3,  who  mislead  so  many  poor,  miser- 
able souls  with  their  seducing  doctrines, 
Babylonian  sorceries  and  hypocritical  lives, 
and  not  only  despise,  b^lt  also  rail,  perse- 
cute, ci-ucify  and  kill  Christ,  the  righteous 
Moses  and  Aaron.  If  Moses,  the  faithful 
servant  of  God,  could  not  enter  the  promised 
land  because  he  once  doubted  tlie  word  of 
the  Lord,  how  much  less  shaU  this  unbe- 
lieving, perverted  and  obdui'ate  generation 
enter  the  eternal  land  of  promise  and  glory, 
that  not  only  disbelieve  and  despise  the 
word  of  the  Lord,  the  acceptable  gospel  of 
Jesus  Christ,  but  also  bitterly  hate  and  per- 
secute it,  trample  the  blood  of  Christ  under 
foot,  stop  their  ears  against  the  truth,  and 
refuse  to  be  taught  by  any  means,  either 
with  the  truth,  the  unblamable  lives  of  the 
saints,  or  the  innocent  blood  of  the  witnesses 
of  Jesus,  which  has  l^een  shed,  and  in  many 
countries  flowed  like  water. 

O,  ye  miserable  men,  who  are  so  entirely 
depraved  and  miserable  before  God,  take 
heed  to  the  word  of  the  Lord,  cleanse  your 
bloody  hands,  and  your  impure  and  unbe- 
lieving hearts,  and  no  longer  despise  the 
grace  of  God  with  youi-  vain  boastings,  and 
say  not  Abraham  is  your  father,  Jn.  8:  39; 
that  you  are  the  children  of  God;  that  Christ 
died  for  3^ou,  or  that  you  will  also  confide 
in  his  mercy.  "  Trust  ye  not  in  lying  words," 


says  Jeremiah,  the  prophet;  say  not,  here  is 
the  temple  of  the  Lord,  the  temple  of  the 
Lord,  the  temple  of  the  Lord,  for  it  avails 
nothing,  that  Christ  died,  and  tliat  we  are 
called  by  his  name,  if  we  do  not  possess  a 
sincere,  regenerating,  vigorous  faith  in  Jesus 
Chi-ist,  piu'e,  unfeigned  love,  willing  obedi- 
ence, and  a  pious  and  irreproachable  life. 
God's  mercy,  we  read,  is  to  his  saints,  and 
he  hatli  care  for  his  elect,  but  the  hope  of 
the  wicked  is  vain.  Wis.  3:9;  5:  15.  "The 
eyes  of  the  Lord  are  upon  the  rigliteous,  and 
his  ears  are  open  unto  their  cry,"  Ps.  34:  15. 
"Ye  are  my  friends,"  says  Christ,  "if  ye  do 
whatsoever  I  command  you,"  John  15:  14. 
Therefore,  we  pray  and  exhort  you  again  to 
reform;  he  is  still  the  same  unchangeable 
God,  Mai.  3:  6.  He  is  a  strict,  jealous  and 
rigid  pimisher  of  all  wickedness;  yea,  a 
righteous  judge  of  all  ungodliness  and  of 
every  evil  work.  He  visits  the  iniquities  of 
the  fathers  upon  the  cliildren  xuito  the  third 
and  foiu'th  generations  of  them  that  hate 
him,  Ex.  20:  5.  On  the  other  hand,  he  is 
compassionate,  Idud,  and  merciful  unto  all 
that  do  righteously,  and  fear  his  name,  to 
many  thousands  who  love  him  and  keep 
his  commandments. 

O  reader,  reader,  beloved  reader,  it  is  a 
fearful  thing  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the 
living  God!  The  time  is  fullilled,  now  is 
the  accepted  time,  now  is  the  day  of  salva- 
tion. The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at  hand; 
would  you  inherit  and  enter  into  it,  you 
must  repent,  not  only  in  appearance,  as  the 
hypocrites  do,  but  as  sincere  penitents,  with 
all  your  hearts,  and  all  your  powers,  and 
bring  forth  good  fruit.  If  not,  you  must  be 
cut  off  and  cast  into  the  lii'e  of  his  fiei-ce 
wrath,  Jolm  15:  6;  Luke  3:  9.  Ivio  nisi 
resfpuerite,  omnes  similiter,  'peritites,  i.  e., 
"Except  ye  repent,  ye  shall  all  likewise 
perish,"  Luke  13:  3. 


FAITH. 


In  the  third  place,  we  teach  with  Christ 
and  say,  "Believe  the  gospel,"  Mark.  1 :  15. 
That  gospel  is  the  glad  tidings  and  promul- 
gation of  the  favor  and  grace  of  God  toward 
us,  and  the  forgiveness  of  oirr  sins  through 


Clirist  Jesus.     The  believer,  by  faith,  re- 
ceives this  gospel  through  the  Holy  Gliost,  ^ 
and  does  not  look  upon  his  former  right- 
eousness   or    unrighteousness,    but   hopes 
against  hope,  Rom.  4:  18,   and  with  the 


FAITH. 


21 


W 


whole  heart  depends  upon  the  grace,  word 
and  promises  of  the  Lord;  since  he  well 
knows  that  God  is  true,  and  that  his  prom- 
ises are  siu'e,  Ps.  33:  4;  Eom.  3:4;  1  Cor. 
1:9;  therel^y  the  heart  is  renewed,  convert- 
ed, jnstiiied,  made  pious,  peaceable  and 
joyous,  Eom.  14:  17;  Gal.  5:  22;  he  is  born 
a  child  of  God,  John  1 :  13,  approaches,  with 
full  confidence,  the  throne  of  grace,  Heb.  4: 
11,  and  thus  becomes  a  joint  heir  of  Clirist 
and  a  possessor  of  everlasting  life,  Rom.  8: 
14;  1  Tim.  1 :  16.  Such  then  awaken  in  time; 
they  hear  and  believe  the  word  of  the  Lord;  ' 
they  weep  over  their  past  unworthy  lives  i 
and  conduct;  they  desire  help  and  advice 
for  their  sick  souls.  To  such,  Christ,  who 
is  a  comforter  for  all  troubled  hearts,  says, 
"Believe  the  gospel;"  that  is,  fear  not;  re- 
joice and  be  comforted;  I  will  not  punish 
nor  chastise  you,  but  will  heal  you,  comfort 
you,  and  give  you  life,  Is.  41 :  10.  A  bruised 
reed  I  will  not  break,  and  smoking  flax  I 
will  not  quench,  Matt.  12:  20;  "I  will  seek 
tliat  which  was  lost,  and  bring  again  that 
which  was  driven  away,  and  will  bind  up 
that  which  was  broken,  and  will  strengthen 
that  which  was  sick,"  Ezek.  34:  10;  for  I  am 
not  come  to  call  the  righteous,  but  sinners 
to  repentance.  Matt.  9 :  13 ;  Mark.  2 :  17 ;  Lu. 
5:  32;  according  to  the  good  pleasiire  of  my 
heavenly  Father,  I  came  into  the  world,  and 
by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  I  became  a 
visible,  tangible  and  dying  man ;  in  all 
points  like  unto  you,  yet  without  sin,  Heb. 
4:  15;  I  was  bom  of  Mary,  the  spotless  vir- 
gin; I  came  down  from  heaven,  proceeded 
from  the  mouth  of  the  Most  High;  I  am  the 
tii'st  born  of  every  creature,  the  first  and  the 
last;  the  beginning  and  the  end,  Rev.  22: 
13;  the  Son  of  the  Alniight}^  God,  Luke  1: 
32,  anointed  with  the  Holy  Ghost  to  preach 
the  gospel  to  the  poor,  and  to  bind  up  the 
broken  hearted,  to  proclaim  liberty  to  the 
captives,  to  give  sight  to  the  blind,  to  open 
the  prison  to  them  that  are  bound,  and  to 
proclaim  the  acceptable  year  of  the  Lord, 
Is.  61:  1,  2;  Luke  4:  18.  Believe  the  gospel. 
I  am  the  Lamb  that  was  oflered  for  you  all. 
I  take  away  the  sins  of  the  whole  world. 
My  Father  has  made  me  unto  you  "wisdom, 
righteousness,  sanctification,  and  redemp- 
tion," 1  Cor.  1:  30;  Rom.  6:  10.  Whosoever 
believeth  on  me  shall  not  be  ashamed;  yea, 


all  that  believe  tliat  I  am  he,  shall  have 
eternal  life,  Rom.  10:  11;  John  3:  16. 

Behold,  beloved  Sirs,  Friends,  and  Breth- 
ren, all  who  believe  this  are  those  of  whom 
the  scriptures  say,  "To  them  gave  he  power 
to  become  the  sons  of  God,  even  to  them 
that  believe  on  his  name,  which  were  born, 
not  of  blood,  nor  of  the  will  of  the  flesh,  nor 
of  the  will  of  man,  biit  of  God,"  Jn.  1 :  12, 13. 
These  are  they  who  are  justified  by  faith, 
and  have  peace  with  God,  through  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  by  whom  also  we  have  access 
by  faith  into  this  grace  wherein  we  stand, 
and  rejoice  in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God, 
Rom.  5:  1,  2,  and  this,  as  Paul  says,  is  all 
of  gi'ace  and  love,  all  have  sinned  and  come 
short  of  the  glory  of  God;  being  justified 
freely  by  his  grace,  through  the  redemption 
that  is  in  Christ  Jesus,  whom  God  has  set 
forth  to  be  a  propitiation,  through  faith  in 
his  blood,  &c.,  Rom.  3:  23—25.  There  is 
none,  that  of  himself,  can  rejoice  in,  or  boast 
of  this  faith;*  it  is  the  gift  of  God,  Eph.  2: 
8.  All  who  receive  faith  from  God,  receive  a 
tree  full  of  all  manner  of  good  and  delicious 
fruit;  happy  are  they  who  receive  this  gift 
of  God,  for  it  is  more  precious  than  gold, 
silver  or  precious  stones;  it  is  incomparable, 
he  that  obtains  it,  obtains  Christ  Jesus,  for- 
giveness of  sins,  a  new  mind  and  eternal 
life,  for  the  true  faith,  which  is  acceptable 
to  God,  cannot  be  dead;  it  must  bring  forth 
fruit,  and  thus  manifest  its  nature ;  it  works 
continually  in  love ;  walks  willingly  in 
righteousness ;  mortifies  flesh  and  blood  ; 
crucifies  the  lusts  and  desires;  rejoices  in 
the  cross  of  Christ;  renews  and  regenerates, 
quickeneth,  makes  free  and  gives  peace  in 
Christ  Jesus.  Behold,  such  a  faith,  I  say, 
is  the  gift  of  God,  Eph.  2:  8,  by  which  the 
righteous,  according  to  the  scriptm-es,  are 
to  live  as  did  Abel,  Enoch,  Noah,  Abraham, 
Moses,  Rahab  and  all  the  saints.  Every 
good  tree  bringeth  forth  good  fruit  after  its 
kind,  Matt.  7:  17;  every  tree  which  bringeth 
not  forth  good  fruit,  although  in  its  full 
foliage,  must  be  accm-sed  and  consumed 
\vith  fire.  Matt.  3:  10.  Thus  also  a  fruitless, 
j)owerless  faith,  such  as  is  possessed  by  the 
world,  and  does  not  work  by  love,  be  it  ever 
so  learned,  wise,  eloquent,  plausible  and 


*  Salyatiou  is  tlie  gift  of  God. 


23 


A  SUPPLICATION  TO  THE  MAGISTRACY. 


miraculous,  still,  it  is  in  the  sight  of  God 
unclean,  dead  and  accui'sed,  1  Cor.  IB:  2. 

Therefore,  we  exhort  yon,  with  Christ 
Jesus,  "Believe  the  gospel;"  that  is,  believe 
the  joyful  news,  the  message  of  divine  grace 
through  Jesus  Christ;  leave  off  sinning, 
manifest  repentance  for  your  past  lives, 
submit  to  the  word  and  will  of  the  Lord; 
then  you  will  become  heirs  and  joint-heirs. 


citizens  and  childi-en  of  the  new  and  heav- 
enly Jerusalem,  made  free  from  yom-  ene- 
mies, hell,  sin,  death  and  the  devil,  and 
walk  according  to  the  Spirit,  and  not  ac-  ^ 
cording  to  tlie  flesh,  Rom.  8:6.  Quid  credit 
filio  del  Jiahet  vitan  aeternam,  i.  e.,  He  that 
believeth  on  the  Son  of  God  hath  everlast- 
ing life,  John  3:  36. 


A  SUPPLICATION  TO  THE  MAGISTRACY. 


We  poor,  wretched  men,  deprived  of  all 
human  assistance  and  consolation,  who  like 
innocent  sheep  without  a  shepherd,  have  be- 
come a  prey  to  the  roaring  lions  of  the  for- 
est, and  devouring  l^easts  of  the  field ;  a 
spectacle  and  reproach  to  tlie  whole  world, 
have  to  suffer  daily,  under  the  oppressive 
sword  of  lords  and  princes;  have  to  hear 
and  endure,  the  inhuman  revilings  and 
abuse  of  the  learned,  the  abominable  lying 
and  scoffing  of  the  common  people;  we 
humbly  entreat  the  imperial  majesty,  kings, 
lords,  princes,  authorities  and  officers,  every 
one  in  his  ca,lling,  dignity  and  honor,  and 
all  ovu"  beloved  and  gracious  rulers,  through 
the  deep  and  bloody  wounds  of  our  blessed 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  you  would  but  once 
lay  aside  all  displeasure  and  evil  opinions 
concerning  us,  and  with  sincere  pity  reflect 
upon  the  inhuman  and  severe  trials,  misery, 
necessities,  crosses  and  martyrizations  of 
your  distressed  and  innocent  servants;  for 
the  great  God  before  whom  we  stand,  who 
is  the  Searcher  of  all  hearts,  and  before 
whose  eyes  all  things  are  open  and  re- 
vealed; who  knows  tliat  we  seek  nothing 
else  upon  this  earth  than  that  we,  with  a 
good  conscience,  may  live  according  to  his 
holy  commandments,  ordinances,  word  and 
will;  biit  if  there  are  some  pernicious  sects, 
as  alas!  in  our  day  there  have  been,  they 
will,  no  doubt,  in  due  time  become  mani- 
fest. 

Do  therefore  condescend  so  much  as  to 
peruse  our  writings  diligently  and  meditate 
upon  them  with  a  God-fearing  and  impartial 
heart,  so  that  you  may  know  vsdth  certainty 


why  we  are  not  deterred  from  our  doctrine, 
faith  and  practice,  by  coercion,  poverty, 
misery  persecution  and  death;  that  you 
may  thus  more  thoroughly  examine  the 
truth  and  be  no  longer  guilty  of  innocent 
blood.  Be  pleased  to  show  some  natiu'al 
candor,  and  human  charity  towards  your 
poor  servants.  Thinli  not  in  your  hearts, 
that  we  poor,  forsaken  men,  after  the  flesh, 
are  wood  or  stone;  but  we  are  with  you  de- 
scended from  one  father,  Adam,  and  from 
one  mother.  Eve,  and  are  created  by  the 
same  God,  having  a  common  entrance  into 
this  world,  are  clothed  with  the  same  nature, 
desiring  rest  and  peace,  concerned  for  wives 
and  children  as  well  as  you,  and  naturally, 
as  all  other  creatures  on  earth,  fearful  of 
death. 

Therefore,  humble  yourselves  in  the  name 
of  Jesus,  that  your  poor  souls  may  be  saved. 
Examine  I  say,  our  doctrine  and  instruc- 
tions, and  you  will  find  through  the  grace 
of  God,  that  they  are  the  pure  and  unadirlt- 
erated  doctrines  of  Christ,  the  holy  word, 
the  word  of  eternal  peace,  the  word  of  eternal 
truth,  the  word  of  divine  grace,  the  word  of 
our  salvation,  the  unconqueral^le  word, 
against  which  the  gates  of  hell  shall  never 
prevail,  Matt.  16 :  18;  they  are  the  two-edged 
sword  that  proceeded  out  of  the  mouth  of 
the  Lord,  Rev.  1 :  16,  the  sword  of  the  spirit 
by  which  all  must  be  judged,  that  dwell 
upon  the  earth,  Eph.  6:  17. 

O,  ye  beloved  sirs,  piit  the  sword  into  the 
sheath;  for  as  true  as  the  Lord  liveth,  you 
do  not  fight  against  flesh  and  blood,  but 
against  Him,  whose  eyes  are  a  flame  of  fire, 


A  SUPPLICATION  TO  THE  MAGISTRACY. 


33 


wlio  jiidgeth  and  maketli  war  in  rigliteons- 
ness;  who  is  crowned  witli  many  crowns, 
wlaose  name  no  one  knowetli  but  himself; 
w&o  is  clothed  with  a  vesture  dipped  in 
blood;  whose  name  is  called  the  AVord  of 
God;  who  rules  the  nations  with  a  rod  of 
iron ;  who  treads  the  winepi-ess  of  the  lierce- 
ness  and  wrath  of  almighty  God;  who  hath 
on  his  vesture  and  on  his  thigh  a  name 
written,  KING  OF  KINGS,  AND  LORD 
OP  LORDS,  Rev.  19:  11—16. 

O,  ye  highly  renowned  lords  and  princes, 
it  is  against  this  Being  that  you  are  in  this 
manner  contending  with  yoiu'  counsel  and 
sword.  Remember  what  the  great  prophet 
of  the  Lord,  Zechariah,  said  concerning  the 
children  of  God,  who,  in  this  world  are  ever 
subject  to  suffering,  "He  that  toiicheth  you, 
toucheth  the  apple  of  mine  eye,"  Zecli.  2: 
8.  It  is  a  fearful  al^omination,  and  l^itter 
enmity,  thus  miseralily  to  murder,  destroy 
and  exterminate  those,  who  with  such  warm 
hearts,  seek  the  Lord  and  eternal  life,  and 
who  would  not  molest  any  one  upon  the 
earth.  "Precious  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord," 
David  says,  "is  the  death  of  his  saints,"  Ps. 
116:15.  It  is  Jesus  of  Nazareth  whom  ye  per- 
secute. Acts  9:  5,  and  not  irs;  therefore 
awake,  forbear,  fear  God  and  his  word,  for 
we  shall  all  be  called  to  appear  before  one 
Judge,  before  whom  neither  power,  exalta- 
tion, comeliness,  fine  speech  nor  talents  will 
avail.  Judgment  will  there  be  passed  in 
righteousness  ujjon  all  flesh,  impartially 
and  without  respect  to  persons;  the  op- 
pressed will  then  receive  justice,  and  the 
crucified  Jesiis  with  his  elect,  released  from 
the  power  of  death,  and  the  hands  of  tyrants, 
will  enter  into  his  promised  inheritance,; 
kingdom  and  glory.  ^ 

Seeing  then  that  you  deal  so  unjustly  and 
tyranically,  according  to  the  evil  intentions 
of  your  hearts,  without  the  sanction  of 
scripture  and  mercy,  with  the  helpless  and 
God-fearing,  how  can  you  expect  any  grace 
and  mercy  in  the  day  of  the  Lord?  when  we 
shall  all  have  to  stand  before  the  impartial 
judgment  seat,  where  every  one  wll  be  re- 
warded according  to  his  deeds,  2  Cor.  5 :  10. 

We  desire  not  such  favors  as  the  evil-doers 
of  this  world;  for  we  have  not  sinned  in  this 
our  doctrine,  faith  and  practice,  although 
we  have  to  suffer  so  miich;  but  we,  only 


with  the  word  of  the  Lord,  as  the  scriptures 
direct  us,  resist  the  anti-christian  doctrines, 
ordinances  and  life.  We  resist  neither  the 
emperor,  theking,  nor  any  aiithorit}'  to  which 
they  are  called  of  God;  l)ut  we  are  ready  to 
obey  till  death,  in  all  things  which  are  not 
contrary  to  God  and  his  word,  and  well 
know  what  the  scriptures  teach  and  enjoin 
concerning  this  matter,  Rom.  13:  1 — 8.  But 
we  desire  so  much  mercy,  that  under  your 
gracious  protection  we  may  live,  teach, 
labor,  and  serve  the  Lord,  according  to  the 
dictates  of  our  consciences,  so  that  to  you 
and  many  with  you,  the  gospel  of  Christ 
may  be  rightly  preached,  and  the  gate  of 
life  opened.  Alas!  if  the  learned  had  the 
word  of  God,  and  we  had  it  not,  how  glad- 
ly would  we  be  taught  by  them.  But  since 
we  have  it,  and  they  do  not,  therefore  we 
pray,  for  Jesus'  sake,  do  not  lu-geus  to  leave 
Christ  and  join  anti-christ;  to  go  from  tnith 
to  error;  from  life  to  certain  death. 

Oh,  ye  renowned  lords  and  princes,  who 
are  appointed  of  God,  to  be  heads  and  ru- 
lers, consider  well  and  believe  on  the  word 
of  the  Lord;  for  if  you  will  not  desist  from 
unrighteousness,  fear  God  and  do  right,  it 
would  be  better  for  you  if  you  had  never 
been  born.  The  innocent  blood  of  Abel 
calls  unto  heaven,  and  will  be  strictly  de- 
manded at  yoiu-  hands  at  the  last  day. 
Again  we  say,  awake,  fear  God's  word;  for 
God,  the  Lord  himself,  will  rule  in  heaven, 
in  his  kingdom,  that  is,  in  the  hearts  of 
men.  He  will  permit  none  to  detract  from 
his  glory,  or  become  exalted  above  him. 
Lucifer,  the  fair  angel  of  God,  desired  to 
exalt  himself  to  the  Most  High,  and  was 
cast  out  of  heaven  into  the  abyss  of  hell; 
and  is  retained  in  chains  of  darkness  till 
thejudgementof  the  last  day,  Isa.  14: 12 — 15; 
Rev.  12:7— 9;  Pet.  2:4. 

Beloved  Sirs,  receive  it  in  love,  and  be  not 
offended,  for  the  truth  must  be  made  knovni. 
Your  pride  has  arisen  to  heaven;  look  to 
Christ  and  his  word,  his  example  and  his 
life;  judge  impartially,  and  you  wiU  find 
this  to  be  true.  The  Almighty,  eternal  Fa- 
ther, through  his  eternal  Wisdom,  Christ 
Jesus,  has  instituted  and  commanded  all 
things  in  his  kingdom,  that  is,  in  his  church, 
relating  to  doctrines,  sacraments  and  life, 
according  to  his  divine  counsel,  will  and 


24 


A  SUPPLICATION  TO  THE  MAGISTRACY. 


wisdom.  But  you,  tlirougli  the  counsel  and 
instigation  of  the  learned,  by  your  inhuman, 
and  cruel  mandates,  liave  changed,  de- 
stroyed and  corrupted  these,  as  if  the  al- 
mighty and  eternal  word  should  yield  to 
your  command  and  authority ;  and  as 
though  the  divine  ordinances  of  the  Son  of 
God  might  be  changed  into  a  more  suitable 
form,  and  to  a  better  purpose  tlu'ough  the 
wisdom  of  men.  O  presumption  of  all  pre- 
sumption! O  folly  of  all  follies!  AVhy  ex- 
alt thyself,  O  earth  and  dust !  Acknowledge 
Christ  Jesus,  your  chief  Lord,  who,  of  God, 
is  made  to  you  a  Prince  and  Judge.  "The 
heaven,  even  the  heavens  are  the  Lord's," 
saith  David,  '"but  the  earth  hath  he  given 
to  the  children  of  men,"  Ps.  115:  16.  I  have 
no  doubt,  that  if  any  weie  to  rise  up  against 
the  emperor  or  king,  and  enter  into  his 
kingdom  and  government,  he  would  not  be 
borne  with  patiently,  nor  go  unpunished; 
how  much  less  then,  will  a  poor,  fleshly  mor- 
tal go  unpunished,  who  rises  up  against  the 
Almighty  Emperor,  and  King,  Christ  Jesus, 
to  detlirone  him  from  the  seat  of  his  divine 
majesty,  and  to  rob  him  of  his  sceptre,  and 
the  crown  of  his  glory,  as  though  Christ 
Jesus,  the  eternal  wisdom  of  God,  was  un- 
reasonable and  unfit  for  the  heavenly  gov- 
ernment. Reflect  what  became  of  those 
hauglity  and  proud  hearts  from  the  begin- 
ning, wlio  desired  to  place  their  seats  unto 
the  throne  of  God. 

Therefore,  humble  yourselves  under  the 
miglity  liand  of  God,  as  Peter  teaches.  Take 
as  an  example,  the  great  and  prosperous 
king  Nebuchadnezzar,  and  observe  how 
grievously  God  punished  him,  on  account 


of  his  pride;  and  how,  after  being  punished, 
he  turned  to  wisdom,  feared  the  Almighty, 
highly  praised  his  wonderful  and  glorious 
works,  and  his  great  and  adorable  name." 

Beloved  Sirs,  awake,  and  mend  youv  ways, 
for  it  does  not  become  the  creature  to  rise 
up  against  the  Creator.  Christ  alone  will 
be  the  head  of  his  chiu-ch,  the  Teacher  in  liis 
school;  and  he  alone,  the  King  who  will 
judge  his  kingdom;  not  with  the  doctrines 
and  commands  of  men,  nor  with  slaying 
and  murdering,  but  with  his  Holy  Spirit,; 
power,  grace  and  word. 

Therefore,  we  pray  you,  O  ye  gi'eat  ones 
of  the  earth,  whom  we,  through  the  mercy 
of  God,  acknowledge  in  all  temporal  things, 
as  oru-  gracious  lords,  that  you  would  re- 
ceive the  eternal,  Almiglity  King,  Cluist 
Jesus,  as  the  only  Savior,  Lord  and  sover- 
eign of  our  poor  souls,  even  as  he  was  or- 
dained by  his  Father;  and  that  you  would 
attend  to  the  duties  of  3^our  office  and  tem- 
poral government,  to  which  you  have  been 
called;  for  we  with  all  our  hearts,  desire  to 
render  unto  "Cresar,  the  things  which  are 
Cjiesar's;  and  unto  God  the  things  whicli 
are  God's,"  Matt.  22:  21.  Be  pleased  also 
to  consider  this,  our  doctrine  and  instruc- 
tion, concerning  baptism,  the  Lord's  supper, 
and  the  shunning  of  Babylonian  deeds;  and 
compare  them  well  with  the  word  of  the 
Lord.  AVe  hojie,  through  the  grace  of  God, 
that  you  will  find,  in  truth,  that  we  believe 
and  teach  nothing  but  that  which  the  true 
oracle  of  the  Lord  has  commanded  us,  and 
the  holy  apostles  have  taught  and  confu-med ; 
to  this  end,  may  the  great  Lord  grant  you 
his  grace,  Amen. 


CONCERNING  BArTISM. 


Christ,  after  his  resiu-rection,  commanded 
his  apostles,  saying,  "Go  ye  therefore,  and 
teach  all  nations,  liaptizing  them  in  the 
name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of 
the  Holy  Ghost;  teaching  them  to  observe 
all  things  whatsoever  I  have  commanded 
you;  and,  lo,  I  am  with  you  alway,  even 
unto  the  end  of  the  world,  Amen,"  Matt. 
28:  19.  20. 


Here  we  have  the  Lord's  command  con- 
cerning baptism,  when  and  how,  after  the 
ordinance  of  God,  it  shall  be  administered 
and  received;  nam  el}',  that  the  gospel  must 
fii'st  be  preached,  and  then  those  baptized 
who  believe  therein,  as  Christ  says,  "Go  ye 
into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the  gospel  to 
every  creature;  he  that  believeth  and  is  bap- 
tized shall  be  saved,  but  he  that  believeth 


CONCERNING  BAPTISM. 


25 


not,  shall  be  damned,"  Mark.  16:  15.  Thus 
has  the  Lord  commanded  and  ordered; 
therefore,  let  no  other  be  tanght,  or  prac- 
ticed forever.  The  word  of  God  abideth 
forever._^  Yonng  children  are  withont  under- 
standing and  cannot  be  taught,  therefore, 
baptism  cannot  be  administered  to  them 
withoutperverting  the  ordinance  of  the  Lord} 
misusing  his  exalted  name,  and  doing  vio- 
lence to  his  holy  word.  In  the  New  Testa- 
ment there  are  no  ordinances  enjoined  upon 
infants,  for  it  treats,  both  in  doctrines  and 
sacraments,  with  those  who  have  ears  to 
hear,  and  hearts  to  understand,  Matt.  13: 
16.  Even  as  Christ  commanded,  so  the  holy 
apostles  also  taught  and  practiced,  as  may 
be  plainly  perceived  in  many  parts  of  the 
New  Testament. ■;'^hus  Peter  said,  "Repent, 
and  be  baptized  every  one  of  you  in  the 
name  of  Jesus  Christ  for  the  remission  of 
sins,  and  ye  shall  receive  the  gift  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,"  Acts  2:  38.  Again,  Philip  said  to 
the  eirnuch,  "If  thoubelievest  with  all  thine 
heart,  thou  mayest,"  Acts  8 :  37 ^_  Here,  faith 
did  notfollow  baptism,  but  baptism  followed 
faith,.  Mark  16:  16. 

Christ  has  thus  commanded  baptism,  and 
received  it  himself,  according  to  the  follow- 
ing manner:  When  the  time  had  come,  and 
the  hour  had  approached,  in  which  he  would 
fultill  the  commission  enjoined  upon  him, 
preach  the  woid,  and  make  kno^vn  his 
Father's  holy  name,  he  came  to  John,  to  the 
Jordan,  ancl  desired  to  be  baptized  of  him, 
that  he  might  fulfill  all  righteouness.  He 
prepared  to  meet  temptation,  misery,  the 
cross  and  death,  and  as  a  willing,  obedient 
child,  resigned  himself  to  the  will  of  his  Al- 
mighty Father;  he  himself  saith,  "I  came 
down  from  heaven,  not  to  do  mine  ovm  will, 
but  the  will  of  Him  that  send  me,"  Jn.  6: 
38.  He  was  baptized  of  John,  attested  to 
by  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  acknowledged  by 
the  Father,  as  a  beloved  Son,  Matt.  3:  17; 
17:5. 

Behold,  thus  Christ  commands,  and  was 
himself  baptized;  thus  the  apostles  taught, 
and  practiced.  Who  will  rise  up  against 
the  Lord,  and  say,  it  shall  not  be  so?  Who 
will  teach  and  instinact  wisdom?  "Who  will 
accuse  the  apostles  and  evangelists  with 
falsehood?  It  would  be  entirely  unbecom- 
ing for  a  raild  to  command  and  judge  his 
4 


father,  or  a  sei-vant,  his  master,  and  it  is 
much  more  unbecoming  for  the  creatm'e  to 
exalt  himself  above  his  Creator.  But  now 
it  is  manifest  that  the  whole  world,  with  its 
unprofitable  doctrines,  and  commandments 
of  men;  with  its  anti-christian  customs,  long 
standing  usages,  its  tyrannical,  murdering 
sword,  judges  over  Christ  and  his  word. 
The  tiiiths  of  Christ  are  esteemed  lies;  his 
wisdom,  foolishness;  his  light,  darkness, 
and  his  gospel,  pen^erted  and  false.  In 
short,  Christ  must  be  silent  and  suffer. 

Now  it  may  probably  be  said,  that  this 
was  necessary  in  the  beginning  of  the  gospel, 
because  at  that  time,  there  were  no  believers  ^ 
whose  chilcli-en  might  be  baptized ;  but  now,  " 
if  the  parents  are  believers,  then  are  the 
children  also  to  be  baptized,  even  as  Abra- 
ham, when  he  believed,  circumcised  his  chil- 
dren, Gen.  17 :  23.  O  no !  this  does  not  follow. 
Although  Abraham  believed  God,  only 
one-half  of  his  seed  v/as  circumcised,  name- 
ly, the  male  children,  and  not  the  female, 
though  he  was  the  father  of  the  female,  as 
well  as  of  the  male  children,  of  which,  l)y 
the  gTace  of  God,  more  shall  be  said  in  the 
replication. 

In  the  beginning  the  gospel  was  to  be 
preached,  and  faith  followed  hearing,  and 
baptism  followed  faith;  this,is  incontrovert- 
able,  for  so  the  Scriptures  teach,  Rom.  10: 
17.  But  that  the  children  of  believers  should 
be  baptized  because  Abraham's  children 
were  circumcised,  can  in  no  wise  be  sus- 
tained by  Scripture;  but  if  it  could  be  es- 
tablished, though  it  cannot,  there  would 
then  be  but  few  children  baptized,  for  the 
number  of  true  believers,  it  is  to  be  lament- 
ed, is  very  small,  as  any  one  may  see. 

They  are  not  all  christians  who  are  so 
called.  But  those  only  who  have  the  Spirit  ^^ 
of  Christ,  are  true  christians,  though  I  know 
not  where  many  are  to  be  found.  Yea,  what 
more  shall  we  say  ?  All  who  with  Abel 
bring  an  acceptable  offering;  those  who  are 
born  with  Isaac  of  the  free  woman,  and  with 
Jacob  have  the  birthright,  and  have  ob- 
tained the  paternal  blessing,  must  be  slain 
by  bloodthii-sty  Cain,  mocked  by  Ishmael, 
and  hated  by  Esau,  even  as  we  hear  and  see 
on  all  sides.  May  God  effect  a  change  for 
the  better. 

Behold,  this  is  the  word  and  will  of  the 


26 


CONCERNING  BAPTISM. 


Lord,  that  all  wlio  hear  and  believe  the 
word  of  God,  shall  he  baptized  (as  above 
stated),  thereby  to  profess  their  faith,  and 
declare  that  they  mil  henceforth  not  live 
according  to  their  ovra  will,  but  according 
to  the  will  of  God.  That  for  the  testimony 
of  Jesns  they  are  prepared  to  forsake  their 
homes,  chattels,  lands  and  lives,  and  to  sxif- 
fer  hunger,  affliction,  oppression,  persecn- 
tion,  the  cross  and  death;  yea,'the}^  desire 
to  bniy  the  flesh  with  its  Insts,  and  arise 
with  Christ  to  newness  of  life,  even  as  Pairl 
says,  "Know  ye  not  that  so  many  of  its  as 
were  baptized  into  Jesus  Christ,  were  bap- 
tized into  his  death?  Therefore  we  are  buried 
with  him  by  baptism  into  death;  that  like 
as  Christ  was  raised  up  from  the  dead  by 
the  glory  of  the  Father,  even  so  we  also 
should  walk  in  newness  of  life,"  Col.  2:  11, 
12;  Rom.  6:  3,  4. 

Beloved  Reader,  take  heed  to  the  word  of 
the  Lord,  for  this  also  Paul  teaches,  who 
received  not  his  gospel  of  men,  but  of  the 
Lord  himself;  even  as  Christ  died  and  was 
buried,  so  also  ought  we  to  die  unto  our 
sins,  and  be  buried  with  Christ  in  baptism; 
we  are  not  to  do  this  after  we  have  been 
baptized,  but  we  must  commence  and  do  all 
this  before  hand.  "For  if  we  have  been 
planted  together  in  the  likeness  of  his  death, 
we  shall  be  also  in  the  likeness  of  his  resur- 
rection. Knowing  this,  that  our  old  man  is 
crucified  with  him,  that  the  body  of  sin 
might  be  destroyed,  that  henceforth  we 
should  not  seiTe  sin ;  for  he  that  is  dead  is 
freed  from  sin,"  Rom.  6:  5 — 7;  for  even  as 
Christ  died,  hath  taken  away  sin,  and  liveth 
unto  God,  so  every  true  christian  dieth  unto 
sin,  and  liveth  unto  God. 

Think  not  that  we  teach,  that  christians 
are  to  die  unto  sin,  in  such  a  manner,  as  to 
become  insensible  to  sin.  Not  by  any  means ; 
but  they  die  unto  sin,  so  as  to  be  no  longer 
obedient  to  their  impure  lusts,  as  Paul  says, 
"Let  not  sin  therefore  reign  in  your  mortal 
body,  that  ye  should  obey  it  in  the  lusts 
thereof,"  Rom.  6: 12;  also,  John  says,  ""Wlio- 
soever  is  born  of  God  doth  not  commit  sin; 
for  his  seed  remaineth  in  him ;  and  he  can- 
not sin,*  because  he  is  born  of  God,"  1  Jn. 
3:  9;  5:  18. 

*  According  to  the  Ilollaiid,  "IIo  lias  no  desire  to  sin." 


For  as  the  death  of  our  Lord  would  not 
have  profited  us,  had  lie  not  risen  from  the 
power  of  death  to  the  praise  of  h\s  Father, 
neither  will  it  avail  us  anything  to  biuy  our 
sins  in  baptism,  if  we  do  not  arise  with 
Christ  Jesus  from  the  power  of  sin,  unto  a 
new  life,  to  the  praise  of  the  Lord.  "For 
in  that  he  (Christ)  died,  he  died  unto  sin 
once,"  says  Paul,  "but  in  that  he  liveth,  he 
liveth  unto  God;  likewise,  reckon  yourselves 
to  be  dead  indeed  unto  sin,  but  alive  imto 
God,  through  Jesus  Christ."  And,  "As  ye 
have  yielded  your  members  servants  to  xm- 
cleanness  and  iniquity,  unto  iniquity;  even 
so  now  yield  your  members,  servants  to 
righteousness  and  holiness."  For  being 
made  free  from  sin,  ye  became  the  servants 
of  righteousness,  and  have  your  frait  unto 
holiness,  and  the  end  everlasting  life,  Rom. 
6:  10,11,18,  19,22. 

Here  observe,  intelligent  reader;  j^ou  who 
desire  to  know  the  truth,  and  seek  tlie  sal- 
vation of  your  soul,  what  the  great  and  holy 
apostle  Paul  has  taught  you.  If  you  be- 
lieve his  word,  doctrine  and  testimony  to  be 
true,  you  will  no  doubt  readily  perceive, 
from  these  instnictions,  and  from  many 
other  passages  in  the  Scriptures,  that  bap- 
tism is  no  more  applicable  to  infants,  than 
circumcision  was  to  the  females  of  the  Isra- 
elites; for  we  are  no  more  commanded  to 
baptize  infants  than  Israel  was  to  circum- 
cise female  children.  It  is  also  impossible 
for  little  children  to  die  to  sin,  as  long  as 
they  have  not  been  made  alive  to  it;  neither 
can  they  rise  to  a  new  life,  as  long  as  they 
are  not  born  of  God  through  faith,  and  by 
the  Spirit  of  God  led  into  righteousnessX  i/^ 
Therefore  beware,  for  the  intent  of  baptismf' 
is  to  bury  sin,  and  to  rise  with  Christ  into 
a  -new  life,  which  can  by  no  means,  be  the 
case  with  infants;  therefore,  consider  well 
what  the  word  of  the  Lord  teaches  you  on 
this  subject. 

Again,  Paul  calls  baptism  "the  washing 
of  regeneration."  -■  O  Lord,  how  lamentably 
thy  Holy  Word  is  abused.  Is  it  not  greatty 
to  be  lamented,  that  men  are  attempting, 
notwithstanding  these  plain  passages,  to 
maintain  their  idolatrous  invention  of  in- 
fant baptism,  and  set  forth  that  infants  are 
regenerated  thereby,  as  if  regenemtion  was 
simply  a  pressing  into  the  water^u  no,  re- 


CONCEKNING   BAPTISM. 


27 


generation  is  not  such  a  work  of  hypocrisy, 
but  is  an  inward  change,  which  converts  a 
man  by  the  power  of  God,  tlirough  faith, 
from  evil  to  good,  from  carnality  to  spirit- 
uality, from  unrighteoiisness  to  righteous- 
ness, out  of  Adam  into  Christ,  wl^ich  can  in 
no  wise  take  place  with  infants.^  The  regen- 
erated live  by  the  power  of  the  new  life; 
they  crucify  the  flesh  with  its  evil  lusts-; 
they  put  off  the  old  Adam  with  his  deeds; 
they  avoid  every  appearance  of  evil;  the}'- 
are  taught,  governed  and  influenced  by  the 
Holy  Ghost,  Rom.  1:17. 

Behold  this  is  true  regeneration  with  its 
fruits,  of  which  the  Scriptures  speak,  and 
comes  through  faith  in  the  word  of  God, 
without  which  no  one,  who  has  arrived  to 
the  years  of  understanding,  can  be  saved; 
as  Christ  saj's,  "Verily,  Verily,  I  say  unto 
thee,  except  a  man  be  born  again,  he  can- 
not see  the  kingdom  of  God,"  Ju.  3:  3.  Yea, 
it  is  all  in  vain,  if  one  were  even  baptized  of 
Peter,  or  Paul,  or  Christ  himself,  if  he  were 

Vnot  baptized  fl'om  above  with  the  Holy 
Ghost  and  with  fire.  Matt.  3:  11,  as  Paul 
says,  "In  Christ  Jesus  neither  circumcision 
availeth  anything,  nor  uncircumcision,  but 
a  new  creatm-e,''  Gal.  5:  6;  2  Cor.  5:  17.  All 
who  are  thus  born  of  God,  changed  and  re- 
newed in  the  inner  man,  and  translated 
from  Adam  into  Christ,  are  ready  to  obey 
the  word  of  the  Lord,  and  say  with  holy 
Paul,  "Lord,  what  wilt  thou  have  me  to 
do?"  They  deny  themselves  with  all  their 
minds  and  hearts;  they  submit  to  the  word 
and  ordinances  of  the  Lord,  without  dislike 
or  opposition;  they  receive  baptism  accord- 
ing to  the  command  of  the  Lord,  Matt.  28: 
19.  They  become  and  manifest  themselves 
as  fruitful  branches  of  Christ,  the  true  Vine, 
and  joint  heirs  in  the  church  of  the  Lord, 
John  15:  5.     They  receive  forgiveness   of 

I  their  sins,  and  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost; 
they  put  on  Christ;  enter  the  ark  of  safety, 
and  are  seciued  from  the  dreadful  flood  of 
wi-ath,  which,  like  a  net,  will  come  upon  all 
them  that  dwell  upon  the  earth.  This,  how- 
ever, is  not  effected  by  the  power  of  the 
water  or  the  sign,  but  by  the  power  of  the 
divine  word,  received  through  faith ;  for 
where  there  is  no  faith,  which  through  love 
worketh  obedience  (we  again  speak  of  those 
who  have  come  to  the  years  of  understand- 


ing), there  is  no  promise.  "He  that  believ- 
eth  not  the  Son,  shall  not  see  life;  but  the 
wi-ath  of  God  abideth  on  him,"  Jn.  3:  36. 

The  Lord  commanded  Moses  that  he 
should  stretch  forth  his  hand,  and  with  the 
rod  smite  tlie  sea,  and  the  waters  should  be 
divided.  Moses  believed  the  word  of  the 
Lord;  stretched  forth  his  hand  and  smote 
the  sea  with  his  rod;  the  waters  were  divid- 
ed and  Israel  was  redeemed ;  not  by  the  rod 
and  the  stroke,  but  by  the  power  of  the  di- 
vine word  received  by  Moses,  through  a  sin- 
cere and  living  faith.  Had  Moses  not  be- 
lieved the  word  of  God,  and  tlu'ough  dis- 
obedience not  smote  the  sea,  undoubtedly 
affrighted  and  oppressed  Israel  would  have 
fared  ill.  He  also  received  a  command  in 
the  wilderness  to  erect  a  brazen  serpent,  so 
that  when  Israel  looked  thereon,  they  might 
be  healed  of  the  bite  of  the  serpents.  Moses 
believed  the  word  of  the  Lord,  and  erected 
a  serpent;  Israel  looked  upon  it  and  was 
healed,  not  through  the  virtue  of  the  image, 
but  through  the  power  of  the  divine  word, 
received  by  them  through  faith.  In  the  same 
manner  salvation  is  ascribed  to  scriptiu'al 
baptism,  ]\Iark.  16:  16;  the  forgiveness  of 
sins.  Acts  2:  38;  the  putting  on  of  Christ, 
Gal.  3: 27,  and  incoi-poration  into  his  chui-ch; 
not  on  account  of  the  water,  or  the  admin- 
istered sign  (else  the  kingdom  of  God  would 
depend  upon  the  elements  and  signs),  but 
on  account  of  the  power  and  truth  of  the 
divine  promise,  which  we  receive  by  obedi- 
ence through  faith.  For  all  those  who  teach 
reliance  upon  words,  the  elements  and 
works,  with  Aaron,  make  a  golden  calf,  and 
suffer  a  people  without  understanding  to 
commit  idolatry  and  abominations  there- 
with, for  in  Christ,  faith  alone  availeth, 
which  worketh  by  love,  the  new  creature, 
and  the  keeping  of  the  commandments  of 
God. 

Beloved  sirs,  friends,  and  bretliren,  awake 
and  delay  not,  render  the  Most  High  his 
due  praise  and,  honor,  and  give  ear  to  his 
holy  word,  foi^iose  avIio  maintain  that  the 
baptism  of  children  tliat  are  incapable  of 
understanding,  is  a  washing  of  regeneration, 
do  violence  to  the  word  of  God';  resist  the 
Holy  Ghost;  make  Christ  a  liar,  and  his 
holy  apostles  false  witnesses;  for^Chiist  and 
his  apostles  teach  that  regeneration  comes 


38 


CONCERNING  BAPTISM. 


tliTongli  faitli  from  God  and  Ms  word,  which 
word  is  not  to  be  taught  to  l^hose  who  are 
unable  to  liear  or  understand,^  but  to  those 
who  have  the  ability,  both  to  hear  and  un- 
derstand; this  is  incontrovertible. 

Tlie  holy  apostle  Peter  also  explains  the 
same  and  says,  that  "even  baptism  doth 
also  now  save  us ;  not  the  putting  away  of 
tlie  filth  of  the  flesh,  but  the  answer  of  a 
good  conscience  toward  God  (or  the  cove- 
nant of  a  good  conscience  toward  God),  by 
the  resru-rection  of  Jesus  Cluist,"  1  Pet.  3 :  21. 

Here  Peter  teaches  us  how,  the  inward 
baptism  saves  us,  by  which  the  inner  man 
is  washed,  and  not  the  outward  baptism  by 
which  the  flesh  is  washed;  for  only  this  in- 
ward baptism,  as  already  stated,  is  of  value 
in  tlie  sight  of  God,  while  outward  baptism 
follows  only  as  an  evidence  of  obedience 
which  is  of  faith;  for  could  outw-ard  bap- 
tism save  without  the  inner  washing,  the 
whole  Scriptm-es  which  speak  of  the  new 
man,  woiild  be  spoken  to  no  pmpose^  The 
kingdom  of  heaven  would  be  bound  to  ele- 
mentary water;  the  blood  of  Christ  would 
be  shed  in  vain,  and  no  one  that  is  baptized 
could  be  lost.  No,  no  !  outward  baptism 
avails  nothing  so  long  as  we  are  not  in- 
wardly renewed,  regenerated,  and  baptized 
of  God,  with  the  heavenly  fire  and  the  Holy 
Ghost.  But  when  we  receive  this  baptism 
from  above,  we  will  be  constrained  through 
the  Spirit  and  word  of  God,  by  a  good  con- 
science, which  we  thereby  obtain,  to  believe 
sincerely  in  the  merits  of  the  death  of  the 
Lord,  and  in  the  power  and  benefits  of  his 
resmi'ection ;  and  hencefortli,  because  we 
are  inwardly  cleansed  by  faith,  and  the 
spii'itual  strength  which  we  have  received, 
we  submissively  covenant  with  the  Lord, 
through  the  outward  sign  of  baptisni,  which 
is  enjoined  on  all  the  believers  in  Christ, 
even  as  the  Lord  has  covenanted  with  us  in 
his  grace,  through  his  word,  that  we  will  no 
longer  live  according  to  the  evil,  unclean 
lusts  of  the  flesh,  but  walk  according  to  the 
witness  of  a  good  conscience  before  him. 

Though  these  words  of  Peter  are  very 
plain,  the  learned  are  not  ashamed  to  force 
them  into  a  very  different  signification,  by 


*  This  has  reference  to  infants,  tliat  are  incapable  of 
understanding. 


means  of  theii*  plausible  comments  and  their 
much  boasted  reason  (probably  that  they 
may  retain  the  favor  of  the  world,  and  live 
in  opulence  without  cross  or  affliction),  and 
teach,  that  baptism  is  a  sign  of  grace  ; 
which  according  to  my  limited  understand- 
ing, can  in  no  wise  be  established.  Our 
sign  of  grace  is  Christ  Jesus  alone,  through 
whom  God's  abundant  love  is  freely  dis- 
pensed and  declared  unto  us.  By  signs  he 
was  gloriously  prefigured  to  the  ancient  pa- 
triarchs, as  by  the  coats  of  skin  to  Adam 
and  Eve;  by  the  raiul)Ow  to  Noah,  by  cir- 
cumcision to  Abraham,  by  which  sign  they 
were  assured  of  the  divine  covenant.  But 
we  are  assiu'ed  of  God,  of  his  divine  grace, 
and  his  eternal  peace,  by  this  one  sign  only, 
which  is  Christ  Jesus.  -  The  seal  in  our  con- 
sciences is  the  Holy  Ghost,  but  baptism  is- 
a  sign  of  obedience,  commanded  of  Christ, 
by  which  we  testify,  when  we  receive  it;  that 
we  believe  the  word  of  the  Lord,  that  we  are 
sorry  for,  and  repent  of  our  former  life  and 
conduct;  that  we  desire  to  rise  with  Christ 
unto  a  new  life;  and  that  we  believe  in  the 
forgiveness  of  sin  through  Jesus  Christ.  Not, 
my  beloved,  that  we  believe  in  the  remission 
of  sins  thi-ough  baptism ;  by  no  means  y.  be- 
cause by  baptism  we  cannot  obtain  faith 
and  repentance,  neither  do  we  receive  the 
forgiveness  of  sins,  nor  peace,  nor  liberty 
of  conscience,"  but  we  testify  tliereby  that  we 
have  repented,  received  pardon  and  faith  in 
Christ,  as  before  said.  With  the  fathers  it 
was  not  thus,  for  they,  through  the  signs, 
received  assurance  and  comfort  that  the 
promise  would  be  true  and  sui-e.  We  have 
this  assurance  in  Christ  Jesus  alone,  in 
whom  all  the  figm-ative  signs  were  comple- 
ted; so  that  we  have  in  this  only  true  sign, 
Christ,  that  which  the  fathers  had  in  majiy 
figurative  signs.  In  short,  had  we  forgive- 
ness of  sins  and  peace  of  conscience,  through 
outward  ceremonies  and  elements,  then  the 
REALITY  would  be  superceded, ,  and  his 
merits  made  of  no  eifect. 

Behold,  this  is  the  only  and  true  founda- 
tion of  baptism  maintained  by  the  Scrip- 
tiures,  and  none  other.  This  we  teach  and 
practice  though  all  the  gates  of  hell  rise 
against  us ;  for  we  know  it  is  the  revealed 
Avord  of  the  Lord,  and  his  divine  ordinance, 
from  wliich  we  dare  not  take  away,  nor  add 


CONCERNING  BAPTISM. 


39 


tliereto,  lest  we  be  found  disobedient  and 
false  before  God  (who  alone  is  the  Lord  and 
God  of  our  consciences),  for,  "every  word  of 
the  Lord  is  pure ;  he  is  a  shield  unto  them 
that  put  their  trust  in  him,"'  Prov.  30:  5. 

Oh  God,  what  are  the  learned  and  highly 
learned  masters  of  this  world  doing,  who 
are  so  earnestly  engaged  in  derogating  from 
God's  word  and  wisdom,  and  ingeniously 
urging  their  own  vain  reason  and  wisdom ; 
they  will  not  prosper;  God  will  not  give  his 
honor  to  another,  for  he  is  the  Lord ;  that  is 
his  name,  and  beside  him  there  is  no  other, 
Isa.  42 :  8.  Conquering,  he  will  conquer  them. 
He  will  tiu'u  -wisdom  to  folly  and  their  rea- 
son to  disgrace,  for  he  "knoweth  the 
thoughts  of  the  wise,  that  they  are  vain," 
1  Cor.  3:20. 

Luther  writes,  that  children  should  be 
baptized  on  account  of  their  own  faith,  and 
adds,  "If  children  had  no  faith,  then  their 
baptism  would  be  blaspheming  the  sacra- 
ment," &c.  It  appears  to  me,  to  be  a  great 
error  in  this  learned  man,  through  whose 
writings  attu-stthe  Lord  effected  much  good, 
that  he  maintained  that  childi-en,  without 
knowledge  and  understanding,  had  faith, 
while  the  Scriptiu'es  teach  so  plainly,  that 
they  know  not  good  from  evil,  that  they  can- 
not discern  right  from  wrong,  and  he  (Luther) 
says  that  faith  is  dormant  and  concealed  in 
children  even  as  in  a  believing  jierson  who  is 
asleep,  till  they  arrive  at  the  years  of  un- 
derstanding. If  Luther  writes  this  as  his 
sincere  opinion,  he  writes  much  in  vain  con- 
cerning faith  and  its  power,  but  if  he  writes 
to  please  men,  may  God  have  mercy  upon 
him,  for  I  know  of  a  truth  it  is  only  human 
, reason  and  the  invention  of  men;  but  it  shall 
not  make  void  the  word  and  ordinance  of 
the  Lord.  ^Ve  do  not  read  in  Scrijjture  that 
the  Apostles  bajjtized  a  single  believer  while 
asleep.  They  baptized  those  who  were 
awake,  and  not  the  slumbering.  Why  then 
do  they  baptize  their  children  before  that 
sleeping  faith  awakes  and  is  confessed  by 
>    them?\ 

Bucer  does  not  thus  support  this  doctrine, 
but  he  maintains  infant  baptism  differently, 
namely,  not  that  children  have  faith,  but 
that  they,  by  baptism  may  be  added  to  the 
chru-ch  of  the  Lord,  and  instructed  in  his 
word.  He  admits  that  infant  baptism  is  not 


expressly  commanded,  nevertheless  he  main- 
tains that  it  is  right.  O  Lord!  how  lament- 
ably they  do  err,  who  court  the  favor  and 
honor  of  men,  and  seek  not  the  favor  and 
honor  of  God.  Since  infant  baptism  is  not 
expressly  commanded  of  God,  as  he  ac- 
knowledges, it  cannot  be  acceptable  to  the 
Lord,  Etper  consequence,  i.  e.,  and  by  con- 
sequence, no  promise  can  foUow.  There- 
fore, the  reader  should  know,  that  true 
christians  ought  not  to  be  governed  in  this 
matter,  by  the  opinions  and  traditions  of 
men,  but  by  the  word  and  the  ordinances  of 
God.  For  we  have  but  one  Lord  and  Master 
of  oiu-  conscience,  Christ  Jesus,  whose  word, 
will,  command  and  ordinance,  it  becomes 
us,  as  his  willing  disciples,  to  follow,  even 
as  the  bride  rejoices  greatly  to  hear  the 
bridegroom's  voice,  John  3 :  29. 

Since  we  have  not  a  single  command  in 
the  Scriptiu-es  that  infants  are  to  be  bap- 
tized, or  that  the  apostles  did  practice  it;  we 
modestly  confess,  with  a  good  conscience, 
that  infant  baptism  is  but  human  invention; 
a  sellish  notion;  a  perversion  of  the  ordi- 
nance of  Clu'ist;  a  manifest  abomination, 
standing  in  the  holy  place,  where  it  ought, 
properly,  not  to  be.  Matt.  24:  15. 

Beloved  sirs,  how  little  the  word  of  the 
Lord  is  regarded,  which  says.  Ye  shall  not 
do  after  that  which  is  right  in  yoiu*  own 
eyes,  but  observe  whatsoever  I  command 
you.  Dent.  12:  8.  Did  not  the  Father  testify 
from  heaven  and  declare,  "This  is  my  be- 
loved son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased;  hear 
ye  him?"  Matt.  17:  5.  Does  not  the  whole 
Scripture  direct  us  to  Christ  ?  Are  we  not 
baptized  in  his  name  that  we  should  hear 
his  voice,  and  be  obedient  to  his  word?  Do 
you  not  boast  to  be  the  apostolic  church? 
AVhy  do  yoir  then  depart  from  Christ  and 
adhere  to  anti-christ;  from  the  apostolic 
doctrine  and  practice  to  the  doctrine  and 
practice  of  the  learned?  Do  obsen^e  how 
severely  and  frequently  God  punished  men 
for  the  self-formed  opinions  which  they 
maintained  as  works  of  holiness  and  di- 
vine worship. 

Nadab  and  Abihu,  because  they  offered 
strange  fire  before  the  Lord,  were  suddenly 
destroyed  by  fire,  before  the  altar,  through 
the  wrath  of  God. 

Saul  had  mercy  on  Agag,  the  king  of  the 


30 


COWCEKNlNa  BAPTISM. 


Amalekites,  and  prompted  by  liis  good  in- 
teutions,  spared  the  best  slieep  and  oxen,  to 
sacrifice  unto  tlie  Lord,  contrary  to  tlie 
word  of  the  prophet.  That  seeming  act  of 
mercy  and  landable  zeal  was  pirnished  as 
the  sin  of  witchcraft  and  idolatry,  becanse 
he  acted  according  to  his  own  judgment, 
and  not  according  to  the  word  of  the  pro- 
phet. He  was  reproved  by  the  prophet, 
smitten  with  a  pestilence,  his  kingdom 
taken  from  him,  and  given  to  a  more  faith- 
ful one,  1  Sam.  15:  23. 

Manasseh,  the  king  of  the  Jews,  and 
others  in  Israel,  made  their  childi-en  pass 
through  fire.  They  built  temples  and  altars 
in  all  the  high  places,  also  in  cities  and 
countries,  with  good  intentions;  for  they 
were  desirous  thereby  to  honor  the  Al- 
mighty and  eternal  God,  as  may  be  plainly 
seen,  2  Kings  21 :  3 — 6.  This  glorious  and 
holy  choice  was  so  offensive  before  God, 
that  Jeremiah  refused  to  intercede  for  the 
people.  Israel  was  desolated,  Jeioisalem 
and  the  temple  burnt ;  and  the  people  with 
tlie  holy  vessels  were  carried  into  a  foreign 
land,  2  Kings  25:  9;  2  Chron.  36: 12.  There- 
fore, saith  God  by  the  prophet.  Obey  my 
voice,  and  I  will  be  yoirr  God,  and  ye  shall 
be  my  j^eople;  and  walk  ye  in  all  the  ways 
that  I  have  commanded  you;  not  those  of 
your  own  choice;  that  it  may  be  well  with 
you,  Jer.  7:  23. 

What  advice  then,  my  beloved  friends, 
shall  be  given  in  relation  to  sucli  wilful  de- 
ceivers, who  so  presirmptuously  do  violence 
to  the  expressed  word  of  the  Lord,  and  so 
shamefully  belie  the  Almighty,  the  Most 
High  God,  and  teach  that  it  is  the  word 
of  God;  though  such  things  he  never  pro- 
posed, much  less  commanded,  and  never  will. 

How  awful  it  is  thus  to  sin  against  God, 
and  so  lamentably  to  pervert  his  holy  and 
precious  word !  Yea,  they  shall  be  severel}^ 
punished  of  the  Lord  with  heavy  judgments, 
they  shall  not  escape  the  ire  of  his  fierce 
wrath,  if  they  do  not  repent  and  reform;  for 
God  is  an  enemy  to  all  liars.  They  have 
neither  part  nor  lot  in  his  kingdom;  birt 
their  portion  is  eternal  destruction,  in  the 
lake  of  fire,  2  Thes.  2:8;  Eev.  20: 10;  19:  20. 

In  tlie  second  place,  it  is  evident,  that  in- 
fant baptism  is  an  accursed,  abominable 
and  idolatrous  institution;    fox  all  those 


who  are  baptized  in  infancy,  are  called 
christians  and  are  accounted  partakers  of 
the  Lord's  grace,  merits,  death  and  blood, 
and  are  called  his  people,  altliough  the 
whole  coiu'se  of  their  lives,  is  entirely  hea- 
thenish, wild  and  dissolute;  yea,  they  in- 
dulge in  nothing  but  gluttony,  drinking, 
gaming,  whoring,  cm-sing  and  swearing, 
as  though  the  water  in  baptism  could  make 
and  preserve  them  christians.  O  no!  Paul 
declares,  "He  that  hath  not  the  Spirit  of 
Chi-ist,  is  none  of  his,"  Rom.  8:  9.  Yea,  the 
helpless,  innocent  children,  though  baptized 
with  the  blood  of  the  Lord,  and  having  the 
siu'e  promise  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  if  not 
baptized,  vdth  this  baptism,  must  be  buried 
without  the  grave  yard  as  accursed.  What 
infamy ! — what  blindness !  We  will  say  noth- 
ing of  godfathers,  of  crossing,  breathing 
upon,  sprinlding  with  salt  water,  anoint- 
ing, spitting  upon,  and  their  abominable 
exorcism,  aU  of  which  is  nothing  else  than 
open  blasphemy,  and  not  commanded  of 
God.  "What  abominable,  detestable  idola- 
try these  things  are. 

In  the  third  place,  we  are  informed  by 
historians,  ancient,  and  modern,  and  also 
in  the  decrees,  that  baptism  was  changed 
both  as  to  its  mode  and  time  of  administer- 
ing. In  the  beginning  of  the  holy  church, 
persons  were  baptized  in  common  water  on 
their  first  profession,  upon  their  own  faith, 
according  to  the  Scriptiu'es.  Afterwards  a 
change  was  made;  they  were  examined 
seven  times  before  being  baptized ;  after  that, 
they  were  baptized  at  two  stated  periods ; 
namely,  at  Easter  and  Whitsuntide.  Iligin- 
ius,  the  tenth  pope,  instituted  godfathers, 
in  the  year  A.  D.  146.  Finally,  Luther  tells 
us,  that  in  the  year  A.  D.  407,  Pope  Inno- 
cent confii'ined  infant  baptism  by  a  decree, 
and  it  is  to  be  feared  that  it  will  not  be 
abrogated,  but  at  the  expense  of  much  in- 
nocent blood  of  the  saints  and  childi'en  of 
God;  even  as  the  prophets,  in  their  days 
reproved  the  accursed  abominations  and 
idolatry  of  the  kings,  priests  and  people, 
not  by  admonition  only,  but  also  with  their 
blood,  as  Ave  read  in  both  sacred  and  pro- 
fane history. 

If  infant  baptism  was  commanded  of  God, 
in  his  Avord,  why  did  Innocent  add  his  de- 
cree? How  can  baptism  as  practiced  by  the 


CONCERNING  BAPTISM. 


31 


world,  be  right,  since  it  has  been  so  fre- 
qnently  changed  ?  We  entreat  you,  for 
Jesus'  sake,  to  reflect  that  Christ  Jesus  and 
not  the  learned,  is  King  and  Lord  of  his 
Clnu-ch ;  and  rules  over  it  with  his  sceptre. 
Spirit  and  word.  Matt.  11:  27.  As  it  is  said. 
He  is  made  unto  us  Wisdom,  and  none  can 
instruct  him;  he  appeared,  in  order  that 
he  might  testify  to  the  truth.  They  that  love 
the  truth,  hear  his  voice;  believe  his  word, 
and  not  that  of  the  learned;  for  his  word  is 
truth;  but  the  word  of  the  learned,  in  this 
respect,  is  seduction;  for  Christ  commands 
that  believers  should  be  baptized;  but  in 
relation  to  infants,  that  are  witl^iout  under- 
standing, he  gave  no  command).  But  the 
learned  say,  he  that  has  not  his  children 
baptized,  and  is  himself  baptized  upon  his 
faith,  as  Christ  commanded,  is  a  fanatic, 
ana-baptist  and  heretic. 

We  have  here  given  you  tlie  principal 
reasons  why  we  oppose  infant  baptism,  not 
only  in  doctrine,  but  also  to  the  sacriflce  of 
oui'  lives  and  possessions.  For  we  well 
know,  by  the  grace  of  God,  that  there  is  not 
one  word  in  the  Scriptures  in  its  support. 
We  tell  you  the  truth  and  lie  not.  Is  there 
one  under  the  canopy  of  heaven  who  can 
show  us,  by  divine  truth,  that  Jesus  Clu'ist, 
the  Son  of  Almighty  God,  the  Eternal  Wis- 
dom and  Truth,  whom  alone  we  acknowl- 
edge as  the  Lawgiver,  and  Teacher  of  the 
New  Testament,  has  given  a  single  com- 
mand that  childi'en  should  be  baptized;  or 
that  his  holy  apostles  ever  so  taught,  or 
practiced  ? 

"Wliat  need  then  to  urge  this  upon  us  by 
tyranny  and  punishment  ?  Only  show  it  to 
us  in  the  word  of  God,  and  the  difficulty  is 
removed.  For  God,  who  is  omniscient, 
knows,  that  in  our  weakness,  we  humbly 
seek  to  walk  according  to  the  divine  ordi- 
nances, word  and  will,  for  which  we,  poor 
miserable  men,  are  shamefully  reviled,  ban- 
ished, robbed  and  slain  by  every  one  in 
many  countries,  like  innocent  sheep;  but 
the  Lord  be  eternally  praised!  We  are  es- 
teemed as  unworthy  of  heaven  or  earth, 
even  as  Christ  said,  "They  shall  deliver 
you  up  to  be  afflicted,  and  shall  kill  you; 
and  ye  shall  be  hated  of  all  nations  for  my 
name's  sake,"  Matt.  24:  9. 


It  is  our  determination,  in  this  matter  as 
in  all  other  matters  of  conscience,  in  view 
of  the  wrath  of  Almighty  God,  that  we  will 
not  be  influenced  by  lords  and  princes,  nor 
by  doctors  and  teachers  of  schools,  nor  by 
the  influence  of  the  fathers,  and  long  estab- 
lished customs,  for  in  this  matter,  neither 
emperors,  nor  kings,  nor  doctors,  nor  li- 
centiates, nor  councils,  nor  proscriptions 
against  the  word  of  God,  will  avail.  We 
dare  not  be  bound  to  any  person,  power, 
wisdom  or  times,  but  we  must  be  governed 
alone,  by  the  expressed  and  positive  com- 
mands of  Christ,  and  the  pure  doctrines  and 
practices  of  his  holy  apostles,  as  remarked 
above;  for  if  we  do  so,  v/e  neither  deceive 
any  one  in  this  matter,  nor  are  we  deceived. 
Alas!  woe  to  him,  woe  to  him,  who  departs 
from  this  foimdation,  or  is  compelled  to  do 
so,  either  through  the  infirmities  of  the  flesh 
or  tyranny,  or  by  false  doctrine;  and  will 
not  testify  of  the  word  of  his  Lord  until 
death,  rmto  this  wicked  and  sinful  genera- 
tion, both  in  word  and  deed.  Matt.  10: 
38  ;  16  :  24. 

Observe,  all  of  jam  who  persecute  the 
word  of  the  Lord  and  his  people,  this  is 
our  insti-uction,  doctrine  and  belief  concern- 
ing baptism,  according  to  the  instruction  of 
the  v/ords  of  Christ,  namely,  we  must  first 
hear  the  word  of  God,  believe  it,  and  then 
upon  our  faith  be  baptized j-  we  are  not  se- 
ditious or  contentious;  we^do  not  approve 
of  polygamy ;  neither  do  we  seek  nor  wait 
for  any  kingdom  upon  earth. 

O  no!  no!  to  God  be  eternal  praise;  we 
well  know  what  the  word  of  the  Lord  teach- 
es us  and  testifies  to,  on  this  subject.  The 
word  of  the  Lord  commands  us  that  we, 
with  a  sincere  heart,  desire  to  die  to  sin,  to 
bury  our  sins  with  Christ,  and  with  him  to 
rise  to  a  new  life,  even  as  baptism  is  a 
figure  thereof. 

That  we  seek  to  walk  humbly  and  up- 
rightly in  Clmst  Jesus,  in  the  covenant  of 
his  grace,  and  his  eternal  peace,  and  with 
an  approved  conscience  before  God,  even 
as  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  has  commanded; 
as  he  has  testified  by  his  example,  and  as 
we  are  taught  hy  the  pure  doctrines  and 
practices  of  the  apostles,  1  Pet.  3:  21. 


33 


CONCEENING  BAPTISM. 


COUNTER  ARGUMENTS  WITH  THEIR  REPLICATIONS. 


Having  briefly  noticed  the  Lord's  com- 
mand, and  tlie  apostolic  doctrine,  prac- 
tices and  signification  of  baptism;  tliat  it  is 
and  will  lie  tlie  true  baptism  to  the  end 
of  time,  we  will  also,  now,  thi'ough  the 
grace  of  God,  as  a  duty,  refer  and  reply  to 
some  scriptui'al  passages  of  which  the 
learned  "WTongfully  make  use,  to  make  void 
the  ordinance  of  the  Lord,  and  place  in  its 
stead  their  own. 

In  the  first  place,  they  teach  that  we  are 
all  the  children  of  wratli,  and  sinfiil;  born  of 
tlie  sinful  seed  of  Adam,  and  therefore,  say 
they,  children  are  to  l)e  baptized,  in  order 
to  be  purified  and  washed  from  original 
sin,  «&. 

To  this  we  reply  thus :  With  the  word  of 
the  Lord,  we  believe  and  confess  that  we  all 
come  from,  and  are  born  of  unclean  seed; 
that  we  tlu'ough  the  fii'st  Adam,  who  was  of 
the  earth,  became  wholly  depraved,  and 
cliildren  of  death  and  of  hell,  Rom.  5:  12. 
Nevertheless,  as  we  fell,  and  became  sinners 
in  Adam,  we  also  believe  and  confess,  that 
through  Clirist,  the  second  and  heavenly 
Adam,  we  were  restored  to  grace  and  justi- 
fied. For  he  appeared  upon  earth,  that 
in  and  through  him  we  might  have  life. 
Through  him  only  we  glory  to  have  ob- 
tained grace,  favor  and  the  forgiveness  of 
our  sins  with  God  our  Father;  and  not 
throiigh  baptism,  whether  we  are  children 
or  believers;  for  if  redemption,  and  the 
washing  away  of  original  sin,  were  through 
baptism,  and  not  by  the  blood  of  Christ 
alone,  then  would  the  sweet  smelling  sacri- 
fice, which  is  of  eternal  worth,  have  been  in 
vain,  and  without  effect,  or,  there  would  be 
two  remedies  for  our  sins.  Alas,  no!  the 
Sci'iptures  speak  but  of  one,  which  is  Christ 
with  his  merits,  death  and  blood,  1  Pet.  1 : 
19.  Therefore,  he  who  seeks  the  remission 
of  his  sins  through  baptism,  rejects  the 
blood  of  the  Lord  and  makes  water  his 
idol.  Therefore,  let  every  one  be  careful 
lest  he  ascribe  the  honor  and  glory  due  to 
Clirist,  to  the  outward  ceremonies  and  crea- 
tivce  elements. 

It  is  true,  Peter  says,  "Repent  and  be 
bai)tized  every  one  of  you  in  the  name  of  | 


Jesus  Clu'ist,  for  the  remission  of  sins."  But 
this  is  not  to  be  understood,  that  we  receive 
tlie  remission  of  oiu-  sins  through  baptism. 
O  no !  for  if  it  be  so,  then  Christ  and  his 
merits  must  fall.  But  we  receive  the  remis- 
sion of  oui-  sins,  in  baptism,  as  follows : 
The  Lord  commanded  his  gospel  to  be 
preached  to  every  creatui'e,  so  that  all  who 
believe  and  are  baptized,  may  be  saved. 
"Where  there  is  faith,  which  is  called  the 
gift  of  God,  l)y  Paul,  there  also  are  the 
power  and  the  fruits  of  faith.  Where  there 
is  an  active,  fruitful  faith,  there  also  is  the 
promise;  but  where  such  a  faith  does  not 
exist  (we  speak  of  adiilts),  there  also  is  no 
promise.  For  he  that  hears  the  word  of  the 
Lord,  and  believes  it  with  the  heai-t,  mani- 
fests his  fruit,  and  faithfully  observes  all 
things  the  Lord  commanded  him;  for  the 
Scriptiu-es  teach,  the  just  shall  live  by  faith, 
Heb.  10:  '6S.  Then  the  remission  of  his  sins 
is  preached  to  him,  as  Peter  teaches  and  in- 
structs. 

Had  Noah  and  Lot  not  believed  the  word 
of  the  Lord,  they  would  have  fared  ill.  Had 
Abraham  not  believed,  he  would  not  have 
obtained  such  glorious  promises;  but  they 
believed,  and  did  right,  and  became  heirs 
of  righteousness,  Heb.  11:  8. 

Had  Moses  and  Israel  not  believed  the 
word  of  the  Lord  and  been  disobedient,  how 
could  they  have  been  succored  in  the  sea 
and  in  the  wilderness?  But  they  believed, 
and  according  to  his  promise,  were  protect- 
ed by  the  mighty  hand  of  the  Lord.  But 
those  who  provoked  him,  and  believed  not 
his  gracious  word,  and  the  great  miracles, 
fell  in  the  wilderness,  and  entered  not  the 
promised  land. 

There  was  also  reconciliation  connected 
with  the  sacrifices  of  the  Old  Testament,  not 
on  account  of  the  worth  of  the  smoking  of- 
ferings upon  the  altars;  for  it  was  not  pos- 
sible, says  Paul,  that  the  blood  of  bulls  and 
goats  should  take  away  sin,  Heb.  10:  4. 
Before  it  was  offered,  it  was  all  the  Lord's, 
and  the  cattle  upon  a  thousand  hills,  were 
his,  says  David,  Ps.  50:  10.  But  because 
the  rigliteous  believed  the  word  of  divine 
promise  as  tnie,  and  wallted  in  obedience 


CONCERNING  BAPTISM. 


33 


to  his  command,  so  now  also  is  the  remis- 
sion of  sins  preached  through  baptism;  not 
on  account  of  the  water,  or  the  ceremonies 
performed,  for  Christ,  I  repeat,  is  the  only 
soirrce  of  grace;  biit,  because  the  righteous 
receive  the  promises  of  the  Lord  by  faith, 
and  obediently  follow  his  word  and  will. 

This  direction  does  not  extend  to  infants. 
For  in  all  the  Scriptures,  there  is  not  a 
single  command  given  to  baptize  them. 
Therefore, -it  is  not  required  of  them  as  a 
sign  of  obedience.  Since,  then,  infant  bap- 
tism is  performed  without  the  command  of 
God,  it  cannot  be  a  ceremony  of  God,  but 
a  pernicious  superstition  of  men,  and  evi- 
dently idolatry;  therefore,  the  promise  of 
*  God  cannot  rest  upon  such  abominations. 
It  seems  to  me,  it  is  high  time  to  awaken, 
and  to  give  heed  to  the  Scriptures.  For 
J"esus'  sake,  sin  is  not  imputed  to  infants 
that  are  innocent,  and  incapable  of  under- 
standing. Life  is  promised,  not  through 
any  one  ceremonj',  but  out  of  piu-e  grace, 
through  the  blood  of  the  Lord,  as  he  him- 
self says,  "Suffer  the  little  children  to  come 
unto  me  and  forbid  them  not;  for  of  such  is 
the  kingdom  of  God,"  Mark.  10:  14.  But 
concerning  baptism  he  did  not  command 
them  any  thing.  - 

According  to  my  opinion,  it  is  a  great 
error,  which  some  entertain,  that  the  chil- 
di-en  of  the  Jews  were  acceptable  to  Christ 
on  account  of  circumcision;  and  that  ours 
are  acceptable  to  him  on  account  of  bap- 
tism./- O  blasphemy  and  infam}' !  In  every 
instance,  Christ,  the  only  medium  of  divine 
gi'ace  must  be  set  aside,  and  grace  must  he 
attributed  to  the  lifeless  rites  and  elements. 
Here  I  would  ask  all  Pedo-baptists,  how 
they  are  going  to  prove  that  these  blessed 
children  were  all  circumcised,  and  that 
there  were  not  among  them  female  chil- 
dren? If  they  were  acceptable  on  account 
of  their  circumcision,  as  the}^  pretend,  then, 
why  were  not  adults  who  were  circumcised, 
acceptable? 

Although  they  were  circumcised,  he  com- 
manded that  adults  should  be  baptized  up- 
on their  faith;  lint  concerning  infants  he 
gave  no  such  command.  He  took  them  into 
his  arms,  laid  his  hands  upon  them  and 
blessed  them;  promised  them  the  kingdom, 
5 


and  dismissed  them;  but  did  not  baptize 
them. 

Thus  did  the  wisdom  of  God  himself;  but 
the  world  would  be  his  teacher.   Christ  does 
not  command  that  infants  should  be  bap- 
tized, but  believers;    Init  the  world   com- 
mands that  we  should  baptize  children  and 
not  believers.*     Yea  more,  if  any  one  is 
baptized  upon  his  faith,  because  the  Lord 
has  so  commanded ;  and  for  conscience'  sake 
has  not  his  children  baptized,  because  God 
does  not  command  it,  his  name,  alas!  is  re- 
proached by  all,  and  he  is  subjected  to  tor- 
ture, misery  and  death;   and  this  is  not  to 
be  attributed  so  much  to  the  rulers,  as  to 
those  who  are  esteemed  teachers  and  preach- 
ers, for  what  the  rulers  do,  they  generally 
do  by  the  counsel  and  instigation  of  the 
learned.     By  their  fruits,  they  show  who  is 
their  father,  for  they  do  his  works.  It  seems 
to  me  they  always  have  been,  and  ever  will 
be  those,  who,  with  their  false  doctrines,  re- 
vengeful spirits,  and  hard  hearts,  shed  the 
blood  of  the  righteous.  Rev.  17:  6;   18:  24. 
Alas!    such  persecution  is  so   disgraceful, 
that  it  is  almost  a  shame  to  mention  it. 
For  as  clear  as  the  sun  shines  on  this  world, 
and  is  seen  by  every  one,  so  manifest  is  the 
inhuman,   ra\ing  tyranny   of   the  learned 
against  the  Lamb  and  his  chosen.     God 
grant  that  the  eyes  of  these  blind,  pervert- 
ed, blood-thirsty  teachers,  with  all  their  tyr- 
ann}",  may  be  opened,  that  they  may  lie- 
come  satisfied  and  weaiy  of  their  false  doc- 
trine and  the  shedding  of  innocent  blood. 
Amen. 

In  the  second  place,  they  teach  that  the 
children  of  Israel  under  the  Old  Testament, 
were  admitted  into  God's  covenant  and 
church  through  circumcision ;  Ijut  now,  our 
children  are  admitted  through  ])aptism.  To 
this,  in  accordance  with  Scrij^ture,  we  replj', 
No.  ^Whoever  reads  the  Scriptures  under- 
standingly,  mil  clearly  perceive,  that  Abra- 
ham was  in  covenant  with  the  Lord,  manj- 
years  before  he  was  circimicised.  And  that 
the  children  were  circumcised  on  the  eightli 


*  Mpimo  means  to  say  that  Christ  commands,  that 
those  who  have  come  to  years  of  umlerstanding,  who 
have  the  aliility  to  receive  tlie  truth  and  believe  it, 
should  be  baptized,  and  not  infants  who  can  neither  re- 
ceive nor  understand  the  truth,  and  therefore  are  in- 
capable of  believing. 


34 


CONCERNING  BAPTISM. 


day,  although  they  had  been  in  the  cove- 
nant before.  For  it  is  evident,  that  we  do 
not  become  the  chiklren  of  God  through  any 
outward  rites,  but  through  tlie  paternal  and 
gracious  choice,  through  Christ  Jesus.  But 
an  outward  sign  was  required  of  Abraham 
as  a  seal  of  obedience  and  faith.  And  like- 
wise of  his  seed,  that  they  should  circumcise 
the  male  children  on  the  eighth  day;  no 
sooner  nor  later,  and  not  the  female  chil- 
dren. Had  the  covenant  depended  upon  the 
sign,  and  not  upon  the  assurance  of  grace, 
what  would  have  become  of  the  female  chil- 
dren, and  the  males  that  died  uncircumcised 
before  the  eighth  day? 

Beloved  reader,  give  heed  to  the  word  of 
God.  Although  the  women  and  female  chil- 
di-en  were  not  circumcised,  they  had  the 
promise  in  common,  in  the  promised  seed, 
the  holy  land,  the  kingdom  and  glory.  They 
were  no  less  the  seed  of  Abraham  and  sub- 
ject to  the  covenant  of  God,  and  the  things 
signified  by  the  sign  thereof,  than  the  cir- 
cumcised men  and  male  children.  From 
which  it  is  evident,  that  the  children  of  Is- 
rael were  not  in  the  Lord's  covenant,  on  ac- 
count of  circumcision,  as  Pedo-baptists  as- 
sert, but  through  the  divine  choice  of  grace. 

And  even  as  Abraham  and  tlie  children  of 
Israel,  the  female  as  well  as  the  male  chil- 
dren, were  in  the  covenant  not  through  the^ 
sign,  but  through  the  divine  choice,  so  also 
are  our  children  in  the  covenant  of  God,  al- 
though not  baptized.  The  word  of  Paul  is 
incontrovertible.  He  (God)  has  chosen  us 
in  him,  before  the  foundation  of  the  world, 
and  has  ordained  us  his  children  through 
Jesus  Christ,  Eph.  1:4. 

Again,  Children  are  entitled  to  the  king- 
dom of  heaven,  and  are  under  the  promise 
of  the  grace  of  God,  through  Christ;  as  has 
l)een  said;  and  therefore  we  truly  believe, 
that  they  are  blessed,  holy  and  pui-e,  ac- 
ceptable to  God;  are  under  the  covenant, 
and  in  his  chm'ch,  but  by  no  means,  through 
any  external  sign;  for  there  is  not  a  word 
in  all  the  Scriptures  wherel)y  to  maintain, 
that  childi'en  should  be  admitted  into  the 
covenant  and  the  church  by  such  a  sign. 
Besides,  it  is  very  e\ident  that  they  cannot 
be  taught  or  admonished  by  word,  or  sacra- 
ment, as  long  as  they  are  without  the  abil- 
ity to  hear  and  understand. 


Therefore,  are  the  signs  not  to  be  used  for 
any  other  purpose  than  that  for  which  the}' 
were  instituted  and  commanded  of  the  Lord. 
Since  Christ  has  ordained  and  commanded  to 
baptize  believers;  and  has  not  said  a  word 
about  infant  baptism,  we  believe  and  teach 
that  the  baptism  of  believers  is  of  God  and 
his  word,  and  infant  baptism  of  the  dragon 
and  the  beast. 

All  the  rites  ordained  of  God,  both  of  the 
Old  and  New  Testament,  are  ordained  to 
exercise  our  faith  and  to  show  our  obedience. 
Therefore  we  should  not  use  and  change  them 
at  our  pleasure;  but  we  must  use  them  as 
the  Lord  himself  has  ordained  and  com- 
manded, if  we  would  escape  being  pxuiished 
by  the  tierce  wrath  of  God,  as  were  Nadab 
and  Abihu,  Lev.  10:  2. 

Since  Christ  has  commanded  that  believ- 
ers shoiild  be  baptized,  and  not  infants, 
and  the  holy  apostles  tauglit  and  practiced 
thus,  in  accordance  with  the  instructions 
and  commands  of  Christ,  as  may  be  seen  in 
many  places  of  the  New  Testament,  all  rea- 
sonable-minded men  must  admit,  that  in- 
fant baptism,  although  alas,  practiced  by 
nearly  the  whole  world,  and  maintained  by 
tyranny,  is  nothing  less  than  a  ceremony  of 
anti-christ,  open  blasphemy,  an  enchanting 
sin,  a  molten  calf;  yea,  abomination  and 
idolatry. 

We  also  well  know  how  they  apply  cir- 
cumcision as  a  ligiire  of  baptism,  and  ad- 
duce the  saying  of  Paul  in  proof  thereof, 
namely,  "In  whom  also  ye  are  circumcised 
with  the  circumcision  made  without  hands, 
&c.,  Col.  2:  11.  He  that  will  attempt  to 
prove,  by  this  passage  that  infant  baptism 
is  right,  does  violence  to  holy  Paul,  and 
falsely  perverts  his  testimony.  For  he  does 
not  teach  that  external  circumcision  is  a 
figure  of  baptism,  but  alludes  to  inward  cir- 
cumcision. For  even  as  actual  circumcision 
of  the  foreskin  was  performed  with  a  knife 
of  stone,  so  also  must  our  inbred  and  carnal 
nature  be  cut  off  with  that  spiritual  knife  of 
stone,  and  circumcised  with  a  circumcision 
made  without  hands.  The  stone  is  Christ. 
The  knife  is  the  word  of  God,  1  Cor.  10:  4; 
Heb.  4:  12.  It  is  with  this  circumcision  that 
believers,  not  children,  are  circumcised,  as 
Paul  evidently  intends  to  teach  by  this 
scriptrire,  "Ye  are  circumcised  with  the  cu- 


CONCERNING  BAPTISM. 


35 


cximcision  made  without  hands,  in  putting 
off  the  body  of  the  sins  of  tlie  flesh  by  the 
circumcision  of  Christ,  biuied  with  him  in 
baptism,  wherein  also  ye  are  risen  with  him 
through  the  faith  of  tlie  operation  of  God," 
Col.  2:  11.  It  appears  to  me,  that  these 
words  plainly  show  that  Paul  spoke  not  in 
relation  to  the  baptism  of  infants;  but  in 
regard  to  the  inner  circumcision  of  the  be- 
lievers. Read  also  what  we  said  above  con- 
cerning Romans  6. 

In  the  third  place,  they  say  that  children 
are  regenerated,  put  on  Christ,  and  receive 
the  Holy  Ghost  in  baptism. 

To  this  we  reply:  To  be  regenerated,  to 
put  on  Clu'ist,  and  to  receive  the  Holy  Ghost, 
is  one  and  the  same  thing;  and  according 
to  its  power,  inseparable.  Have  you  the 
one,  you  have  the  other  also.  But  that  does 
not  at  all  concern  infants ;  for  regeneration 
takes  place  through  faith,  through  the  word 
of  God,  and  is  a  change  of  heart,  or  of  the 
inward  man,  as  above  said.  To  put  on 
(Hmst,  is  to  be  transplanted  into  Christ, 
and  to  be  like-minded  with  him.  To  receive 
the  Holy  Ghost,  is  to  be  a  partaker  of  his 
gifts  and  power,  to  be  taught,  assured  and 
influenced  by  him,  as  the  Scriptures  teach. 
This  cannot  take  place  with  infants ;  for 
they  have  no  ears  to  hear  the  word  of  the 
Lord,  and  no  understanding  to  comprehend 
it;  for  through  the  word  and  the  hearing  of 
tlie  word  all  this  is  accomplished. 

Here  it  may  be  asked,  whether  God  is 
not  powerful  enough  to  work  faith  in  chil- 
dren; because  John  the  baptist,  yet  unborn, 
leaped  for  joy  in  his  mother's  womb. 

We  reply  to  this,  that  we  are  not  speak- 
ing of  the  power  of  God;  he  made  aged  and 
ban-en  Sarah  fruitfiil,  and  caused  Balaam's 
ass  to  speak.  But  it  does  not  follow  that 
all  old,  barren  women  will  become  fruitful, 
and  that  all  asses  are  to  speak.  He  does 
not  at  all  times  do  all  that  he  can,  or  has 
power  to  do ;  we  speak  only  of  the  x'recept 
of  the  Scriptiu'es,  what  they  teach  and  com- 
mand us  concerning  this  matter. 
.  ^♦^ca'^^se  infants  do  not  understand,  they 
cannot  believe,  and  because  they  do  not  be- 
lieve, they  cannot  be  born  again.  Reason 
teaches  us  that  they  cannot  understand  the 
word  of  God.  That  they  do  not  believe  and 
are  not  regenerated,  is  evident  from  their 


actions.  Whether  they  are  baptized  or  not, 
their  inbred  nature  is  prone  to  evil  from 
their  youth.  They  know  no  difference  be- 
tween Christ  and  satan;  between  good  and 
evil;  between  life  and  death.  Wliereby  then 
shall  we  know  their  faith,  regeneration,  or 
that  they  possess  Christ  and  his  Spirit?  The 
regenerating  word  must  first  be  heard  and 
believed  with  a  sincere  heart,  before  regen-  v- 
eration,  the  putting  on  of  Christ  and  the 
influences  of  the  Holy  Ghost  follow. 

Behold,  thus  we  are  taught  by  the  word 
of  the  Lord.  He  that  does,  therefore,  not 
desire  the  palatable  bread  of  the  divine 
word,  upon  which  oiu"  soiils  have  to  live, 
may  satisfy  himself  with  the  husks  that  the 
swine  eat,  Luke  15:  16;  we  cannot  forbid 
him.  I  trust  that  the  gi-acious  Father  will 
protect  and  preserve  us  forever,  through  his 
great  mercy,  from  their  anti-christian  doc- 
trines and  Pharisaical  leaven. 

In  the  fourth  place,  they  say  that  al- 
though infants  are  not  so  washed  fi'om  ori- 
ginal sin  in  baptism,  that  there  are  no  re- 
mains of  it,  still,  for  the  sake  of  baptism  it 
shall  not  be  imputed  to  them  as  sin. 

To  this  we  reply:  Thus  to  teach  and  be- 
lieve, is  open  blasphemy  against  Christ  and 
his  blood.  I  have  proved  more  than  once 
by  the  word  of  the  Lord,  that  Christ  is  the 
'only  remedy  for  our  sins,  and  that  there  is 
forever  none  other,  Isa.  43:  25;  Matt.  1:  21; 
Acts  4 :  12.  If  men  will  not  believe  the  word 
of  God,  there  is  luo  human  help  for  them. 
But  the  way  or  manner  in  which  believers 
receive  the  remission  of  sins,  in  baptism,  is 
fully  explained  above,  and  he  that  reads  it 
understandingly,  will  give  the  Lord  Jesus 
the  praise  due  him,  and  not  ascribe  the  re- 
mission of  his  sins  to  rites  and  elements. 
i 

i  In  the  fifth  place,  they  say  tliat  Christ  has 
I  cleansed  and  sanctified  his  church  with  the 
!  washing  of  water  by  the  word,  diildren, 
j  they  say,  belong  to  the  church,  tlierefore 
1  they  must  be  cleansed  with  the  washing  of 
'  water  by  the  word,  Eph.  5:  26. 

To  this  we  reply:  Paul  does  not  speak  of 
infants,  but  of  those  who  hear  and  believe 
the  word  of  the  Lord,  and  tlms  by  faith,  are 
sanctified  and  cleansed  in  their  hearts;  for 
'  such  are  cleansed  by  the  washing  of  water, 
as  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  has  commanded. 


36 


CONCERNING  BAPTISM. 


Since  infiints  have  not  tliis  pure,  sanctify- 
ing faitli,  nor  the  means  tliercto  (that  is,  the 
nnderstandiug),  and  are  not  commanded  in 
Scripture  to  be  baptized;  how  can  they  then 
be  cleansed  witli  the  washing  of  water  by 
the  word,  having  no  faith  in  the  word,  and 
no  washing  of  water  by  tlie  word?  There- 
fore, all  pedo-baptists  should  know,  that 
their  infant  baptism  does  neither  cleanse 
nor  sanctify,  but  that  it  is  idolatry  in  toto, 
witliout  promise,  j)ernicious,  and  contrary 
to  the  word  of  the  Lord. 

We  have  before  shown,  that  the  remission 
of  sins,  or  reconciliation  was  connected  with, 
and  consequent  upon  the  Jewish  offerings, 
if  performed  according  to  the  instructions  of 
Moses.  But  when  not  thus  performed,  they 
did  not  obtain  reconciliation,  but  made 
themselves  the  more  guilty,  as  Saul,  Uz- 
ziah,  Nadab,  Abihu  and  others.  In  like 
manner  is  the  church  sanctilied  and  cleansed, 
with  the  washing  of  water,  by  the  word,  if 
it  is  done  in  every  respect  according  to  the 
instniction  of  the  word.  But  if  it  is  not 
done  so,  we  are  not  cleansed  but  much  more 
commit  sin. 

•:  And  although  infants  have  neither  faith 
nor  baptism,  think  not  therefore  that  they 
are  damned.  Oh  no!  they  are  blessed;  for 
they  have  the  Lord's  own  promise  of  the 
kingdom  of  God;  not  through  any  elements, 
ceremonies  and  external  rites,  but  only  by 
gi-ace,  through  Jesus  Christ,  Matt.  19:  13 — 
15.  And  therefore,  we  do  trulj^  believe,  that 
they  are  under  grace,  accei)table  to  God, 
pure,  holy,  lieirs  of  God  and  eternal  life, 
and  on  account  of  this  promise,  all  sincere, 
christian  believers,  may  assuredly  rejoice 
and  comfort  themselves  in  the  salvation  of 
their  children. 

In  the  sixth  place,  they  say  that  infants 
are  to  be  baptized  on  account  of  the  promise 
made  them,  as  abovestated;  although  Christ 
did  not  baptize  the  children  brought  to  him, 
nor  had  them  baptized;  but  they  say  that 
he  had  infant  baptism  taught  and  j^racticed 
after  his  death. 

To  this  we  reply :  This  is  a  false  doctrine, 
and  has  not  the  word  of  God  to  sanction  it; 
yea,  it  cannot  be  suj^ported  by  a  single 
word  in  the  Scriptiu-es.  We  rejoice  with 
all  our  heart,  that  they  have  this  promise; 
the  Scriptures,  however,  do  not  teach  that 


they  should,  therefore,  be  baptized;  and 
that  they  were  not  baptized  before  Christ's 
death,  gives  us  gi'eater  assurance  of  this  still, 
and  that  for  this  reason :  We  certainly  know, 
that  he  taught  no  otlier  word,  no  other  doc- 
trine, no  other  baptism,  nor  did  he  give  an- 
other Spirit,  or  another  promise,  nor  did  he 
instruct  others  to  teach  differently  after  his 
death,  than  he  did  before  that  event.  That 
he  commanded  his  holy  apostles,  after  his 
death  and  ascension,  to  teach  and  practice 
infant  baptism,  can  never  be  proved  by  the 
word  of  the  Lord. 

Oh  Human  Nature!  thou  art  not  ashamed 
to  charge  lies  upon  Jesiis  Cluist  and  his 
apostles,  and  to  practice  infant  baptism 
under  the  semblance  of  the  divine  word,  as 
if  the  Lord  had  taught  it,  altliough  he  never 
did.  How  much  you  are  like  those  who 
say,  "The  Lord  saith  it;  albeit,  I  have  not 
spoken,"  Ezek.  13:  7;  thus  saith  the  Lord. 

As  often  as  the  question  is  put  to  us,  AVhy 
shall  infants  not  be  baptized,  since  they  are 
in  the  church  of  God,  and  partakers  of  his 
grace,  covenant  and  promise?  We  answer: 
Because  the  Lord  neither  taught  nor  com- 
manded it. 

In  the  seventh  jjlace  they  say.  The  Scrij)- 
tures  inform  us  that  the  apostles  baptized 
whole  families,  from  which  Ave  may  readily 
conchide,  that  there  were  infants  among 
them. 

To  this  in  the  first  place,  we  reply :  Since 
they  endeavor  to  maintain  their  position 
with  uncertain  conjectures,  they  acknowl- 
edge by  their  own  ai'grmients,  that  they 
have  no  scrip tui'al  authority  for  this  doc- 
trine. 

In  the  second  place,  we  answer :  In  things 
of  such  importance,  W(?  dare  not  build  upon 
uncertain  suppositions,  but  upon  the  sure 
word,  which  is  a  lamp  to  our  feet  and  a 
light  to  our  path,  Ps.  119:  105. 

In  the  third  place,  we  answer :  Four  fami- 
lies are  mentioned  in  the  Scriptiu-es,  as  hav- 
ing been  baptized ;  namely,  That  of  Corne- 
lius, of  the  Jailor,  of  Lydia  and  of  Stephan- 
as, Acts  10:  48;  16:  15,  33;  1  Cor.  1:  16,  and 
the  Scriptui'es  plainly  show  that  three  of 
these  were  all  believers;  namely,  the  family 
of  Cornelius,  of  the  Jailor,  and  that  of  Ste- 
phanas. But  touching  the  family  of  Lydia, 
although  the  Scriptnres  say  nothing  defi- 


CONCERNING  BAPTISM. 


37 


nitely  concerning  it,  the  reader  should  know 
that  it  is  not  usual  in  Scriptiu-e,  nor  the  com- 
mon custom  of  the  world,  to  call  the  family 
by  the  woman's  name,  as  long  as  the  hus- 
band is  living.  Since  tlien,  Luke  mentions 
the  family  by  the  name  of  the  woman,  rea- 
son teaches  us,  that  Lydia  was  at  that  time 
either  a  widow  or  a  virgin.  Of  the  proba- 
bility as  to  whether  there  were  infants  in 
her  house  or  not,  we  shall  let  the  pious 
reader  judge. 

In  the  foiu'th  place,  we  answer :  The  word 
houseliold,  or  Jiouses,  does  not  include  the 
minor  children  as  mentioned  in  the  Scrip- 
ture; for  Paul  speaks  of  vain  talkers  who 
subvert  whole  houses.  Now  it  is  incontro- 
vertable  that  an  infant  cannot  be  subverted 
by  any  false  doctrine.  Therefore^  by  the 
word  house  or  Jiouses,  no  others  can  be  un- 
derstood than  tJiose  who  have  ears  to  hear, 
and  hearts  to  understand. 

In  the  last  place,  they  appeal  to  Origen 
and  Augustine,  and  say  that  these  assert, 
that  they  have  received  infant  baptism  from 
the  apostles. 

To  this  we  answer  and  inquire.  Can  Ori- 
gen and  Augustine  prove  this  by  the  Scrip- 
tures? Have  they  done  so?  We  desire  to  know; 
if  not,  then  must  we  hear  and  believe  Christ 
and  his  apostles,  and  not  Augustine  and 
Origen. 

That  this  is  not  the  case  may  readily  be 
seen  from  Cyprian,  because  he  neither  en- 
joined nor  condemned  infant  baptism,  if 
those  who  for  many  years  past  have  been 
preachers  at  Norlingen,  have  rightly  in- 
formed me  in  their  church  records,  and  not 
deceived  me  in  the  meaning  of  the  word 
LlMrum. 

Cyprian  also  was  a  Greek,  as  well  as  Ori- 
gen, and  lived  twenty-tive  years  after  him. 
If  then  infant  baptism  was  the  doctrine  of 
the  apostles  and  practiced  by  them,  as  Ori- 
gen and  Augustine  assert,  it  must  first  be 
proved  by  the  Scriptures,  and  in  that  case 
Cyprian  must  have  committed  a  great  sin 
to  leave  the  observance  of  the  doctrines  and 
practices  of  the  apostles  at  liberty.  For 
any  thing  that  is  apostolic,  dare  not  be 
changed  by  any  man.     The  word  of  Paul  is 


indisputable,  "Though  we,  or  an  angel  from 
heaven,  preach  any  other  gospel  unto  you 
than  that  which  we  have  preached  unto  you, 
let  him  be  accm-sed,"  Gal.  1 :  8.  Else  we 
would  be  constrained  to  acknowledge,  that 
the  twelve  apostles  with  their  doctrine,  were 
not  the  twelve  foundations  and  twelve  gates 
of  the  new  Jerusalem,  Rev.  21 :  12. 

If  infant  baptism  is  apostolic,  why  does 
Tertullian  write  and  say,  "They  who  are  to 
be  baptized,  confess  for  a  considerable  time 
in  the  chiurh,  before  tlie  bishop,  that  they 
renoimce  the  devil,  his  pomp  and  angels. 
After  that  they  are,"  &c. 

Revanus  annotates  on  this  passage  and 
says:  That  it  was  the  custom  of  old,  that 
adults  (grown  persons)  be  baptized  by  the 
washing  of  regeneration. 

That  infant  baptism  was  not  apostolic 
may  be  distinctly  seen  from  the  insipid  re- 
marks of  Athanasius,  as  Rufinus  plainly 
shows;  see  Eitsebius,  10  Llbro  Ecc.  His., 
Cap.  14. 

Remember  also  how  the  early  writers  con- 
tended about  infant  baptism.  Had  it  been 
apostolic,  and  found  in  the  gospel,  why 
should  they  have  thus  wrangled. 

Read  also  Erasmus  Rotterod,  in  sua  con- 
cion,  i.  e.,  in  Ms  public  orations,  Sebastus 
Frank's  Chronicle,  Ulrich  Zuingli,  in  his 
book  of  Articles,  Martin  Cellarius,  de  im- 
mensis  operi,  Dei,  i.  e..  Concerning  the  im- 
mense ■worJis  of  God,  and  you  will  find,  that 
infant  baptism  is  not  the  doctrine  and  prac- 
tice of  the  apostles. 

Behold,  beloved  reader,  I  admonish  and 
advise  you,  if  you  seek  God  with  aU  your 
heart,  and  do  not  wish  to  be  deceived;  de- 
pend not  upon  men  and  their  doctrine,  no 
matter  however  old,  holy  and  excellent  they 
may  be  esteemed;  for  the  divines,  both  an- 
cient and  modern  are  opposed  to  each  oth- 
er ;  but  put  your  trust,  alone  in  Christ  and 
his  word,  in  the  sure  instruction  and  prac- 
tice of  his  holy  apostles,  and  you  will 
through  the  grace  of  God,  be  perfectly  safe 
from  all  false  doctrines  and  the  power  of 
the  devil;  and  may  walk  with  a  free  and 
pious  mind  before  God. 


38 


CONCERNING  BAPTISM. 


AN  ADMONITION  ADDRESSED  TO  THE  SCOKNERS  OF  THE  WORD 

CONCERNING  BAPTISM. 


We  well  know,  beloved  reader,  that  there 
are  many  unprofitable  talkers,  who  teach 
from  the  letters  of  the  Scriptui-es,  that  in- 
fants should  not  be  baptized,  but  only  chris- 
tian believers ;  nevertheless  they  say :  AVhy 
ray  beloved,  what  can  water  avail  us?  We 
liave  been  once  baptized  in  the  name  of 
God.  Had  we  only  the  new  life,  it  would 
suffice  us.  O  dear  Lord!  thus  is  thy  pre- 
cious word  every  where  esteemed  of  this  vi- 
cious world  as  fables  of  ^sop;  as  if  Omni- 
potent Majesty,  the  Eternal  AVisdom  and 
Truth  had  taught  and  commanded  some 
things  to  no  purpose.  No,  my  good  reader, 
no ;  his  name  is  the  Sovereign  Lord ;  liis 
word  is  his  will;  his  command  is  eternal 
life.  All  things  which  he  has  taught  and 
commanded  us,  he  will  undoubtedly  have 
us  to  observe ;  if  we  do  not,  woe  to  us. 
Christ  says,  "Ye  are  my  friends  if  ye  do 
whatsoever  I  command  you,"  John  15:  14. 
"My  counsel,"  says  the  prophet,  "shall 
stand,  and  I  will  do  all  my  pleasure,"  Isa. 
46:  10.  Therefore,  O  Creature,  do  not  longer 
tight  against  God.  Give  ear  to  him  and 
obey  his  voice,  for  it  is  his  divine  counsel, 
word  and  will.  Who  are  you,  that  you 
would  contend  with  God?  Christ's  sheep 
hear  his  voice.  True  christians  believe  and 
obey.  Are  yon  a  sincere  christian,  born  of 
God  ?  Then  why  do  you  dread  baptism ; 
which  is  among  the  least  that  God  com- 
manded you?  It  has  always  been  a  difficult 
and  important  command  to  love  your  ene- 
my, to  do  good  to  those  who  hate  you;  to 
pray  in  spirit  and  in  truth,  for  those  who 
persecute  you;  to  crucify  your  wicked  and 
ungodly  flesh,  with  its  impiu'e  lusts  and  de- 
sires; to  subdue  your  arrogant  pride;  your 
avariciousness;  your  offensive  unchastity; 
yoiu-  bloody  hatred;  your  eating  and  drink- 
ing to  excess;  to  renounce  your  accursed 
idolatry;  to  desist  from  yoiu-  envious  revil- 
ings;  to  curb  your  slanderoias  tongue;  to 
govern  your  heart,  and  flesh;  to  love  and 
fear  with  all  your  heart,  your  Lord  and 
God,  your  Creator  and  Redeemer;  and  in 
all  things  to  submit  to  his  holy  word,  and 


serve  your  neighbor  in  sincere  and  un- 
feigned love,  with  all  your  powers,  with  all 
your  possessions,  with  your  counsel,  with 
your  labor,  yea,  if  required  with  your  death 
and  blood ;  with  a  sincere  heart  to  suffer 
misery,  disdain,  and  the  oppressive  cross 
of  Christ  for  the  Lord's  word ;  and  to  con- 
fess Christ  Jesus  before  lords  and  princes, 
in  prison  and  bonds,  by  words  and  deeds, 
unto  death. 

We  think  that  these,  and  tlie  like  com- 
mands, are  more  painful  and  difficult  to 
pei-verse  flesh,  which  is  naturally  so  prone 
to  follow  its  own  way,  than  to  have  a  hand 
full  of  water  applied;  and  a  sincere  chris- 
tian must  at  all  times  be  ready  to  do  all 
this;  if  not,  he  is  not  born  of  God;  for  the 
regenerated  are  of  one  mind  with  Christ. 
Jesus. 

All  who,  l)y  the  grace  of  God,  have  been 
translated  from  Adam  into  Christ,  and  be- 
come partakers  of  the  divine  nature,  and 
are  baptized  of  God,  with  the  Spirit  and 
fire  of  heavenly  love,  will  not  contend  so 
deridingly  with  the  Lord,  and  say :  My  l)e- 
loved,  what  can  water  avail?  But  they  say 
with  trembling  Paul,  "Lord,  what  wilt  Tliou 
have  me  to  do?"  And  with  the  penitents  on 
the  day  of  Pentecost,  "Men  and  brethren, 
what  shall  we  do  ? "  They  will  renounce  their 
own  wisdom,  and  willingly  obey  the  word 
of  the  Lord,  for  they  are  influenced  by  his 
Spirit,  and  through  faith,  vdtli  willing,  obe- 
dient hearts  perform  all  things  commanded 
them  of  the  Lord. 

But  as  long  as  their  minds  are  not  re- 
newed, and  they  are  not  of  the  same  mind 
with  Christ;  are  not  washed  in  the  inner 
man  with  clean  water,  from  the  living  foimt- 
ain  of  God,  they  may  well  say.  What  can 
water  avail  us?  For  as  long  as  they  are 
earthly  and  sensually  minded,  the  whole 
ocean  would  not  cleanse  them. 

My  faithful  reader,  think  not  that  we  put 
great  stress  upon  the  elements  and  rites.  I 
tell  you  the  truth  in  Christ,  and  lie  not.  If 
any  one  were  to  come  to  me,  even  the  em- 
peror, or  the  king,  and  would  desire  to  be 


CONCERNING  BAPTISM. 


39 


baptized,  still  walking  in  the  lanclean,  un- 
godly lusts  of  the  flesh,  and  were  he  not  un- 
blamable, penitent  and  regenerated,  I  hope 
by  the  grace  of  God,  I  would  rather  die  than 
to  baptize  such  an  impenitent  and  sensual 
man.  For  where  there  is  no  renewing,  re- 
generating faith,  leading  to  obedience,  there 
is  no  baptism.*  Even  as  Philip  said  to  the 
Euniich,  "If  thou  believest  with  all  thy 
lieart,  thou  mayest."  But  nevertheless,  you 
ought  to  know,  should  the  subject  for  bap- 
tism come  with  a  hypocritical  heart,  under 
semblance  of  faith,  that  his  hypocrisy  would 
not  be  imputed  to  the  baj^tizer  as  a  sin,  but 
to  the  dissembler ;  for  no  man  knows  the 
heart  of  man,  save  the  spirit  of  man  which 
is  in  him,  1  Cor.  2:  11  .y^ 

It  appears  to  me,  tliat  you  ma}'  readily 
conclude  from  the  langniage  which  we  have 
used  that  we  desire  no  other  water,  than 
that  which  the  word  of  the  Lt>rd  has  com- 
manded. For  since  we  lielieve  that  Christ 
is  the  true  Messiah,  to  whom  the  law  and 
the  prophets  pointed,  whom  all  the  I'ight- 
eous  fathers  and  patriarchs  desired ;  that  he 
came  from  heaven  and  testified  to  the  truth, 
and  that  his  command  is  eternal  life,  we 
nuist,  therefore,  hear  his  voice  and  obey  liis 
word;  if  not,  we  actually  show  tliat  we  do 
not  believe,  Ijut  that  we  reject  his  counsel 
and  word,  and  are  ungrat(»ful  towards  liim, 
for  his  love. 

I  know  well,  that  many  of  you  will  say. 
We  were  once  baptized  in  the  name  of  God, 
and  with  that  we  are  satisfied.  To  which 
we  replj':  If  j'ou  fear  God  with  all  your 
heart,  and  acknowledge  that  his  word  and 
ordinances  are  just  and  good,  you  mrrst  de- 
cide that  you  are  not  baptized  in  the  name 
of  God,  but  contrary  to  it.  It  is  true  that 
the  adorable,  exalted  name  of  God  was  pro- 
nounced over  you,  l)ut  not  otherwise  than  it 
is  pronounced  over  chiux'h-bells,  churches, 
altars,  consecrated  water,  tapers  and  palms. 
All  anti-christian  idolatry  and  abomina- 
.  tions,  alas,  are  performed  Tinder  the  sem- 
blance of  the  divine  name;  although  they 
are  not  done  by  virtue  o/\  Init  against  liis 
name,  for  they  are  done  contrary  to  his 
word  and  will. 

My  dear  reader,  reflect  well  upon  these 


+  There  ran  he  no  scriptural  baptism  nilrainistercd. 


words  and  judge  them  l)y  the  Avord  of  God, 
and  you  will  find  that  the  baptism  which 
you  have  received  is  without  the  command 
of  God's  word;  that  it  originated  through 
self-righteousness,  and  was  invented  by  man, 
and  therefore  it  must  be  accursed  of  God, 
who  alone  will  reign  and  rale  in  his  church. 
Would  you  rejoice  in  the  promise  and  be 
partakers  of  the  church  of  Christ,  you  must 
believe  the  word  of  the  Lord,  be  obedient  to, 
and  follow  his  counsel,  will  and  ordinances. 
But  if  you  refuse,  and  follow  your  owni,  and 
not  the  Lord's  counsel  and  will,  you  cannot 
comfort  yom-selves  with  any  scriptural  pro- 
mise, for  "lie  that  believeth  not,"  says  Christ, 
"is  condemned  already." 

Tlierefore,  do  no  longer  comfort  yourselves 
with  such  vain  comfort,  and  say,  AVe  have 
been  once  liaptized;  for  at  heart  you  are  yet 
entirely  unbelieving ;  yea,  rebellious  and 
unclean.  Your  wliole  life  is  earthly  and 
carnal,  .your  Imptism  anti-christianj  and 
without  the  sanction  of  the  word  of  God. 
Therefore,  awaken,  repent,  believe  in  Christ, 
seek,  fear  and  love  God  with  all  your  heart, 
then  the  word  of  the  Lord  and  his  unction 
will  teach  you  what  is  proper  for  you  to  do 
or  not  to  do,  in  tliis  matter.  And  say  not, 
as  some  do,  I  will  renounce  the  chm-ch  and 
idolatry;  I  vnW  seiTe  my  neiglibor,  &c. ;  but 
I  do  not  wish  to  be  1)aptized. 

O  you  blind  men!  Do  you  think  that  the 
Lord  is  pleased  with  your  staying  away 
from  the  clnu'ch,  or  with  your  alms,  or  anj' 
thing  of  the  kind,  if  you  reject  his  counsel 
and  word  ?  No  !  no  ! !  He  desires  your  obe- 
dience, but  not  sacrifice.  He  desires  the  whole 
heart,  the  entire  man.  With  him,  neither 
church  nor  alms  will  avail,  neither  words 
nor  deeds,  as  long  as  you  do  not  manifest 
a  new  heart  and  life.  "  For  in  Christ  Jesus," 
says  Paul,  "neither  circumcision  avail eth 
anything,  nor  uncircumcision,  but  faith  which 
worketh  by  love,  a  new  creatm-e,  and  the 
keej)ing  of  the  commandments  of  God,"  Gal. 
5:6;  6:  15;  1  Cor.  7:  19. 

And  whosoever  is  renewed  in  Clirist  and 
bom  of  God,  he  liveth  no  more,  as  Paul 
says,  but  Christ  Jesus  liveth  in  him.  In  all 
his  ways  he  conforms  to  tlie  word  of  the 
Lord,  for  that  powerful,  active  faith  con- 
strains him  to  all  obedience,  and  to  every 
good  work.    But  where  this  new  life  is  not, 


40 


THE  LORD'S  HOLY  SUPPER. 


there  fair  words  ma}"  indeed  be,  but  in  truth, 
there  is  only  unbelief,  disobedience,  wan- 
tonness, presumption,  and  pei-verseuess. 

I  hereby  entreat  and  admonish  3-ou,  lie- 
loved  reader,  not  to  be  so  obstinate  against 
the  Lord,  and  say,  Wliat  can  water  avail  us? 
But  do  reflect  that  Christ  Jesus  himself  was 
baptized,  Matt.  3:  13,  altliough  he  was  with- 
o\it  sin,  neither  was  guile  found  in  his  mouth, 
1  Pet.  2:  22;  yea,  who  was  himself  right- 
eousness, the  way,  the  trutli,  and  the  life. 
Tell  us  then,  what  coidd  water  avail  Christ, 
who  was  all  in  all  things?  The  disciples  also 
at  Ephesus  were  re-baptized  of  Paul,  because 
V  tliey  knew  nothing  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  al- 
though they  had  been  baptized  with  the  bap- 
tism of  John.  If  Clirist  himself  was  baptized, 
who  was  without  sin,  and  others  were  re-bap- 
tized of  Paul,  who  had  lieen  baptized  with 
tlie  baptism  of  John,  which  was  also  from 
heaven,  Wliy  do  you  then  despise  the  Lord's 
baptism,  you  who  are  poor,  miserable  sin- 
ners, who  were  baptized  without  knowledge 
and  faith,  vdth  the  baptism  of  the  dragon 
and  the  beast  ? 

Cyprian,  the  Martyr,  with  his  entire  coun- 
cil in  Africa,  resolved  that  those  who  were 
baptized  of  heretics,  should  be  re-baptized 
with  the  christian  baptism,  and  this  for  the 
reason,  that  they  maintained  tliat  the  bap- 
tism of  heretics  could  not  be  tlie  baptism  of 
Christ.  Reflect  a  little,  kind  reader,  who 
they  were  that  baptized  you ;  hj  whom  they 


were  sent;  what  kind  of  faith  they  had; 
what  kind  of  lives  they  led;  with  what  doc- 
trine and  practices  you  were  baptized.  If 
you  will  seriously  reflect  thereon,  I  hope  by 
the  grace  of  God,  if  you  desire  true  peace 
and  liberty  of  conscience,  you  will  soon  be 
aware  tliat  you  never  knew  either  the  ex- 
ternal or  internal  baptism,  much  less  re- 
ceived it. 

Behold,  beloved  reader,  here  you  have 
the  tnie  foxmdation  and  scriptiu-al  instruc- 
tions of  the  baptism  of  Christ,  and  an  ex- 
planation of  the  baptism  of  anti-christ. 

Pray  the  Lord,  the  Most  High,  for  a  sound 
and  clear  imderstanding,  that  you  may  sin- 
cerely know  the  right  and  blessed  truth,  be- 
lieve, and  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  faithfully 
observe  it.  Cease  from  all  ixseless  disputing 
and  gainsaying;  for  whosoever  will  dispute 
and  gainsay  with  the  determination  to  re- 
main in  the  broad  way,  will  ruin  his  soul, 
never  walk  with  a  good  and  sure  conscience 
before  God,  and  always  find  occasion  to  dis- 
pute and  ^vl■angle. 

Therefore,  do  examine,  believe,  and  obey 
the  word  of  God  with  a  sincere  and  devout 
heart,  and  be  not  deceived  by  being  led  into 
the  appearance  of  godliness, by  fail- speeches, 
and  you  will  certainly  obtain  the  sure  doc- 
trine of  the  saving  truth,  and  the  consoling 
promise  of  grace.  The  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
grant  j^ou  his  grace.  Amen. 


THE  LORD'S  HOLY  SUPPER. 


You  know,  beloved  sii-s,  friends  and  breth- 
ren, that  every  where  much  is  written, 
preached  and  said  concerning  the  Lord's 
Supper.  But  witli  what  knowledge,  with 
what  faith,  love,  peace,  unity,  and  after 
what  mann<'r  and  ordinance  they  celebrate 
it,  is  plainly  evident.  It  is  true,  tlie  Lord 
commanded,  in  the  New  Testament,  the 
}ireaking  of  bread,  or  thc^  last  Supper,  Init 
not  in  the  manner  in  wliicli  you  celel)rate  it. 
Your  Lord's  Supper  is  common  to  all,  no 
matter  wlio,  or  what  they  are;  to  the  avari- 
cious, proud,  gay,  drunkards,  liaters,  idola- 


tors,  debauchees,  adulterers,  whoremongers, 
and  rogiies.  It  is  also  celebrated,  as  may 
be  seen,  with  abominable  pomp  and  splen- 
dor, with  hypocrisy  and  idolatry;  and  be- 
sides, it  is  dispensed  by  such  ministers  who 
only  seek  worldly  honor,  ease  and  the  satis- 
faction of  the  cravings  of  their  flesh  and 
bodies. 

Since  so  many  of  you  are  so  zealous 
about  the  Lord's  Supper,  but  not  according 
to  the  Scrij)ture,  as  you  shall  hear ;  for  your 
table  may  more  properly  be  called  the  dev- 
il's table  than  the  Lord's  table,  1  Cor.  10:  21, 


THE  LORD'S  HOLY  SUPPER. 


41 


I  desire  for  Jesus'  sake,  tliat  you  would  in 
the  true  fear  of  God,  reflect  to  wliom,  why 
and  wherefore  the  Lord  instituted,  ordained 
and  left,  this  his  last  Supper,  to  his  church, 
so  that  it  may  prove  to  joxi  a  living  and  an 
afl'ecting  sign;  that  it  might  Ining  to  j^our 
minds,  and  set  forth  the  Lord's  great  and 
abundant  kindness,  true  peace,  the  love  and 
union  of  his  church,  the  communion  of  his 
flesh  and  blood;  and  that  you  may  die  to 
unrighteousness,  and  every  ungodly  work; 
live  to  righteoixsness  and  godliness  ;  re- 
noimce  the  devil's  table;  and  that  .you  may 
sit  down  at  the  Lord's  holy  table,  in  the 
church  of  Christ,  with  true  faith,  a  pious, 
penitent  and  regenerated  life,  and  witli  un- 
feigned, brotherly  love. 

Thus  saith  Paul,  "I  have  received  of  the 
Lord  that  which  also  I  delivered  unto  you, 
that  the  Lord  Jesus,  the  same  night  in  wliich 
he  was  betraj'ed,  took  bread;  and  when  he 
had  given  thanks,  lie  brake  it  and  said. 
Take,  eat;  this  is  my  body,  which  is  broken 
for  you ;  this  do  in  remembrance  of  me. 
After  the  same  manner  he  took  the  cup, 
when  he  had  supped,  saying,  Tliis  cup  is  the 
New  Testament  in  my  blood,  this  do  3^e,  as 
oft  as  ye  drink  it,  in  remembrance  of  me." 
1  Cor.  11:2S— 25. 

Here  you  have  Paul's  explanation  of  the 
words  of  the  Holy  Supper,  instituted  by 
Jesus  Christ,  Luke  22 :  19,  20,  concerning 
which  words,  the  learned  have  disputed 
much  ;  and  alas,  some  of  them,  tlirough 
their  idolatrous  misunderstanding  (if  we 
may  call  it  such,  and  not  pride),  liave  dis- 
puted at  the  expense  of  much  innocent 
])lood;  and  what  holy  Paul  says  concern- 
ing them,  is  fulfilled,  "Professing  them- 
selves to  be  wise,  they  became  fools,"  Rom. 
1:  22.  For  they  disputed  most  about  the 
sign,  which  avails  little,  but  tlie  thing  signi- 
fied for  which  the  sign  was  instituted,  which 
avails  much,  they  touch  not.  In  my  opin- 
ion, they  also  pay  little  attention  as  to  what 
the  qualification  of  the  guests  or  communi- 
cants should  be,  in  order  to  sit  with  Christ 
at  his  table,  and  to  celebrate  this  Holy  Sac- 
rament. 

There  is  not  a  single  word  commanded  in 

the  Scriptures,  that  should  give  cause  for 

dispute  concerning  the  visible  and  tangible 

sign,  or  what  it  signifies.  The  spiritual,  judge 
6 


all  things  spiritually.  For  whatever  that 
maybe  in  substance,  it  can  be  handled,  seen 
and  tasted.  But  this  we  should  most  con- 
sider, that  we  in  om*  weakness  ought  to  fol- 
low, and  as  much  as  possible  conform  our- 
selves to  the  signification,  that  is,  that  whicli 
is  set  forth,  represented  and  taught  by  this 
sign  to  all  true  chi'istian  believers. 

On  this  account,  we  will  not  trouble  the 
well  meaning  and  pious  reader,  with  jar- 
ring, fruitless  disputing,  concerning  the  out- 
ward sign,  as  the  learned  do;  but  we  only 
desire,  by  the  help  and  grace  of  the  Lord, 
by  the  power  of  the  divine  word,  to  point 
out  correctl.y,  for  whom,  and  wliy  Christ 
Jesus  left  and  ordained  this  Supper;  so  that 
we  may  not  esteem  the  visible  sign  above 
the  reality,  and  depart  from  the  truth  to 
images. 

To  come  to  a  right,  profitable  and  chris- 
tian xmderstanding  of  the  Lord's  Holy  Slip- 
per, what  it  is,  to  whom,  why,  and  where- 
fore it  was  enjoined,  four  things  in  particu- 
lar should  be  observed  and  well  considered. 

In  the  first  place,  we  must  take  heed  that 
we  do  not,  as  some,  who  make  the  visible, 
perishable  bread  and  wine,  the  Lord's  real 
flesh  and  blood.  To  believe  tliis,  is  contrary 
to  nature,  reason  and  Scripture ;  yea,  it  is 
open  blasphemy  of  the  Son  of  God,  abomi- 
notion  and  idolatry.  But  as  Israel  had  to 
hold  the  passover  annually,  at  the  appoint- 
ed time  according  to  the  command  of  Moses, 
to  commemorate  that  the  Almighty  God,  the 
God  of  Abraham,  of  Isaac  and  Jacob,  did 
graciously  preserve  his  people  from  the  pun- 
ishment and  plagues,  wlien  he  slew  the  first 
born  of  the  Egyptians;  and  by  his  strong 
hand  and  outstretched  arm,  so  gloriously 
and  wonderfully  led  them  out,  and  redeemed 
them  from  the  iron  furnace  of  Egj^it  and  the 
di-ead  tyranny  and  dominion  of  Pharaoh, 
according  to  the  word  of  Ids  promise,  and 
i  hence  the  pasclial  Jamb  is  called  the  Lord's 
]?assafi,  that  is,  passover;  the  sign  for  the  re- 
ality; for  the  lamh  was  not  the  passover  al- 
though so  called,  but  it  only  tj-pified  the 
passover,  as  said.  So  in  the  Holy  Supper, 
the  bread  is  called  the  body,  and  the  icine 
the  hlood  of  the  Lord,  Matt.  26:  26—28.  I 
say  the  sign  is  put  for  tlie  reality*  not  that 

*  Reality,  the  thing  signifierl  or  typified. 


43 


THE  LORD'S  HOLY  SUPPER. 


it  actually  is  the  real  flesh  and  blood  of 
Chi'ist;  for  with  that  he  ascended  into  heav- 
en, and  sitteth  at  the  right  hand  of  his  Fath- 
er, immortal,  and  nnchangeable,  in  eternal 
majesty  and  glory;  bnt  it  is  an  admonish- 
ing type  and  memorial  that  Jesus  Clu'ist  the 
Son  of  God  has  redeemed  us  from  the  power 
of  the  devil,  from  the  dominion  of  hell  and 
eternal  death,  by  offering  up  an  immaculate 
sacrifice,  his  innocent  flesh  and  blood,  and 
has  triumphantly  led  us  into  the  kingdom 
of  his  gi'ace,  as  he  himself  says,  "This  do 
in  remembrance  of  me,"  Luke  22:  19. 

In  the  second  place,  it  is  to  be  observed, 
that  there  is  no  greater  evidence  of  love, 
than  that  one  suffers  death  for  another,  as 
Christ  says,  "Greater  love  hath  no  man 
than  this,  that  a  man  lay  down  his  life  for 
his  friends,''  John  1.^:  13.  Since  this  holy 
sign  is  only  a  memorial  of  the  Lord's  death, 
and  since  deatli  is  tlie  greatest  evidence  of 
love,  as  said,  we  are  therefore  reminded, 
when  we  are  at  the  Lord's  table,  to  eat  his 
bread  and  to  drink  his  cup,  that  we  not  only 
earnestly  show  forth  and  remember  his 
death,  but  also  all  the  glorious  fruits  of  di- 
vine love,  manifested  towards  us,  in  Christ; 
namely,  that  God,  in  the  beginning,  made 
man  after  his  image,  incorruptible,  placed 
him  in  Paradise,  and  made  all  creatiu-es 
subject  to  him.  When  he  was  beguiled  of 
the  serpent,  he  was  cheered  and  comforted 
with  the  promise  of  a  coming  Conqueror 
and  Savior,  Jesus  Christ.  God  sent  Moses 
and  the  prophets,  who  sedulously  practiced 
the  law,  and  pointed  to  the  promised  Clirist 
and  his  kingdom.  Christ  Jesus,  according 
to  the  promise  of  the  Scriptures,  finally  ap- 
peared in  this  world,  a  true  man,  born  of 
the  Virgin  Mary,  and  in  much  misery,  af- 
fliction and  labor,  preached  the  saving  and 
gracious  word  to  the  house  of  Israel;  sought 
the  lost  sheep,  and  brought  them  to  their 
true  Shepherd;  appeased  and  reconciled  us 
before  the  Father,  through  his  painful  death 
and  precious  blood,  Rom.  8:3.  As  he  him- 
self says,  "For  God  so  loved  the  world,  that 
he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whoso- 
ever believeth  in  him,  should  not  perish,  but 
have  everlasting  life,"  John  3:  16. 

Oh,  wonderful,  unsearchable  and  incom- 
prehensible love  of  God !  He  did  not  send 
into  this  unfriendly  world  an  angel,  a  pa- 


triarch, or  a  prophet,  but  his  eternal  AL- 
MIGHTY WORD,  his  ETERNAL  WIS- 
DOM, the  brightness  of  his  glory,  in  the 
form  of  sinful  flesh,  and  "made  him  to  be 
sin  for  us,  who  knew  no  sin;  that  we  might 
be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him," 
2  Cor.  5:21. 

My  good  reader,  do  not  understand  this 
as  if  Christ  had  been  a  sinner;  by  no  means. 
The  Scriptures  acquit  him  of  all  sin.  He 
was  the  spotless  lamb.  He  knew  not  sin, 
neither  was  guile  found  in  his  mouth.  But 
Paul  calls  him  s/'n,  according  to  the  Hebrew 
manner  of  expression;  that  is,  an  oflering 
for  sin,  as  the  prophet  says, "  He  was  wound- 
ed for  our  transgressions,  he  was  bruised  for 
our  iniquities ;  the  chastisement  of  our  peace 
was  upon  him;  and  with  his  stripes  were 
we  healed,  Isa.  53:  5.  He  gave  his  life  as 
an  offering  for  sin. 

Behold,  worthy  reader,  all  those  who  sin- 
cerely believe  in  this  glorious  love  of  God, 
this  abundant,  great  blessing  of  gi-ace  in 
Christ  Jesus,  manifested  toward  us,  are 
more  and  more  renewed  through  such  a 
faith;  their  hearts  overflow  with  joy  and 
peace;  they  break  forth  with  joyful  hearts, 
in  all  manner  of  thanksgiving;  they  praise 
and  glorify  God  with  all  their  hearts,  be- 
cause they,  with  a  good  conscience  have  re-  [  • 
ceived  the  Spirit;  they  believe  and  know 
that  the  Father  loved  us,  so  that  he  gave  us 
poor,  wretched  sinners,  his  own  and  Eternal 
Son,  with  his  merits,  as  a  gift  and  an  eternal 
ransom,  as  Paul  says.  The  grace  and  love 
of  God,  our  Savior,  appeared  not  on  ac- 
count of  the  works  of  righteousness,  which 
we  have  done,  but  according  to  his  mercy  he 
saved  us,  by  the  washing  of  regeneration,  / 
and  the  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost;  which 
he  shed  on  us  abundantly,  through  Jesus 
Christ  our  Savior,  "That  being  justified  by 
his  grace,  we  should  be  made  heirs  accord- 
ing to  the  hope  of  eternal  life,"  Tit.  3 :  7. 

Here  it  is  proper  to  observe,  how  the 
Righteous  died  for  the  unrighteous,  when 
we  were  yet  sinners  and  enemies;  how  the 
spotless  Lamb  was  prepared  for  us,  in  the 
fire  of  affliction,  suffered  upon  the  cross,  and 
was  offered  an  eternal  propitiation  for  our 
sins ;  how  the  Creator  of  all  things  was 
bruised  for  oiu'  sakes,  and  he,  who  was 
above  all  the  children  of  men,  became  the 


THE  LORD'S  HOLY  SUPrEK. 


43 


most  unworthy,  and  was  counted  witL.  evil 
doers ;  how  the  Innocent  bore  the  sins 
of  the  whole  world,  blotted  out  all  our 
transgressions,  and  redeemed  us  with  his 
crimson  blood,  as  the  Scriptui-es  declare, 
"I  restored  that  which  I  took  not  away," 
Ps.  69:  4.  In  short,  how  that  Jesus  Christ 
through  his  obedience,  delivered  Adam  and 
all  his  seed  from  the  consequences  of  diso- 
bedience, and  by  his  painful  death,  again 
restored  life. 

The  apostle  Paul  acknowledged  this  great 
and  glorious  work  of  divine  love,  broke 
forth  and  said,  "Who  shall  separate  us 
from  the  love  of  Christ?  Shall  tribulation, 
or  distress,  or  persecution,  or  famine,  or 
nakedness,  or  peril,  or  sword,  as  it  is  writ- 
ten. For  thy  sake  we  are  killed  all  the  day 
long;  we  are  accounted  as  sheep  for  the 
slaughter.  Nay,  in  all  these  things  we  are 
more  than  conquerors  thi'oiigh  him  that 
loved  us.  For  I  am  persuaded,  that  neither 
death,  nor  life,  nor  angels,  nor  principali- 
ties, nor  powers,  nor  things  present,  nor 
things  to  come,  nor  height,  nor  depth,  nor 
any  other  creature,  shall  be  able  to  sejiarate 
us  fi'om  the  love  of  God,  which  is  in  Christ 
Jesus  our  Lord,"  Rom.  8:  35 — 39. 

And  this  is  what  John  says,  Let  us  love 
him  for  he  first  loved  us.  Nature  teaches 
us  to  love  those  who  love  us.  And  this  is 
the  lirst  fruit  of  the  Holy  Sacrament,  if  right- 
ly celebrated. 

In  the  third  place  we  have  to  obsei-ve, 
that  by  the  Lord's  Supper  we  are  reminded 
of,  and  admonislied  to  christian  unity,  love, 
and  peace,  after  which  all  true  christians 
should  seek  and  strive.  "For  we  being 
many,"  saj^s  Paul,  "are  one  bread,  and  one 
body;  for  we  are  all  partakers  of  that  one 
bread,"  1  Cor.  10:  17. 

Like  as  natural  bread  is  made  of  many 
grains,  broken  by  the  mill,  and  kneaded  to- 
gether with  water,  and  baked  by  the  heat  of 
the  tire;  so  is  the  chm-ch  of  Christ  made  up 
of  many  ti-ue  believers,  broken  in  their 
hearts,  with  the  hammer  of  the  divine  word, 
\/  and  are  baptized  with  the  water  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  with  the  iire  of  pure,  unfeigned 
love,  into  one  bodj^,  1  Cor.  12:  13.  And  as 
the  natiual  body  is  in  harmony  and  peace 
with  all  its  members,  and  as  each  member 
natm'ally  discharges  its  duty  to  promote 


the  good  of  the  whole  body;  thus  it  also  be- 
comes the  true  and  living  members  of  the 
body  of  Clu'ist,  to  be  in  harmony,  of  one 
heart,  one  mind  and  one  soul ;  not  quarrel- 
some and  unpeaceable,  not  spiteful  and  en- 
vious, not  cniel  and  hateful,  not  malicious, 
not  obstinate  or  rancorous,  one  toward  an- 
other, like  the  ambitious,  covetous,  and  the 
proud  of  this  world;  but  in  all  things,  one 
toward  another,  be  long  sixffering,  friendly, 
peaceable,  ever  ready  in  true  christian  love 
to  serve  his  neighbor  in  all  things  possible; 
by  exhortation;  by  reproof,  by  comforting, 
by  assisting,  by  counseling,  with  deed  and 
with  possessions,  yea,  with  bitter  and  hard 
labor,  with  body  and  life.  Ready  to  forgive 
one  another,  as  Christ  forgives  and  serves 
us  with  his  word,  life  and  death,  as  Paul 
says,  "Put  on,  therefore,  as  the  elect  of  God, 
holy  and  beloved,  bowels  of  mercies,  kind- 
ness, humbleness  of  mind,  meekness,  long- 
sutfering;  forbearing  one  another,  and  for- 
giving one  another,  if  any  man  have  a  quar- 
rel against  any ;  even  as  Christ  forgave  you, 
so  also  do  ye;  and  above  all  things,  put  on 
charity,  which  is  the  bond  of  perfectness; 
and  let  the  peace  of  God  rule  in  youi-  hearts, 
to  the  which  also  ye  are  called  in  one  body; 
and  be  thankful,"  Col.  3:  12—15. 

And  again;  as  in  the  natm-al  body,  the 
more  honorable  members,  such  as  the  eye, 
the  ear,  the  mouth,  &c.,  do  not  despise  the 
less  honorable  members,  on  accoimt  of  their 
inferiority ;  and  as  the  inferior  members  do 
not  envy  the  superior  members,  on  account 
of  their  superiority,  but  as  every  member  in 
its  place,  is  peaceable,  and  contributes  to 
the  good  of  the  whole  l)ody,  be  its  func- 
tions high  or  low;  so  it  is  also  in  the  church 
of  the  Lord.  Paul  says.  Some  he  appointed 
apostles ;  some  prophets ;  some  evangelists ; 
some  pastors  and  teachers.  Let  every  one 
be  mindful  that  he  boasts  not  of  what  he  is, 
has,  or  possesses,  for  it  is  all  the  grace  and 
gift  of  God.  Let  every  one  attend  to  his 
duty,  "for  the  perfecting  of  the  saints,  for  the 
work  of  the  ministry,  for  the  edifying  of  the 
body  of  Christ;  till  we  all  come  in  the  unity 
of  the  faith,  and  of  the  knowledge  of  the 
Son  of  God,  unto  a  perfect  man,  imto  the 
measure  of  the  stature  of  the  fullness  of 
Clmst,"Eph.  4:  12,  13. 

This  is  also  set  forth  in  the  Holy  Supper; 


44 


THE  LORD'S  HOLY  SUPPER. 


but  how  the  world,  calling  themselves  chris- 
tians, live  up  to  this,  is  sho\\Ti  by  their  fruits 
and  actions. 

In  the  fourth  place,  we  have  to  observe, 
that  the  Holy  Supper  is  the  communion  of 
the  body  and  l)lood  of  Christ,  as  Paul  says, 
"The  cup  of  blessing  which  we  bless,  is  it 
not  the  communion  of  the  blood  of  Clirist  'i 
The  bread  which  we  break,  is  it  not  the 
communion  of  the  body  of  Chi-ist  'i "  1  Cor. 
10:  16. 

Since  then  it  is  a  communion,  as  said,  we 
would  fraternally  exhort  all  of  you,  tliat 
you  would  earnestly  examine  youi'selves, 
wliether  you  have  been  made  partakers  of 
C^u■ist'?  Whether  you  are  flesh  of  his  flesh, 
and  bone  of  his  bone  ?  "Whether  you  are  in 
Clirist,  and  Christ  in  you  ?  For  all  who 
would  worthily  eat  of  this  bread,  and  drink 
of  this  cup,  must  be  changed  in  the  inner 
man,  and  converted  and  renewed  in  their 
minds,  through  the  power  of  the  divine 
word  and  the  operation  of  faith-,  become 
new  creatures,  born  of  Grod,  and  translated 
from  Adam  into  Christ;  be  of  a  christian 
disposition,  long  suffering,  peaceable,  mer- 
ciful, affectionate,  truly  humble,  and  obe- 
dient to  the  word  of  the  Lord.  The  proud, 
ambitious,  selflsh  and  carnal  heart  must  be 
circumcised;  the  evil  eye  must  be  plucked 
out;  the  ear  that  delights  to  hear  evil,  must 
be  closed ;  the  unprofitable,  backbiting 
tongue  must  be  bridled ;  the  imclean,  bloody 
hand  miist  be  cleansed  ;  the  impure,  un- 
chaste flesh  must  be  restrained,  &c.;  they 
must  lead  a  crusade  against  the  world,  the 
flesh  and  the  devil ;  their  loins  must  be  girded 
about  mth  truth ;  having  on  the  breast-plate 
of  righteousness ;  their  feet  shod  with  the  pre- 
paration of  the  gospel  of  peace.  They  must 
be  armed  with  the  shield  of  faith;  with  the 
lielmet  of  salvation,  and  the  sword  of  the 
Spirit.  They  must  be  led  by  the  Spirit  of 
God,  that  they  may  become  sincere  chris- 
tians; and  strive  with  all  their  powers,  that 
they,  in  their  weakness,  may  be  like-minded 
with  Christ  Jesus,  Rom.  8:  14. 

When  Christ  instituted  and  celebrated  the 
Holy  Supper  with  his  beloved  disciples,  he 
said,  With  desire  I  have  desii-ed  to  eat  this 
passover  with  you  before  I  suffer.  Then  he 
took  the  bread,  and  brake  it,  and  said.  Take, 
eat,  this  is  my  body  which  is  broken  for  you. 


Likewise  also  the  wine.  This  cup  is  the  New 
Testament  in  my  blood,  &c. ;  this  do  in  re- 
membrance of  me,  1  Cor.  11 :  34,  25,  as  if  he 
had  said.  Behold,  dear  children,  so  far  has 
that  love  wliich  I  have  had  for  you  and  the 
whole  human  family,  and  ever  shall  have 
for  you,  constrained  me,  that  I  left  the  glory 
of  my  Father,  came  into  this  world  of  afflic- 
tion, and  am  as  a  poor,  miserable  servant, 
to  serve  you,  for  I  beheld  that  jov.  all  be- 
longed to  satan,  and  there  was  none  to  re- 
deem you;  that  you  had  all  gone  astray, 
like  erring  sheep,  and  there  was  none  who 
cared  for  you;  that  you  were  a  prey  to  de- 
voui'ing  wolves,  and  there  was  none  to  ran- 
som 3^ou  ;  that  you  were  wounded  with 
death,  and  there  was  none  that  could  heal 
you.  Therefore,  did  I  come  from  heaven, 
and  became  a  poor,  weak,  and  dying  man, 
in  all  things  like  unto  you,  sin  excepted. 
In  my  great  love  I  zealously  sought  you, 
and  I  found  you  helpless,  loathsome,  and 
miserable,  yea,  half  dead,  the  services  of  my 
love  I  have  so  cordially  manifested  toward 
you;  yoiu'  sores  I  boimd  up;  your  blood  I 
wiped  off;  I  poured  wine  and  oil  into  your 
putrid  wounds;  set  you  free  from  the  jaws 
of  the  bears  and  lions  of  the  pit;  I  laid  you 
upon  my  shoulders,  and  led  you  into  the 
tabernacles  of  peace;  your  nakedness  I  cov- 
ered; had  compassion  on  you  in  your  mis- 
ery; I  fulfilled  the  law  for  you;  yom-  sins  I 
took  away;  I  proclaimed  to  you  the  peace, 
the  grace  and  favor  of  my  Father;  I  made 
known  to  you  his  good  will;  I  pointed  out 
the  way  of  truth ;  and  I  have  powerfully 
testified  to  you,  by  my  rmheard-of  signs  and 
great  miracles,  that  I  am  the  true  Messiah, 
the  promised  Prince  and  Savior. 

Behold,  beloved  childi'en,  so  long  have  I 
been  with  you,  taught  my  Father's  word, 
admonished,  reproved  and  comforted  in  his 
name;  but  now  my  hour-  is  at  hand;  this 
night  I  shall  be  betrayed.  All  that  the  pro- 
phet said  of  me  has  come  to  an  end.  But 
since  I  can  serve  you  no  longer  with  my 
doctrine  and  life,  I  will,  at  last,  seiTe  you 
with  my  painful  suflerings,  body,  blood, 
cross,  and  death. 

j     And  this  is  the  reason  why  I  called  you 

1  to  this  Supper,  so  that  I  might  institute  a 

'  memorial  for  you  in  the  use  of  bread  and 

wine,  that  you  might  occasionally  come  to- 


THE  LORD'S  HOLY  SUPPER. 


45 


getlier  after  my  death,  and  commemorate 
the  gi-acioiis  favors  of  my  ardent  love,  so 
abundantly  manifested  towards  you;  and 
especially,  that  I  loved  you  so  dearly, 
that  I  offered  my  body ;  and  shed  my 
blood  for  you.  Greater  love  hath  no  man 
than  this,  that  a  man  lay  down  his  life  for 
his  friends.  I  have  by  my  death  obtained 
for  you  everlasting  reconciliation,  grace, 
mercy,  favor  and  peace  with  my  Father,  as 
I  told  you,  namely,  "Even  as  the  Son  of 
man  came  not  to  be  ministered  unto,  but  to 
minister,  and  to  give  his  life  a  ransom  for 
many,"  Matt.  20:28. 

Beloved  reader,  take  notice  of  the  word  of 
the  Lord  and  this  institution.  For  where 
this  Holy  Supper  is  celebrated  with  such 
faith,  love,  devotion,  peace,  harmony,  and 
so  much  sincerity  of  heart,  there  Jesus  Christ 
Y  is  present  with  his  gi-ace,  Spirit,  and  pro- 
mise, and  with  the  merits  of  his  sufferings, 
misery,  flesh,  blood,  cross  and  death;  as  he 
himself  says,  "Where  two  or  three  are  gath- 
ered together  in  my  name,  there  am  I  in  the 
midst  of  them,"  Matt.  18:  20.  But  where  the 
pure  knowledge  of  Christ,  living  faith,  the 
new  life,  christian  love,  peace  and  harmony 
do  not  exist,  there  is  not  the  Lord's  Supper, 
but  a  despising  and  mocking  of  the  blood 
and  death  of  Christ,  a  consolation  of  the 
impenitent,  a  seducing  hypocrisy,  and  open 
blasphemy  and  idolatry;  as,  alas!  we  know 
and  see  by  the  world. 

Oh !  delightful  assembly  and  christian 
banquet,  commanded  and  ordained  of  the 
Lord  himself,  where  there  are  no  carnal 
pleasures  to  gratify  the  flesh  and  appetites, 
but  where  are  set  forth,  sought  for,  and  de- 
sired by  all  true  christian  believers,  the  glo- 
rious and  holy  mysteries,  by  the  visible 
signs  of  bread  and  wine. 

Oh !  delightful  assembly  and  christian 
banquet,  where  there  is  no  unseasonable, 
slanderous  mockery,  and  where  no  trivial 
songs  are  sung;  but  where  the  pious  chris- 
tian life,  peace,  and  harmony  among  all  the 
bretkreu;  besides  the  joyful  word  of  divine 
gi'ace,  his  gi-acious  kindness,  favor,  love, 
sei-vice,  tears,  prayers,  cross  and  death  are 
set  forth,  and  taught  with  cordial  thanks- 
giving and  devout  joy. 

Oh  !  delightful  assembly  and  chi'istian 
banquet,  to  which  the  impenitent  and  proud 


despisers,  according  to  Scripture,  are  not  in- 
vited; such  as  whore-mongers,  rogues,  adul- 
terers, debauchees,  the  giddy,  robbers,  liars, 
defrauders,  tyrants,  shedders  of  blood,  idol- 
ators,  slanderers,  &c.,  for  sucli  are  not  the 
people  of  the  Lord;  but  those,  who  are  born 
of  God,  the  true  christians,  who  have  biu'ied 
their  sins,  and  walk  with  Christ  in  a  new 
and  godly  life ;  those  who  crucify  their  flesh ; 
who  are  led  by  the  Holy  Spirit;  who  sin- 
cerely believe  in  God;  who  seek,  fear,  and 
love  him,  and  in  their  weakness,  willingly 
serve  and  obey  him;  such  are  members  of 
his  body;  flesh  of  his  flesh,  and  bone  of  his 
bone. 

Oh!  delightful  assembly  and  christian 
banqiret,  where  neither  gluttonous  eating 
and  drinking  is  practiced,  nor  the  impious 
'  vanity  of  piping  and  drumming  is  heard; 
but  where  the  hungry  consciences  are  filled 
with  the  heavenly  bread  of  the  divine  word,  \^ 
and  with  the  wine  of  the  Holy  Ghost;  and 
where  the  peaceful,  joyful  souls  are  singing 
melodies  before  the  Lord. 

Awaken,  O  you,  who  sit  in  darkness  and 
walk  in  the  region  and  shadow  of  death. 
Awaken,  I  say,  and  observe  that  the  supper, 
which  you  have  held  to  the  present,  is  not 
the  supper  of  Christ,  but  of  anti-christ;  not 
the  table  of  the  Lord,  but  the  table  of  the 
devil.  For  it  is  generally  dispensed  only 
by  open  deceivers,  and  worshippers  of  idols ; 
and  received  by  a  people  who  are  as  yet  en- 
tirely obstinate  and  carnally  minded,  dis- 
believing and  rebellious  against  the  word 
of  God.  And  moreover,  they  believe  it  to 
be  the  real  body  and  blood  of  the  Lord,  and 
celebrate  it  with  such  imbecoming,  heathen- 
ish pomp  and  splendor.  O!  abomination 
and  idolatry ! ! 

Beloved  reader,  I  bear  witness  to  the  truth 
in  Christ  and  lie  not,  that  the  Holy  Supper 
of  Christ  is  not  to  be  dispensed  by  a  de- 
ceiver, nor  to  be  received  by  an  impenitent 
and  obstinate  sinner.  It  does  not  require 
such  a  gorgeous  and  splendid  array,  as 
that  in  which  the  world  is  w^ont  to  celebrate 
it;  neither  golden  vessels,  nor  hypocritical 
semblance  of  confessions,  absolution,  bow- 
ing, and  smiting  upon  the  breast,  &c.,  but 
it  must  becelebrated  with  a  broken  heart,  true 
penitence,  a  humble  mind,  with  unfeig-ned, 
ardent  love,  with  peace  and  joy  in  the  Holy 


46 


THE  LOKD'S  HOLY  SUPFEK. 


Ghost.  Again  I  say,  awaken,  and  reflect 
upon  what  I  write.  God's  work  is  not  imi- 
tating a  dead  letter;  it  is  not  trifling;  nor  is 
it  tlie  sounding  of  many  bells  and  organs, 
and  of  singing ;  but  it  is  a  heavenly  power, 
a  living,  moving  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  which 
warms  the  heart  and  mind  of  the  believers ; 
pei-vades,  comforts,  anoints,  encourages, 
awakens  and  enlivens  them ;  makes  them 
joyful  and  happy  in  God.  For  this  is  the 
tiiie  natui'e  and  power  of  the  Lord's  word, 
if  it  be  rightly  preached,  and  of  his  Holy 
Sacraments,  if  rightly  used. 

It  is,  therefore,  high  time,  to  take  heed  to 
the  word  of  the  Lord;  for  all  who  are  earth- 
ly and  carnally  minded,  are  not  born  of 
God  and  his  word;  are  obstinately  averse 
to  the  Lord's  word;  love  not  their  neigh- 
bors, nor  are  ready  to  help  them;  and  are 
not  in  the  communion  of  God,  therefore  they 
cannot  be  members  of  his  body,  or  guests 
at  his  table.  For  Paul  says.  To  be  carnally 
minded,  is  death.  Christ  says.  Those  who 
are  not  born  from  above,  cannot  see  the 
kingdom  of  God.  Samuel  says.  Disobedi- 
ence is  as  iniquity  and  idolatry.  John  says, 
He  that  loveth  not  his  brother  (neighbor), 
abideth  in  death.  Again,  He  that  loveth 
not,  knows  not  God,  for  God  is  love.  In 
short,  without  love,  all  preaching,  all  faith, 
baptizing,  celebrating  the  Lord's  Supper, 
prophesying  and  suffering  are  vain. 

We  do,  therefore,  admonish  all  those  de- 
siring to  celebrate  this  Supper,  that  they 
would  rightly  learn  to  know  what  the  true 
Supper  is,  what  it  signifies,  how  and  where- 
fore it  is  to  be  used,  and  who  are  to  be  par- 
takers of  it.  And  then  also  to  examine 
themselves  well,  as  Paul  teaches,  before 
they  eat  of  this  bread  and  drink  of  this  cup ; 
that  they  do  not  comfort  themselves  Avith 
the  visible  sign,  and  err  in  regard  to  the  re- 
ality represented  by  the  signs ;  for  they 
who  know  not  Christ  and  his  righteousness, 
believe  not  him  and  his  word,  and  walk  not 
according  thereto ;  but  according  to  the  sii- 
perstitious  doctrines  and  commands  of  men, 
and  partake  of  the  Lord's  table,  eat  and 
drink  damnation  to  themselves. 

All  who  have  received  the  word  of  the 
Lord  through  faith,  acknowledged  it  to  be 
true,  and  have  again  transgressed  it,  and 
have  not  continued  to  walk  in  the  acknowl- 


edged truth,  but  are  walking  again  in  the 
broad  way,  have  returned  to  the  love  of  the 
world,  and  are  rejecting  Clirist  and  his 
word,  and  depending  upon  the  seducing 
doctrines,  the  interpretations  and  false  pro- 
mises of  the  learned;  such  have  no  part  at 
the  Lord's  table,  for  they  are  without  God, 
as  John  says,  "Whosoever  transgresseth, 
and  abideth  not  in  the  doctrine  of  Clirist, 
hath  not  God,"  2  John  1:  9. 

All  who  walk  in  the  pride  of  their  hearts, 
despise  their  neighbor  on  account  of  pov- 
erty, distress  and  affliction,  and  know  not 
that  they  themselves  are  poor  mortals,  seed 
of  Adam,  food  for  worms,  and  a  wilting 
flower;  yea,  dust  and  earth,  whether  they 
are  emperor,  king,  rich,  or  learned,  and  all 
who  thus  sit  at  the  Lord's  table  with  a 
proud  heart,  eat  and  drinli  damnation 
themselves. 

All  who  boast  of  the  Lord's  Spirit,  name, 
covenant,  word,  knowledge,  merits,  grace, 
blood  and  death,  yet  reject  his  holy  counsel, 
doctrine,  command,  ordinance  and  his  un- 
blamable example,  despise  and  grieve  his 
Holy  Spirit,  hate,  defraud  and  speak  falsely 
against  their  neighbor,  and  sit  at  the  Lord's 
table,  eat  and  diink  damnation  to  them- 
selves. 

All  who  love  houses,  lands,  possessions, 
fr-iends,  children,  the  world,  favor,  ease  of 
the  body,  honor  and  this  life,  more  than 
they  do  Christ  and  his  word,  and  attend  the 
Lord's  table,  eat  and  drink  damnation  to 
themselves.  Christ  says.  He  that  loveth  any 
thing  more  than  me,  is  not  worthy  of  me, 
and  cannot  be  my  disciple.  Matt.  10:  37; 
Luke  14:  26. 

And  this  is  the  siun  of  the  whole  matter, 
that  all  those  who  would  sit  at  the  Lord's 
table,  with  the  disciples  and  guests  of  Christ, 
whether  rich  or  poor,  high  or  low,  must  be 
sound  in  the  faith,  and  unblamable  in  con- 
duct and  life.  None  are  excepted;  neither 
emperor  nor  king,  prince  nor  earl,  loiight 
or  nobleman.  Yea,  as  long  as  tliey  err  in 
doctrine  and  faith,  and  are  in  their  lives 
carnal  and  blamable,  they  are  by  no  means 
to  be  permitted,  with  the  pious  to  partake 
of  the  communion  of  the  Holy  Supper ;  for 
they  are  not  in  Christ,  and  therefore  must 
remain  without,  till  they  are  truly  converted 
to  Chiist;  walk  in  the  ways  of  the  Lord,  are 


THE  LORD'S  HOLY  SUPPER. 


47 


of  one  spirit  and  one  faith  with  Christ  and 
liis  chnrch.  For  the  Lord's  Snpper  is  a  com- 
munion of  tlie  flesh  and  blood  of  Christ, 
which  is  not  to  be  given  to  the  ungodly  and 
obdm-ate,  but  to  the  sincere,  penitent,  chris- 
tian believers,  as  a  pledge  of  reconciliation. 

If  any  one  has  a  good  appearance  before 
men,  and  is  inwardly  proud,  avaricious, 
carnal  and  without  the  Spirit  of  God,  he  is 
not  judged  of  the  church,  but  of  the  Lord 
himself,  the  Searcher  and  Trier  of  men's 
hearts  and  reins,  as  the  Scripture  says.  We 
do,  therefore,  admonish  all  those  who  would 
go  to  the  Lord's  table;  to  examine  them- 
selves before  they  partake  of  it;  for  all  who 
eat  imworthily  of  this  bread,  and  chink  of 
this  wine,  eat  and  drink  damnation  to  them- 
selves, 1  Cor.  11:  29. 

Thus,  beloved  sirs,  friends  and  brethren, 
does  the  Holy  Supper  instruct  and  admon- 
ish us:  First,  The  bread,  as  the  body  of 
Christ,  which  he  offered  for  us,  and  the  cup, 
the  blood  of  Christ  which  he  shed  in  great 
love,  for  the  remission  of  our  sins. 

Li  the  second  place,  we  are  admonished 
to  union,  love,  and  peace,  which  must  be 
among  all  true  cluistians,  according  to  the 
spirit,  doctrine  and  example  of  Christ;  for 
Paul  says,  "We  being  many  are  one  bread, 
and  one  body,"  &c. 

In  the  third  place,  we  are  admonished 
to  a  pious  and  unblamable  life,  to  true 
regeneration,  which  is  of  God ;  to  all  right- 


eousness, thanksgiving,  peace  and  joy  in  ^. 
the  Holy  Ghost.  For  it  is  a  communion 
of  the  blood  and  body  of  Christ,  of  which 
no  one  is  a  partaker,  nor  can  be,  unless 
he  becomes  a  humble,  peaceable,  pious 
christian,  dead  unto  sin,  and  born  of  God 
according  to  his  word;  one  who  is  in  Christ, 
and  Christ  in  him;  flesh  of  his  flesh,  and 
bone  of  his  bone,  is  a  true  partaker 
of  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ ;  as 
Paul  says,  "We  are  made  partakers  of 
Chi'ist,  if  we  hold  the  beginning  of  our  con- 
fidence steadfast  unto  the  end,"  Heb.  3:  14. 

Behold,  beloved  readers,  here  you  have 
the  true  instnictions  concerning  the  Lord's 
Holy  Supper,  with  its  significations,  fruit, 
power,  natm-e,  and  the  guests,  as  the  mouth 
of  the  Lord  has  ordained,  and  the  holy 
apostles  have  left  and  taught  us;  and  with 
what  knowledge,  faith,  love,  unity,  peace, 
piety,  and  according  to  what  usage  and  or- 
dinance it  should  be  celebrated  in  the  church 
of  God. 

Herewith  compare  the  supper  of  the  world, 
and  you  will  learn  to  know  which  is  the 
tr^^e  one  ;  what  an  abomination  anti-clu'ist 
has  made  of  it,  what  enchantments  he  prac- 
ticed with  it,  and  how  we  poor  sinners, 
with  all  our  forefathers,  have,  as  idolatrous 
Israel  of  old,  for  hundreds  of  years,  offered 
incense  unto  the  brazen  serpent,  and  danced 
before  the  golden  calf.  O !  my  faithful  read- 
er, fear  God,  with  sincerity  examine  the 
Scriptures,  and  believe  the  truth. 


THE  CORRUPTION   OF  THE  HOLY  SUPPER. 


The  Scriptm-es  teach  that  we  have  no  oth- 
er offerings  for  sin  than  the  body  of  the 
Lord,  as  before  said.  But  since  the  enemies 
of  Christ  have  possessed  the  cathedral  for 
so  many  years,  they  have,  as  the  Scriptures 
teach,  altered  the  laws  of  the  Most  High, 
and  instead  thereof,  instituted  their  abomi- 
nation of  desolation,  and  corrupted  the  Holy 
Supper  with  their  councils,  violence  and 
false  doctrine,  till,  alas!  it  retains  but  the 
shadow,  and  the  mere  name,  and  this  they 
did  to  destroy  and  corrupt  the  true,  eternal 
offering  of  Clirist,  which  alone  avails  with 


God,  and  changed  it  into  a  daily  offering 
for  sin,  as  we  may  plainly  read  in  the  can- 
ons of  the  mass ;  which  undoubtedly  is  an 
abomination  of  abominations ;  for  thereby, 
Jesus  Christ,  the  all-sufficient  and  eternal 
offering,  is  entirely  renounced  and  made  of 
no  effect,  as  the  Propitiator  and  Mediator 
of  the  New  Testament.  He  is  thrust  from 
the  thi-one  of  his  Majesty;  his  merits,  cross, 
blood,  and  death  are  rejected;  yea,  all  the 
types  and  shadows  of  Moses,  all  the  predic- 
tions of  the  prophets ;  the  promise  of  angels, 
and  the  whole  New  Testament,  are  thereby 


48 


THE  LORD'S  HOLY  SUPPER. 


denied;  tlioiigli  all  harmoniously  point  to 
the  one  and  eternal  offering  of  Clii;ist-,  and 
instead  of  it,  tliey  have  ordained  an  nnlioly, 
blind,  seductive  and  carnal  idolatry,  with  a 
piece  of  bread !  Beloved  reader,  here  put  no 
other  construction  upon  these  words  ;  for 
what  I  write  is  the  truth. 

They  have  brought  it  so  far  with  this  un- 
godly seduction,  that  they  have  arrogated 
to  themselves  all  power  in  heaven,  upon 
earth,  and  in  hell ;  they  therefore  break  the 
bread  into  three  pieces.  AYith  ihejrrsf,  they 
reconcile  God;  with  the  second,  thej'  inter- 
cede for  the  world;  and  with  the  third,  as 
they  pretend,  th<\y  pray  for  the  souls  in 
purgatory. 

Through  this  accursed  infamy  they  rose 
so  high  in  honor,  that  i\\ej  are  above  all  the 
potentates  of  earth,  whom  they  made  their 
own  servants.  By  their  li}"pocritical  service 
and  enchanting  idolatry,  tliey  have  hoarded 
money,  goods,  gold,  silver,  land,  rents,  clois- 
ters, cities,  principalities  and  the  dominions 
of  this  world ;  because  every  one  loved  this 
splendid  service  as  a  holy  and  divine  work; 
honored  and  feared  their  exalted  and  pom- 
pous names  as  the  messengers  of  God. 

By  this  ingenious  and  subtle  magic,  the 
Roman  anti-christ  has  gained  such  respect 
and  authority , that  even  the  imperial  m  aj  esty , 
the  highest  sovereignty  on  earth,  whom  we 
are  commanded  of  God  to  respect  and  fear, 
had  to  humble  himself  and  kiss  his  feet;  yea, 
what  is  still  worse,  Frederick  Barbarossa,  a 
great  and  renowned  emperor,  could  not  be 
reconciled  with  Pope  Alexander  III.,  until 
he  humbled  himself  at  Venice,  before  the 
churcli,  and  suifered  the  Pope  to  tread  upon 
liim  with  his  feet ! 

Behold,  thus  anti-christ  has  enchanted  the 
whole  world  with  his  offering.  The  gracious 
Father  be  eternally  praised,  that  lie  has, 
through  his  paternal  grace  delivered  us,  his 
poor  children,  from  tliis  enchanting  offering, 
and  given  us  to  know  the  only  and  eternal 
offering  of  his  Son,  Jesus  Christ,  who,  ac- 
cording to  the  order  of  Melchizedek,  is  or- 
dained an  eternal  High  Priest  over  the 
house  of  God;  who,  in  tlie  days  of  his  flesh, 
offered  up  jirfi^yei'S  and  supplications  with 
strong  crying  and  tears,  unto  him  that  was 
able  to  save  from  death,  and  was  lieard,  be- 
cause he  honored  God.    Tliis  one,  I  say,  of- 


fered an  acceptable  offering,  a  sweet  smell- 
ing sacrifice,  of  eternal  worth,  whereby  he 
appeases  the  Father's  wi-ath,  reconciles  the 
human  race,  opened  heaven,  closed  hell  ; 
made  peace  between  heaven  and  earth;  and 
sits  now,  and  henceforth,  at  the  right  hand 
of  his  Father,  till  his  enemies  be  made  his 
foot-stool;  yea,  with  this  one  offering,  he 
has  perfected  forever  all  those  who  are  sanc- 
tified. This  cannot  be  gainsayed,  whether 
by  emperor  or  king,  doctor  or  teacher,  angel 
or  devil.  His  word  stands  fu'm  and  immov- 
able. He  has  with  one  offering,  I  sa.y  with 
one  offering,  perfected  for  ever  tliose  who 
are  sanctified. 

O  ni}^  beloved  reader!   I  mean  all  those 
:  who  are  yet  without  the  Spirit  of  Christ  and 
j  his  word,  Take  heed  what  the  word  of  the 
Lord  teaches  you,  and  observe  the  true  doc- 
trine of  Christ,  the  true  teachers,  the  true 
I  sacraments,  the  tnxe  chui'ch,  and  the  true 
ciu'istian  life,  which  is  of  God,  so  that  you 
may  once  learn  to  know  what  kind  of  pas- 
tors feed  you ;  what  kind  of  baptism  and 
supper  you  practice;  by  what  kind  of  offer- 
ing you  are  reconciled;  what  kind  of  lives 
you  lead,  and  of  whose  body  you  are  mem- 
bers. 

O  how  long,  says  Solomon,  will  you  sim- 
ple ones  love  simplicity?  And  you  scorn ers 
delight  in  scorning?  How  long  will  you  re- 
main under  the  heavy  bondage  of  sin?  How 
long  will  you  remain  in  the  communion  of 
the  devil,  and  suffer  yourselves  to  be  dragged 
down  to  the  abyss  of  liell  by  the  cords  of 
unl)elief^  Awake,  and  ransom  your  poor 
souls  !  Come  out  from  among  them.  Flee 
from  all  false  doctrine;  avoid  every  appear- 
ance of  evil;  believe  in  Christ  Jesus;  repent 
and  lead  an  unblamable  life;  follow  Christ 
with  a  sincere  heart;  enter  into  the  house 
and  covenant  of  his  everlasting  peace,  into 
the  communion  of  his  flesh  and  blood.  Take 
upon  you  his  easy  yoke,  and  light  burden, 
and  you  will  find  rest  for  your  souls ;  you 
may  then  of  a  truth  say,  that  you  are  chris- 
tians; that  you  have  obtained  the  remission 
of  your  sins,  by  the  grace  of  God,  tlirough 
the  merits  of  Christ;  and  that  you  are  joint 
heirs  of  the  eternal  kingdom.  May  God 
grant  unto  you  all  his  gi-ace  and  mercy, 
Amen. 

In  the  second  place,  the}-  made  the  bread, 


THE  LORD'S  HOLY  SUPPER. 


49 


in  tlie  Holy  Supper,  into  the  real  flesli,  and 
the  wine  into  the  real  blood  of  Christ,  and 
understood  the  words  of  Christ  literally: 
Take,  eat,  this  is  my  body,  &c.,  and  did  not 
observe  that  Christ,  John  6,  does  fully  in- 
struct us,  how  we  are  to  eat  his  flesh  and 
drink  his  blood ;  and  says,  that  it  would 
profit  nothing  really  to  eat  his  flesh,  and  to 
drink  his  blood,  for  tliis  coiild  not  be  done, 
because  he  was  aboiit  ascending  to  heaven 
where  he  was  before;  we  are  therefore  not 
literally  to  understand  this  eating  his  flesh, 
and  drinking  his  blood;  })ut  spiritually,  as 
he  himself  says,  "The  words  that  I  speak  un- 
to you,  they  are  spirit,  and  they  are  life." 
All  those  who  thus  understand  this  from  the 
Scriptures,  are  by  many,  reproached  as  ac- 
cursed heretics  and  profaners  of  the  sacra- 
ment, and  mirst  sutfer  for  it  hy  water,  fire 
and  the  sword. 

O  dear  Lord!  is  this  not  an  ungodly  error, 
and  great  blindness,  to  teach  and  to  believe, 
that  a  piece  of  bread,  and  a  drink  of  wine 
should  be  changed  into  the  real  and  essen- 
tial flesh  and  blood  of  the  Son  of  God, 
whereby  we  may  be  delivered  from  hell, 
the  devil,  sin  and  death,  and  are  made  chil- 
dren of  grace?  O,  horrible  heresy ! 

O  miserable,  blind  people,  believe  the 
words  of  Clrrist,  when  he  says,  that  it  pro- 
fiteth  nothing  to  eat  his  visible  and  real 
flesh;  and  that  his  words  are  spirit  and 
life,  John  6:  63;  believe  that  he  ascended 
up  to  heaven  and  sitteth  at  the  right  hand 
of  his  Father;  therefore  he  camiot  be  eaten 
nor  confined  in  the  body  by  any  one,  nor 
can  he  be  consumed  by  age,  fire,  or  worms, 
as  may  be  plainly  seen,  is  the  case  with  the 
visible  bread  and  wine. 

But  where  the  Lord's  church,  the  beloved 
disciples  of  Christ,  have  met  in  Christ's 
name  to  partake  of  the  Holy  Supper  in  true 
faith,  love  and  obedience,  there  the  outward 
perishable  man  eats  and  drinks  perishable 
bread  and  wine;  and  the  inner,  the  imper- 
ishable spiritual  man  eats  (in  a  spiritual 
sense)  the  imperishable  body  and  blood  of 
Christ,  which  can  not  be  eaten  nor  consumed, 
as  above  said.  Like  is  profited  by  like;  this 
is  incontrovertible.  The  visilile  man  is  nour- 
ished upon  visible  food,  and  the  invisi])le 
man  is  fed  upon  invisible  bread,  as  we  may 
plainly  learn  from  the  word  of  the  Lord. 


Therefore,  all  who  are  in  Clirist  and  with 
believing,  penitent  hearts,  rely  upon  the 
pure  offering  of  the  body  and  blood  of 
Chi'ist,  and  know  that  it  is  the  only  ablution 
and  reconciliation  for  their  sins,  the  only 
and  eternal  medium  of  grace ;  eat  the  true 
flesh  and  chink  the  true  blood  of  Christ,  not 
with  their  mouths,  but  spiritnaJly,  by  faith, 
as  said  before. 

The  reader  may  readily  observe  from 
these  words,  that  the  breacl  is  no  flesh,  and 
that  the  wine  is  no  1)lood;  for  were  they  flesh 
and  blood,  as  the  idolators  pretend  and 
teach  the  poor  people,  one  of  two  conse- 
quences must  follow;  either  the  perishable 
bread  and  wine  are  changed  into  the  imper- 
ishable and  heavenly  Son  of  God;  or  the 
Son  of  God  must  be  changed  into  bread  and 
and  wine.    This  is  incontrovertible. 

O  dear  Lord !  they  are  more  ignorant  than 
the  heathens  ever  were;  true,  the  heathens 
worshipped  and  honored  the  sun,  moon  and 
stars,  which  have  their  influence  upon  things 
below.  They  worshipped  the  ox,  the  dragon, 
serpents,  fire,  and  other  creatures  ;  some  of 
which  had  living  breath  within  them.  They 
also  worshipped  images  of  wood,  stone, 
gold  and  silver,  made  by  skilful  workmen, 
who  cast,  carved  and  decorated  them  in  the 
likeness  of  man.  But  those  who  ai-e  called 
by  the  name  of  Christ,  pray  to,  worship, 
and  adore  a  piece  of  bread,  and  a  mouthftil 
of  wine,  as  the  real  flesh  and  blood  of  Christ, 
who  came  from  heaven  for  oiir  salvation; 
became  man,  and  was  made  an  oftering  up- 
on the  cross  for  our  sins.  O  intolerable 
abomination  and  infamy!  that  the  praise  of 
God,  the  glory  of  Jesus  Christ  is  converted 
and  changed  into  such  a  feeble  idol,  which 
can  neither  avenge,  speak,  hear,  see,  stand 
nor  walk;  which  worms  eat  and  time  con- 
sumes; and  must  be  locked  up,  preserved, 
assisted,  and  carried  about  by  the  hands  of 
men,  like  the  idols  at  Babj^lon,  of  which 
Baruch  writes. 

O  my  faithful  reader,  learn  rightly  to 
know  Clirist  Jesus.  He  is  not  like  the  fabu- 
lous Proteus,*  noio  like  the  everlasting  Al- 
mighty Son  of  the  eternal,  Omnipotent  God, 
and  then  a  perishable  creature,  bread  and 


*  Proteus  could   according  to  poetic  fables,  change 
himself  into  different  shapes. 


60 


THE  LORD'S  HOLY  SUPPER. 


wine.  Oil  no !  he  is  unchangeable  thi'oiigh 
all  eternity.  Neither  can  he  be  confined  in 
any  house,  church  nor  chamber,  in  silver  or 
golden  vessels ;  for,  according  to  his  eternal, 
divine  Being,  heaven  is  his  throne  and  the 
earth  his  footstool,  and  after  liis  holy  hu- 
manity, he  asrended  into  h(^av<'n  and  sits 
at  the  right  hand  of  liis  Fatlier.  He  is  the 
eternal  and  Almighty  Powei-,  Brightness, 
Word,  Truth,  Wisdom,  and  image  of  God. 
He  has  all  power  in  heaven  above  and  on 
earth  below,  all  things  are  under  him;  at 
his  name  every  knee  shall  bow,  and  every 
tongue  confess  to  him,  that  he  is  the  Lord, 
to  the  honor  and  glory  of  his  Father,  and 
he  will  not  appear  again  in  the  fiesh,  but  he 
will  come  in  the  clouds  of  heaven,  to  judge 
the  goats  and  sheep. 

Therefore  I  say  again.  He  cannot  be  eaten, 
nor  can  he  be  digested  in  the  bod.y  of  man. 
Augustine  plainly  acknowledges  this;  when 
he  says,  "^^^ly  do  yon  make  ready  to  eat? 
only  believe,  and  you  have  eaten  him." 

Beloved  reader,  we  well  know,  that  Au- 
gustine did  not  write  this  of  the  natural  eat- 
ing of  the  Holy  Supper ;  but  of  the  spiritual 
eating,  which  is  by  faith ;  and  with  that 
view,  we  adduced  it,  so  that  the  god-fearing 
reader  might  see  the  ditference  between  out- 
wai'd  and  inward  eating,  and  not  mistake 
the  one  for  the  other;  for  the  external  use  of 
the  sign  is  nothing  but  a  false  appearance 
and  hjT^JOcrisj',  if  the  thing  which  is  invis- 
ibly represented,  is  not  connected  with  it. 
That  this  is  the  case  with  infant  baptism 
and  the  world's  supper,  may  l)e  readily 
proved  from  the  Scriptures ;  but  where  the 
mystery  is  connected  with  the  sign,  for  which 
purpose  it  is  ordained,  there  is  the  baptism 
of  Christ,  and  his  Supper,  as  tlie  Scriptures 
teach.  But  this  is  hidden  from  the  world. 
They  acknowledge  that  the  Scriptures  teach 
a  Supper,  but  what  it  actually  is,  what  it 
prefigures,  and  who  are  to  partake  of  it, 
they  know  not,  so  completely  has  the  Baby- 
lonian whore  deceived  and  bewitched  them 
in  this  matter. 

The  Holy  Supper,  as  taught  by  Christ  and 
his  apostles,  reproves  all  idolatry;  foreign 
mediums  of  reconciliation;  hatred,  discord, 
and  um'ighteousness ;  for  it  directs  alone  to 
the  one  offering  of  Cluist  which  was  made 
by  his  flesh  and  blood,  once  for  all,  as  re- 


lated; it  represents  christian  peace,  harmo- 
ny, brotherly  love,  and  a  pious,  iinblamable 
life,  as  already  said;  therefore  they  desire 
not  this    Supper,   and   have  forsaken  the 
I  Lord's    word    and    ordinances,   and    have 
turned  away  fi-om  tlie  Creator  to  the  crea- 
ture, and  from  tli(^  true  Reality,  to  tlie  per- 
I  isliable  signs;  ,yea,  they  call  the  disgraceful 
i  and  sinful  mass,  the  sacrifice  of  the  Lord; 
and  th(>  bread  and  wine  liis  real  flesh  and 
blood;  for  this  is  the  custom  and  manner  of 
the  ungodly,  becaiise  they  know  not  the 
tree  God,  the  God  of  heaven  and  earth,  and 
believe  not  his  holy  and  inestimable  word; 
;  luit  hate  the  true  service  and  are  opposed 
j  thereto.    In  God's  stead  they  have  a  visible 
i  and  tangible  creature ;  and  maintain  a  serv- 
!  ice  of  their  o^vl^  choice.     So  did  Israel  with 
j  the  golden  calf;  with  Baal  and  Moloch ;  and 
Antioch  with  his  INIaosim  (god  of  forces) ; 
the  Babylonians  with,  their  Bel;  the  Egypt- 
ians with  their  Isis,  &c.     From  this  source, 
originates  all  disgraceful  idolatry,  wldch  is 
practiced  with  this  abomination,   siich  as 
carrying  about  the  bread,  exalting  it,  pray- 
ing tliereto,  offering  of  incense,  and  on  every 
occasion  seeking  to  pay  it  Divine  honor  and 
Divine  service;  to  maintain  which  there  is 
not  a  tittle  nor  a  letter,  nor  an  inference,  in 
all  the  Scriptures.    Yea,  alas!  many  esteem 
it  so  higlily,  that  they  say  this  is  the  one 
who  reconciled  us  upon  the  cross.     Even  as 
Israel  said  to  the  calf,  "These  be  thy  gods, 
O  Israel,  which  brought  thee  up  out  of  the 
land  of  Egypt,"  Exod.  32:  4. 

Beside  this,  the  use  of  the  ci;p  is  withheld 
from  the  people  in  the  Roman  church.  If  it 
were  the  Lord's  Supper,  as  they  pretend, 
they  would,  in  every  respect,  use  it  accord- 
ing to  the  ordinance  of  the  Lord.  But  this 
custom  shows  that  it  is  not  the  Supper  of 
Christ,  but  a  deluding  sediiction  of  anti- 
christ. 

Therefore,  be  wise  and  sober,  j'ou  who 
name  yourselves  after  the  name  of  Christ. 
Spew  out  the  wine  of  Babylonian  whoredom 
which  you  have  drank.  You  have  danced 
and  Inu-ned  incense  long  enough  to  the 
golden  calf.  Give  the  Almight}^  the  praise 
and  honor  due  him;  lest  it  happen  to  you 
as  it  did  to  faitliless,  disobedient,  and  idol- 
atrous Israel.  Although  the  Lord  God  gra- 
ciously redeemed  them  from  the  power  and 


THE  LORD'S  HOLY  SUPPER. 


51 


tyranny  of  Pharaoh,  yet  they  had  to  suffer 
punishment  on  account  of  tlieir  unfaithful- 
ness and  obstinacy,  and  were  destroyed  in 
tlie  wilderness.  And  so  it  is  also  in  vain 
that  we  are  redeemed  by  the  blood  of  the 
Lord  from  the  dominion  and  power  of  the 
devil,  if  we  do  not  repent,  but  remain  idol- 
atrous, and  believe  not  in  Jesus,  and  in  our 
weakness  are  not  obedient  nor  live  accord- 
ing to  his  word. 

In  the  third  place  they  teach,  that  this 
bread  is  dispensed  for  the  remission  of  sins. 
My  faithful  reader,  take  notice  of  what  I 
write.  Where  Jesus  Christ,  his  word  and 
Spirit  are  not  known  and  acknowledged, 
there  is  nothing  but  unbelief,  idolatry,  error, 
and  an  uncertain,  wavering  conscience,  as 
may  be  seen. 

They  all  seek  some  remedy  for  their  sins, 
but  the  true  remedy,  Clmst,  they  do  not  ac- 
knowledge ;  hence  they  have  contrived  so 
many  remedies,  that  we  can  neither  describe 
nor  relate  all  of  them;  such  as  absolution, 
holy  water,  fastings,  confessions,  masses, 
pilgrimages,  infant  baptism,  bread  and 
wine,  &c. 

I  know  not  to  whom  to  compare  this  gen- 
eration, other  than  to  a  sick  and  wounded 
person,  who  has  entrusted  himself  under  the 
care  of  an  unskilful  physician,  who  can  give 
him  no  suitable  medicines,  and  apply  no 
healing  plasters;  he  spends  his  money  in 
vain;  he  sufiers  pain  and  affliction,  and  is 
getting  worse  instead  of  better.  A  skilful, 
experienced  physician  is  recommended  to 
him,  who,  prompted  by  pure  love  and  mercy 
would  visit  him  without  money  and  without 
price,  bind  up  his  wounds,  and  gladly  cure 
him ;  but  the  sick  man  will  not  receive  such 
a  good  and  well-disposed  physician.  Who 
then  coirld  feel  for  such  a  man,  because  he 
would  rather  jjerish  than  get  well? 

So  it  is  with  this  perverse  generation. 
They  feel  and  are  sensible,  at  times,  that 
they  are  failing  and  sick,  but  they  seek  med- 
icine and  counsel  of  those  who  sicken  tliem 
still  more  with  their  poison ;  and  are  not 
healed  of  their  wounds  and  cured  of  their 
diseases.  They  refuse  the  skilful,  the  heav- 
enly Chirurgeon  and  Physician,  Jesus  Christ, 
recommended  by  all  the  patriarchs,  pro- 
phets, apostles  and  by  angels ;  yea,  ap- 
pointed by  the  Father  himself,  him  they  will 


not  have  who  would  willingly  visit  all  so 
deadly  wounded;  he  offers  his  services  with- 
out money  and  without  price;  he  has  a  well 
scented,  healing  salve,  good  to  heal  our 
wounds,  it  is  his  powerful  word  to  instruct; 
and  his  crimson  blood,  to  reconcile,  as  was 
said.  But  they  desire  him  not ;  they  tui-n 
him  away  with  violence,  false  doctrine,  re- 
proach, lying,  treason,  rebellion,  persecu- 
tion, and  Tnurder;  as  has  been  fully  shown. 
O  dear  Lord!  What  counsel  shall  be  given 
to  this  disobedient,  perverse,  and  blind 
people? 

My  worthy  reader,  we  testify  the  ti'uth  in 
Clirist;  beware,  believe,  obey,  hope  and 
seek,  where  and  what  you  will;  we  are  as- 
sured that  you  will  find  in  the  word  of  God, 
no  other  remedy  for  your  sins,  than  the  one 
we  have  pointed  out  to  you,  which  is  Jesus 
Cluist;  else  the  Scriptures  must  be  false. 

Thus  says  Isaiah,  "I,  even  I,  am  he  that 
blotteth  out  thy  transgressions  for  mine  own 
sake,  and  will  not  remember  thy  sins,"  Isa. 
43:  25. 

"The  Lord  hath  laid  on  him  the  iniquity 
of  us  all,"  Isa.  58:  (5. 

The  angel  said  to  Joseph,  "Thou  shalt 
call  his  name  Jesus,  for  he  shall  save  his 
people  from  tlieir  sins,"  Matt.  1:  21. 

"This  is  my  blood  of  the  New  Testament, 
which  is  shed  for  many,  for  the  remission 
of  sins,"  Matt.  26:  27. 

"Behold  the  lamb  of  God,  whidi  taketh 
away  the  sin  of  the  world,"  John  1 :  29 

"For  he  hath  made  him  to  be  sin  for  us, 
who  knew  no  sin;  that  we  miglit  be  made 
the  righteousness  of  God  in  him,"  2  Cor. 
5:  21. 

"Who,  his  own  self  bare  om-  sins  in  his 
own  body  on  the  tree,"  1  Pet.  2:  24. 

"  The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  liis  Son  cleans- 
etli  us  from  all  sin,"  1  John  1:  7. 

"He  loved  us,  and  washed  us  from  our 
sins  in  his  own  blood,"  Rev.  1 :  5. 

My  good  readers,  look  well  to  youi'selves, 
and  be  not  deceived ;  if  there  were  any  other 
remedy  for  sin  than  the  one  pointed  out,  as 
related,  we  miglit  then  with  propriety  say, 
that  these  and  other  passages,  have  not 
rightly  directed  us,  and  holy  Paul  also 
erred  not  a  little,  when  he  says,  "There  is 
one  God,  and  one  Mediator  between  God 
and  man,  the  man  Girist  Jesus,  who  gave 


52 


SHUNNING  BABYLON. 


himself  a  ransom  for  all,  to  be  testified  in 
duetime,"lTim.  2:5,  6. 

All  those,  then,  who  seek  other  remedies 
for  their  sins,  however  glorious  and  holy 
they  may  appear,  than  the  only  remedy 
provided  by  God,  deny  the  Lord's  death, 
which  he  died  for  ns,  and  his  innocent  blood 
which  he  shed  for  us ;  and  they  are  those 
of  whom  the  Lord  complains  and  says, 
tlirough  his  prophet  Jeremiah,  My  people 
have  committed  two  evils ;  they  have  for- 
saken me,  the  Fountain  of  li\ang  waters, 
and  have  hewn  them  out  cisterns,  that  can 
hold  no  water,  Jer.  2:  13. 

All  false  doctrine  goes  to  deny  the  true 
tlu'one  of  grace,  Jesus  Clirist,  who  alone  is 
our  righteousness,  acceptable  to  God;  and 
all  false  doctrine  goes  to  the  erection  of 
strange  Baals  to  be  worshipped  instead  of 
Clirist,  as  said  before. 

Behold,  beloved  sirs,  friends  and  breth- 
ren, here  you  have  the  salutary  ti'uth  and 
the  only  ground  of  the  Lord's  Supper  plain- 
ly and  briefly  set  before  you,  what  it  is,  for 
whom  it  is  ordained,  and  what  it  teaches, 
and  represents  to  us  with  its  mysteries  and 
significations. 

You  have  also  a  view  of  the  anti-christian 
supper,  with  its  dreadful  abominations, 
whereby  the  Lord's  Supper  is  destroyed, 
and  the  kingdom  of  anti-christ  is  fortified, 
and  is  placed  in  the  stead  of  God's  throne, 
whereby,  alas!  so  many  hundreds  of  thou- 
sands of  poor  souls  were  and  are  yet  daily 
deceived ;  on  account  of  which  so  many 
pious  hearts  are  so  slanderously  spoken  of 
and  reproached  by  the  learned,  and  so 
di'eadfully  murdered    and    slain  in  some 


cities,  because  they  renounced  this  abomin- 
able idolatiy. 

Place  these  two  beside  each  other;  weigh 
them  well  by  the  spirit,  Avord  and  ordi- 
nances of  the  Lord,  and  you  will  find,  if 
you  do  at  all  believe  that  the  word  of  God 
is  true,  to  what  abomination  and  frightful 
idolatiy  the  world  has  come,  and  that  we 
have,  according  to  our  feeble  abilities, 
plainly  explained  to  you  the  immovable 
foundation  of  truth  out  of  the  word  of  God. 

Praise  the  Most  High,  all  of  you  who  fear 
the  Lord,  that  he  has  manifested  his  un- 
bounded love  and  grace  toward  us  poor 
sinners,  in  this  dreadful  time  of  unbelief; 
that  he  let  shine  out  of  darkness,  the  clear 
light  of  the  holy  gospel,  and  the  true  knowl- 
edge of  his  son  Jesus  Clmst,  which  was  con- 
cealed for  several  centuries  in  this  dark 
Egypt,  under  the  thick  clouds  of  the  anti- 
christian  abominations,  2  Cor.  4:  6.  There- 
fore, let  us  be  vigilant  thereto,  and  diligent- 
ly walk  therein,  so  that  thick  darkness  may 
not  again  cover  us,  as  the  prophet  says, 
Jer.  13:  16. 

O  my  dear  reader,  rightly  learn  to  know 
Jesus  Christ,  who  has  ordained  this  Holy 
Supper  and  the  breaking  of  bread  for  his 
disciples  and  all  christians.  Believe  the 
glorious  and  unspeakable  gifts  of  his  grace. 
Fear,  love,  honor,  and  serve  him ;  walk  in 
godly  union,  love  and  peace  with  your 
neighbor,  even  as  this  Supper,  with  its  re- 
presentation, testifies  and  admonishes;  die 
to  your  wicked  flesh,  crucify  its  unclean 
lusts ;  in  all  things  lead  a  life  according  to 
the  spirit,  word,  and  example  of  the  Lord, 
so  shall  your  Supper  redound  to  his  praise, 
and  your  souls  shall  liave  life  everlasting. 


SHUNIING    BABYLON. 


We  fiu'ther  teach  and  admonish  from  the 
word  of  God,  that  all  true  children  of  God, 
who  are  regenerated  from  the  incorruptible 
living  seed  of  the  divine  word,  who  have 
separated  themselves,  according  to  the 
Scrip__tures,  from  the  idolatrous  generation, 
and  yielded  to  the  yoke  and  cross  of  Christ, 


and  who  are  able  to  judge  between  true  and 
false  doctrines,  between  Christ  and  anti- 
christ, must  shun,  according  to  Scripture, 
all  seducing  and  idolatrous  preachers  with 
their  doctrines,  sacraments  and  worship. 
They  must  avoid  all,  of  every  doctrine, 
faith,  sect,  creed  and  name,  who  are  not 


SENDING  PREACHERS. 


53 


found  in  the  pure  doctrine  of  Christ,  and  in 
the  scriptural  usage  of  his  sacraments,  be- 
cause they  have  neither  calling,  doctrine, 
nor  life,  according  to  the  word  of  God,  but 
are  sent  by  antichrist,  and  ordained  in  his 
employment  and  seiTice.    And 

Because  they  not  only  fail  to  obseiTe  and 
acknowledge  the  pui'e  doctrine  of  Christ, 
and  the  established  usages  of  the  apostolic 
chiu-ch,  in  relation  to  the  holy  sacraments, 
but  because  they  also  have  changed  them 
into  vain  confusion,  abominable  and  open 
idolatry,  as  has  been  stated. 

BecaiTse  they  have  deceitfully  mingled  the 
light  froth  of  man's  doctrine,  with  the  fair, 
precious  gold  of  the  divine  word;  and  the 
pure  wine,  with  the  unclean  waters  of  their 
foolish  wisdom. 

Because  they  so  shamefiUly  censure,  abuse, 
assail,  and  would  willingly  root  out  and  bm-n 
the  city  of  God,  tlie  city  of  righteousness 
and  eternal  peace  ;  the  lovely  Jerusalem 
with  its  sacred  temple,  the  house  of  prayer, 
and  rule  therein  with  their  spiritual  money- 
changers, Pharisaic  commands,  and  en- 
chanting traffic. 

Because  like  Belshazzar,  they,  in  their 
Babylonian  idolatries  and  drunkenness,  so 
miserably  misuse  and  degrade  the  precious 
vessels  and  utensils  of  the  Lord,  the  pre- 
cious souls  whom  he  has  consecrated  with 
his  crimson  blood,  and  by  whom  the  true 
service  of  the  Lord  should  be  performed. 
Rev.  1:5;  Dan.  5:  3. 

Because  like  Herod,  they  mock  Christ, 
the  eternal  Wisdom  of  God,  as  a  fool  ar- 


rayed in  a  fool's  garment;  and  his  holy 
apostles,  the  witnesses  of  his  eternal  truth, 
they  regard  as  useless  talkers  and  liars, 
and  thrust  them  out  with  scorn. 

In  short,  they  preach  and  lay  before  the 
poor  people,  lies  for  truth ;  clarkness  for 
light;  death  for  life,  and  anti-christ  for 
Christ. 

Therefore  it  is  unlit  that  the  bride  of 
Christ,  who  stands  prepared  to  hear  only 
the  bridegi'oom's  voice,  the  dear  children  of 
God  who  have  their  feet  washed  and  their 
garments  cleansed  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb, 
John  3 :  29 ;  who  are  established  upon  the 
immoveable  foundations  of  the  apostles  and 
prophets,  upon  the  precious  corner  stone, 
Christ  Jesus,  should  again  hear  the  strange 
voice  and  doctrines  of  anti-christ,  again  de- 
file their  garments,  and  in  faith,  doctrines, 
worship,  and  life  accord  with  anti-christ. 
They  who  do  so,  if  they  repent  not,  are  con- 
demned by  the  Scrijitures  and  adjudged  to 
death. 

This  we  teach  according  to  our  limited 
talents,  with  all  earnestness,  as  much  as  in 
us  is,  not  out  of  contempt,  as  the  Lord 
knows,  nor  yet  out  of  obstinancy,  caprice, 
or  party  stubbornness,  as  the  world  as- 
cribes to  us.  Oh  no!  God  presei-ve  all  his 
own  from  party  spirit.  But  we  so  preach 
out  of  the  true  fear  of  the  Lord  and  the 
great  distress  and  burden  of  our  con- 
sciences. God's  pressing  word,  and  love  for 
youi-  poor  souls,  tuge  us,  as  may,  through 
the  gi-ace  of  God,  be  seen  with  more  clear- 
ness hereafter. 


SEIDING   PREACHERS. 


According  to  the  Scriptures ,  the  calling  and 
sending  of  tnie  preachers  were  pei-formed 
in  two  ways ;  some  were  called  by  God 
alone,  without  any  human  instnimentality, 
as  was  the  case  witli  the  prophets  and  apos- 
tles. Others  were  called  through  the  medi- 
irm  of  the  pious,  as  may  be  seen  from  Acts 
1:  23—26;  1  Tim.  3:  7.  We  hope  no  one  will 
be  so  ignorant,  who  is  otherwise  of  a  candid 
and  rational  mind,  but  that  he  will  know 


that  the  whole  Scriptures,  both  of  the  Old 
and  New  Testaments,  were  written  for  oui- 
instruction,  admonition  and  correction ;  and 
that  they  are  the  true  sceptre  and  rule  by 
which  the  Lord's  kingdom,  house,  chiu'ch 
and  congi-egation  must  be  governed  and  ad- 
justed, 2  Cor.  3:  16.  Every  thing  contrary 
to  Scripture,  whether  it  be  in  doctrines,  faith, 
sacraments,  worship  or  conduct,  should  be 
measured  by  this  infallible  rule,  and  de- 


54 


SENDING   PKEACHERS. 


molished  by  this  just  and  di\4ne  sceptre, 
witliout  any  respect  to  persons,  and  brongM 
to  nothing.  Therefore  would  we.  your  will- 
ing servants  and  associates,  of  like  mortal 
nature  with  you,  each  one  in  the  office  and 
station  to  which  he  is  called,  humbly  ad- 
monish you,  in  all  love,  that  you  would  re- 
iiect  on  the  salvation  of  yom-  immortal  souls, 
and  woiild  rightly  examine  tlie  sending  or 
caUing,  the  doctrine  and  conduct  of  the 
bishops,  pastors  and  preachers  of  your 
chiu-ches.     Examine  them  by  the  aid  of  the 

U  spirit  of  the  Lord,  and  by  the  doctrines  and 
customs  of  the  apostles,  because  you  have 
persecuted  and  destroyed  so  many  pious, 
godly  christians,  by  the  idols'  houses  of  the 
ungodly,  which  are  supported  by  the  bloody 
havoc-cries  of  the  learned.  Yea,  we  doubt 
not,  but  that  if  you  follow  om-  advice  with  a 
sincere  heart,  you  will  soon  perceive,  that 
we,  miserable  men,  do  nothing  more  in  this 
matter,  than  the  word  of  God  teaches  and 
enjoins;  and  that  yoxu"  preachers  are  not 
the  servants  of  Chi-ist,  but  hirelings,  hypo- 
crites, deceivers  and  mockers,  concerning 
whom  the  Scriptiires  warn  us,  on  every  side, 
and  represent  them  under  many  evil  names, 
John  10:  12;  Matt.  3:  4. 

Candid  reader!  let  this  be  to  you  a  true 
and  unwavering  rule,  that  all  who  rightly 
preach  Christ  and  his  word,  and  thereby 
bring  forth  obedient  children  to  the  Lord, 
must  have  been  called  through  one  of  the 
aforementioned  means.  They  must  have 
been  brought  into  the  vineyard  of  the  Lord, 
through  the  true  and  unfeigned  love  of  God 

V  and  man,  through  the  power  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  They  must  improve  the  talent  of 
gi'ace  which  they  have  received  from  God, 
they  must  rebuke  sin,  and  teach  faith  and 
righteousness,  without  any  respect  of  per- 
son, they  must  set  forth  the  word  and  piaise 
of  the  Lord  ;  they  must  faithfiilly  perform 
the  work  and  service  of  the  Lord  and  bring 
the  gathered  sheaves  into  his  barn  and  the 
acquired  wealth  into  his  treasury.  Such  a 
shepherd  was  the  faithful  Moses;  for  when 
the  Lord  informed  him  that  Israel  had  made 
a  molten  calf,  he  hastened  from  the  mount- 
ain, and  when  he  heard  the  tunuilt  and 
saw  the  multitude  playing,  and  dancing,  a 
provoked  zeal  burned  in  his  heart,  so  that 
he  cast  down  and  brake  the  stone  tables 


'  which  the  Lord  had  written  with  his  own 
I  finger.     He  cared  neither  for  life  nor  death, 
but  rushed  forth  among  the  idolatrous  peo- 
\  pie,  and  rebuked  them  by  his  Avord  and  by 
i  the  sword,  because  they  gave  to  a  molten 
creature  the  honor  of  Almighty  God,  who 
with  such  love  gloriously  effected  their  de- 
liverance from  Egypt,  Exod.  3-2:  7. 

When  Zacharias,  the  son  of  Barachias,  a 
man  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  saw  the  false 
I  worship  of  the  people,  he  hazarded  his  life, 
and  stood  forth  for  the  honor  of  the  Lord. 
He  rebuked  his  brethren,  eiring  Israel,  and 
:  said,  "Why  transgress  ye  the  command- 
ments of  the  Lord,  that  ye  cannot  prosperf 
3  Clu'on.  24:  20. 

Also  the  woithy  prophet  Jeremiah  was 

i  biu'dened   with  much  sufiering  and  cares. 

;  He  was  much  troubled  on  account  of  his 

faithful  services,  and  had  determined  in  his 

I  heart  to  prophesy  no  more  in  the  name  of 

I  the  Lord;  but  when  he  saw  that  the  people 

'  were  ungodly  and  neither  acted  nor  spoke 

■aright,  he  said,   "God's  word  was  in  my 

[  heart  as  a  burning  lire  shut  up  in  ray  bones, 

and  I   was   weary  with   forbearing  and  I 

could  not  stay,"  Jer.  20:  9.  . 

I     Again,  also  holy  Paul  says,  "  AVo  is  unto 

me,  if  I  preach  not  the  gospel !  For  if  I  do 

this  thing  willingly,  I  have  a  reward;  but  if 

against  my  will,  a  Llispensation  of  the  gospel 

is  committed  unto  me,"  1  Cor.  9:  16. 

I      Behold,  my  good  reader,  all  who  by  such 

a  power  are  touched  in  their  hearts,  who  are 

moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  who  are  pressed 

by  love  to  God  and  man,  and  urged  by  the 

Lord  himself,  or  ])y  his  spotless  christian 

chui'ch;  or  are  called  to  the  service  of  the 

I  Lord  by  an  unblamable,'  truly  believing, 

chiistian   church,   to   rightly  teach   in  the 

house  of  God;  that  is,  the  church  of  Jesus 

Christ,  with  sound  doctrine,  and  by  a  pious 

and  imblamable conduct,  admonish,  rebuke, 

reprove  and  comfort  them  in  paternal  love; 

{ to  set  forth  and  administer  the  Lord's  holy 

'  baptism  and  Supper,  in  a  right  manner;  to 

\  repel  diligently,  with  God's  word,  all  delud- 

!  ing  and  false  teachers;   and  to  exclude  all 

evil  members  fi'om  the  communion  of  the 

godly,  &c.     To  such,  the  word  of  Christ  is, 

:  As  my  Father  hath  sent  me,  even  so  send  I 

I  you;  -wdthout  such  a  sending,  no  one  can 

I  ever  rightly  preach  the  gospel,  as  Paul  says, 


SENDING  PREACHERS. 


55 


"How   shall  they   pipa<'li   except  tliey  he' 
sent?" 

Yes,  it  was  witli  this  sending  and  railing 
that  all  the  prophets,  apostles  and  servants 
of  God  came  forth.  They  assnnicd  not  tlie 
honor  to  themselves,  as  do  the  preachers 
of  this  world  ;  Init  like  Aaron,  they  were 
called  by  God,  or,  as  has  been  said,  by  the 
spotless  chnrch.  They  were  bronght  by  the 
spirit  of  God,  with  pions  hearts,  into  his 
service;  thej^  had  always  esteemed  them- 
selves nntit  to  serve  the  people  of  God.  or 
stand  forth  in  snch  a  high  and  responsible 
station. 

When  Moses  was  called  of  the  Lord,  that 
he  might  lead  ont  the  people,  he  refused 
from  his  heart,  he  excnsed  himself  and  de- 
clined, because  he  was  of  a  slow  tongue;  he 
desired  not  the  office  to  which  the  Lord  had 
chosen  him,  yea,  he  resisted  so  long  that 
the  Lord  was  angiy,  Exod.  4:  10 — 15. 

Isaiah  was  confounded  because  he  was  to 
preach  the  word  of  the  Lord.  He  lamented 
that  he  was  of  nnclean  lips  till  the  angel 
purged  them  witli  a  coal  from  off  the  holy 
altar,  Isa.  G:  C. 

Jeremiah  was  called  and  prepared  from 
his  birth  of  God,  to  be  a  prophet;  he  said, 
Ah  Lord  God!  I  am  not  tit  to  preach,  for  I 
am  but  a  child,  Jer.  1 :  6. 

Peter  was  asked  by  the  Lord  three  times, 
if  he  loved  him,  before  he  gave  him  charge 
of  his  sheep,  John  21:  15. 

Paul  was  called  from  heaven,  and  ap- 
pointed by  the  Lord  himself  in  the  service 
of  the  Gospel ;  for  the  Lord  chose  him  as 
suitable  for  the  ministry.  Acts  9:  3. 

Matthias  was  chosen  throngh  the  zealous 
prayers  of  the  church,  and  the  lots  of  the 
apostles,  to  be  an  apostle  in  the  place  of 
.  Judas,  Acts  1:  20. 

All  who  are  not  sent  of  God,  nor  by  an 
unblamalile  christian  church,  conformably 
to  the  regulations  of  Christ  and  the  apostles 
are  not  called,- as  above  said.  Such  are  not 
called  by  the  Holy  Ghost;  by  the  pure,  un- 
feigned love  of  God  and  their  brethren;  and 
with  a  correct  knowledge  and  zeal  for  the 
divine  word;  but  they  enter  upon  it  with  a 
temporal,  sensual  life,  seeking  mUn's  faror, 
praise,  money  and  profit.  They  will  never 
gather  fruit  in  the  vineyard  of  the  Lord, 
though  they  may  be  learned  in  language. 


eloquent  and  esteemed  as  gi'eat  and  excel- 
lent men.  But  all  that  they  attempt  is  lost 
labor.  The}^  will  rise  too  early,  or  go  out 
too  late,  their  calling  is  powerless,  their 
service  is  vain,  th<'ir  labor  without  fruit, 
yea,  it  is  nothing  but  sowing  by  the  way, 
and  beating  against  the  wind;  for  no  one 
can  serve  in  this  liigli  and  holy  office,  con- 
formably to  God's  will,  except  those  Avhom 
the  Lord  of  the  vineyard  has  made  worthy 
and  fit,  by  the  spirit  of  his  grace. 

Since  then,  this  sending  is  the  true  send- 
ing and  calling,  which  is  taught  in  the  Scrip- 
tures, as  has  been  observed,  we  faitlifidh' 
counsel  the  reader,  that  in  the  pure  fear  of 
God,  he  would  mark  what  kind  of  people 
their  teachers  are;  of  whom,  in  what  way, 
and  to  what  the,y  are  called.  For  it  is  mani- 
fest that  some  of  them  are  useless,  haughty, 
lustful  men;  some  are  avaricious,  usurers, 
liars,  deceivers,  others  again  are  drunkards, 
gamblers,  licentious,  open  seducers,  idola- 
^  ters,(Sre.,  concerning  whom  it  stands  written. 
If  they  repent  not,  thej^  shall  not  inherit  the 
kingdom  of  God,  1  Cor.  6:  9, 10.  Some  also, 
;  are  idle  proiiigates,  young  and  haughty, 
wholly  unlearned  in  the  Scri]itures  ;  and 
were  anointed  and  shaven  hj  anti-christ, 
when  they  obtain  a  little  knowledge  of  the 
j  Latin  tongue,  like  as  if  the  qualifications 
I  for  the  ministry  and  for  the  care  of  our  souls, 
were  not  to  be  founded  upon  godliness  and 
the  gifts  of  grace,  Init  upon  language;  Oh 
no,  mj^  reader,  no,  their  foundation  must  be 
sought  for  more  deeply. 

Besides  this,  those  so  chosen,  de.sire  noth- 
ing but  a  sensual,  corrupt,  carnal  life,  dis- 
I  honest,   filthy  lucre   and   benefices,   which 
i  heretofore  anti-clu'ist  and  his  seiTants  have 
!  collected  together  and  multiplied  hy  means 
of  sorcery,  theft  and  robbery.* 

They  are  only  called  by  carnal  love,  favor 
and  faction;  one  has  a  son,  another  a  broth- 
er, a  third  a  favored  friend,  a  fourth  is  made 
willing  by  money  and  gifts. 

They  are  also  with  a  similar  spirit  in- 
stalled and  established  in  their  office ;  to 
j  wit,  with   eating,   drinking,   gormandizing 
i  and  luxiuy;  with  jjompous  greeting,  choir 
letters,  appellations,  presentations,  invest- 
itures, and  such  like   anti-christian  titles. 


■  That  is  Vfhixt  tlifi  priests  seek. 


SENDING  PREACHERS. 


But  by  whom  are  they  thus  called?  By  the 
church?  No.  Christ's  church  knows  no  such 
callings,  customs,  practices  and  teachers, 
but  they  are  called  by  the  assemblies  of  the 
impenitent,  the  haughty,  avaricious,  forni- 
cators, gamblers,  drunkards  and  idolaters, 
who  neither  know  God  nor  his  word,  but 
who  abuse,  persecute  and  hate  all  christian 
truth,  and  walk  after  the  hists  of  the  flesh.* 

Again,  to  what  are  they  called?  That  they 
may  preach  the  pure  word  of  God?  That 
they  may  go  before  the  poor  people,  witli 
doctrines  and  ct)nduct  consistent  with  the 
commands  of  Scripture?  O  no;  but  that  they 
ma}'  teach  the  doctrines  and  commandments 
of  men;  that  they  may  withstand  the  holy 
truth,  and  betray  the  pious  and  godly,  who 
refrain  from  the  broadway,  into  the  hands 
of  the  blood-thirsty ;  and  in  this  manner  as- 
siduously serve  and  support  the  dominion 
of  hell. 

My  beloved  reader,  why  shall  I  complain 
so  much;  it  is  yet  much  worse  than  I  can 
write.  One  blind  man  calls  another ;  one 
idolater  another;  one  ungodly  man,  anoth- 
er. It  is,  as  the  prophet  said,  deceivers, 
liars,  drunkards,  and  gluttons  are  good 
prophets  for  this  j)eople,  Mich.  2:  11. 

O  sensiial  preachers !  You  who  with  Korah, 
Dathan  and  Abiram  ran  imcalled,  particu- 
larly you  who  know  that  your  calling  and 
conduct  are  not  of  the  word  and  Spirit  of 
God,  judge  your  liearts  by  the  word  of  the 
Lord,  fear  his  rigid  punishment  and  severe 
sentence,  and  reflect  how  the  aforementioned 
persons,  for  the  same  reason,  were  fearfully 
destroyed  by  the  Lord  before  all  Israel, 
Num.  16:32. 

It  siiits  perverted  fleshly  ease  to  live  in 
voluptuousness  here  upon  earth,  witli  fat- 
tened bodies,  with  gloves  on  the  hands,  with 
ostentatious  show,  to  be  greeted  by  men  as 
doctor,  lord  and  master.  But  when  the  mes- 
senger of  death  shall  knock  at  the  door  of 
your  souls  and  say,  "give  an  account,"  you 
win  no  longer  remain  as  stewards  and  hire- 
lings ;  then  you  must  appear  before  the 
throne  of  the  eternal  Majesty,  and  the  poor 
miserable  souls  which  you  have  led  out  of 
the  true  way  of  Christ,  with  your  lying 
mouths,  youi- rmbelieving,  l)]ind  hearts,  sen- 


*  Observe  by  whom  the  priests  arc  clinsen. 


sual,  corrapt  bodies,  false  and  deceiving 
doctrine,  idolatries,  sorceries,  and  rrngodly 
wanton  lives.  O  where  will  you  conceal 
yourselves  from  the  wrath  of  God?  Then 
shall  you  cry,  O  ye  mountains  fall  upon  us, 
and  ye  hills  cover  us.  Rev.  6:  16.  O  then 
you  will  know  what  kind  of  calling  you  had ; 
what  kind  of  life  you  led,  that  you  served  no 
other  God  than  your  belly,  the  devil,  and 
your  selfish  evil  flesh,  that  you  came  un- 
called, that  you  have  sought  nothing  but 
the  milk,  wool  and  flesh  of  the  sheep,  and 
that  one  blind  man  has  led  another,  till 
both  have  fallen  into  the  abyss  of  the  eter- 
nal wrath  of  Almighty  God,  and  the  tor- 
ments of  hell. 

O  precious  souls  awake  and  fear  God,  for 
the  hoi;r  draws  near  that  your  momentary 
laugh  will  be  changed  into  an  everlasting- 
weeping;  these  short  lived  joys  to  eternal 
pain,  and  this  easy,  carnal  life  to  death  and 
endless  wo.  Jude  says,  "Wo  unto  them! 
for  they  liave  gone  in  the  way  of  Cain,  and 
ran  greedily  after  the  error  of  Balaam  for 
reward,  and  perished  in  the  gainsaying  of 
Core."  Again,  to  them  "is  reserved  the 
blackness  of  darkness  for  ever,"  Jude  1: 
11,  13. 

Behold,  beloved  sirs,  friends  and  breth- 
ren, we  openly  declare  that  the  sending  and 
calling  of  your  preachers  are  neither  of  God 
nor  his  word,  but  are  from  anti-christ,  tlie 
dragon  and  the  beast ;  that  they  are  not 
called  to  preach  the  word  of  the  Lord,  by 
the  Spirit  of  God,  and  the  church,  biit  they 
are  called  and  lu-ged  by  their  lusts  with  the 
priests  of  Jeroboam,  to  worship  the  golden 
calf,  2  Chron.  13:  8,  9.  They  enter  not  in  by 
the  right  door,  therefore,  the  Scriptures  testi- 
fy that  they  are  thieves  and  robbers,  John 
10:  8. 

Since  then,  we  have  been  saved  out  of  the 
mouths  of  the  lions  and  bears  of  the  pit, 
and  out  of  the  snares  of  concealed  thieves 
and  robbers,  through  the  gi-eat  Shepherd  of 
the  sheep,  the  High  Priest  of  our  souls, 
Christ  Jesus,  and  are  now  upon  the  chosen 
and  fruitful  mountain  of  Israel,  and  the 
green  luxiulant  pastures  of  the  holy  word 
(the  Lord  be  eternally  thanked),  our  hun- 
gering consciences  have  been  fed  with  the 
food  of  eternal  life,  it  mxist  ever  be  a  con- 
demnable  folly  to  forsake  such  a  true  shep- 


THE  DOCTRINE  OF  THE  PREACHERS. 


m 


herd,  and  such  precious  pashu-es,  and  again 
enter  upon  tlie  barren  and  waste  deserts, 
under  the  false  sliepherd  who  does  nothing 
else  but  rob  and  deprive  God  of  his  glorj^ 
and  ruin  and  murder  our  ]ioor  miserable 
souls,  John  10:  10. 
This  I  have  said  particularly  in  relation 


to  the  PopisJi  x>Tiests.  'Wh&i  the  calling  and 
sending  of  the  Lutherans  and  Zuinglians  is, 
by  what  spirit  they  are  moved,  what  they 
seek,  and  what  fi-uits  of  repentance  they 
show  by  their  doctrines  and  sacraments,  we 
willingly  leave  all  the  godly  to  judge. 


THE  DOCTRINE  OF  THE  PREACHERS. 


As  I  have  presented  to  the  reader,  the  first 
part  in  relation  to  the  sending  and  calling 
of  a  true  preacher,  according  to  the  word  of 
God,  I  will  now,  through  the  grace  of  God, 
present  in  like  manner  the  second  part,  re- 
lating to  the  doctrine ;  for  there  is  but  little 
difference  between  their  calling  and  their 
doctrine,  as  the  calling  is,  even  so,  most 
commonly,  is  the  doctrine. 

Where  the  spirit  of  God  m-ges  or  moves 
to  preach,  there  will  the  word  be  incorrupt- 
ibly  taught  in  the  power  of  God;  an.d  up- 
right children  of  the  spirit  will  thereby  be 
born.  But  where  flesh  and  blood  calls,  there 
will  a  carnal  doctrine  be  taught  and  carnal 
disciples  will  be  made,  for  that  like  pro- 
duces like  is  incontrovertible.  I  deem  it  un- 
necessary here  to  prove  this  with  much 
scripture,  for  their  actions  bear  testimony. 

The  Scriptures  plainly  show  how  a  preach- 
er rightly  called  by  the  word  of  God  is  to 
rightly  teach  that  word  without  perverting 
glosses,  without  any  mingling  of  leaven;  as 
Peter  says,  "If  any  man  speak,  let  him 
speak  as  the  oracles  of  God,"  1  Peter  4:  11. 
,  They  are  the  children  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
who  speak  the  word  of  the  Spirit,  as  Christ 
said,  "It  is  not  ye  that  speak, but  the  Spirit 
of  your  Father  which  speaketh  in  you," 
Matt.  10:  20.  "For  he  whom  God  hath  sent 
speaketh  the  words  of  God,"  John  3:  34.  To 
preach  the  word  salutarily  and  unblamably , 
is  one  of  the  highest  and  greatest  commands 
enjoined  by  Christ.  He  said,  "  Go  ye  in  all 
the  world,  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every 
creature,"  Mark  16:  15. 
,  The  Gospel,  the  word  of  God,  preached 
\/  unmingled,  in  the  power  of  the  spirit,  is  the 
8 


only  right,  true  seed  from  which  are  born 
the  truly  believing  and  obedient  children  of 
God.  If  the  church  of  Christ  brings  forth 
children  from  the  doctrine  of  man,  and  not 
from  God's  word,  she  is  not  faithful  unto 
Christ,  and  her  children  are  not  of  his  seed. 

Therefore  may  nothing  else  be  preached 
in  Christ's  kingdom  and  house,  the  church, 
except  her  King  and  husband's  own  com- 
mands and  words,  according  to  which  she 
and  all  her  servants  must  conform. 

This  command  and  word  (I  say),  Christ 
commanded  all  true  messengers  and  preach- 
ers to  observe,  as  he  spoke;  Preacli  the 
gospel.  He  does  not  say,  preach  the  doc- 
trines and  commands  of  man;  preach  coun- 
cils and  customs;  preacli  glossy  ordinances 
and  opinions  of  the  learned,  but  he  says, 
"Preach  the  gospel,"  and  "teach  them  to 
observe  all  things  whatsoever  I  have  com- 
manded you,"  Matt.  28:  20. 

My  faithful  reader,  observe  that  all  the 
true  servants  of  God,  both  of  the  Old  and 
New  Testaments,  taught  nothing  but  God's 
word,  as  may  be  seen  and  read  in  many 
places  in  the  Scriptiu'es. 

Moses  was  found  faithful  of  God  in  all  his 
house.  He  regulated  and  taught  nothing 
which  God  had  not  before  commanded  him. 
Num.  12:7;  Heb.  3:2. 

Isaiah,  and  aU  of  the  other  prophets,  testi- 
fied in  many  places  what  kind  of  doctrine 
they  taught,  and  from  whom  they  had  re- 
ceived it ;  and  said.  Thus  saith  the  Lord 
your  God,  who  brought  you  out  of  the  land 
of  Egypt ;  thus  spake  the  Lord  of  Hosts, 
Again  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  has  spoken  it. 
Paul  dare  not  speak  of  any  thing  which 


68 


THE  DOCTRINE  OP  THE  PREACHERS. 


Christ  had  not  wrought  throu.gh  him,  Rora. 
15:  IS.  Yea,  Christ  himself  did  not  teach 
Ms  word,  but  the  word  of  his  father,  he 
said,  My  doctrine  is  not  mine,  bnt  is  of  him 
who  sent  me,  "All  things  that  I  have  heard 
of  ray  Father,  I  have  made  known  nnto 
you,"  John  7:  16;  15:  15.  Since  then  the 
true  messengers  of  God,  taught  nothing  but 
the  word  of  the  Lord,  wliich  is  the  only  doc- 
trine from  Avhicli  our  souls  can  obtain  eter- 
nal life,  as  the  Lord  said,  Deut.  8:3.  So  it 
is  easily  here  to  mark  and  jiidge  what  kind 
of  teachers  they  are  who  direct  the  poor  un 
cultivated  people  to  legends,  histories,  fa- 
bles, holydays,  images,  lioly  water,  tapers, 
palms,  confessions,  pilgrimages,  masses, 
matins  and  vespers;  who  teach  of  purgato- 
Yj,  vigils,  times,  bulls,  offerings,  and  satis- 
faction for  souls  and  sins,  who  also  make  a 
piece  of  bread  and  a  di-ink  of  wine,  to  be 
the  essential  body  and  blood  of  Clirist;  who 
teach  and  saj^  that  when  they  have  but  spo- 
ken these  words,  Hoc  est  corpus  mmm  {tin's 
■is  my  hocTtj),  the  Lord,  willing  or  not  will- 
ing, must  descend  unto  their  idolatrous 
hands,  even  though  the  Heavens  should 
rend  assunder,  and  the  earth  crumble  down, 
O  blasphemy! 

0  dear  Lord !  my  heart  trembles  in  my 
liodj^,  that  I  must  relate  and  mention  such 
terrible  abominations.  But  because  the 
simple  plain  people,  who  do  not  guard 
themselves  against  such  sediicers;  who,  con- 
scientiousl}^  are  bound  hand  and  foot,  and 
are  blindly  rushed  into  eternal  death,  and 
the  abyss  of  hell,  b}^  these  useless  men, 
therefore  I  cannot  remain  silent,  but  must 
disclose  this,  through  undissembled  love 
to  God  and  your  souls.  AVho  knows  but 
God  may  give  grace  that  yon.  maj^  be  pre- 
vailed upon  to  hear,  your  eyes  opened  to 
see,  and  your  hearts  to  understand,  that 
you  may  be  freed  from  the  snares  of  the 
devil,  whei'eby  you  are  taken. 

Yes,  my  dear  reader,  they  have  made 
lords,  princes,  and  the  world  drunk  by  their 
cup,  Rev.  17:  2,  and  have  corai^letely  be- 
witched them,  so  that  all  who  turn  from 
their  shame,  and  would  not  pervert  the 
honor  of  their  Savior,  by  a  piece  of  bread, 
all  who  shun  false  teachers,  and  desire  the 
salutary  administration  of  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per, as  above  said,  will  ]ie  upbraided  by  all 


men,  as  profaners  of  the  holy  Sacrament, 
and  they  must  suffer  and  be  lianished,  as 
degraded  and  accursed  heretics. 

O  blind  leader  I  you,  Avho  during  j'our 
life  have  not  rightly  understood  one  sentence 
of  the  word  of  the  Lord,  nor  have  received 
one  ray  fi-om  his  spirit,  but  have  trodden 
the  kingdom  of  God  with  your  feet,  and 
have  thrust  it  from  yoir  with  your  horns, 
Ezek.  34:  21.  How  truly  are  you  associates 
of  those  of  whom  it  stands  written,  that  they 
say,  "We  have  made  a  covenant  with  death, 
and  with  hell  are  we  at  agi'eement;  when  the 
overflowing  scourge  shall  pass  through,  it 
shall  not  come  unto  us;  for  we  have  made 
lies  our  refuge,  and  under  falsehood  have 
we  hid  oiu'selves,"  Isa.  28:  15;  again,  "Wo 
unto  them  that  call  evil  good,  and  good 
evil;  that  put  darkness  for  light,  and  light 
for  darkness,"  Isa.  5:  20.  "Wo  unto  you, 
for  ye  shut  up  the  kingdom  of  Heaven 
against  men,"  said  Christ,  Matt.  23:  13,  and 
make  the  poor  souls  err  from  the  Avay.  Yet 
again.  Wo  unto  .you! 

However,  I  ana  not  much  astonished  that 
such  persons  teach  such  shameful  doctrine, 
since  tlie}^  have  neither  known  Christ  nor 
his  word,  but  they  hold  and  teach  all  things 
as  they  were  taught  from  youth  up,  out  of 
the  old  usages,  and  the  papistical  laws.  But 
that  which  grieves  me  most,  is,  that  those 
also  who  now  are  aware  in  part  of  the  hid- 
den whoredom  of  the  Babylonian  woman, 
and  have  put  from  them  some  of  her  abomi- 
nations, yet  cling  to  human  sophistry,  so 
that  they  can  neither  be  moved  nor  taught, 
with  the  powerful  word  of  God,  with  the 
unblamable  lives,  the  candid  professions, 
or  the  innocent  blood  of  so  many  godly 
saints.  Nevertheless,  some  of  j^ou,  have,  at 
times,  to  yield  to  the  truth  with  stopped 
mouths  and  subdued  hearts,  but  still  ye 
cease  not  to  upbraid,  defame,  and  belie, 
with  enviotis  tongues  and  slanderous  lips, 
the  bright,  clear  truth  of  Christ,  and  the 
pious  children  of  God,  before  your  carnal, 
blind  churches  which  are  of  like  calling 
with  yourselves.  This  also  jowv  writers  do 
'  as  may  be  seen  and  heard  every  where.  Be- 
sides, I  fear  that  they  are  not  less  guilty 
\  than  the  papists  in  moving  the  lords,  prin- 
j  ces  and  ruling  powers,  by  commissions, 
!  complaints,  revilings,   outcries,   and   writ- 


THE  DOCTRINE  OF  THE  PREACHERS. 


59 


ings,  to  persecute  the  Lamb  of  God,  and 
his  chosen,  Rev.  17:  6;  and  to  cause  an  up- 
roar, when  their  deceiving  leaven,  particu- 
larly the  calf  worship  of  their  infant  bap- 
tism, and  their  unfounded  supper,  is  reject- 
ed. Let  each  one  behold  for  himself  and 
learn  to  know  them  rightly.  I  know  of  a 
truth  that  they  are  without  the  Spirit,  the 
sending,  or  the  word  of  Christ;  for  I  am 
sensible  how  nialicioiis  they  generally  are 
toward  those  who  are  rightly  led,  who  fear 
the  Lord  with  all  their  heart  and  who  would 
gladly  become  christians.  In  their  doctrines 
and  deeds  they  seek,  not  less  than  the  pa- 
pists, friendsliii>  of  man,  honor,  pomp, 
l50unti("s,  tine  houses,  and  an  easy  licen- 
tious life. 

O  my  beloved  reader,  these  are  not  the 
teachers  who  lead  many  to  righteoiisness, 
and  who  shall  shine,  as  the  light  of  heaven 
and  as  the  stars,  now  and  in  eternity,  Dan. 
13:  13.  For  I  know  not  where  a  single  con- 
gTegation  shall  be  found  wliich  they  have 
led  with  their  doctrines  and  conduct  to  re- 
penting lives,  and  to  the  worship  of  God. 
Tlieii'  gTeat  clamor  is  against  the  pope  and 
his  cardinals,  bishops,  priests  and  mohks. 
Moreover,  all  those  who  gladly  seek  the 
best  for  their  poor  souls,  must  be  upbraided 
by  them,  as  profaners  of  the  sacraments, 
nnabaptists,  fanatics,  and  heretics,  who 
through  the  word  of  God,  reprove  tlieir  de- 
ceiving doctrines,  idolatrous  sacraments, 
and  idle  lives. 

Yea,  when  thev  can  lind  but  one  ( tliough 
cut  off),  who  was  before  united  with  the 
people  of  God,  but  who  has  now  fallen  into 
some  vice,  they  judge  and  sentence  all  the 
godly  by  this  one;  Behold!  say  they,  Avhat 
manner  of  people  they  are.  They  seek  noth- 
ing so  much  as  to  find  cause  of  censm-e; 
tlierefore,  they  look  upon  Judas,  but  not 
lip  on  Peter,  Andrew  and  John  ;  they  do 
not  regard  what  manner  of  people  they  are 
themselves,  nor  what  kind  of  disciples  they 
have. 

Besides,  it  is  nothing  but  the  grace,  favor, 
mercy,  and  the  love  of  God,  that  they  teach 
and  preach  to  their  covetous,  proud,  gor- 
geous, impure,  dnmken,  and  impenitent 
church,  not  observing  that  sucli  as  they  are, 
cannot  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God,  as  the 
whole  Scriptures  testify ;  they  also  strength- 


en the  hands  of  the  wicked,  so  that  no  one 
repents  of  his  wickedness,  as  the  prophet 
lamented. 

O  ye  useless  uuprolitable  teachers,  who 
are  believed  to  bear  the  vessels  of  the  Lord, 
these  my  words  are  to  you !  AVhy  do  you 
declaim  so  much  of  faith  and  love,  whose 
fruit  you  so  greatly  hate  and  dislike?  If 
you  have  the  fear  and  unfeigned  love  of 
God,  let  them  appear  and  be  made  mani- 
fest through   your  words.      Say,  beloved 
preachers!  AVhere  is  your  christian  humil- 
ity, your  godly,  christian   zeal,  pleasure, 
peace  and  joy  in  Christ  Jesus? 
I      Where  is  your  mercy  which  you  shew? 
where  are  the  naked  whom  you  have  cloth- 
ed, the  hungry  whom  you  have  fed,  and  tlie 
needy  whom  you  have  entertained?  Matt. 
I  25 :  41 — 43.     Where  are  the  lost  whom  you 
;  have  again  sought,  the  wounded  whom  you 
\  have  bound  up,  and  the  sick  whom  you 
:  have  healed?  Ezek.  34:  4.    Where  is  yoiu- 
I  unblamable,  pious  life  which  is  from  God? 
j  That  which  you  preach,  perform  and  do, 
is  for  the  most  part  idle  hypocrisy. 

Some  of  you  approve  in  some  degree,  of  a 

pious,  clnistian  life,  preach  also  much  of 

Christ,  of  his  merits,  spirit  and  grace,  and 

are  yourselves,  manifestly  those  who  lead  a 

'  gTOss,  carnal  life,  who  crucify  Christ  anew, 

I  grieve  his  spirit,  and  despise  liis  grace,  as 

'  may  be  seen. 

j      O  preachers,  i)reachers  I   how  aptly  has 
\  the  Holy  Ghost  likened  you  to  diy  wells 
and  empty  clouds  fi-oni  which  no  water  can 
be  obtained,  and  to  unfruitful  trees  from 
which  no  fruit  can  be  taken,  2  Pet.  2:  17; 
Jude  1:  12.     I  know  not  to  what  you  may 
be  more  suitably  comj^ared,  than  to  a  wom- 
an wiio  lives  in  all  manner  of  shame  and 
wantonness,  and  yet  talks  much  about  mod- 
esty, decency  and  virtue:   Should  not  her 
words  be  regarded  as  mockery  ?  Might  it 
not  be  said,  why  do  you  talk  of  modesty 
,  and  cliastity,  since  you  are  full  of  all  man- 
!  ner  of  immodesty  and  shame? 

AVe  are  well  aware  that  you  have  demol- 
'  ished  some  of  the  little  idols  of  Babylon, 
I  such  as  the  Roman  ablution,  tlie  invocation 
of  departed  saints,  vile  puritication,  ab- 
staining from  meats,  and  thc^  like  self-right- 
j  eousness,  idolatry,  and  other  superstitions, 
I  but,  alas,  the  horrible  blasphemy  and  abom- 


■■/ 


60 


THE  DOCTRINE  OF  THE  PREACHERS. 


inations  are  still  retained;  sncli  as  accm-sed 
unbelief,  obstinacy,  eartlily-mindedness,  un- 
scriptural  infant  baptism,  the  idolatrous 
supper,  and  the  impenitent,  old  life  wliicli 
is  of  tlie  flesh. 

Therefore,  we  testify  with  the  truth  and 
declare  that  you  are  not  ambassadors  of 
God  nor  teachers  of  Clmst.  For  it  is  plain 
that  you  reject  the  word  and  ordinances  of 
the  Lord,  and  run  of  yourselves,  Jer.  8:  6, 
and  have  pastured  yoiu-selves  under  the 
name  and  appearance  of  the  evangelical 
shepherds  of  the  Lord,  and  have  led  to 
destruction  so  many  hundi-eds  of  thousands 
of  soiils,  through  your  wanton  doctrine,  idol- 
atrous sacraments,  and  carnal  lives. 

But  the  teachers  who  are  sent  of  God,  and 
who  have  been  rightly  called,  teach  the  word 
of  God  in  purity,  abide  in  its  holy  ordinan- 
ces, and  live  (after  their  weakness)  unblam- 
ably,  for  they  are  born  of  God,  and  are 
'^  taught  and  moved  by  his  Holy  Spirit,  they 
seek  neither  gold,  nor  possessions,  neither 
an  easy  life  nor  earthly  applause,  they  wait 
upon  their  enjoined  duties  with  all  eai-nest- 
ness,  they  fear  God  from  the  heart,  seek 
their  neighbor  with  fidelity ;  they  are  armed 
with  the  weapons  of  righteousness,  on  the 
right  hand  and  on  the  left,  Rom.  6:  7.  They 
deal  without  respect  to  persons.  The  pow- 
erful, sharp  sword  of  the  divine  word,  cuts 
out  of  their  moiith;  it  is  a  shining  lantern 
in  their  hands ;  they  are  taught  in  light- 
eousness,  are  full  of  all  spiritual  wisdom; 
they  divide  the  good  from  the  evil ;  the  holy 
from  the  imholy,  and  tlie  dean  from  the  un- 
clean. In  short,  they  shine  in  doctrine  and 
conduct,  even  as  from  the  beginning  till  the 
present  time,  it  has  been  written  and  re- 
marked of  all  true  prophets,  apostles  and 
servants  of  God. 

O  dear  Lord,  how  lovely  are  those  pas- 
tors and  teachers  who  seek  nothing  else  but 
the  extension  of  the  kingdom  of  God;  who 
rightly  preach  the  word  of  repentance  and 
grace,  that  tiny  may  win  many  souls ;  and 
for  this  end,  they  expose  their  reputation, 
houses,  property,  persons  and  lives. 

These  are  they,  who,  with  Christ,  the 
chief  shepherd,  gather  together  and  feed  his 
lambs ;  but  the  others  are  those  who  scatter 
and  destroy  them.  They  are  prophets,  but 
not  of  God;  they  preach,  but  not  out  of  the 


Lord's  mouth.  They  sti-engthen  the  hands 
of  the  rmgodly.  They  destroy  the  souls  who 
should  have  eternal  life,  and  encourage  those 
who  must  forever  die;  and  this  they  do  for 
handfuls  of  barley  and  pieces  of  bread. 
They  preach  to  the  people  peace  when  there 
is  no  peace.  Therefore,  shall  they  stand  in 
shame,  who  follow  such  abominations,  al- 
though they  yet  are  not  ashamed  and  yet 
forbear  to  blush,  Ezek.  13:  16. 

Behold,  dear  reader,  since  they  so  shame- 
fully deprive  Christ  of  his  honor  and  gain, 
and  scatter  his  sheep,  and,  with  the  sword 
of  their  deceiving  doctrines,  destroy  the  poor 
souls  who  are  so  greatly  loved  by  the  Lord, 
for  whom  he  so  earnestly  seeks,  and  whom 
he  so  dearly  purchased.  Since  they  so  en- 
viously war  against  the  word  and  ordinan- 
ces of  the  Lord,  we  say  and  teach  with 
Cluist,  "  Let  them  alone;  they  be  blind  lead- 
ers of  the  blind."  Guard  yourselves  against 
such  false  prophets ;  for  though  they  come 
in  the  appearance  of  sheep,  they  are  never- 
theless, inwardly  ravening  wolves.  They 
are  the  strangers  whose  voice  Christ's  sheep 
know  not.  They  are  those  of  whom  Paul 
warns  us  and  says,  "Now  I  beseech  you, 
brethren,  mark  them  which  cause  divisions 
and  offences  contrary  to  the  doctrine  which 
you  have  learned ;  and  avoid  them ;  for  they 
that  are  such  serve  not  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  but  their  own  belly;  and  by  good 
words  and  fair  speeches  deceive  the  hearts 
of  the  simple,"  Rom.  16:  17,  18. 

Again,  John  says,  ''Whosoever  trans- 
gresseth,  and  abideth  not  in  the  doctrine  of 
Christ,  hath  not  God.  If  there  come  any 
luito  you,  and  bring  not  this  doctrine,  re- 
ceive him  not  into  your  house,  neither  bid 
him  God  speed,  for  he  that  biddeth  him  God 
speed,  is  partaker  of  his  evil  deeds,"  2  John 
1:  9,  10,  11. 

The  word  of  God,  abundantly  exhorts  us 
that  we  should  leave  such  and  beware  of 
them;  shun  their  voice  and  retreat  from 
them,  and  not  take  them  into  oiu"  houses, 
as  has  been  said.  If  we  are  Christ's  sheep 
and  the  children  of  the  Holy  Spirit;  so  must 
we  even  hear  Christ's  voice,  and  follow  after 
and  obey  the  monitions  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Reflect  how  sincerely  holy  Paul  admonished 
the  Philipijians,  that  they  should  guard 
j  against  strife,  evil  doers,  and  the  concision. 


THE  CONDUCT  OF  PKEACHERS. 


61 


He  taught  tlie  true  servants  of  God  that  they 
should  shun  those,  who  failed  no  fiu-ther  (as 
it  appears)  than  that  they  out  of  zeal,  with- 
out knowledge,  held  fast  to  the  circumcision 
which  they  had  received  from  their  fathers, 
and  would  not  admit  that  it  should  be  abol- 
ished through  Chi'ist,  for  this  he  sharply  re- 


proves them.  How  much  more  earnestly  it 
becomes  us  to  beware  of  them,  who  deceive 
the  whole  world,  who  upbraid  and  persecute 
the  godly,  and  crucify  all  truth,  against  all 
false  teachers  and  blasphemers  of  God,  who 
urge,  institute  and  jjractice  all  manner  of 
idolatrous  and  abominable  doctrine. 


THE  CONDUCT  OF  PREACHERS. 


As  you  have  just  heard  the  groimd  of  the 
calling  and  doctrines  of  the  preachers,  we 
will  proceed,  and  through  the  gi-ace  of  God 
point  out  by  the  Scriptm-es  how  the  trite 
apostles,  bishops,  teachers  and  pastors,  in 
the  church  of  Christ,  should  conduct  them- 
selves in  their  deportment  and  lives ;  it  is 
not  enough  that  a  man  appears  to  speak 
much  of  the  word  of  the  Lord,  but  what  he 
says  must  also  be  maintained  by  a  devout 
and  unblamable  conduct,  as  the  Scriptures 
teach. 

Thus  says  Paul,  "But  I  keep  under  my 
body,  and  bring  it  into  subjection;  lest  that 
by  any  means,  when  I  have  preached  to 
others,  I  myself  should  be  a  cast-away,"  1 
Cor.  9:  '27.  If  it  becomes  the  hearers  and 
discij)les  to  lead  an  unblamable  life,  how 
much  more  does  it  become  teachers,  because 
they  rule  the  hearers  and  are  their  over- 
seers; as  Paul  says,  "  Remember  them  which 
have  the  rule  over  yoTi,  who  have  spoken 
unto  you  the  word  of  God;  whose  faith  fol- 
low, considering  the  end  of  their  conversa- 
tion," Heb.  13:7. 

He  also  admonishes  Timothy  thereto,  and 
says,  "Let  no  man  despise  thy  youth;  but 
be  thou  an  example  of  the  believers,  in 
word,  in  conversation,  in  charity,  in  spirit, 
in  faith,  in  purity,"  1  Tim.  4:  12.  In  all 
things  shewing  thyself  a  pattern  of  good 
works;  in  doctrine,  shewing  uncorruptness, 
gravity,  sincerity,  &c..  Tit.  2:  7.  For  it  is 
undoubtedly  proper,  if  any  one  teaches  and 
reproves  others,  that  he  first  himself  be 
rightly  taught  and  unblamable,  as  Paul 
teaches,  "If  a  man  desire  the  office  of  a 
bishop  he  deslreth  a  good  work.    A  bishop 


then  must  be  blameless,  the  husband  of  one 
wife  vigilant,  sober,  of  good  behavior,  given 
to  hospitality,  apt  to  teach;  not  given  to 
wine,  no  striker,  not  greedy  of  lilthy  lucre; 
but  patient,  not  a  brawler,  not  covetous;  one 
that  ruleth  well  his  own  house,  having  his 
children  in  subjection  with  all  gravity;  for 
if  a  man  know  not  how  to  riile  his  own 
house,  how  shall  he  take  care  of  the  chiirch 
of  God  ?  Not  a  novice,  lest  being  lifted  up 
with  pride,  he  fall  into  the  condemnation  of 
the  devil.  Moreover,  he  must  have  a  good 
report  of  them  which  are  without;  lest  he 
fall  into  rei>roach  and  the  snare  of  the 
devil,  he  must  be  sober,  just,  holy,  tem- 
perate; holding  fast  the  faithful  word,  as 
he  hath  been  taught,  tliat  he  may  be  able 
by  sound  doctrine,  both  to  exhort  and  to 
convince  the  gainsay ers ;  even  so  must  their 
wives  be  grave,  not  slanderers,  sober,  faith- 
ful in  all  things,"  1  Tim.  3:  1—11;  Titus 
1:8,9. 

Behold  dear  reader,  it  is  requisite  that 
every  preacher  and  teacher,  who  would 
rightly  govern  and  rule  in  the  church  of 
God,  be  thus  qualified;  for  if  any  one  were 
to  reprove  and  teach  others,  and  is  himself 
not  blameless  and  is  ignorant;  he  will  just- 
ly have  to  hear;  AVhy  do  you  teach  others 
and  teach  not  yourself  first!  Thou  teachest 
a  man  should  not  steal,  and  thori  dost  steal. 
Thou  say  est  a  man  shoxild  not  commit  adul- 
tery, and  thou  dost.  Thou  adhorrest  idols, 
yet  thou  committest  sacrilege.  Thou  boast- 
est  of  the  law  of  God;  and  dishonorest  God 
by  breaking  the  law,  Rom.  2 :  21 — 23. 

All  those  thus  called,  who  are  in  doctrine 
sound,  and  unblamable  in  life,  may  teach, 


THE  CONDUCT  OF  PEEACHERS. 


exhort,  reprove,  root  up,  and  build  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord;  their  labors  will  not 
be  frnitless,  as  may  be  seen,  in  the  case  of 
Moses,  Samuel,  Elias,  Elisha,  Isaiah,  Jere- 
miah, Peter,  Paul,  John,  and  with  all  the 
true  prophets,  apostles  and  servants  of  God, 
who  preached  the  word  unblamably  in  the  | 
power  of  the  Spirit. 

Their  doctrine  cuts  like  a  shar]i  edged 
sword,  for  it  has  power,  it  is  fruitful,  has 
spirit  and  energy,  as  the  prophet  says,  "As 
the  rain  cometh  do^\Ti,  and  the  snow  from 
heaven,  and  returneth  not  thither,  but  water- 
eth  the  earth,  and  maketh  it  bring  forth  and 
bud,  that  it  may  give  seed  to  the  sower,  and 
bread  to  the  eater,  so  shall  my  word  be,  that 
goeth  forth  out  of  my  mouth;  it  shall  not 
retui'u  unto  me  void,  but  it  shall  accomplish 
that  which  I  please,  and  it  shall  prosper  in 
the  thing  whereto  I  sent  it,"  Isa.  55:  10,  11. 

Yea,  all  those  Avho  enter  the  vineyard  of 
the  Lord  with  such  a  sending  or  calling, 
and  with  such  a  spirit,  doctrine  and  con- 
duct, as  said,  are  the  shepherds  of  whom  it 
is  written,  "I  will  give  you  pastors  accord- 
ing to  mine  lieart,  which  shall  feed  you  with 
knowledge  and  understanding,"  Jer.  3:  15. 

They  are  the  teachers  who  turn  many  to 
righteousness;  and  they  shall  shine  as  the 
brightness  of  the  firmament,  as  the  stars 
forever,  Dan.  12:  3. 

They  are  the  spiiltual  streams,  and  the 
rivers  of  the  paradise  of  Christ,  which  issue 
from  the  fountains  of  the  paradise  of  God, 
to  irrigate  and  fertilize  tlie  whole  country, 
Gen.  2:  10—14. 

They  are  the  spiritual  posts  and  pillars 
in  the  court  of  the  tabernacle  of  Moses  Avith 
hangings  of  fine  twined  linen,  Exod.  27:  9. 

They  are  the  three  score  valiant  men,  of  the 
valiant  of  Israel,  who  are  around  Solomon's 
bed;  they  all  hold  swords;  being  expert  in 
war;  every  man  with  his  sword  upon  his 
thigh,  because  of  fear  in  the  night.  Cant. 
3:  7,  8. 

They  are  the  seven  horns  or  tiiimpets,  of 
the  golden  years,  before  whose  sounds, 
teaching  and  preaching,  the  walls  of  Jericho 
fell,  that  is,  all  false  doctrine,  all  powers 
and  dominions  raised  up  against  the  true 
Joshua,  Jesus  Christ,  and  his  people,  are 
brought  low,  Josh.  6:  10. 


They  are  the  beautiful  messengers  of 
peace,  who  preach  the  gospel  of  grace, 
favor,  mercy,  love,  and  peace,  and  bring 
glad  tidings  of  good  things,  to  us,  poor, 
miserable,  troubled  sinners,  Isaiah  52:  7; 
Rom.  10:  15. 

They  are  seven  mighty  mountains,  where- 
upon grow  roses  and  lilies,  whose  sweet 
scent  refi-eshes  with  joy  all  who  fear  the 
Lord,  2Esd.  2:19. 

They  are  the  splendid  crown  of  twelve 
stars  of  the  woman,  pregnant  and  in  travail. 
Rev.  12:  1,2. 

They  are  the  walls  of  the  new  and  heav- 
enly Jerusalem,  based  upon  the  twelve  foun- 
dations, that  is  upon  the  ground  and  doc- 
trine of  the  twelve  apostles.  Rev.  21:  14. 

See,  worthy  reader,  with  such  and  similar 
glorious  images  and  parables,  are  all  the 
pious  pastors  and  teachers  honored  in  the 
Scriptures,  wiiom  the  Holy  Ghost  has  or- 
dained as  bishoi)s  and  overseers  in  his 
chiu'ch,  congregation  and  hoxise. 

These  may  say  with  holy  Paul,  Follow  us 
as  we  are  the  followers  of  Christ,  "for  our 
exhortation  was  not  of  deceit,  nor  of  uu- 
cleanness,  nor  in  guile,  but  as  we  were  al- 
lowed of  God  to  be  put  in  trust  with  the 
gospel,  even  so  we  speak;  not  as  pleasing- 
men,  but  God,  who  trieth  our  hearts;  for 
neither  at  any  time,  used  we  flattering  words, 
as  you  know,  nor  a  cloak  of  covetousness ; 
God  is  witness.  Nor  of  men  sought  we 
glory,"2Thess.  2:  3— 0. 

I  repeat  it.  These  are  the.y  who  gather 
with  Christ  what  has  been  scattered,  bind 
up  the  wounded,  and  heal  the  sick,  for  they 
are  intiuenced  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  and 
urged  by  ttnfeigned  love.  They  are  vigilant, 
and  assiduous  in  the  discharge  of  entrusted 
duties.  They  fight  daily  with  the  weapon 
of  obedience.  They  tear  down,  break  and 
destroy  all  that  which  is  against  the  word 
of  Gocl,  not  by  external  power,  with  sword 
and  spear,  but  lay  the  preaching  of  the  holy 
word,  in  j)ower  and  spirit,  with  the  word  of 
the  Lord.  They  tiU,  sow,  water  and  plant. 
They  cut  down  what  is  ripe.  They  gather 
their  grain  and  sheaves,  and  carry  them  into 
the  Lord's  barn,  and  their  fntits  will  abide 
unto  eternal  life. 

Since  the  Scriptures  require  such  teachers, 


THE  CONDUCT  OF  PREACHERS. 


63 


as  before-nieutioiied,  it  is  then  indispen- 
sable, that  we  weigh  the  conduct  of  your 
preachers  in  the  l^alance,  and  determine 
their  actions,  by  the  phimmet  of  the  divine 
word,  before  your  own  eyes,  that  you  may 
discover  how  much  tliey  are  wanting  in  tlieir 
conduct  of  the  pattern  of  the  triie  bishops, 
preacliers  and  pastors,  spoken  of  b}^  Paid 
to  Timothy  and  Titus,  in  all  theii"  lives  and  i 
actions;  and  that  they  are  the  very  reverse, 
who,  without  spirit,  word,  work  or  truth, 
but  in  semblance  only,  are  so  called  of  the 
world. 

It  is  n\anifest,  beloved  reader,  tlint  tliey 
have  changed  the  meek  office  of  a  true  bisli- 
op,  preaclier  and  pastor,  which  is  an  office 
of  christian  service,  and  if  riglitly  attended 
to,  is  an  office  full  of  labor,  poverty,  trouble, 
care,  reproach,  miser}',  tribulation,  cross 
and  affliction,  into  ungodly  gorgeousness 
and  princely  glory,  that  tliey  may  be  great- 
l.y  respected  and  feared,  of  those  whose 
names  are  not  written  in  heaven,  to  this  end 
they  appear  in  splendid  robes;  are  dressed 
in  shining  garbs.  Rev.  13:  8;  are  called  by 
pompous  names,  and  use  in  their  services 
crosses,  ointments,  caps,  togas,  unclean  jra- 
rifications,  and  have  cloisters,  chapels,  bells, 
organs,  music,  masses,  offerings,  &c.,  of 
which  there  is  not  a  word  to  be  found  in 
the  Scriptm-es.  Under  these  splendid  trap- 
pings may  plainly  be  seen  the  slily,  croach- 
ing  wolf,  the  earthly,  sensual  mind,  the  anti- 
christian  seductions  and  bloody  abomina- 
tions ;  for  they  seek  nothing  but  the  favor  of 
men,  honor,  splendor,  vener3^  idleness,  self, 
gold,  silver,  gluttony,  &c.,  and  sutler  them- 
selves to  be  called  spiritual  doctors,  teach-  \ 
ers,  lords,  abbots,  guardians,  fathers  and  t 
priors. 

Alas!  how  vastly  they  do  differ  from  the 
prophets  and  apostles  in  their  office,  serv- 
ices, examples,  usages,  lives,  and  in  all  they 
did;  who  entered  the  vineyard  of  the  Lord  { 
without  purse,  without  money,  or  much 
clothing;  wlio  were  made  a  spectacle  to  tlie 
whole  world ;  and  for  Christ's  sake  were 
killed  all  the  day  long,  and  accounted  as 
sheep  for  tlie  slaughter  ;  as  ma}'  be  seen 
from  the  Scriptures. 

But  these  have  their  cliests  and  coffers 
full,  they  are  waxed  rich  through  the  abun- 
dance of  the  Babylonian  sorcery,  and  have  ■ 


become  princes  on  eartli.  Rev.  IS:  15.  In  all 
things  they  are  blamable,  violating  female 
chastity,  which  is  carried  on  to  such  an  un- 
blushing degree,  that  it  cannot  be  expressed; 
they  are  unchaste,  unmerciful,  malicious, 
scorners,  inifriendly,  unrighteous,  liars, 
drankards,  and  full  of  inordinate  desires. 
Their  tables  are  full  of  uncleanness,  as  Isa- 
iah the  prophet  says.  Their  hearts  are  full 
of  avarice,  and  they  are  malicious  towards 
those  who  will  not  contribute  to  their  sup- 
port. They  even  prepare  war  against  them, 
as  Micah  teaches ;  are  full  of  adultery ;  sit 
with  harlots  in  tlieir  houses;  beget  children 
illegitimately.  They  are  unbelieving,  re- 
fractory, proud,  ambitious;  obey  not  the 
word  of  the  Lord;  are  bound  with  the  cords 
of  the  devil,  and  there  are  many  who  have 
not  known  the  truth,  are  a  scandal  and  dis- 
grace to  the  world.  Their  dreadful,  abom- 
inalde  fruits  make  this  manifest  to  all.  They 
fight  against  Christ  and  his  word;  hate  all 
the  pious;  speak  reproachfully  of  all  those 
who  seek,  love,  and  fear  the  Lord  with  all 
their  hearts.  In  short,  it  is  impossible  to 
relate  all  their  abominable  crimes,  lewdness, 
ungodly  deeds,  private  and  public  vices,  in- 
famy and  abominations. 

O  dear  Lord!  how  much  nu)re  have  thej' 
become  the  reverse  of  the  upright  and  true 
bishops,  overseers  and  pastors,  although 
this  proud  generation  boast  that  they  can 
bring  Christ  down  from  lieaven,  reconcile 
God,  forgive  sins,  and  that  they  are  the  tiiie 
pillars,  heads  and  eyes  of  the  church. 

Although  I  have  WTitten  this  especially 
of  the  Roman  priests,  the  reader  should 
know,  that  I  cannot  acquit  those  in  any 
wise,  who  boast  of  the  word;  for  with  the 
exception  of  adultery  and  fornication,  and 
a  few  of  the  abuses  of  the  bread,  which 
are  not  found  with  them,  they  seek  and  de- 
sire, in  the  common  walks  of  life,  unreason- 
able gain  ;  they  idolize  Imptism  and  the 
Holjr  Slipper,  and  oppress,  backbite  and 
slander  the  jiifjus,  aliout  the  same  as  the 
others  do. 

Therefore,  I  fear  all  who  preach  for  money, 
and  Hatter  the  world,  are  the  spiritual  sor- 
cerers of  Egypt,  2  Tim.  3:  8,  priests  of  the 
groves,  servants  of  Baal,  and  prophets  of 
Jezebel,  destroyers  of  the  Lord's  vineyard, 
Jer.  12:  10,  defilers  of  the  land,  Jer.  23:  11, 


64 


THE  CONDUCT  OP  PREACHEES. 


blind  watdimen  and  dumb  dogs,  spoilers  of 
the  good  pastures,  they  trouble  the  clear 
waters,  are  devourers  of  souls,  Ezek.  22:  27, 
false  prophets  and  ravening  wolves,  devour- 
ers of  widows'  houses,  thieves  and  murder- 
ers, enemies  of  the  cross  of  Christ,  whose 
end  is  destruction,  whose  God  is  their  belly, 
and  whose  glory  is  in  their  shame,  who 
mind  earthly  things,  Phil.  3:  18,  19,  false 
teachers,  founders  of  sects,  cursed  children, 
wandering  stars,  withered  trees,  without 
fruit,  twice  dead,  plucked  up  by  the  roots; 
foaming  out  their  own  shame,  to  whom  is 
reserved  the  l)]ackness  of  darkness  forever, 
Jude  13;  anti-christs,  locusts  that  rose  from 
the  bottomless  pit,  came  to  hurt  those  who 
have  not  the  seal  of  God  in  their  foreheads, 
Rev.  9:  4.  In  short,  if  they  will  not  repent, 
they  are  already  condemned  according  to 
the  Scriptures,  Tit.  3:  11;  Rev.  21:  8. 

Not  that  I  would  judge  any  one,  my  good 
reader,  I  well  know  that  it  is  written.  Judge 
not,  that  ye  be  not  judged;  condemn  not 
and  ye  shall  not  be  condemned;  but  they 
are  judged  of  him,  who  says,  "The  word 
that  I  have  spoken,  the  same  shall  judge 
him  in  the  last  day,"  John  12:  48. 

AVho  do  such  and  the  like  things,  says 
Paul,  shall  not  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God. 
But  if  any  one  shall  do  the  works  whereof 
Paul  speaks,  he  will  not  be  judged  of 
me,  nor  by  any  other  man,  but  by  the  word 
of  the  Lord.  Therefore  we  entreat  j^ou  to 
measure  the  conduct  of  your  preachers  with 
the  Scriptures,  and  you  will  tind,  by  whom 
they  are  judged. 

O  miserali)le  preachers,  whose  blindness 
we  may  well  lament;  how  much  better  would 
it  be  for  you  never  to  have  been  born.  For 
if  you  have  finished  your  short,  perishable, 
voluptuous  and  idle  life;  and  have  not  re- 
pented, as  aliove  stated,  your  portion  will 
be  God's  eternal  wrath,  punishment  and 
judgment  in  the  torments,  the  pains  and 
burnings  of  hell;  woe  and  death  shall  be 
your  end,  as  the  Scriptures  threaten,  Phil. 
3:  19. 

The  reason  is,  because  you  reject  Christ, 
and  despise  liis  word,  which  is  everlasting 
food  for  the  soul,  ui^on  which  we  must  eter- 
nally subsist.  You  despise  his  word  be- 
cause it  reproves  your  vain  and  frivolous 
conduct,  showing  that  you  are  indeed  sen- 


sual; of  the  world,  and  of  the  devil,  as  is 
evident;  and  that  you  so  miserably  deceive 
poor  souls;  and  so  craelly  hate,  belie,  re- 
proach and  betray  all  those  who  sincerely 
seek  the  salvation  of  their  souls;  take  their 
property,  deprive  them  of  honor,  and  life, 
who  in  great  love  admonish,  by  the  word  of 
God,  your  deceiving  teachers,  and  reprove 
their  ungodly  deeds  with  all  discretion, 
Deut.  8:3;  Matt.  4:  4. 

O  Balaam,  Balaam,  how  long  will  you 
so  unmercifully  kick  and  cuff  the  poor  ass 
which  has  to  sntfer  all  the  opprobium,  scorn, 
and  disgi'ace,  for  the  sake  of  his  master's 
testimony?  And  never  kindly  listen  how  he 
ansM'ers  j^ou  in  a  human  voice,  and  reproves 
your  great  folly  and  error?  That  he  is  driven 
by  an  angel  with  a  naked  sword,  namely, 
by  the  Spirit  and  word  of  the  Lord,  that  he 
can  longer  carry  (endure)  jon  in  j'our  un- 
godly deeds. 

Well  now!  seed  of  Cain,  Korah  and  Ba- 
laam, prepare  for  defence;  lie,  cheat,  cen- 
sure, blaspheme,  hate,  root  up,  disgrace, 
and  murder  as  much  as  in  you  lies ;  allege 
all  the  councils,  authors,  and  learned  teach- 
ers who  have  been  for  centuries;  appeal  to 
all  the  lords  and  princes,  emperors,  kings 
and  the  mighty  of  the  earth.  Use  all  the 
power,  art  and  cunning  that  you  can  com- 
mand, it  will  avail  j'ou  nothing;  the  Lamb 
will  conquer  and  gain  the  victory,  the  people 
of  God  w^ll  triumph,  not  witli  tangible  weap- 
ons, but  in  patience  with  the  Spirit  and  '"f 
Word  of  God.  Jerusalem  and  the  temple 
must  be  liuilt  up,  althougli  the  Azotus  and 
Sanballat  may  attempt  to  hinder  it,  not 
with  inanimate  stones,  which  are  now  tread 
upon  in  every  street  vrith  your  unclean  feet, 
Nell.  4:  6;  althougli  all  the  gates  of  hell 
may  resist.  Babel  must  be  destroyed  and 
laid  waste.  The  ten  kings  will  and  must 
perform  their  services.  You  will  gnaw  your 
tongues  for  pain,  bitterly  cry  and  weep  on 
account  of  the  torments  of  Babel,  and  say, 
Alas!  alas!  that  great  city,  that  was  cloth- 
ed in  fine  linen,  and  purple,  and  scarlet,  and 
decked  with  gold,  and  precious  stones,  and 
pearls!  For  in  one  hoiu"  so  great  riches  is 
come  to  nought;  for  her  sins  rose  up  to 
heaven,  and  the  Lord  remembered  her  wick- 
edness. Rev.  18:  16. 
The  gospel  wM  and  must  be  heard;  lies 


THE  CONDUCT  OF  PREACHERS. 


66 


must  be  exposed,  and  yom-  blind  folly  made 
known  to  all  men ;  althongli  I  and  my  breth- 
ren may  be  called  off  by  deatli  before  this 
takes  place,  yet  it  will  undoubtedly  happen 
at  the  appointed  time,  which  the  Holy  Ghost 
so  plainlj^  foretold  and  taught  through  the 
M'orthy  disciple,  John. 

O  stiffaecked,  and  evil  generation,  how 
long  will  jrou  resist  the  Holy  Ghost?  How 
long  will  you  revile  the  truth,  and  prefer 
lies?  How  long  will  your  hands  drip  with 
the  blood  of  the  innocent?  Reform  your 
wicked  lives,  fear  God  with  all  your  hearts, 
renounce  all  your  giossj',  sensual  and  carnal 
doctrine,  come  forward  with  us,  treat  us  ac- 
cording to  the  word  of  God,  that  the  gospel 
may  be  rightlj'  preached,  and  maintained 
hy  a  pious  and  blameless  life.  O,  if  you 
would  do  this,  no  innocent  blood  would  be 
shed,  and  the  truth  would  be  made  known. 

But  we  are  afraid  it  will  be  as  the  prophet 
said,  "The  wicked  shall  do  wickedly,  and 
none  of  the  wicked  shall  understand;  but 
the  wise  shall  understand,"  Dan.  12 :  10. 
For  it  is  the  custom  of  all  the  sects,  who  are 
out  of  Christ  and  his  word,  to  defend  their 
foundations,  faith  and  actions  with  the 
sword.  The  Romans,  the  Arians,  the  Cir- 
cumcellions,  the  Lutherans,  the  Zuingiians, 
and  the  Muusterites,  are  our  witnesses;  but 
Christ's  people  suffer  and  forbear. 

Is  it  not  a  grievous  error,  that  these  poor 
people  want  to  be  called  Christians,  and  are 
guilty  of  such  abominable  things,  such  as 
exterminating,  robbing,  apprehending,burn- 
ing,  torturing,  murdering,  &c.,  under  pre- 
tences, as  if  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  the  glory 
of  the  Lord,  the  word  and  truth  of  Gocl, 
were  to  be  defended  and  maintained  with 
such  horrible  disgrace? 

Alas,  no !  you  miserable  men,  no.  All 
who  are  moved  by  the  spirit  of  Christ  know 
of  no  sword  but  the  word  of  the  Lord ;  their 
weapons  are  powerful,  fervent  prayer,  a  j 
long-suffering  and  patient  heart,  strong,  im-  i 
moveable  faith,  a  living  hope,  and  an  un- 
blamable life,  whereby  the  gospel  of  the 
kingdom,  the  word  of  peace,  is  to  be  pro- 
mulgated, and  to  be  defended-  against  the 
gates  of  hell. 

Beloved  reader,  if  you  have  the  fear  of 
God,  then  learn  rightly  to  know  your  bish- 
ops, prophets,  pastors  and  teachers,  and 
9 


]  remember  what  is  written,  "Come  out  from 

t  among  tliem,  and  be  ye  separate,  saith  the 

;  Lord,  and  touch  not  the  unclean  thing;  and 

;  I  will  receive  you,  and  I  will  be  a  Father 

!  unto  you,  and  ye  shall  be  my  sons  and 

daughters,  saith  the  Lord  Almighty,"  2  Cor. 

6:  17,  18;  and  again,  "Come  out  other,  my 

people,  that  ye  be  not  partakers  of  her  sins, 

!  and  that  ye  receive  not  of  her  plagues,"  Rev. 

18:  4.    Consider  that  the  mouth  of  the  Lord 

said,  "Beware  of  false  prophets,  which  come 

to  you  in  sheep's  clothing,  but  inwardly  they 

are  ravening  wolves:  ye  shall  know  them 

by  their  fruits.     Do  men  gatlier  grapes  of 

thorns,  or  figs  of  thistles?"  Matt.  7:  15,  16. 

They  are  the  salt  which  has  lost  its  savor, 

and  is  henceforth  good  for  nothing,  but  to 

be  cast  out  and  to  be  trodden  under  foot  of 

men,  as  the  Lord  says.  Matt.  5:  13. 

In  short,  they  are  those  of  whom  Paul 
warned  and  said,  "This  know  also,  that  in 
the  last  days  perilous  times  shall  come ;  for 
men  shall  be  lovers  of  their  ownselves,  cov- 
etous, boasters,  proud,  blasphemers,  dis- 
obedient to  parents,  unthanlvful,  unholy, 
without  natural  affection,  truce-breakers, 
false  accusers,  incontinent,  fierce,  despisers 
of  those  that  are  good,  traitors,  heady,  high- 
minded,  lovers  of  pleasm-e  more  than  lovei-s 
of  God;  having  a  form  of  godliness,  but 
denying  the  power  thereof;  from  such  turn 
away,"  2  Tim.  3:  1—5. 

Again,  thus  you  see  that  your  preachers 
are  such  persons  as  described,  and  that  the 
Scriptures  abundantly  admonish  and  com- 
mand that  we  shall  forsake  them,  fear  them, 
avoid  and  flee  from  them,  &c.  And  this  is 
the  reason  why  we  openly  teach  not  to  hear 
their  seducing  doctrines,  not  to  use  their 
sacraments,  and  to  have  nothing  to  do  with 
their  false  worship. 

Rather  say.  What  godliness  can  Israel 
bring  from  Assj'ria,  Egypt,  or  from  Baby- 
lon? 

How  can  the  true  service  be  found  witli 
the  priests  of  Baal?  How  can  you  be  taught 
in  divine  things  to  righteousness,  by  those 
who  are  ignorant  thereof  themselves? 

How  can  you  learn  Christ  from  anti- 
christ; and  the  word  of  God  from  false  pro- 
phets ? 

How  can  you  be  blessed  by  the  cursed, 
and  be  rightly  led  by  the  blind  ? 


66 


COUNTER  ARGUMENTS  OF  BABYLON  AND 


How  will  yon  draw  water  from  dry  fount- 
ains, and  gather  fruit  from  withered  trees? 
2  Pet.  2:17. 

How  can  you  be  partakers  of  the  Lord's 
table  and  of  tlie  table  of  devils  ? 

How  can  .you  drink  both  of  the  Lord's  cup 
and  the  devil's  cup,  and  be  in  the  commun- 
ion of  Christ  and  of  anti-christ^  3  Cor.  10: 21. 

You  cannot  serve  two  masters  who  are  op- 
posed to  each  other;  you  must  love  the  one 
and  hate  the  other,  or  else  you  will  hold  to 
the  one  and  despise  the  other.  You  must 
be  for  Christ  or  against  him,  you  Avill  gather 
with  him,  or  desti-oy  in  opposition  to  him, 
Matt.  6:24. 

Since  we,  by  the  grace  of  God,  so  plainly 
see  how  your  preachers  are  sent,  see  their 
doctrine  and  lives,  how  they  go  withou.t  be- 
ing called,  falsify  the  word  of  God,  lead 
a  wanton,  sensual  life,  deceive  the  poor 
people;  and  being  so  abimdantly  admon- 
ished by  the  Scriptures,  that  we  sliould  for- 
sake, avoid,  and  shun  such  preachers,  be- 
cause they  are  so  diametricallj^  opposed  to 
Christ  and  his  word,  and  we  desire  to  be 
obedient  to  the  voice  of  our  shepherd  in  this 
matter  as  it  becomes  all  the  pious  of  Christ, 
for  the  kingdom  is  promised  to  the  obedient, 
as  the  Scriptures  say,  "Not  every  one  that 
saith  unto  me.  Lord,  Lord,  shall  enter  into 


the  kingdom  of  heaven;  but  he  that  doeth 
the  will  of  my  Father,"  Matt.  7:  21. 

And  we  also,  agreeably  to  the  contents  of 
God's  word,  have  departed  from  their  doc- 
trine, sacraments  and  service,  and  this  we 
testify  both  by  word  and  deed,  with  posses- 
sions and  blood,  before  lords  and  princes,  in 
cities  and  in  the  country,  before  j^ou,  and 
the  world  as  an  admonition,  doctrine  and 
instruction,  so  that  you  all,  both  teachers 
and  hearers,  might  awaken,  to  reflect  on  the 
truth,  repent  and  come  out  from  the  king- 
dom and  fellowship  of  anti-christ,  and  enter 
the  Ivingdoin  and  communion  of  Christ;  and 
thus  extricate  your  poor  souls  from  the 
snares  of  unbelief,  that  you  may  lie  res- 
cued, preserved  and  eternalh^  saved. 

For  we  will  sooner  endure,  in  our  mortal 
bodies,  misery,  povert}",  tribulation,  himger, 
thirst,  heat,  cold,  bonds  and  death,  and  ad- 
here to  the  word  of  the  Lord,  than  lead  se- 
cure easy  lives  witli  the  world,  and  for  the 
sake  of  a  short  and  temporal  life,  ruin  our 
souls. 

AVe  think  with  holy  Peter,  that  we  should 
rather  obey  God  than  man;  and  with  virtu- 
ous Susanna,  it  is  better  to  fall  into  the 
hands  of  man,  than  into  the  hands  of  God. 
All  who  fear  the  Lord  may  read  and  judge. 


COUNTER   ARGIJMEITS 


OP 


BABYLON  ANJ)  ITS  BUILDERS,  WITH  THEIR  REPLICATIONS. 


Beloved  reader,  although  we  have  clearly 
shown  you  the  difference  between  true  and 
false  preachers,  and  why  we  should  n(jt 
hear  them,  we  hope  tliat  the  god-fearing, 
who  acknowledge  the  word  of  the  Lord  to 
be  true,  might  fid  ly  comprehend  this  groitstd 
AKD  truth;  still  we  And  some  among  those 
preachers,  who  partly  know  that  their  cause 
cannot  stand  the  test  of  the  Scripture. 

Nevertheless,  not  being  born  of  God,  nor 
fearing  liim  lint  seeking  unlawful  gain,  the 


world  and  ease,  they  have  garbled  a  variety 
of  scriptural  passages,  by  which  they  per- 
suade the  simple,  those  who  di-ead  the  cross 
of  Christ,  that  it  is  la^\i'ul  to  hear  their  doc- 
trine and  attend  upon  their  church  services, 
and  this  they  do  in  order  to  live  at  ease  and 
enjoy  good  times. 

in  tiie  first  place,  they  say  that  Christ 
said,  "The  Scribes  and  Pharisees  sit  in 
Moses'  seat:  all,  therefore,  whatsoever  they 
bid  vou  observe,  that  observe  and  do;  Imt 


ITS  BUILDERS,  WITH  THEIR  REPLICATION. 


m 


do  not  ye  after  their  works,"  Matt.  23:  3. 
From  which  they  condiide,  that,  as  the 
Scribes  and  Pharisees  were  sitting  in  the 
seat  of  Moses,  and  mingling  leaven  with  the 
nnleavened  lump,  of  which  Christ  warned 
his  disciijles,  saying,  all  therefore  whatso- 
ever they  bid  you  obsei-ve,  that  observe  and 
do,  they  also  now  sit  in  Christ's  seat,  al- 
though they  are  in  their  doctrine  and  lives 
not  upright  and  free  from  guilt ;  that  there- 
fore we  are  to  hear  them,  so  fai^'as^they 
preach  the  word  of -0od,  but-inot  to  do  after 
their  works.  "~     " 

To  which  we  reply:  First  we  ask  them 
whether  they  and  the  Pharisees  are  one  or 
not  ?  If  they  answer  yes,  they  must  then  be 
their  own  judges,  and  decide  that  tTiey'are 
of  those  who  crucified  Christ,  stonecl  Ste- 
phen, beat  the  apostles,  persecuted  the  saints, 
and  they  are  of  those  who  are  threatened 
with  eternal  woe;  they  may  well  then  be 
afraid  and  fear  the  Lord  and  his  judgments. 
If  they  answer  no,  then  they  can  prove 
nothing  with  this  i)assage. 

Secondly,  we  reply:  If  they  adduce  this 
passage,  quasi  argumentum  assimdli,  i.  e. 
as  it  were  an  argument  of  similitude,  and 
remark  tha,t  to  sit  in  Moses'  seat,  is  to 
rightly  preach  and  attend  to  Moses'  law 
with  its  ceremonies.  This  did  the  Scribes 
■and  Pharisees,  they  left  the  law  and  cere- 
monies entire  and  altered  nothing  therein, 
although  they  practiced  some  superstition 
with  it,  as  maybe  seen  from  Matt.  15:  3. 
For  had  they  altered  the  law  and  ceremony, 
they  would  not  have  been  sitting  in  Moses' 
seat. 

But  even  as  the  Scribes  and  Pliarisees  did 
sit  in  Moses'  seat,  these  will  then  also  have 
to  show  tliat  they  sit  in  Christ's  seat,  that 
is,  they  must  prove  that  they  preach  Christ's 
gospel,  bajitism,  supper,  separation;  preach 
and  practice  all  things  correctly,  or  the  ar- 
fpimentunt.  ass/miU  cannot  stand.  If  this  is 
the  case,  we  may  then  ask  counsel  of  the 
Scriptures;  wliy  they  sufter  the  traditions 
of  men  to  be  added  thereto?  But  we  well 
know  that  the  Scriptures  are  silent  on  this 
subject. 

Tliirdly,  we  reply :  So  long  as  the  Scrilies 
and  Pharisees  were  sitting  in  Moses'  seat, 
and  practiced  the  ceremonies  and  taught 
the  law  which  pointed  to  Christ,  as  before 


related;  so  long  did  Christ  direct  his  dis- 
ciples and  the  people,  at  that  time,  to  them; 
for  the  law  was  not  fully  accomplished;  the 
perfect  sacrifice,  which  was  to  abolish  all 
typical  sacrifices,  was  not  yet  offered;  the 
veil  of  the  tem^jle  was  not  yet  rent,  the 
figures  and  shadows  were  not  yet  changed 
into  the  new  and  abiding  reality.  After  it 
had  all  been  accomplished  according  to  the 
Scriptures,  and  all  things  made  new  in 
Christ,  he  did  not  then  send  out  the  Scribes 
and  Pharisees  with  Moses'  law,  but  his  dis- 
ciples with  his  owTi  doctrine;  and  said,  "Go 
e  into  all  the  world  and  preach  the  gospel 
o  every  creature,"  Mark  16:  15,  "teaching 
them  to  observe  all  things  whatsoever  I  have 
commanded  you,"  Matt.  28:  20. 

Since  then  all  things  are  new  in  and 
through  Clirist;  and  as  the  people  of  Moses 
were  directed  to  his  preachers,  by  Christ  be- 
fore his  death,  to  those  who  sat  in  Moses' 
seat  and  rightly  taught  the  law,  and  cere- 
monies; in  like  manner,  in  the  new  Testa- 
ment, are  we,  after  the  death  of  Christ,  di- 
rected to  those  preachers  who  sit  in  Christ's 
seat,  teaching  his  words  nnblamably,  and 
using  his  sacraments  as  the  Scriptures  teach. 

But  the  Scriptures  abundantly  warn  us  of 
those  who  adulterate  Christ's  doctrine,  mis- 
use his  sacraments,  seduce  the  people,  lead 
dissohite  and  wanton  lives;  such  we  are  to 
shun,  avoid  and  abandon,  not  to  admit  them 
into  our  houses,  for  they  sit  in  anti-christ's, 
and  not  in  Christ's  seat,  as  said,  Matt.  7: 15. 

Secondly,  they  adduce  what  Paul  says, 
"Quench  not  the  spirit;  despise  not  prophe- 
syings  ;  iJi'O"^'*?  'ill  tilings  ;  hold  fast  that 
which  is  good,  abstain  fi'om  all  appear- 
ance of  evil,"  1  Thess.  5:  19—23. 

I  answer:  Paul  himself  explains,  accord- 
ing to  oxu*  opinion,  of  what  spirit  and  pro- 
phecy he  thiis  spake.  For  if  it  were  the 
opinion  of  the  apostle  that  we  should  repair 
to  houses  where  this  open  seduction  and 
idolatry  are  carried  on,  and  there  prove 
their  spirit  and  doctrines,  Paul  would  then 
have  contradicted  himself,  M'hen  he  says, 
that  w(^  shall  separate,  shun  and  flee  from 
them;  for  we  know  of  a  certainty  that  they 
do  corrupt  the  word  and  sacraments  of  the 
Lord,  and  seek  nothing  but  a  good  living, 
and  are  without  the  spirit  and  doctrine  of 
Christ. 


68 


COUNTER  ARGIBfENTS  OF  BABYLON  AND 


O  no  -,  Paul  did  not  write  this  of  such 
preachers  as  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  were, 
neither  of  the  idolatrous  priests  of  Egypt 
and  Babylon  (understand  well  what  I  mean) : 
but  he  said  this  touching  the  prophets,  pas- 
tors and  teachers  in  the  Church  of  Christ, 
that  we  are  not  to  quench  tlieir  spirit,  but 
prove  their  doctrine,  and  hold  fast  to  that 
which  is  good.  And  if  they  taught  any  thing 
not  in  accordance  with  the  Scriptui'es  and 
the  ti-ue  faith,  to  avoid  it.  If  any  man  pro- 
phesy, let  him  prophesy  according  to  the 
proportion  of  faith,  Rom.  12:  6,  and  this  is 
to  what  John  exhorts  his  disciples,  "Be- 
loved, believe  not  every  spirit,  but  try  the 
spirits,  whether  they  are  of  God,"  1  John  4: 
1.  And  this  passage.  Abstain  from  all  ap- 
pearance of  evil,  may  be  understood  as  not 
properly  referring  to  what  is  just  mentioned. 

My  good  reader,  we  have  proved  your 
preachers  so  well,  both  as  to  their  spirit 
and  doctrine,  that  we  may  with  a  clear  con- 
science say,  that  they  are  not  of  God  and 
his  word,  but  of  the  bottomless  pit,  of  the 
dragon  and  of  the  beast.  Say,  dear  reader, 
how  shall  we  acknowledge  those  as  teach- 
ers who  so  wantonly  fight  against  the  word 
of  God'^  Wliat  communion  has  light  with 
darkness  ?  "Wliat  concord  has  Christ  with 
Belial?  1  Cor.  6:  14.  The  greater  part  of 
their  teaching  and  action  is  delusion  and 
hypocrisy.  My  reader,  do  not  pervert  these 
words,  for  what  I  write  is  the  truth,  and  I 
can  prove  it  to  the  whole  world,  from  their 
doctrines,  lives  and  sacraments. 

Thirdly,  they  ask,  Why  will  we  not  hear 
them;  for  the  wise  men  of  the  Bast  gave 
heed  to  what  Herod  said? 

Anstcer:  To  adduce  this  passage  seems  to 
me  to  be  so  puerile,  that  it  is  by  no  means 
worthy  of  reply.  For  Herod  did  nothing 
else  than  by  the  instruction  of  the  scribes, 
point  out  to  the  wise  men  the  town  in  which 
the  king  of  the  Jews  should  be  born,  and 
he  did  it  with  a  blood-thirsty  heart,  as  the 
following  act  shows;  he  sent  them  to  Beth- 
lehem and  said,  "Go  and  search  diligently 
for  the  young  child,  and  when  you  have 
found  him,  bring  me  word  again,  that  I  may 
come  and  worship  him  also,"  Matt.  2:  8. 

Herod  was  afraid  when  he  heard  that  the 
Jews  had  a  king  born,  lest  he  might  lose  his 
kingdom  and  glory;  he  therefore  spoke,  out 


of  pure  hypocrisy  and  slyness,  with  the  wise 
men,  for  he  was  desirous  of  the  child's  death, 
to  prevent  its  becoming  a  king.  But  when 
he  saw  that  he  failed  in  his  hypocrisy,  he 
became  very  much  enraged,  and  showed  his 
fierce,  tyrannical,  ungodly  disposition;  he 
sent  forth  and  slew  all  the  childi-en  that 
were  in  Bethlehem,  and  in  all  the  coasts 
thereof,  from  two  years  old  and  under,  that 
by  the  slaying  of  all  the  innocent  children 
he  might  also  destroy  the  born  king,  as  may 
be  seen  from  Matt.  2:  16. 

O  my  good  reader,  how  justly  they  do  ap- 
peal to  this  hypocritical,  lying,  ambitious 
and  tyrannical  Herod ;  for  the  greater  part 
of  them  are  of  the  same  spirit  and  disposi- 
tion. They  are  so  much  pained  that  Christ 
is  born  again  through  his  word.  They  prac- 
tice hypocrisy  like  Herod;  they  lie,  and  say 
that  they  are  sincere;  but  they  fear  their  un- 
lawful gain,  their  rich  and  lazy  life,  lest 
Christ  sliould  rule,  as  Herod  feared,  lest  he 
should  lose  his  kingdom.  And  they  are 
ready  to  destroy  the  pious,  as  Herod  was 
determined  upon  the  blood  of  Christ,  as 
you  have  heard. 

Since  then  they  are  mauilestly  hypocriti- 
cal liars,  and  earthly-minded,  and  also  in- 
tent ujion  blood,  as  may  be  seen  in  some 
places;  therefore  we  will  also  take  for  an 
example  in  this  matter  the  wise,  who,  being 
admonished  by  a  heavenly  inspiration,  did 
not  return  to  Herod,  and,  through  the  grace 
of  God  faithfrdly  observe  the  Lord's  inspi- 
ration, counsel,  doctrine  and  admonition, 
and  turn  to  those  who  point  out  Christ  in 
full  power  and  practice,  and  teach  in  the 
truth,  according  to  the  spirit. 

Fourthly,  some  of  them  say.  Although 
the  devil  should  preach  the  word  of  God, 
why  should  we  not  hear  him  ? 

In  the  first  place  I  reply  to  these  vain, 

slanderous  calumniators,  that  it  would  be 

I  well  for  them  to  learn  rightly  to  distinguish 

I  between  the  spirit  and  disposition  of  the 

devil,  and  the  spirit  and  nature  of  Christ, 

before  they  would  utter  such  unseasonable, 

I  blasphemous  words  before  the  poor  people. 

The  devil  was  a  liar  from  the  beginning, 
and  will  undoubtedly  always  be.  Since  then 
he  is  a  liar,  and  lying  his  natm-e,  disposi- 
tion and  work,  as  the  Lord  says,  how  can 
he  then  sincerely  and  rightly  teach  and 


ITS  BUILDERS,  AVITH  THEIR  REPLICATION. 


69 


preach  the  word  of  God,  which  is  truth, 
<and  is  diametrically  opposed  to  his  lying 
disposition  and  nature,  and  though  he  did 
teach  the  truth  correctly,  and  give  Christ  his 
praise,  still  he  does  so  with  a  false  heart; 
for  he  is  a  devil  and  the  truth  is  not  in  him. 

He  confessed  Christ,  rightly  and  accord- 
ing to  the  contents  of  his  word,  when  he 
said.  Thou  art  Christ,  the  holy  one  of  God; 
thou  art  Christ,  the  Son  of  God.  However, 
Christ  did  not  desire  his  confession,  but  re- 
proved him  and  said,  Hold  yoxu'  peace,  and 
come  out  of  him,  for  his  confession  was  made 
with  a  diabolical  heart,  as  said. 

Secondly,  I  say.  If  any  one  would  hear 
the  voice  of  the  devil,  he  need  not  go  far; 
alas !  he  can  hear  him  every  where.  All  who 
speak  lies,  speak  of  the  devil.  In  the  be- 
ginning he  spoke  through  the  serpent;  in 
Israel  through  the  false  prophets,  and  now 
through  his  preachers,  in  order  to  deceive 
the  people  of  the  world,  and  divert  them 
from  the  truth,  that  they  never  can  be  saved. 

Since  then,  that  from  the  beginning  he  has 
been,  and  still  is  a  lying  spirit,  an  adver- 
sary of  God,  a  falsifier  of  the  Scriptures, 
and  a  miu'derer  of  souls,  and  will  eternally 
be  such,  who  can  neither  teach  nor  endure 
any  thing  good,  because  he  is  by  nature 
unclean,  a  liar,  and  a  deceiver,  always  the 
enemy  of  every  thing  that  is  good,  we  will 
therefore  stop  our  ears,  tlirough  God's  gi-ace, 
and  not  hear  such  blasphemous  speaking; 
turn  our  backs  upon  the  devil,  with  all  his 
lying  preachers,  as  the  Scriptures  teach  ; 
and  we  will  sincerely  believe  the  Scriptures, 
which  direct  us  to  Christ  to  hear  him.  Christ 
directs  us  to  his  disciples,  and  they  direct 
us  to  such  teachers  who  are  blameless  in 
doctrine  and  life,  as  related.  May  the  merci- 
ful and  gracious  Lord  eternally  preserve  all 
the  pious  hearts  against  this  Herodian  gen- 
eration, and  against  the  devil's  preachers, 
Amen. 

Fifthly,  some  also  say  that  we  may  hear 
them,  if  we  suffer  oiu'selves  not  to  be  de- 
ceived by  them. 

I  answer :  The  reader  should  observe  how 
the  people  of  God  ever  were,  from  the  days 
of  Abraham,  separated  from  the  world;  and 
especially  since  the  days  of  Moses,  they 
have  had  their  own  particular  preachers, 
teachers,  ceremonies,  ordinances  and  ser- 


vices, as  may  be  abundantly  read  and  seen 
in  all  the  books  of  Moses. 

Secondly,  that  Israel  was  commanded  by 
God,  that  if  a  false  prophet  were  to  rise  up 
among  them,  and  though  he  were  to  do 
wonders  and  signs,  he  should  die,  Deut. 
13:  4. 

Thirdly,  Israel  was  not  allowed  to  teach 
or  to  receive  any  doctrine  or  worship  from 
any  strange  nations  circumjacent  to  them, 
but  to  keep  closely  to  the  law  and  testi- 
monies. 

Fourthly,  where  there  arose  some  ungodly 
kings,  such  as  Jeroboam,  Ahab,  Manasseh 
and  many  others,  who  loved  their  own  right- 
eousness and  idolatry  more  than  the  word 
and  right  worship  of  the  Lord;  and  when 
the  false  prophets  multiplied,  who  turned 
the  people  from  the  Lord  and  his  law,  then 
also  did  the  Lord  raise  up  true  prophets 
such  as  Isaiah,  Jeremiah,  &c.,  to  reprove 
the  disobedient,  idolatrous  kings  and  false 
prophets,  and  to  warn  the  people  faitMully 
of  them,  and  said,  "Hearken  not  unto  the 
words  of  the  prophets  that  prophesy  unto 
you;  they  make  you  vain ;  they  speak  a 
vision  of  their  own  heart,  and  not  out  of  the 
mouth  of  the  Lord,"  Jer.  23:  16.  These 
prophets  all  gloriously  pointed  to  Christ, 
to  his  kingdom  and  reign. 

Fifthly,  that  Christ,  as  well  as  Moses,  or- 
dained and  appointed  in  his  kingdom,  com- 
nmnity,  or  church,  prophets,  preachers, 
teachers,  ceremonies  and  ordinances,  which 
are  to  be  observed  by  all  true  christians  for 
ever. 

Sixthly,  the  holy  apostles  teach,  advise, 
and  admonish  us,  that  we  are  to  separate 
ourselves  from  those,  in  doctrine  and  in 
worship,  be  they  baptized  or  not,  who  agree 
not  with  the  spirit,  doctrine,  reg-ulations 
and  examples  of  Christ. 

Seventhly,  that  the  whole  world  with  their 
spirit,  doctrine,  sacrament,  worship  and 
conduct,  are  far  fi-om  Christ's  spirit,  word, 
sacrament,  worship  and  example ;  and, 
alas!  are  nothing  but  a  new  Sodom,  Egypt 
and  Babel,  Rev.  11:  8. 

Eighthly,  that  all  those  who  acknowledge 
God's  word,  and  are  partakers  of  his  Spirit, 
are  called  on  to  let  their  lights  shine  out  of 
darkness  and  give  light  to  the  world,  that 
they  reprove  all  ungodliness  by  word,  deed. 


70 


COUNTER  ARGIBIENTS  OF  BABYLON  AND 


life  and  death,  confess  the  Lord's  holy  name, 
word  and  will,  and  confirm  it  by  a  pions 
and  imblamable  life,  according  to  the  Scrip- 
tm-es. 

Ninthly,  that  "whoso  shall  oflend  one  of 
these  little  ones  which  believe  in  me  (Clu'ist), 
it  were  better  for  him  that  a  mill-stone  were 
hanged  about  his  neck,  and  that  he  Avere 
drowned  in  the  depth  of  the  sea,"  ^latt. 
18:  6. 

Tenthly,  that  we  reflect  well,  why  or  for 
what  reason  we  are  not  to  hear  such  preach- 
ers. If  we  do  hear  them,  and  desire  to  be 
taught  of  them,  then  we  seek  the  truth 
among  lies,  and  life  among  the  dead.  But 
if  we  will  not  be  taught  of  them,  but  use  our 
libertj^,  as  they  call  it,  we  must  confess  that 
such  hearing  is  no  hearing,  but  trifling  and 
hypocrisy,  by  which  we  despise  the  spirit, 
doctrine,  ordinances,  counsel,  admonition, 
community  and  church  of  Christ ;  and 
strengthen  the  seducing  abominations,  idol- 
atry, and  kingdom  of  anti-christ,  and  con- 
forai  to  the  world  in  all  appearance  of  evil, 
act  the  hj^pocrite,  grieve  and  vex  many  a 
pioiis  child  of  God,  cause  strife  among  the 
■pious,  and  esteem  lightly  the  innocent  blood 
Avhich  is  shed  in  many  places  on  this  ac- 
count. 

Behold,  my  readers,  all  who  fear  the  Lord, 
and  rightly  examine  and  judge  tJiese  ten- 

Y  •'  articles,  here  briefly  stated,  by  the  Spirit 
and  word  of  the  Lord,  will  not  halt  here, 
but  they  will  faithfully  take  heed  to  the 

\u  counsel  and  admonition  of  the  Holy  Ghost; 
reprove  the  world  both  by  works  and  doc- 
trine; avoid  every  appearance  of  evil,  and 
walk  unblamably  in  the  house  of  the  Lord. 

But  touching  the  falsie  -worship,  the  light- 
minded  comfort  one  another,  and  say.  chil- 
dren may  be  baptized;  for  thechildis  clean; 
the  water  is  clean ;  to  wash  and  to  bathe  is 
also  clean,  «N:c.  AVe  may  also  leceive  the 
supper  of  the  Lord  at  the  hands  of  these 
preachers,  although  it  is  in  idolatrous  hous- 
es; christians  have  no  idols  anymore,  they 
only  use  bread  and  wine  as  such,  which  is 
pure  to  the  pure;  Paul  says.  To  the  pure  all 
Tilings  are  pure.  They  appeal  to  the  case  of 
Naanian,  the  Captain  of  the  king  of  Assyr- 
ia; and  to  the  house  of  Rimmon,  and  say. 
We  care  not  for  the  idolatry  of  the  priests,  ^ 


but  we  worship  Him  who  made  heaven  and 
earth. 

I  answer :  Can  a  single  passage  be  ad- 
duced from  the  Scriptures,  that  uncleanness, 
sin,  falsifying  the  ordinances  of  God,  idol- 
atry, disobedience  to  the  word,  and  hypoc- 
risy are  all  jmre  to  the  pure,  that  is,  to  the 
true  believers ;  then  we  might  consider  a 
little  on  it.  But  we  know  certainly,  that  not 
a  single  passage  can  be  advanced. 

O  my  reader,  if  the  men  of  God  had  thus 
understood  the  Scriptures,  as  these  poor 
people  do,  the  three  valiant  young  men 
would  have  by  no  means  suffered  them- 
selves to  be  cast  into  the  fiery  furnace.  The 
upright  Eleazer,  the  God-fearing  pious  moth- 
er with  her  seven  sons,  the  holy  prophets, 
apostles  and  pious  witnesses  of  God,  would 
have  saved  their  lives,  would  have  escaped 
the  crael  tortures  and  pains,  and  said.  To 
the  pure  all  things  are  pure,  we  will  dieer- 
fully  comply. 

O  no!  my  good  reader,  no:  the  clean  are 
not  to  touch  the  unclean.  Touch  not  the  un- 
clean thing,  says  the  Spirit  of  God  through  ^ 
Isaiah  and  Paiil,  that  is,  what  the  Scriptm-es 
forbid.  He  that  washed  himself,  after  the 
touching  of  a  dead  bodj^,  if  he  touch  it 
again,  what  avail eth  his  washing^  Is  it  not 
folly  for  any  man  to  wash  his  clothes,  and 
afterwards  tread  them  into  the  mire  again? 
The  Scriptures  plainly  teacli,  that  "the  just 
shall  live  by  faith,"  and  that  a  "good  tree 
brings  forth  good  fruit."  We  certainly  know 
that  an  humble,  lowly-minded  soiil  will  nev- 
er magnificently  array  itself  in  gold,  pearls 
or  other  costly  apparel;  that  those  who  fear 
the  Lord,  will  be  honest,  chaste,  sober;  they 
will  not  talk,  drink,  sing  and  dance  with 
dishonorable  women ;  for  the  knowledge, 
fear  and  love  of  God  and  his  word  foi'bid 
them ;  and  should  one  do  so,  we  would 
know  that  his  light  is  darkness,  and  his 
conduct  not  agreeable  to  the  Scri])tures. 
And  so  it  is  iiubecoming  to  those  who  boast 
of  the  word,  and  woxild  reprove  seduction, 
the  idolatry  and  abominations  of  preachers 
by  the  Scriptures,  and  yet  associate  witli 
them  in  their  doctrine,  sacraments,  false 
service,  for  words  without  actions  profit 
nothing.  "Have  no  fellowship  with  the  un- 
fi-uitful  works  of  darkness,  but  Tather  re- 
prove  them,"  Eph.  5: 11. 


ITS  BUILDERS,  WITH  THEIR  REPLICATION. 


71 


It  is  true,  tliat  to  the  iiure  all  things  are  ; 
pure,  which  are  not  contrary  to  the  Spirit 
and  word  of  God.  For  none  are  called  pure  j 
^  in  the  Scriptures,  except  those  who  conform 
to  the  Spirit  and  word  of  the  Lord.  All  who 
agree  with  the  word,  to  them  all  laAvf  id,  pure 
things,  are  pure,  such  as  eating,  drinking, 
clothing,  houses,  manors,  land,  gold,  silver, 
wives,  children,  goods,  food,  to  wake,  to 
sleep,  to  speak,  to  be  silent,  and  all  things 
which  God  has  given  us  as  necessaries;  be- 
cause thej^  are  pui-e,  they  will  also  use  all 
lawful,  pure  things  purely;  namely,  in  the 
fear  of  God,  with  thanksgiving  aud  modera- 
tion, to  the  praise  of  God  and  to  the  service 
of  their  fellow  man;  to  which  end,  these 
things  were  given  of  God,  for  tlie  use  of  men. 

All  things  prohibited  of  God,  such  as  hy- 
pocrisy, unfruitful  works,  conformity  to  the 
world,  living  in  ailluence  and  splendor,  and 
living  in  idolatry,  are  liy  all  means,  impure 
to  the  pure,  to  the  faithful,  obedient  children 
of  God;  and  the  pure  can  never  use  things 
impurely  through  all  eternity,  according  to 
the  will  of  God;  for  the  Spirit  of  God  and 
^  his  word  forbid  them. 

Adam  was  allowed  of  God  to  eat  of  all 
the  vegetables  and  fruits  of  the  earth,  for 
his  subsistence,  except  of  the  tree  of  knowl- 
edge of  good  and  evil;  for  if  he  should  eat 
thereof,  he  must  die.  All  the  fruits  and 
creatures  allowed  of  God,  were  pure  to  jiure 
Adam,  but  one  tree  was  impure  to  him 
through  the  command  of  God;  he  ate  there- 
of, and  he,  with  all  his  seed,  fell  under  the 
power  of  death. 

And  even  as  all  things  are  pure  to  the 
pure,  and  are  for  the  good  of  the  pious,  so 
also  to  the  imyjure  all  things  are  impure, 
and  to  the  evil  all  things  are  evil;  because 
they  are  impure,  they  use  all  the  creatures 
of  God  impurely.  They  eat  and  drink  to 
excess;  thej^  dress  gorgeously;  and  indulge 
in  lewdness;  they  raise  their  children  to 
idleness;  they  avariciously  hoard  gold,  sil- 
ver, houses  and  lauds,  and  there  is  nothing 
they  use  purely  according  to  the  will  of 
God;  for  they  are  impure,  sensual,  disobe- 
dient to  the  word,  and  are  earthly-minded, 
as  the  Scriptures  say. 

Further;  it  is  also  an  abominable  calumny 
and  slanderous  seduction,  what  some  pre- 
tend and  sa.y;  outward  idolatry  cannot  de- 


file and  make  impure,  if  not  sanctioned  by 
the  heart. 

My  good  reader,  if  tliat  were  true  all  the 
l>assages  would  have  been  spoken  to  no 
purpose,  which  say;  neither  be  ye  idolators 
as  Avere  some  of  them;  have  no  felloAvship 
with  the  unfruitful  works  of  darkness ;  avoid 
all  appearance  of  evil,  &c.,  then  would  also 
the  oftence  of  the  cross  have  been  ended. 
No,  no,  it  becomes  a  true  christian  to  be 
wholly  pious,  to  glorify  God,  both  in  body 
and  spirit. 

Aaron,  a  high  jiriest  called  of  God,  a  tjqje 
of  the  Lord  Jesus,  when  \\o  was  constrained 
of  the  people  to  make  gods  for  them  which 
should  go  liefore  them,  he  was  overcome 
through  the  weakness  of  the  iiesh,  that  he 
3'ielded  to  the  idolaters,  and  made  them  a 
golden  calf.  Aaron  did  not  worship  it  in 
his  heart;  for  he  well  knew  it  was  not  the 
God  who  led  them  through  the  red  sea,  but 
that  it  was  a  creatui-e  made  of  gold.  Never- 
theless this  guilt  was  charged  to  Aaron,  for 
Moses  said,  "What  did  this  people  unto 
thee,  that  thou  hast  brought  so  great  a  sin 
upon  them?"  Ex.  32:  21;  yea,  the  Lord 
would  have  destroyed  him  had  not  Moses 
interceded  for  him,  Beiit.  9:  20. 

AVe  would,  that  all  founders  of  sects  and 
erring  spirits,  whose  rejection  of  the  cross, 
ease,  carnal  minds  and  hj'pocrisy,  is  cloak- 
ed under  the  semblance  of  the  word  of  God, 
would  reflect  well  upon  the  history  of  Aa- 
ron; I  trust  they  would  no  longer  conceal 
their  nudity  and  disgrace  with  fig-leaves; 
but  would  clothe  themselves  with  the  true 
coat  of  skins,  with  Jesus  Christ,  made  of 
God;  for  they  comfort  and  encourage  the 
poor,  rude  people  in  their  idolatry  and 
faith,  bj'  their  ungodly  dealings,  wliich  tliey 
call  liberty,  gi'ieve  the  pious  unto  death, 
discoiu'age  and  oftend  the  poor,  wavering- 
souls  of  whom  it  is  wiitten,  "Whoso  shall 
offend  one  of  these  little  ones,  Avliich  believe 
in  me,  it  were  better  for  him,  that  a  mill- 
stone were  hanged  about  his  neck,  and  that 
he  were  drowmed  in  tln'  depth  of  the  sea." 
Matt.  18:  6. 

AVhat  christian  liberty  is,  and  how  it  is  to 
be  used  according  to  the  will  of  God.  is  fully 
explained  in  Rom.  14. 

Say,  beloved,  how  can  we  include  in  chris- 
tian liberty,  that  which  is  so  openly  com- 


72 


COUNTER  ARGUMENTS  OF  BABYLON  AND 


mitted  against  so  many  passages  in  the 
Scriptiu'es  against  brotherly  love,  and  con- 
trary to  all  the  examples  of  so  many  saints, 
as  said? 

O,  were  they  pnre  in  heart,  who  introduce 
such  subtle  arguments,  and  would  they  but 
love  Christ  supremely  over  every  thing,  how 
soon  they  would  then  know  that  that  which 
they  maintain  is  contrary  to  the  spirit  and 
word  of  God.  But  I  fear  they  are  those  con- 
cerning whom  it  is  wTitten,  ''There  is  a  gen- 
eration that  are  pure  in  their  own  eyes,  and 
yet  are  not  washed  from  their  filthiness," 
Prov.  30: 12. 

Touching  Naaman,  we  have  to  notice  at- 
tentively the  following  passages. 

First,  that  Naaman  was  neither  a  Jew, 
nor  a  proselyte,  but  a  foreigner,  who  was 
not  included  in  the  doctrine,  ceremonies,  or- 
dinances and  righteousness  of  Israel,  al- 
though he  would  no  longer  serve  idols,  and 
would  seiTe  and  ofter  to  God,  he  had  not 
yet  received  the  sign,  viz.,  circumcision. 

Secondly,  that  he  was  the  servant  of  his 
master,  upon  whom  the  king  depended; 
and  therefore  had  to  attend  to  the  service  of 
his  master  when  the  king  worshiped  in  tlie 
house  of  Rimmon,  and  would  worshij)  none 
other  than  the  true  God  who  had  cleansed 
him. 

Thirdly,  that  we  cannot  conclude  with  cer- 
tainty from  the  answer  of  the  prophet,  how 
far  he  did,  or  did  not  comply. 

Fourthly,  that  the  house  of  Rimmou,  and 
the  service  thereof,  and  our  temple  with  its 
services,  are  not  the  same;  for  in  the  house 
of  Rimmon  the  name  of  God,  the  laws,  the 
ordinances  and  ceremonies,  were  not  abused, 
for  they  were  not  known  there.  But  what 
abuses,  disgTace,  scofBngs,  abomination  and 
blasphemy,  are  carried  on  in  our  temples 
under  the  name  of  Christ,  all  rational  men 
may  determine  hy  the  Scriptures. 

But  if  any  one  says,  Why  do  you  concern  ; 
yourselves  about  the  doings  of  the  priests  ?  ' 
Worship  God  as  Naaman  did,  this  sounds 
to  us  thus,  "Behold  your  pious  father  will ; 
be  often  slanderously  mocked,  insulted,  re- 
viled and  much  abused;  let  such  things  not 
move  you,  or  confound  you,  but  be  uncon- 
cerned and  contented.     Submit  quietly,  but 
in  your  heart  honor  your  father,  &c."    Say, 
beloved,  what  rational  and  upright  child 


could  bear  to  see  his  father  thus  assaulted, 
and  3"et  keep  his  silence? 

Since  then,  we  see  with  irnclouded  eyes, 
how  miserably  they  treat  our  eternal  Fath- 
er, who  loved  us  so  greatlj^,  in  their  houses 
of  abomination;  and  how  they  behave  to- 
wards his  son,  Jesus  Christ,  who  bought  us 
with  such  a  precious  price.     Again :  How 
they  quench  his  Holy  Spirit,  hate  his  will, 
his  word,  and  abuse  his  sacraments,  reject 
his  ordinances  and  commands,  revile  and 
I  reproach  his  children,  deceive  poor  souls, 
'  and  rob  Christ  of  liis  glory ;   and  with  all 
'  this,  they  desire  us  to  unite  with  sucli  oj^en 
enemies  of  God;  to  act  the  hjqaocrite  with 
them,  to  listen  to  their  xmgodly  seductions 
and  abominations ;  if  we  should,  we  would 
j  be  very  ungrateful  children,  and  without 
love.    This  is  incontrovertibly  true. 

No;  such  is  not  the  way  of  pious  chris- 
tians; but  as  Christ  defends  his  church,  is 
not  ashamed  of  her,  and  enlightens  her  by 
his  Holy  Spirit  and  word,  comforts  her  in 
all  her  distresses,  strengthens  her  in  suffer- 
ings and  endows  her  with  power  and  wis- 
dom, before  lords  and  princes,  wise  and 
learned,  and  before  the  whole  world,  that 
all  have  to  be  silent  and  ashamed  in  pres- 
ence of  a  poor,  humble  christian;  and  in 
the  da}^  of  judgment  acknowledge  her  before 
his  Father,  and  will  bestow  lapon  her  the 
eternal  kingdom;  and  so  do  the  spirit  and 
love  of  Christ  also  demand  of  us,  that  we 
confess  before  men  his  divine  honor,  word, 
will,  ordinances  and  commands,  and  be- 
sides, we  are  to  testify  it  by  our  works,  pos- 
sessions, blood,  life  and  death,  and  not  clan- 
destinely frequent  such  houses  of  abomina- 
tion, where  his  great  and  adorable  name  is 
so  miserably  dishonored  and  slandered ; 
and  where  we  hear  not  the  tnith,  nor  learn 
any  piety.  For  it  is  nothing  but  hypocrisy 
which  they  teacli ;  although  they  disguise 
it  with  the  word  of  the  Lord,  as  may  be  evi- 
dently observed  by  their  works. 

All,  teachers  and  hearers,  run,  saj's  the 
prophet,  like  a  frantic  heifer,  they  all  hate 
reproof  and  instruction,  and  live  impru- 
dently according  to  their  own  lusts.  They 
desire  not  God's  word,  therefore,  I  fear  the 
scourge  is  readj^,  and  tlie  avenging  sword 
of  the  Lord  is  drawn;  that  soon  one  ungodly 
man  will  eat  another,  so  that  many  of  them 


ITS  BUILDERS,  WITH  THEIR  REPLICATION. 


73 


will  be  destroyed,  for  these  foolish  people  j 
will  be  punished. 

Fifthly,  we  have  to  observe,  that  in  the 
.  New  Testament  we  are  only  directed  to  the 
Spirit,  word,  counsel,  admonition  and  us- 
ages of  Christ;  what  he  allows  us  we  may 
do,  but  what  he  forbids  we  dare  not  do ;  it 
])«Ci4!pies  all  true  Christians  to  conform  there- 
to, and  not  according  to  such  doubtful  his- 
tories and  obscure  passages,  from  which  we 
can  draw  no  sure  ground,  and  which  teach 
the  very  reverse  of  what  the  Lord's  apostles 
publicly  taught. 

Here  I  would  faithfully  admonish  the  sin- 
cere reader,  that  he  would  not  suffer  himself 
to  be  deceived  with  such  words;  Init  at  all 
times  to  keep  and  abide  in  the  unchangeable 
and  sure  ground,  which  the  faithful  witnesses 
of  Christ,  the  holy  apostles  have  left  us,  which 
they  taught  us  plainly  in  their  writings ;  for 
the  deceivers  seek  but  to  confound  the  wav- 
ering, and  to  be  free  from  the  cross  of  Christ. 

But,  say  they,  We  esteem  it  to  be  better 
to  do  so  sometimes,  in  order  that  we  may 
administer  to  our  wives  and  children,  and 
serve  the  poor,  than  that  we  should  wholly  ; 
abandon  the  preachers,  and  therel:)y  make 
all  our  possessions  a  prey. 

To  which  we  replj^,  in  the  Ikst  jjlace :  The 
first  command  teaches,  "Thou  shaft  love  the 
Lord  thy  God  with  ail  thy  heart,  and  with 
all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  mind."  Where 
the  name  of  the  Lord  is  profaned,  and  where 
his  word  is  violated,  there  it  beliooves  you 
in  all  love,  to  reprove  such  things  with  an 
unblamable  life,  by  the  word  of  God,  and 
to  defend  the  praise  of  God,  as  much  as  in 
you  is ;  reflect  upon  what  the  Lord  says, 
Whosoev'er  loves  father,  mother,  brother, 
sister,  wife,  children,  possessions  and  life 
more  than  me,  cannot  be  my  disciple,  Luke 
14:  26.  '  I 

Secondly,  that  all  who  believe  that  God 
made  heaven  and  earth,  and  sustained  Is- 
rael forty  days  with  Itread  from  heaven,  and 
water  from  tlie  rock,  sent  Elias  his  neces- 
sary food  l)y  a  raven;  who  gives  the  l:)irds 
in  the  air,  the  lishes  in  the  water,  and  the 
reptiles  upon  earth,  their  food ;  they  will 
not  doubt  the  goodness,  power  and  promise 
of  their  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  says,  "  Seek 
ye  first  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  his  right- 
eousness, and  all  these  things  shall  be  added 
10 


unto  you,"  Matt.  6 :  33,  for  if  the  countenance 
of  his  grace  is  in  this  matter  over  those  who 
reject  him,  how  much  more  over  those  who 
fear  him  and  keep  his  commandments. 

Thii'dly,  that  the  Almigiity,  bountiful  God, 
God  Almighty,  wlio  is  all-sutficient  to  sup- 
port the  poor  and  needy  without  any  idol- 
atry, hypocrisy  and  service  of  the  devil;  be- 
cause he  has  no  delight  in  such  offerings 
and  gifts  of  unrighteousness;  as  the  prophet 
says.  Behold,  to  obey  is  better  than  sacri- 
fice, and  to  hearken,  than  the  fat  of  rams ; 
for  rebellion  is  as  the  sin  of  witchcraft,  and 
stubbornness  is  as  iniquity  and  idolatry. 
1  Sam.  15:  22,  23. 

All,  therefore,  who  say  that  they  do  this 
on  account  of  their  wives  and  children,  and 
for  the  sake  of  the  poor,  oiight  to  know  that 
they  love  their  wives  and  children  more  than 
God,  and  lessen  the  arm  and  power  of  God, 
and  lie  unto  the  Lord;  they  should  knoAv 
that  they  only  cover  and  adorn  their  indo- 
lence, their  dislike  of  the  cross,  their  unbe- 
lief, earthlj'-mindedness  and  hypocrisy  un- 
der such  pretense.  Let  every  one  take  heed 
to  himself  and  fear  God,  who  has  eyes  lilce 
flaming  fire,  which  penetrate  heaven  and 
earth,  and  cannot  be  blinded  by  fair  words. 

Again,  they  further  pretend  that  Paul  pu- 
rified himself  according  to  the  custom  of  the 
Jews,  and  Timothy  was  circumcised.  This 
is  quite  different,  for  these  were  things  which 
God  had  commanded,  although  they  ended 
iir  Christ.  The  reason  wliy  Paul  consented 
thereto  vras,  that  he  might  preach  the  word 
with  more  freedom  to  tlie  Jews,  as  he  says, 
"Unto  the  Jews  I  became  as  a  Jew,  that  I 
might  gain  the  Jews;  to  them  that  are  under 
the  law,  as  under  the  law,  that  I  might  gain 
them  that  are  under  the  law,"  1  Cor.  9:  20. 

And  since  these  works  did  not  originate 
with  anti-christ,  but  from  God,  with  which 
Paul  would  not  offend  the  weak  Jews;  as 
explained;  how  can  we  then  show  bj'  them, 
tliat  we  are  at  liberty  to  hear  false  preach- 
ing, receive  the  baptism  and  enjoy  the  sup- 
per of  anti-christ;  and  to  take  part  with  the 
world  in  open  idolatry  and  blasphem_y?  Al- 
though this  may  not  be  done  with  the  heart, 
it  is  at  least  so  in  apjiearance.  Or  we  must 
consider  the  works  of  tlie  law,  which  were 
of  God,  to  be  as  unclean  and  ungodly  as  the 
works  and  abominations  of  darkness,  which 


74 


COUNTER  ARGUMENTS  OP  BABYLON. 


U 


are  of  the  devil;  and  esteem  the  remmcia- ' 
tion  of  the  cross  of  Christ  as  highly  as  the 
zeal  with  which  Paul  undertook  to  teach  the  , 
Jews  the  (jros})el  of  Christ. 

O  my  faithful  reader,  if  you  would  not 
lose  your  poor  soul,  do  not  then  dishonor 
Christ,  rightly  seek  his  praise,  obey  his 
Spirit,  doctrine,  counsel,  admonition  and 
example,  and  you  will  never  be  made 
ashamed;  you  will  soon  discover  that  the, 
purilicatiou  of  Paul,  and  circumcision  of  j 
Timothy,  are  different  from  the  doings, 
abominations,  idolatry  and  blasphemy  of 
anti-christ,  -which  have  been  practiced  from 
time  to  time,  in  the  name  of  Christ,  even  to 
the  present  day.  May  the  gracious,  merci- 
ful God  grant  that  you  may  all  come  to  the 
knowledge,  and  walk  in  his  truth,  Amen. 

Lastl}",  they  say.  That  we  are  yet  prison- 
ers in  Babel,  and  that  we  may  therefore  do 
in  semlilance  the  works  of  Babel;  and  as- 
sert the  saA'ings  of  Baruch,  "Ye  shall  see  in 
Babylon  gods  of  silver,  and  of  gold,  and  of  | 
wood,  borne  upon  shoulders,  which  cause 
the  nations  to  fear:  beware,  therefore,  that 
ye  in  no  wise  be  like  to  strangers,  neither 
be  ye  afraid  of  them,  Avlien  ye  see  the  multi- 
tude before  them  and  liehind  tliem,  worship- 
ing them;  but  say  in  your  hearts,  O  Lord, 
we  must  worship  thee,"'  Bar.  6 :  4,  5. 

Answer:  Here  we  have  lirst  to  observe, 
what  is  shown  by  the  Babylonian  captivity; 
when  the  Israelites  did  not  serve  God  aright ' 
in  their  own  country ,  the}' were  scattered  ac- 
cording to  the  prediction  of  Moses,  by  the 
righteous  and  gracious  judgment  of  God, 
among  the  heathen  nations,  and  were  led  i 
captive  under  the  dominion  of  Babylon.  So 
it  is  with  tliose  who  boast  themselves  as  be- 
ing the  spiritual  Israel ;  because  they  be- 
came unfaithful  to  the  Lord,  and  rejected 
liis  word,  and  turned  their  ears  to  preachers 
of  lies,  the  Babylonian  king,  anti-christ,  has  i 
taken  advantage  of  them  and  deprived  them 
of  the  true  doctrine,  ceremonies  and  services, 
and  led  them  captive  under  his  dominion, 
and  has  bound  them  miserably  with  the 
cords  of  error  and  idolatrous  abominations. 

But  all  those  who  are  again  enlightened 
by  the  Spirit  and  word  of  the  Lord,  born  of 
God,  and  die  unto  the  old  man,  sin;  forsake 
all  human  misleadings,  and  rightlj-  use  the 
holy  sacraments  of  the  Lord,  his  ordinances 


and  divine  services,  thej*  are  freed  from  spir- 
itual Babylon,  that  is,  from  sin,  liell.  death, 
devil,  from  the  doctrines  and  commands  of 
men.  from  all  idolatrj'  and  abominations, 
as  Paul  says.  There  is,  therefore,  now  no 
condemnation  to  them  which  are  in  Christ 
Jesus,  who  walk  not  after  the  flesh,  but  after 
the  Spirit;  for  the  law  of  the  Spirit  of  life  in 
Christ  Jesus,  hath  made  me  free  from  the 
law  of  sin  and  death,  Rom.  8:  1,  2. 

All,  then,  who  say  that  they  are  yet  cap- 
tives of  Babjion,  testify  that  thej^  have  not 
been  set  at  liberty  by  the  Cj'rus  (Jesus 
Christ),  from  their  sins,  and  have  not  come 
from  Chaldea  to  Jerusalem,  Isa.  24:  28: 
Ezra  1 :  1 — 4. 

Secondly,  that  Israel  is  not  commanded 
hereto  conform  themselves  to  the  gentiles; 
but  when  the}'  saw  them  carrj'  their  idols, 
even  as  we  may  see  on  the  days  of  papisti- 
cal jirocessions  and  abominations,  although 
we  are  not  in  their  temple,  then  they  should 
worship  God  only,  and  give  him  the  honor; 
for  if  God  had  commanded  them  to  conform 
in  all  things  to  the  Babylonian  idolatry, 
and  only  serve  the  Lord  with  their  heart 
secretly,  then  Shadrach,  Meshach  and  Abed- 
nego  acted  foolishly  in  refusing  to  worship 
the  great  golden  idol,  on  accoimt  of  which 
they  hazarded  their  lives.  O  no  !  the  mi- 
raculous work,  shown  of  God  to  them,  testi- 
fies that  they  acted  rightly.  All,  then,  I 
say,  who  teach  that  true  believers  are  not 
released  from  Babj'lon,  do  thereby  deny  th(> 
merits,  death  and  blood  of  Christ,  deny  faith 
with  its  power,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  with  his 
liberty,  and  despise  whollj'  the  innocent 
blood  of  the  free  witnesses  of  the  free  chil- 
dren of  God,  which  is  shed  so  abundantty. 

Let  every  one  see  well  to  what  he  believes 
and  teaches ;  for  I  fear  that  both  the  shedder 
of  blood,  and  the  despiser  are  alike  guilty. 
My  good  reader,  examine  the  Scriptures 
well,  and  you  will  find,  that  to  the  free  chil- 
dren of  God  here  upon  earth,  there  is  no  lib- 
erty promised  as  to  the  flesh,  for  Christ  says, 
"Ye  shall  be  hated  of  all  nations  for  my 
name's  sake,"  Matt.  24:  9.  Again.  "If  any 
man  will  come  after  me,  let  him  den_y  him- 
self, and  take  up  his  cross  and  follow  me," 
Matt.  16:  24.  Again,  "Whosoever  killeth 
3'ou  will  think  that  he  doeth  God  service," 
John  16:  2.     "All  that  will  live  godly  in 


A  CHRISTIAN  AND  AFFECTIONATE  EXHORTATION. 


75 


Christ  Jesus,"  says  Paul,  "must  suffer  per- 1 
secution,"2Tini.  3:  13.  And''throua:li  much 
tribulation  we  must  enter  into  the  kingdom 
of  God,"  Acts  14:  22.  For  the  liberty  of  the 
spirit  is  to  be  maintained  with  much  misery, 
tribulation,  persecutions,  bonds,  fear  and 
death.  "The  disciple  is  not  above  his  mas- 
ter, nor  the  servant  above  his  lord ;  it  is 
enough  for  th(^  discixile  that  he  be  as  his 
master,  and  the  servant  as  his  lord,"  Matt. 
10 :  24. 

Behold,  beloved  sirs,  friends  and  breth- 
ren, here  you  have  the  leading  parts,  and 
chief  articles  of  a  christian  ground  aist) 
ForxDATioN,  with  a  plain  instruction  and 
exposition  of  the  anti-christian  abomina- 
tions and  Babylonian  acts,  whereby  the  true 
apostolic  foundation,  for  a  long  time,  was 
corrupted  and  razed  to  the  ground;  and  we 
have  contrasted  light  with  darkness,  truth 
with  falsehood,  that  the  whole  truth  by  oiir 
seeking,  doctrine  and  lielief,  undertaking 
and  weak  attempts,  may  be  made  manifest. 

And  I  hope  by  the  grace  of  God.  that  you 
will  readily  receive  it,  if  you  are  at  all  hon- 
estly disposed,  read  it  with  a  sincere  heart, 
fear  God,  and  acknowledge  Christ  as  the 
true  head;  and  see  that  we  are  grounded 
upon  the  only  eternal  corner  stone,  that  we 
walk  in  the  right  way,  although  in  weakness 
and  to  have  the  jilain  truth,  and  that  there 
is  no  other  ground  or  way,  and  truth  to  be 
found  in  the  Scriptures,  that  can  stand  be- 
fore God,  other  than  this,  which  we  have 


pointed  out,  and  which  we  on  every  occa- 
sion maintain  and  defend  in  so  nuich  tribu- 
lation. 

I  have  served  you  all  witli  this  small 
gift,  as  I  received  it  from  my  God.  I  gladly 
would  that  I  could  serve  yoxx  longer  with 
great  and  abundant  grace,  to  the  praise  of 
the  Lord.  Therefore,  have  I  renounced 
praise,  honor,  ease,  and  forsaken  all,  and 
willingly  submitted  to  the  pressing  cross  of 
my  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  which  ofttimes  weighs 
very  heavily  on  my  weak  llesh.  I  seek  nei- 
ther gold  nor  silver  (the  Lord  knows  this), 
but  am  ready,  with  faithful  Moses,  to  suffer 
affliction  Avith  the  people  of  God,  rather  than 
to  enjoy  the  pleasures  of  sin  for  a  season; 
and  I  esteem  the  reproach  of  Christ  greater 
riches  than  the  treasures  in  Egypt,  for  I 
know  what  the  Scriptures  have  promised  us, 
and  this  is  my  only  joy  and  desire  of  my 
heart,  that  I  may  extend  the  borders  of  the 
kingdom  of  God,  publish  the  truth,  reprove 
siu,  teach  righteousness,  feed  the  hiingry 
with  the  word  of  the  Lord,  lead  the  stray 
sheep  into  the  right  path,  and  win  many 
souls  to  the  Lord  through  his  Spirit,  power  ^ 
and  grace,  and  so  act  in  my  weakness,  as 
he  taught  me  who  purchased  me,  a  miser- 
able sinner,  with  his  crimson  blood,  and 
gave  me  this  mind,  by  the  gosi^el  of  his 
grace,  namely,  Jesus  Christ,  to  him  be 
praise  and  glory,  and  the  eternal  kingdom, 
Amen. 


A   CHRlSTlAiX 


A^T) 


AFFECTIONATE  EXHORTATION  TO  ALL  IN  AUTIIOEITY. 


Aim  to  till'  learned,  to  tlie  common  peox)te,  to  sects  and  to  tJte  bride  of  C//n's-t.  iliat  if 
not  a  little  scorclied  ly  tJie  lieat  of  tJie  sun  every  icltere. 


We  have  shown  you  in  the  preface,  faith- 
ful reader,  why  or  wherefore  we  published 
these  oru-  writings,  to  wit:  on  accomit  of  the 


abominable  deceptions,  and  the  manifold 
dangers  at  this  time,  for  there  are  to  be 
found    so    many    schisms,    communities, 


76 


A  CHRISTIAN  AND  AITECTIONATE 


chnrches  and  sects,  who  are  all  called  after 
the  name  of  the  Lord  ;  sncli  as  Bo}na7is 
or  papists,  L/utherans,  Ziunglians,  erring 
sects,  and  the  christians  who  are  upbraided 
as  anabaptists.  Even  as  in  former  times  I 
among  the  Jews,  were  the  Cliasidim,  Zad- 
ikin,  Essenes,  Sadducees,  Pharisees,  &c., 
which  sacred  and  profane  history  mention.  ; 
Each  boasts  to  be  the  Chnrch  of  Christ,  and  ! 
to  have  the  word  of  the  Lord,  although  the 
greater  part  of  them  not  only  live  inconsist-  { 
ently  witli  the  Spirit,  word  and  example  of ; 
Christ,  but  they  very  enviously  upbraid  and 
slander,  and  are  inimically  opposed  to  it;  I 
and  it  is  just  as  it  was  in  the  beginning,  that 
the  pious  every  Avliere  have  to  sutler  much 
from  the  impious;  as  Abel  had  to  suffer  of 
Cain;  Isaac  of  Ishmael ;  Jacob  of  Esau,  &c., 
although  created  by  the  same  God,  by  na- 
ture have  one  common  origin,  boast  all  of 
one  Christ;  and  in  the  day  of  judgment,  find 
the  same  judge.  Anti-clirist  rules  through 
hypocrisy  and  lies,  with  power  and  sword; 
but  Christ  reigns  patiently  with  his  word 
and  spirit.  He  rises  no  other  sword  nor 
sabre.  O  man!  man!  Look  upon  the  irra- 
tional savage  creatures,  and  learn  -wisdom. 
Roaring  lions,  frightful  Ijears,  and  all  de- 
vouring wolves  agree  among  themselves 
with  their  respective  species;  but  you,  poor, 
helpless  Avorms;  you,  who  are  created  after 
God's  own  image,  and  are  called  rational 
beings,  born  without  tusks,  claws  and  horns, 
born  with  an  unsound,  feeble  nature,  sense- 
less, speechless  and  powerless,  yea,  neither 
able  to  walk  nor  stand,  and  have  to  depend 
entirely  upon  maternal  aid,  which  teaches 
you  that  you  are  to  be  peaceable  and  not 
contentious;  but  when  you  attain  your  un- 
derstanding and  manhood,  you  are  so  very 
unsettled,  tyrannical,  revengeful,  blood- 
thirsty and  unmerciful,  so  much  so  that  it 
cannot  be  fidly  conceived,  related  or  de- 
scribed. Your  openworks  bear  testimony  to 
this,  notwithstanding  you  boast  yourselves 
to  be  christians.  O  no !  my  faithful  reader, 
no!  Christ  teaches,  "Peace  I  leave  you,  my 
peace  I  give  unto  y oti,"  John  14 :  27.  Paul 
says,  "Let  the  peace  of  God  rule  in  your 
hearts,  to  v/hich  also  ye  are  called  in  one 
body,  and  be  ye  thankful,"  Col.  3  :  15. 
Again,  "The  Son  of  man  is  not  come  to  de- 


stroy men's  lives,  but  to  save  them,"  Luke 
9:  56. 

Since  there  are  so  many  of  you  who  treat 
the  children  of  God  so  inhumanly,  as  we 
see,  we  have  compiled  summarily  our  acts, 
principtes,  faith  and  doctrine,  from  the  word 
of  God,  and  have  published  them;  so  that 
every  slanderous  evil  speaker  and  bloody 
persecutor,  may  therefrom  learn  what  our 
undertaking  properly  is,  what  v/e  seek  and 
do,  and  upon  what  ground  the  city  of  God 
must  be  built,  and  which  of  all  the  afore- 
mentioned congregations  or  churches  is  the 
right  and  true  church  of  Christ.  Even  as 
there  was  but  one  Adam  and  one  Eve;  one 
Noah  and  one  ark,  one  Isaac  and  one  Ke- 
becca,  so  there  is  but  one  church  of  Christ, 
which  is  the  body,  the  city,  the  temple,  the 
house  and  bride  of  Christ,  having  but  one 
gospel,  one  faith,  one  baptism,  one  supper, 
and  one  service;  walking  in  the  same  way 
and  leading  a  pious,  unblamable  life,  as  the 
Scriptures  teach. 

All  who  have  not  the  pure,  uncorrupted 
word  of  God,  the  true,  living  faith,  with  the 
Lord's  holy  baptism  and  Supper,  in  power 
and  Spirit,  and  walk  the  broad  road  of  the 
flesh,  are  not  tiie  community  and  church  of 
Christ.  Here  neither  name  nor  boasting- 
avails;  we  must  be  in  Christ,  and  Christ  in  , 
us;  we  must  be  moved  by  his  Spirit,  and  in  ^ 
every  respect  abide  in  his  holy  word,  other- 
wise we  have  no  God. 

The  children  of  Israel  were  not  saved,  al- 
though they  were  of  the  seed  of  Abraham, 
because  they  walked  not  in  the  way  of 
Abraham.  Much  less  we,  though  we  are 
called  after  the  name  of  Christ,  if  we  seek 
not  his  promise  with  all  our  souls,  and  not 
sincerely  hear  and  follow,  and  be  obedient 
to  his  holy  will. 

Since  it  is  well  known  to  all  the  jjious,  that 
we  and  our  forefathers,  for  many  centuries, 
were  under  the  heavy  burden,  and  in  the 
service  of  Egypt,  deceived  hj  the  false  proph- 
ets, never  heard  the  book  of  the  law,  the 
holy  city  and  temple  lay  waste,  and  were 
under  the  tyranny  and  dominion  of  Baby- 
lon, as  heard  above.  The  merciful  Father 
had  compassion  on  the  pressing  mist  ry  and 
tribulation  of  his  people,  and  raised  up  to 
us  the  true  Moses,  Zerubbabel,  Christ  Jesus, 
through  his  word  and  Spii'it;  now  then,  it 


EXHORTATION  TO  ALL  IN  AUTHORITY. 


77 


becomes  you,  O  yon  highly  renowned  lords 
and  princes,  since  yon  and  we  boast  of  the  I 
same  Christ,  gospel,  redemption  and  king- 
dom, that  yon  no  longer  obstruct  b}'  your 
mandates  and  powers,  the  journeying  of  the 
people  of  God  to  the  eternal  promised  land; 
but  you  should  favor  them  more,  and  pros- 
per their  journey  by  your  gracious  permis- 
sion; that  you  may  hear  and  read  with  the 
venerable  and  pious  Josiah,  with  a  broken, 
meek  heart,  in  the  true  fear  of  God,  the  lost 
book  of  the  law  of  Christ,  which  has  been  ; 
lost  for  a  long  time.  Rend  your  hearts  and 
not  your  garments;  for  yoii  are  not  only  led 
off  from  the  true  path,  but  you  are  so  much 
bewitched  by  the  man  of  sin,  that  you  per- 
secute the  innocent,  pious  hearts,  who  in  no 
wise  injure  you  or  any  one  upon  earth. 

That  you  would,  with  king  Cyrus,  release 
the  poor  captive  children  from  the  land  of 
Chaldea,  who  crj^  and  weep  at  the  rivers  of 
Babylon,  that  they  may  again  possess  the 
spiritual  land  of  Canaan,  and  build  up  the 
spiritual  Jerusalem,  the  altar  and  the  tem- 
ple in  their  ancient  city,  and  establish  the 
spiritual  priesthood,  and  practice  the  spir- 
itual oifering  and  divine  service  according 
to  the  instructions  of  the  word  of  God,  that 
they  may  no  longer  hear  and  observe  the 
Babylonian  laws,  namely,  the  teachings  of 
men  and  their  commandments;  but  the  law  ' 
of  Israel,  God's  word  and  righteousness.  , 
Some  of  you,  though  alas  few!  are  so  far 
taught,  throvigh  the  grace  and  word  of  God,  ■ 
that  I  trust,  you  know,  that  neither  usages  ; 
nor  councils,  neither  learning  nor  sword; 
nor  mandate,  can  bend  or  break  the  word 
of  the  Most  High,  the  word  of  truth,  the 
word  of  tlie  heavenly  witness,  the  gospel  of 
the  kingdom,  for  other  foundation  cannot 
be  laid  to  all  eternity,  than  that  which  is 
laid,  which  is  Christ  Jesus,  1  Cor.  3:  11. 

Therefore,  wisdom  cries,  "Turn  you  at 
my  reproof ;  behold  I  will  pour  out  my 
Spirit  unto  you,  I  will  make  known  my 
words  unto  you,''  Prov.  1 :  23. 

Love  righteousness  ye  rulers  of  the  land. 

'■Be  wise,  now,  therefore,  O  ye  kings;  be 
instructed,  ye  judges  of  the  earth,  serve  the 
Lord  with  fear,  and  rejoice  with  trembling," 
Ps.  2:  10,  for  the  king  that  honors  wisdom 
shall  rule  forever. 

Do,  therefore,  with  a  meek  heart,  and  in 


the  fear  of  God,  examine  these  our  faithful 
instructions,  and  judge  by  the  Spirit  andv 
word  of  Christ,  as  much  as  in  you  is ;  com- 
pare them  with  the  doctrine  and  lives  of  the 
apostles,  witli  the  piety,  love,  customs,  ac- 
tions, misery,  cross  and  sufferings  of  the 
primitive  churclr,  I  hope,  by  the  grace  of 
God,  you  may  plainlj^  comprehend  that  our 
doctrine  is  the  infallible  doctrine  and  ground 
of  the  Scriptures.  Read  this  our  founda- 
tion, together  with  other  books,  appended 
to  this,  viz :  the  book  concerning  faith  and 
its  poicer ;  concerning  regeneration  or  tlie 
neic  creature ;  of  the  cross,  sufferings  and 
perseeidion  of  the  saints ;  of  excommunica- 
tion, ban  or  exclusion,  and-  other  tracts,  pub- 
lished from  time  to  time,  and  you  will  then 
lind,  by  the  grace  of  God,  that  this  doctrine 
is  the  pure  gospel,  which  the  Lord  taught 
by  his  own  mouth,  and  which  his  holy  apos 
ties  preached  throiigh  the  whole  world,  and 
by  the  power  of  the  Spirit  testified  thereto 
with  life  and  death.  Ours  is  no  new  doc- 
trine, as  the  preachers  without  truth,  pre- 
tend and  persuade  you;  but  it  is  the  old 
doctrine,  which  was  preached  and  ]:)racticed 
in  the  church,  for  more  tlian  tifteen  hundred 
years,  whereby  the  church  was,  is,  and  shall, 
be  borne,  till  the  end. 

O  you  high-renowned  lords  and  princes, 
turn  to  the  truth  of  God,  and  receive  reproof, 
and  wisdom ;  for  tlirough  wisdom,  kings 
reign,  and  princes  decree  justice;  obsei-ve 
how  far  your  spirit,  faith  and"  lives  differ 
from  the  Lord's  Spirit,  word  and  life. 

Think  jow,  dear  sirs,  that  you  are  born 
to  live  merely  in  splendor  and  magnificence, 
and  to  lead  a  vain,  sensual  life?  That  you 
may  freely  continue  in  your  licentious  and 
pernicious  lusts,  and  still  be  Christians  ?  O 
no,  "If  any  man  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ, 
he  is  none  of  his,"  Rom.  8:  9. 

Solomon  says,  "As  a  roaring  lion,  and  a 
raging  bear;  so  is  a  wicked  ruler  over  the 
poor  peojjle.  The  prince  that  wanteth  un- 
derstanding is  also  a  great  oppressor,"  Prov. 
28:  15.  The  poet  also  well  knew  this,  when 
he  says,  Quic  quid,  deli  ran  t  reges,  plectantur 
AcMvi,  i.  e.,  The  mischief  Avliich  kings  do, 

I  the  common  people  have  to  pay  or  atone 
for ;    but  a  wise  king  disperseth  the  im- 

i  godly. 


78 


A  CHRISTLAJ^  AND  AFFECTIONATE 


l- 


Therefore,  beloved  sirs,  see  well  to  it;  this 
\  is  that  to  which  yoii  are  called,  namely: 
that  you  are  to  chastise  and  ])unish,  in  the 
true  fear  of  God,  with  all  equitable  and  just 
discretion,  the  open  evil  doers ;  such  as 
thieves,  murderers,  sodomites,  adulterers, 
debauchers,  menslayers,  the  violent,  forni- 
cators, sorcerers,  robbers,  &c.,  that  you  give 
each  his  portion,  execute  judgment  and 
righteousness,  and  deliver  the  spoiled  out 
of  the  hand  of  the  oppressor,  that  you  are 
to  prevent,  by  proper  means  (understand 
without  tyranny  and  bloodshed),  open  de- 
ceivers, who  so  miserably  lead  poor,  help- 
less souls,  by  hundreds  of  thousands  into 
destruction,  whether  they  are  priests,  monks, 
preachers,  baptized  or  iinbaptized;  so  that 
they  will  no  longer  derogate  from  the  al- 
mighty majest}^  of  God,  oiu-  only  and  eter- 
nal Savior,  Christ  Jesus,  the  Holy  Ghost, 
together  with  the  \vord  of  grace;  nor  intro- 
duce those  ridiculous  abuses  and  idolatry, 
under  semblance  of  truth,  as  has  been  done 
to  this  time;  and  by  this  means,  in  all  love 
and  earnestness,  enlarge,  assist  and  protect, 
Avithout  violence,  blood  or  sword,  the  king- 
dom of  God,  by  your  gTacious  permission, 
wise  counsel,  pious,  unblamable  life. 
~—  '  Behold,  beloved  lords,  this  is  your  calling 
and  your  incumbent  dutj^;  do  not  domineer 
so  maliciously  over  the  children  of  God  and 
his  word,  as  alas,  many  of  yon  evidently 
do,  and  as  it  is  customar}'. 

Such  rulers  were  Moses,  Joshua,  David, 
Hezekiah,  Josaphat.Josiah.  Zerul)babel,&c., 
they  faitlifidly  discharged  their  enjoined  du- 
ties, conformed  to  the  word,  of  God,  protect- 
ed their  subjects  with  solicitous  concern, 
obeyed  the  commands  of  the  Lord,  abolish- 
ed the  false  prophets  and  the  priests  of  Baal, 
with  tlieir  altars,  groves  and  idolatry,  and 
faitlifully  kept  their  people  and  coiuitry,  to 
observe  the  ordinances  of  the  Lord,  his  laws 
and  divine  senice  as  commanded  by  Moses; 
they  feared  God,  and  had  the  book  of  the 
law  to  which  they  conformed,  and  by  which 
they  judged  the  people;  and  always  remem- 
bered the  Lord  their  God,  who  set  them  over 
his  people  as  potentates  and  rulers. 

They  feared  God  with  all  their  hearts, 
praised  his  name,  and  humbled  themselves 
with  all  their  strength,  as  David  did,  when 
he  was  girded  with  a  linen  ephod,   and 


'  danced  before  the  ark  of  the  Lord,  yea  that 
he  was  even  despised  of  his  wife  Michal ; 
but  he  said,  I  will  play  before  the  Lord, 
who  chose  me,  and  I  will  be  yet  more  vile 
than  this,  in  my  own  sight. 

0  you  highly  renowned,  noble  lords,  be- 
lieve Christ's  word,  fear  the  wrath  of  God, 
love  righteousness,  do  justice  to  widows  and 
orphans,  judge  rightly  between  num  and 
man,  fear  no  man's  highness;   despise  no 

1  man's  littleness,  hate  all  avarice,  chastise 
with  discretion,  suffer  the  word  of  God  to 
be  taught  in  liberty,  prevent  none  to  walk 

I  in  the  ways  of  trxith ;  yield  to  his  scejjtre 
who  called  you  to  this  high  charge,  and 
yoiu"  throne  shall  be  established  for  ever. 

Now  as  the  sceptre  of  Christ  is  an  upright 
sceptre,  and  teaches,  judges  and  corrects 
every  one,  without  respect  to  jjerson,  I,  a 
poor  and  unlearned  being  must  lay  aside 
my  diffidence,  and  grow  bold  in  love,  where- 
by I  would  desire  to  save  your  poor  souls, 

;  and  with  Samuel  reprove  Saul,  with  Abdia 
reprimand  Jeroboam,  withElias  chide  Ahab, 
with  Tsaiah  reprehend  Hezekiah,  with  Na- 

.  than  and  Gad  rebuke  David  for  their  mis- 
deeds and  transgressions,  and  thus  pro- 
claini  my  Lord's  Spirit,  word  and  will,  who 
knows  but  there  might  be  some  one  that  will 
regard  the  lidelity  and  love  of  his  poor  min- 
ister; hear  his  well-meaning  voice  and  chris- 
tian exhortation,  and  depart  from  an  un- 
godly and  evil  way ;  thus  some  of  the  afore- 
mentioned kings  heard  the  reproving  word 
of  the  moutlis  of  the  prophets  with  fear,  and 
reformed,  and  meekly  received  the  word. 

And  were  it  even  so.  that  my  faithful  ser- 
vice and  love,  should  l)ev  rewarded  with 
death,  as  1  have  reason  to  siaspect  it  may 
happen,  because  haughty  and  proud  flesh 
is  unwilling  to  be  reproved,  but  uses  at  all 
times  its  evil  nature,  however,  nothing  worse 

I  can  happen  me,  than  did  the  pious  Isaiah 
ofManasseh;  Zechariah  of  Joaz;  Urijah  of 
Jehoiakim,  Abimelech  and  other  priests  of 
Saul;  John  of  Herod;  Christ  of  Pilate  and 
of  the  Scribes;  and  as  it  happened  to  all  the 
apostles  and  pious  witnesses  of  the  whole 
world. 

1  do  not  esteem  my  life  to  hn  better  and 
dearer  than  the  beloved  men  of  God  did 
their  lives.  I  can  only  be  deprived  of  per- 
ishable and  mortal  flesh,  which  must  once 


EXHORTATION  TO  ALL  IN  AUTHOEITY. 


t^ 


die,  and  return  to  dust,  though  I  should 
live  to  be  as  old  as  Methuselah;  not  a  hair 
can  fall  from  my  head  ■nithout  the  will  of 
my  heavenly  father;  if  I  lose  my  life  for  the 
sake  of  Christ  and  his  testimony,  and  on 
account  of  mj'  sincere  love  for  my  neighbor, 
I  certainly  know,  that  I  will  save  it  in  life 
eternal,  therefore,  I  cannot  conceal  the  truth: 
but  I  must  testify  and  reveal  it  without  hy- 
pocrisy in  the  true  fi\nr  of  (iod,  to  my  lie- 
loved  lords. 

Beloved,  noble  lords,  learn  I'ightly  to 
know  3"ourselves,  whence  you  are,  what  you 
are,  and  what  you  will  be.  All  of  .you,  one 
as  well  as  another,  be  he  emperor  or  king, 
are  from  the  same  seed  that  we  poor  and 
unregarded  are,  and  you  came  into  this  sor- 
rowful world  as  Ave  did,  and  you  are  no  more 
than  vapor,  frail  liesh,  a  withering  Howei-, 
dust  and  ashes,  as  we  all  are.  To-day  you 
are  kings  and  triumph  in  great  and  high 
lionor,  to-morrow  you  are  laid  low,  aud 
must  be  food  for  serpents  and  worms. 

O  Sirs,  ni}^  beloved  sirs,  humble  your- 
selves; righteous  is  he  who  will  examine 
your  case,  and  mighty  is  he,  who  will  pass 
judgment  upon  you;  his  name  is  the  Rul- 
ing Loiid;  lie  is  the  Almight}',  the  holy,  the 
terrible,  the  high  adorable  and  omnipotent 
God,  who  created  heaveu  and  earth,  and 
who  has  in  the  hands  of  his  strength  all 
majesty,  power  and  dominion.  Ijearn  to 
know  him;  learn  to  fear  him.  Awaken,  look 
out,  the  time  is  not  far  oif.  when  j'ou  will 
hear,  "6-7pe  an  account  of  thy  steioarclsMp ; 
for  tJioit  m.ai/e-tt  he  no  loiu/er  sfeioard,''  Luke 
*16:  2. 

Therefore,  do  not  hear  those  who  seek 
fat  preliends  and  a  lazy  life,  the.y  deceive 
3'ou,  the_y  teach  yon  according  to  the  hist  of 
your  hearts;  they  flatter  j^ou  for  the  sake 
of  unlaA^-ful  gain,  they  preach  to  j^ou  wan- 
ton deception  according  to  their  own  opin- 
ion, and  not  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  Lord; 
they  fatten  their  bodies,  and  have  line  times, 
from  the  fatness  of  your  poor  souls  (beloved 
sirs,  understand  rightly  what  I  mean),  al- 
though thej'  boast  much  of  the  gospel ;  hear 
them,  who  are  not  like  the  wind-shaken 
reed,  those,  who  with  John  and  Elias,  are 
not  so  much  frightened  l)y  the  wilderness 
of  misery,  who  suffer  daily  for  the  truth's 
sake,  love  gold  and  wood  alike,  who  esteem 


all  things  alike,  both  praise  and  reproach, 
riches  and  poverty",  life  and  death,  who 
seek  onlj'^  the  honor  of  Christ,  and  the  sal- 
A-ation  of  their  beloved  brethren,  and  j) reach 
nothing  but  the  pure,  unmixed  word  of  God, 
and  seal  it,  with  spirit,  power  aud  woi'k,  as 
it  is  commanded  of  Christ,  and  as  it  is  pro- 
claimed and  taught  through  the  whole  world 
by  his  holy  apostles. 

I  repeat  it,  hearken  not,  follow  not,  and 
believe  not  the  multitude  of  the  learned, 
who  suifer  themselves  to  be  called  doctors, 
lords  and  masters,  for  they  are  sensual  and 
bloodthirsty,  but  seek  and  follow  the  faith- 
ful in  Christ,  who  are  called  the  curse  and 
filth  of  the  earth,  among  these  3' on  will  find 
Christ's  Spirit,  truth,  power,  works  and  life. 
You  will  also,  through  the  grace  of  God,  find 
how  far  you  and  your  spirit,  faith,  baptism, 
supper,  conduct,  church  and  actions  are  out- 
side of  Christ's  Spirit,  doctrine,  commands, 
prohibition,  ordinance  and  usage. 

Say,  O  you  kings  and  rulers  of  the  land. 
Where  is  yom-  faith  and  love,  with  their 
pious  nature^  AVhere  is  the  fear  of  your 
God?  Your  lamp  and  light?  Yoiu- humble 
heart,  dead  unto  sin  (  And  j'our  unblam- 
able, godly  life,  which  is  out  of  God?  Is  it 
not  all  world  and  carnality  which  3-ou  seek 
and  follow  ?  AYe  generally  find  in  your 
houses  and  courts  nothing  bat  extravagance, 
pomp  and  showy  clothing,  hardness  and 
presumptuousness  of  heart,  insatiable  ava- 
rice, hatred,  envy,  backbiting,  l)etraying, 
whoredom,  debauchery,  gambling  gaming, 
eating,  drinking,  dancing,  swearing,  stab- 
bing, housebreaking,  &c.  This  is  j'our  cliiv- 
alric  custom  and  court  conduct  during  the 
whole  coui'se  of  your  lives ;  and  you  never 
once  reflect  on  the  misery',  tribulation,  lui- 
mility,  love  and  righteousness  in  which  the 
Lord  of  lords,  and  King  of  kings,  lived  be- 
fore you,  what  he  taught  the  children  of 
men,  and  what  pattern  or  example  he  left 
them ;  the  affliction  and  miserj'  of  the  wretch- 
ed reach  not  your  ears ;  the  sweat  of  the 
poor  we  find  on  your  houses,  and  the  inno- 
cent blood  on  your  hands;  .you  receive  gifts 
and  presents  to  pervert  judgment,  and  j^on 
take  counsel  together  against  the  Lord  and 
his  anointed.  The  prophets  of  Jezebel,  and 
the  priests  of  Baal,  sensualists  and  flatter- 
ers, are  much  respected  with  you,  tftfey  set 


80 


A  CHRISTIAN  AND  AFFECTIONATE 


upon  soft  cushions,  and  live  well.  But 
those  who  with  Micah,  preach  to  you  adver- 
sity and  trutli,  must  expect  imprisonment, 
bonds,  and  death,  and  are  deserving  of  all 
disgrace;  yea,  it  has  come  so  far  (may  God 
make  it  better)  that  where  four  or  five,  ten 
or  twent}'  have  met  in  tlie  name  of  the  Lord, 
to  speak  of  tlie  word  of  the  Lord,  and  to  do 
his  work,  in  whose  midst  Christ  is,  who  fear 
the  Lord  with  all  their  heart,  and  lead  an 
unblamable  life  before  all  the  world,  that  if 
they  beappreh(nided,  and  complaiirt  brought 
against  them,  they  must  then  ln'  devoured 
1)3"  fire,  or  be  destroyed  by  tin?  s\v(  >r(l.  oi-  sink 
into  tlie  depths  of  the  wateis. 

But  they  who  liave  met  in  the  name  of 
Baal,  a  meeting  of  all  manner  of  mischief, 
who  exceed  Sodom  and  Uomorrah  far  in 
wickedness,  where  all  manner  of  inhuman 
things  are  carried  on  between  man  and  man; 
and  between  woman  and  woman;  as  it  is  in 
Spain,  in  Italy,  and  in  the  cloisters,  in 
public  brothel-houses,  theatres,  fencing- 
schools,  and  the  accnrsed  drunken  taverns, 
where  many  live  in  open  disgrace,  and  act 
so  shamefally  against  God's  word.  Sndi 
live  immolested  and  at  peace. 

I  do  not  mention  the  public  assemblies  of 
all  manner  of  idolatry',  wliere  the  most  high, 
blessed  and  precious  name  of  Gcod  is  so  mis- 
erably blasphemed,  the  blood  of  Christ  des- 
V  pised,  the  Holy  Ghost  grieved,  the  truth  dis- 
graced, lies  commended,  and  poor  souls  de- 
ceived. The  blind,  ignorant  people  are  not 
only  directed  to  the  holy  water,  bread,  wine 
and  the  mass,  but  also  to  the  dumb  idols, 
of  wood  and  stone,  as  alas!  it  may  !ip  so 
extensively'  witnessed. 

O  my  beloved  lords,  what  are  you  doing? 
Where  is  the  sword  of  righteousness  which 
was  given  to  you,  of  which  j'ou  boast?  Yon 
have  to  acknowledge  that  you  leave  it  in  the 
scabbard,  and  in  its  stead  you  have  drawn 
the  sword  of  unrighteousness.  Yes,  beloved 
sirs,  things  are  so  (God  better  it),  that  the 
propliets  write  and  call  with  jiropriety,  "Thy 
princes  are  rebellious,  and  companions  of 
thieves;  every  one  lovetli  gifts,  and  follow- 
eth  after  rewards;  they  judge  not  the  fath- 
erless, neither  doth  the  cause  of  the  widow 
come  unto  them;  therefore  saitli  the  Lord, 
the  Ij»rd  of  hosts,  the  Mighty  One  of  Israel. 


Ah!  I  will  ease  me  of  mine  adversaries,  and 
avenge  me  of  mine  enemies,"  Isa.  1 :  23,  24. 

"Behold,  the  princes  of  Israel,  every  one 
is  wise  in  thee  to  tlieir  power  to  shed  blood. 
{ In  thee  have  they  set  light  by  father  and 
mother;  in  the  midst  of  thee  have  they  dealt 
by  op]iression  with  the  stranger ;  in  thee 
j  have  they  vexed  the  fatherless  and  the  wid- 
ow ; "  they  are  like  the  devouring  wolves  to 
shed  blood  and  destroy  souls  for  the  sake 
of  their  avarice,  "Behold,  therefore,"  says 
tlx^  Lord,  "1  have  smitten  mine  liand  at  thy 
dishonest  gain  which  thou  hast  made,  and 
at  thy  blood  which  liath  been  in  the  midst 
of  thee,"  Ezek.  22:  G,  7,  13. 

' '  Woe  to  them  that  devise  iniquity  and 
work  evil  upon  tlieir  beds!  when  the  morn- 
ing is  light,  they  practice  it,  because  it  is  in 
the  power  of  their  hand.  And  they  covet 
fields,  and  take  them  by  violence ;  and 
houses,  and  take  them  away;  so  they  op- 
press a  man  and  his  house,  even  a  man  and 
his  heritage.  Tlierefore,  thus  saith  the  Lord; 
beliold  against  this  family  do  I  devise  an 
evil,  from  which  ye  shall  not  remove  your 
necks;  neither  shall  ye  go  haughtily;  for 
this  time  is  evil,"  Micah  2:  1 — 3. 

"Hear,  0  heads  of  Jacob,  and  ye  princes 
of  the  house  of  Israel;  Is  it  not  for  you  to 
know  Judgment  who  hate  the  good  and  love 
the  evil;  AVho  pluck  ofi"  their  skin  from  off 
them,  and  their  flesh  from  off  their  bones; 
who  also  eat  the  flesh  of  m}"  people,  and 
flay  their  skin  from  off  them,  and  they  break 
their  bones  and  chop  them  in  pieces,  as  for 
the  pot,  and  as  flesli  within  the  caldron. 
Then  shall  they  cry  unto  the  Lord,  but  he 
will  not  hear  them,  he  will  even  hide  his  face 
from  them  at  that  time,  as  they  have  be- 
haved themselves  ill  in  their  doings," Micah 
3:  1—4. 

'■  AVoe  to  her  that  is  filthy  and  polluted  to 
the  oppressing  city  !  she  obeyed  not  the 
voice;  she  received  not  correction;  she  trust- 
ed not  in  the  Lord;  she  drew  not  near  to  her 
God.  Her  princes  within  her  are  roaring- 
lions;  her  judges  are  evening  wolves ;  thej- 
gnaw  not  the  bones  till  tlie  morrow;  her 
prophets  are  light  and  treacherous  persons; 
her  })riests  have  polluted  the  sanctuary,  they 
liave  done  violence  to  the  law,  the  just  Lord 
is  in  the  midst  thereof;  he  will  not  do  iniq- 
uity ;    every   morrung    dotli   lie  bring  his 


EXHORTATION  TO  ALL  EST  AUTHORITY. 


81 


judgment  to  light,  he  faileth  not;  but  the  ' 
unjust  knoweth  no  shame.    I  have  cut  off 
the  nations ;  their  towers  are  desolate ;  I  i 
made  their  streets  waste,  that  none  passeth 
hjV'Zeph.  3:1— 6.  ; 

There  are  but  few  of  you,  I  fear  there  is  j 
scarcely  one,  who  seeks  the  Lord  with  all  I 
his  heart,  fears,  loves,  and  serves  him ; 
therefore,  will  also  the  fury  of  Grod  be 
poured  out  upon  you  like  water,  and  the 
sword  of  his  wrath  will  come  upon  you,  as 
may  be  seen  daily  in  many  places;  God 
better  it. 

The  wise  man  says,  "Power  is  given  you 
of  the  Lord,  and  sovereignty  from  the  High- 
est, who  shall  try  your  works  and  search 
out  your  counsels;  because  being  ministers  ', 
of  his  kingdom,  ye  have  not  judged  aright, 
nor  kept  the  law,  nor  walked  after  the  coun- 
sel of  God;  horribly  and  speedily  shall  he 
come  upon  you;  for  a  sharp  judgment  shall 
be  to  them  that  are  in  high  places.  For 
mercy  will  soon  pardon  the  meanest;  but 
mighty  men  shall  be  mightily  tormented.  , 
For  he  who  is  Lord  over  all  shall  fear  no 
man's  person,  neither  shall  he  stand  in  awe  ' 
of  any  man's  greatness ;  for  he  hath  made 
the  small  and  great,  and  careth  for  all  alike. 
But  a  sore  trial  shall  come  upon  the  mighty," 
Wis.  6:  3—8. 

Tiierefore,  beloved  lords,  take  heed  that 
yon  rightly  execute  your  responsible  and  j 
dangerous  office  according  to  the  will  of 
God;  for,  alas!  I  fear  that  many  of  you,  as 
yet,  have  paid  but  little  attention  to  this  j 
matter,  and  hence  it  is  that  anti-christ  rises  I 
up  with  his  wickedness,  and  Ciirist  is  reject- 
ed with  his  righteousness ;  lay  to  heart  what  i 
is  written,  "  Keep  thee  far  from  a  false  mat- 
ter; and  the  innocent  and  righteous  slay  ! 
thou  not;  for  I  will  not  justify  the  wicked," 
gays  the  Lord,  Exod.  23:  7. 

Here  I  well  know  that  we  have  to  hear  of 
Munster,  dominions,  polygamy,  sword, 
theft,  murder  and  of  the  like  abominations 
and  disgrace,  which,  you  always  assert,  re- 
sult from  baptism;  and  under  this  pretext 
you  reprove  every  thing  the  mouth  of  the 
Lord  commanded,  and  what  the  holy  apos- 
tles taught  and  practiced,  and  for  this  pur- 
pose you  cite  some  seditious  sects  and  fac- 
tions, that  the  cry  of  the  learned  and  your 
blood-shedding  may  be  sanctioned. 
11 


ISTo,  my  beloved  sirs,  it  will  not  acqirit  you 
in  the  day  of  the  righteousness  of  God.  1 
j  tell  you  the  tru.th  in  Christ;  notice  the  right- 
ly baptized  disciples  of  Christ,  who  are  bap-  _ 
tized  inwardl}^  with  Spirit  and  lire,  and  ex- 
ternally with  water,  who  are  baptized  accord- 
ing to  the  word  of  God ;  know  of  no  weapons 
other  than  patience,  hope,  quiet,  and  God's 
word.  Paul  says,  "  The  weapons  of  our  war- 
fare are  not  carnal,  but  mighty  through  God 
to  the  pulling  down  of  strong  holds;  cast- 
ing down  imaginations,  and  every  high 
thing  that  exalteth  itself  against  the  knowl- 
edge of  God,  and  briugeth  into  captivity 
every  thought  to  the  obedience  of  Christ," 
2  Cor.  10:  4,  5.  Our  weapons  are  not  weap- 
ons with  which  cities  and  countries  are  des- 
olated ;  walls  and  gates  broken  down  and 
human  blood  shed  in  torrents  like  water, 
but  they  are  weapons  with  which  the  spirit- 
ual kingdom  of  the  devil  is  destroyed,  and 
the  ungodly  passions  are  annihilated,  and 
the  flinty  hearts  are  broken,  that  have  never 
been  sprinkled  with  the  heavenly  dew  of  the 
holy  word.  We  have  and  know  no  other 
weapons  besides,  the  Lord  knows,  even  if 
we  should  be  torn  into  a  thousand  pieces, 
and  as  many  false  witnesses  were  to  rise 
against  us,  as  there  are  spears  of  grass  in 
the  fields,  and  grains  of  sand  upon  the  sea 
shore. 

Again,  Christ  is  our  fortress ;  patience  our 
defence;  the  word  of  God  our  sword;  and 
our  victory  is  a  candid,  firm,  unfeigned  faith 
in  Jesus  Christ.  We  let  those  take  spears 
and  swords,  who,  alas,  regard  human  blood 
and  swine's  blood  alike.  He  that  is  wise 
let  him  judge  what  I  mean. 

We  acknowledge,  beloved  sirs,  that  some 
of  the  false  prophets  were  baptized  exter- 
nally in  appearance,  with  us,  with  the  same 
baptism;  even  as  thieves,  miirderers,  high- 
way robbers,  sorcerers  and  the  like,  were 
baptized  with  you;  but  they  were  not  of  us  • 
for  had  they  been  of  us,  as  John  says,  they 
would  no  doubt  have  continued  with  us. 

Clirist  says,  "There  shall  arise  false 
Christs,  and  false  prophets,  and  shall  shew 
great  signs  and  wonders ;  insomuch  that  if 
it  were  possible,  they  shall  deceive  the  very 
elect;  behold,  I  have  told  you  before,"  Matt. 
24:  24. 


6S 


A  CHRISTIAN  AND  AFFECTIONATE 


This  warning  of  Christ  was  not  given  to 
the  ungodly,  obdurate  despisers,  for  they 
are  already  entangled  in  the  snares  of  un- 
righteousness, but  is  given  to  the  contrite  of 
heart  and  to  the  willing  souls,  so  that  they 
^  may  learn  to  know  the  Spirit,  and  not  suffer 
themselves  to  be  led  into  error;  "For  the 
devil,  as  a  roaring  lion,  walketh  about, 
seeking  whoin  he  may  devour,"  1  Peter  5:  8. 

The  craftiness  and  artifice  of  the  devil, 
who  assumes  the  appearance  of  an  augel  of 
light,  are  not  known  by  some,  therefore,  so 
many  have  stumbled  and  erred,  and  were 
led  into  crooked  paths  by  the  deceivers;  but 
this  was  not  throiigh  baptism;  for  the  ele- 
mentary water  can  neither  teach,  nor  per- 
vert, but  it  was  done  through  false  prophets, 
of  which,  I  say,  we  have  been  so  faithfully 
warned  by  the  mouth  of  the  Lord. 

Beloved  sirs,  fear  God,  judge  rightly;  the 
truth  of  Grod  can  never  be  changed  into  se- 
duction and  error,  through  the  lies  of  the 
devil.  O  no !  the  word  of  our  God  shall 
stand  forever. 

Shoiild  the  devout  angels  be  unjustly 
judged,  for  the  sake  of  Lucifer's  arrogance 
and  be  punished  with  his  punishment?  Or 
should  all  the  apostles  be  traitors,  for  Judas' 
sake  ?  By  no  means.  Every  one  shall  bear 
his  own  burden.  "The  son  shall  not  bear 
the  iniquity  of  the  father,  neither  shall  the 
father  bear  the  iniquity  of  the  son.  The  soul 
that  sinneth  it  shall  die,""  Ezek.  18:  20. 

Should  we  reproacli  the  doctrine  of  Christ 
and  his  ajiostles,  because  the  father  of  lies 
has  resuscitated,  in  the  name  of  Christ,  the 
practice  of  circumcision  as  essential  to  sal- 
vation. ?  That  the  dead  will  not  rise  in  the 
day  of  judgment?  That  Philetus  and  Hy- 
menius  asserted  that  the  resurrection  of  the 
dead  has  already  taken  place?  That  some 
pretended  that  the  great  day  of  the  Lord 
was  at  hand  ? 

How  could  the  apostle  help  it,  that  the 
Nicolaitans  had  their  wives  common,  as 
Eusebius  relates?  That  the  Ebionites  de- 
nied the  deity  of  Christ,  and  taught  that 
Christ  began  only  to  exist  in  Mary  ?  And 
that  the  Corinthians  maintained,  that  the 
world  was  created  by  angels;  that  Christ 
was  no  more  than  a  mere  man,  and  had  not 
yet  risen,  but  shall  rise  with  us  in  future,  and 


'  that  he  would  reign  one  thousand  years  in 
the  flesh  with  his  saints  ? 

All  these  sects  arose  in  the  days  of  the 
apostles,  nevertheless  the  gospel  of  Christ 
remained  the  true  gospel,  the  doctrines  of 

I  the  apostles,  the  true  doctrine. 

Tlie  Scriptures  teach  that  we  are  to  flee 
from,  and  avoid  such  leaders  of  sects  and 
heretics;  and  we  hope  to  obey  willinglj^  the 
injunction  all  the  days  of  our  lives. 

Therefore,  my  beloved  sirs,  pass  an  im- 
partial and  rational  judgment  in  this  mat- 
ter, as  before  God,  who  will  judge  you  in 
the  great  day ;  this  we  ask  of  jow.  for  Jesus' 
sake;  for  we  seek  nothing  else  upon  earth 
(the  Lord  knows),  than  the  true  foundation  of 

'  the  truth,  the  praise  of  Clii'ist,  the  obedience 

'  of  his  word,  and  that  with  a  good  conscience, 
as  we  testify  to  the  whole  world,  with  our 

'  ■WTitings,  word,  possessions,  blood,  life  and 

\  death. 

;  We  also  v^Tfite  the  truth  in  Christ  and  lie 
not,  that  spiritually,  we  acknowledge  no 
king,  neither  in  heaven  above  nor  upon  earth 
beneatli,  than  the  only,  eternal  and  true 
king,  spiritual  David,  Cluist  Jesus,  who  is 
Lord  of  lords,  and  King  of  kings. 

And  if  tliere  is  one  who  will  declare  him- 
self king  in  the  kingdom  and  dominion  of 
Clirist,  as  did  John  von  Leyden,  of  Munster, 
he  shall  not  go  unpunished  with  Adonijah, 
1  Kings  1,  for  the  true  Solomon,  Christ  Jesus 
himself,  must  possess  the  kingdom,  and  sit 
eternally  upon  the  throne  of  David. 

But,  according  to  the  flesh,  we  teach  and 
exhort  to  be  obedient  to  the  emperor,  king, 
lords  and  princes,  yea,  to^all  in  authority, 
in  all  their  transactions  and  civil  regula- 
tions, so  far  as  they  are  not  contrary  to  the 
word  of  God,  Rom.  13:  1—3. 

We  teach  and  confess  that  we  know  of  no 
sword,  nor  commotion  in  the  kingdom  or 
church  of  Clirist,  other  than  the  sharp  sword 
of  the  Spirit,  God's  word,  as  is  abundantly 
shown  in  our  ^\Titings,  which  is  sharper  and 
more  piercing  than  any  tvv-o-edged  sword, 
and  it  proceeds  from  the  mouth  of  the  Lord, 
whereby  we  make  the  father  at  variance 
against  the  son,  and  the  son  against  the 
father,  the  mother  against  the  daughter,  and 
the  daughter  against  the  mother,  and  daugh- 
j  ter-in-law  against  the  mother-in-law.  But  the 


EXHORTATION  TO  ALL  IN  AUTHORITY. 


83 


sword  of  worldly  policy  we  leave  with  those 
to  whom  it  is  committed.    Let  every  one  be 
careful  and  not  take  the  sword,  lest  he  shall  | 
perish  with  the  sword,  Matt.  2(3:  52.  ', 

We  acknowledge,  teach,  and  approve  of! 
no  other  matrimony  tlian  that  one,  which  j 
Christ  and  his  ajjostles  publicly  and  i^lainly  | 
taught  in  the  New  Testament,  namelj",  one  [ 
man  and  one  woman,  Matt.  19 :  4,  and  that 
they  may  not  be  divorced  except  in  case  of 
adultery,  Matt.  5 :  32,  for  the  two  are  one 
Hesh,  but  if  the  unbelieving  depart,  a  sister 
or  brother  is  not  under  bondage  in  that  case, 
1  Cor.  7:  15. 

We  acknowledge,  teach  and  seek  no  other 
kingdom  than  that  of  Christ,  which  shall 
endure  for  ever,  in  which  there  is  no  pomp, 
splendor,  gold,  silver,  meat  and  drink,  but 
righteousness,  peace  and  joy  in  the  Holy  t 
Ghost ;  we  confess  with  Cluist,  that  om- 
kingdom  is  not  of  this  world;  we  brought 
nothing  into  this  world,  therefore,  it  is  evi-  j 
dent  we  can  not  take  any  thing  out  of  it,  as 
the  Scriptui-es  say,  1  Tim.  6:7.  I 

AVe  know  of  no  murdering,  much  less  do  j 
we  teach  or  permit  it ;  for  we  truly  believe 
that  a  mxu'derer  has  neither  lot  nor  part  in 
the  kingdom  of  God,  Gal.  5 :  21.    O  beloved  ', 
sirs,  how  should  we  desire  the  blood  of  any  ; 
man,  since  we  have  to  die  daily  for  man's 
sake  ?  The  Lord  who  created  us  knows  that 
Ave  seek  nothing,  but  that  we  might  instruct,  1 
and  be  a  pattern  to  all  the  world,  Avith  our 
doctrine,  life,  blood  and.  death,  that  they  ; 
might  reflect,  awaken,  repent  and  be  saved,  I 
for  this  is  the  natm-e  of  pure  love  to  pray 
for  persecutors,  to  render  good  for  evil,  to 
love  the  enemy,  to  heap  coals  of  lire  upon 
the  head ;  and  let  him  avenge  avIio  judges 
rightly,  Rom.  12:  20. 

We  know  of  no  theft,  much  less  do  Ave 
teach  or  permit  it,  but  we  are  ready  before 
God  and  man,  Avith  all  oru*  hearts,  ♦o  bestow 
our  possessions,  gold,  and  all  that  we  have, 
however  little  it  may  be,  and  in  addition 
thereto  oiir  SAveat  and  labor,  to  meet  the 
necessities  of  the  poor,  as  the  Spirit  and 
Avord  of  the  Lord,  and  true  brotherly  love 
teach  us.  We  Avell  knoAv  that  theft  is  ex- 
pressly forbidden  in  the  Scriptures,  Eph.  4:  j 
28,  and  that  it  will  be  punished  by  death* 

*  lu  some  countries  theft  was  formerly  puni?lied  by- 
death. 


according  to  the  laws  of  the  land,  and  if  not 
repented  of,  with  eternal  death  according  to 
the  word  of  God. 

The  Almighty  merciful  Lord,  through  his 
paternal  grace.  Spirit  and  poAver,  Avill  un- 
doubtedly keep  and  preserve,  inoifensiA'e  to 
the  end  of  the  Avorld,  all  the  pious,  god-fear- 
ing, and  faithful  Avho  acknoAAdedge  him,  and 
are  sincere,  fi-om  all  such  terrible  errors  and 
ungodly  abominations. 

And  should  it  be  the  case,  that  one  re- 
mained among  us  AA'ho  uses  violence  (avIucIi 
is  quite  unknoAvn  to  me),  and  would  do  that 
Avhich  is  from  the  devil,  my  beloved  sirs, 
know  you  that  such  an  one  Avas  not  of  us 
fi'om  the  beginning,  and  will  for  ever  not  be 
of  lis,  exce^jt  he  be  thoroughly  converted, 
repent  sincerely,  and  become  one  with  the 
Spirit,  doctrine  and  example  of  Christ,  as 
the  Scriptures  teach .  May  the  gi-acious  Lord 
grant  that  they  mn,y  aAvaken,  overcome  their 
di'OAvsiness,  learn  to  know  their  works,  see 
their  nakedness,  and  be  extricated  from  the 
snares  of  the  devil,  by  Avhich  the  poor,  miser- 
able people  are  so  lamentably  led  cajjtive 
at  his  will. 

Therefore,  beloved  lords,  beAvare  that  you 
be  not,  in  judging  faith,  like  the  reckless  and 
senseless,  AAdio  persist  Avithout  any  knowl- 
edge of  the  matter,  in  their  own  opinion  and 
wantonness,  like  irrational  creatures,  i\p- 
braid  the  good,  and  praise  the  evil,  perse- 
cute and  condemn  Avhat  they  understand  not. 
Again,  I  say,  be  not  like  those  blood-thirsty, 
raging  and  malicious  men;  but  examine  the 
Scriptm-es  with  trembling,  with  Solomon 
pray  for  wisdom,  look  to  the  Spirit,  Avord, 
doings  and  example  of  Clirist,  and  i)ass  an 
impartial  righteous  sentence,  according  to 
the  truth,  as  it  is  enjoined  upon,  and  com- 
manded unto  all  the  princes  and  judges  in 
the  Scriptures,  as  is  heard. 

O  beloved  sirs,  take  heed.  If  our  faith, 
doctrine,  sacraments,  transactions  and  do- 
ings are  not  of  God,  as  Ave  are  every  Avliere 
slandered,  then  are  we  the  most  miserable 
of  all  men  upon  earth ;  if  Avhilst  we  are  to 
be  every  one's  deceiver,  heretic,  anabaptist, 
knave,  footstool  and  prey;  have  to  endiu-e 
the  stocks,  galloAvs,  wheels,  sword,  Avater, 
fire,  and  all  manner  of  misery;  om-  poor 
souls  must  nevertheless  be  the  property  of 


84 


A  CHRISTIAN  AND  AFFECTIONATE 


the  devil,  and  brands  of  hell,  althongh  in  | 
our  weakness  we  so  cordially  seek  the  Lord, 
and  are  so  sincere,  as  may  be  seen.  O  no ! 
my  beloved  sirs,  no  ;  the  Spirit,  doctrine 
and  life  of  Christ  will  not  deceive  ns;  for  his 
word  is  truth,  and  his  commands  eternal 
life.  The  promises  of  God  stand  sure  and 
immovable;  and  they  will  not  fail  to  the 
pious. 

Therefore,  we  pray  and  admonish  you, 
yea,  we  counsel  and  desire  that  3'ou  would 
contrast  our  seeking  with  yoiu'  seeking;  our  ; 
spirit  with  your  spirit ;  our  doctrine  with  ; 
the  docti-ine  of  the  learned;  our  conduct  vnth  ; 
your  conduct;  our  poverty  with  your  riches ;  I 
our  rejection  and  reproach  with  yoiu-  seek-  ] 
ing  of  honor;  our  affliction  and  tribulation 
with   your  voluptuousness  and  luxxuious  ; 
living;  our  patience  with  yoiir  t ji-anny ;  om' 
hard  bonds   and  reproachful  death,  with 
your  imgracious  fury  and  unmerciful  fierce- 
ness. I  speak  of  the  guilty ;  if  you  should  then 
lind  that  your  doctrine,  faith,  life,  seeking 
and  doings  are  more  in  accordance  with  the 
Spirit,  word  and  life  of  the  Lord,  and  are 
better  than  ours,  then  instruct  us  with  a 
paternal  spirit;   we  will  willingly  hear  it, 
and  be  obedient,  for  we  do  desire  to  obey 
the  ti-utli  unto  death. 

But  if  you  can  not  reprove  us  by  the 
Scriptm-es,  and  see  that  our  doctrine  is  the 
best,  it  would  then  be  heathenish,  ungodly 
and  tp-annical,  to  force  us  out  of  life  into 
death,  thrust  us  from  heaven  into  hell,  by 
the  sword  and  violence;  this  you  will  have 
to  acknowledge  and  confess.  But  I  am 
afraid,  so  much  discretion  will  not  be  mani- 
fested to  us  wretched  childi'en,  that  the  mat- 
ter be  weighed  in  the  balance  of  the  holy 
word,  and  determined  by  the  plummet  of 
Christ.  ^But  the  upbraiding,  betraying  and 
tumult  of  the  priests  and  your  unmerciful 
edicts  must  be  our  scriptures ;  and  yoiu-  rack- 
ets, hangmen,  ^vrath,  torturing,water,  stocks, 
fire  and  sword,  O  God,  of  which  we,  grieved 
children,  hear  in  many  jjlaces,  must  be 
our  instructors,  which  we  at  last  must  pay 
with  our  possessions  and  blood.  Beloved 
lords,  with  christian  discretion,  love  and 
friendship,  reflect  upon  this  how  it  agrees 
with  the  Spirit,  doctrine  and  life  of  Christ? 
We  well  know  that  all  bloody  preachers 
who  teach  and  advise  such  things,  and  all 


the  rulers  who  practice  and  uphold  the 
same,  are  not  the  disciples  of  Christ ;  the 
hour  in  which  you  shall  have  to  render  ac- 
counts, when  you  depart  this  life,  will  teach 
you  this  truth.  It  can  never  be,  says  Cy- 
prian, that  such  lion-like  fury  and  lupine 
ferocity  should  dwell  in  the  heart  of  a  Chris- 
tian. O  how  good  it  would  be  for  some  of 
you,  yea,  how  good  it  would  be  if  you  had 
never  been  born;  for  there  are  so  many  of 
you  who  neither  regard  law  nor  gospel, 
heaven  nor  hell,  God  nor  the  devil;  but  the/ 
evil  flesh  will  follow  its  propensity. 

Think  you,  beloved  sirs,  that  the  Almighty 
God  and  Lord,  who  holds  the  heavens  and 
the  earth  in  the  hollow  of  his  hand,  who 
kills  and  makes  alive,  the  ruling  Lord  over 
all,  who  upholds  all  by  the  word  of  his 
power,  who  creates  and  destroys,  the  con- 
suming fire,  before  whose  presence  the  hills 
melted  like  wax,  Ps.  97:  5,  that  he  will  yield 
and  give  away  to  sensual  nuuds  and  earthly 
hearts  ?  No  !  no,  before  him  the  great  and 
small  are  alike;  the  rich  and  the  poor;  the 
strong  and  the  weak;  the  learned  and  un- 
learned; the  wise  and  the  foolish,  are  all 
alike.  He  is  no  respecter  of  persons,  all 
who  fear  him  not,  and  conform  not  to  his 
counsel,  doctrine,  Spirit  and  example,  be  he' 
emperor,  king,  doctor,  or  licentiate,  he  must 
sutler  eternal  punishment  and  be  rmder  his 
judgment  and  A\Tath. 

Beloved  sirs,  fear  God,  do  right,  learn 
wisdom  and  truth,  cleanse  your  hands, 
which  are  wet  and  imbrued  in  innocent 
blood,  and  reflect  how  the  righteous  God 
will  punish  in  due  time,  all  unrighteous- 
ness, malice  and  violence;  and  how  severely 
he  ever  did,  and  wiU  avenge  and  require 
the  innocent  blood,  torture  and  death  of  his 
saints,  of  those  blood-thirsty  tyrants. 

The  bl#od-thirsty  Cain  had  to  be  an  ac- 
ciu'sed  vagabond  and.,  exile  in  the  land  all 
the  days  of  his  life,  because  he  so  miserably 
mm-dered  his  innocent  brother  Abel. 

The  unmerciful,  arrogant  murderer,  Pha- 
raoh, with  his  whole  host,  was  destroyed  in 
the  Red  sea,  by  the  righteous  judgment  of 
God,  on  account  of  his  tyranny  and  cruelty, 
which  he  exercised  towards  the  childi-en  of 
Jacob,  God's  people. 

Joash  was  slain  by  his  own  sei-vants  to 


EXHORTATION  TO  ALL  IN  AUTHORITY. 


85 


avenge  the  innocent  blood  of  Zacliariah, 
whom  he  slew  between  the  temple  and  the 
altar,  2  Kings  12;  2  Chron.  24:  20—22. 

Manasseh  was  led  captive  on  account  of 
his  great  abomination  and  idolatry  which 
he  practiced;  and  on  account  of  the  inno- 
cent blood  mth  which  he  filled  Jenisalem, 
2  Chron.  33:  1—18. 

Ahab  was  shot  through  with  an  arrow, 
and  his  blood  was  licked  up  by  the  dogs  at 
the  waters  of  Samaria,  1  Kings  22 :  34 — 38, 
and  his  wife  Jezebel  was  thrust  out  of  the 
window,  and  was  trodden  under  foot  of 
horses,  and  her  flesh  was  eaten  of  dogs,  2 
Kings  9:  '66,  to  punish  her  for  her  ungodly 
deed,  and  the  blood  of  Naboth,  according  to 
the  word  of  the  Lord,  which  he  spake  by 
Elijah,  the  Tishbite. 

Sennacherib  must  leave  Jerusalem  with 
disgrace,  on  account  of  his  slanderously 
pompous  words,  by  which  he  blasphemed 
the  Most  High.  The  angel  of  the  Lord  slew, 
in  one  night,  one  hundred  and  eighty-five 
thousand  men  in  his  camp,  and  he  was 
thrust  through  with  the  sword  by  his  own 
children,  in  the  temple  of  his  idol,  Nisroch, 
2  Kings  19:  35,  37. 

Nebuchadnezzar,  on  account  of  his  pride, 
was  rejected  by  the  people,  for  the  space  of 
seven  times,  or  years,  his  dwelling  was  with 
the  irrational  creatures,  he  ate  grass  like 
oxen,  his  body  was  wet  with  the  dew  of 
heaven,  till  his  hairs  were  grown  like  eagles' 
feathers,  and  his  nails  like  birds'  claws, 
Dan.  4:  32,  33. 

Belshazzar  caroused  with  his  mighty  men, 
princes,  wives  and  concubines ;  they  were 
meiny,  drank  out  of  the  holy  vessels  whirh 
Nebuchadnezzar,  his  father,  had  plundered 
out  of  the  temple  at  Jerusalem ;  and  being 
in  full  glee  and  joy,  praising  their  gods  of 
gold,  silver,  brass,  iron,  and  of  stone,  the 
impenitent  and  obdurate  tyrant  was  pun- 
ished of  God  without  mercy,  that  he,  the 
same  night  was  deprived  of  his  dominion, 
nation,  body  and  life,  Dan.  5:  23,  30. 

Antiociius,  the  Great,  a  king  and  prince 
of  all  wickedness,  a  tyrant  of  tyrants  was 
punished  of  God  with  such  a  plague,  that 
worms  crept  fi-om  his  bowels  when  yet  alive, 
and  pieces  of  flesh  fell  from  his  body,  and 
the  stench  was  so  intolerable,  that  no  one 


could  endm-e  it,  yea,  he  himself  could  not 
abide  his  own  smell.  The  righteous  wrath 
of  God  laid  hold  upon  this  ungodly  mis- 
creant, and  he  had  thus,  under  unheard  of 
pain  and  sufferings,  to  end  his  proud,  blood- 
thirsty, unrighteous  life,  and  depart  from 
this  world,  2  Mace.  9:  9—12. 

Herod,  an-ayed  in  his  royal  attire,  seated 
upon  his  throne,  through  the  flattering  ap- 
plause of  his  people,  on  account  of  his  elo- 
quence and  wisdom,  exalted  himself  against 
God,  in  his  heart,  and  in  that  very  hour  he 
was  smitten  by  the  angel  of  the  Lord,  was 
eaten  of  worms,  and,  according  to  the  -writ- 
ings of  Eusebius,  departed  this  life  in  such 
a  way  that  all  the  proud,  haughty  tyrants 
may  look  at  themselves  in  the  case  of  Herod, 
as  in  a  mirror,  and  fear. 

In  short,  as  it  happened  to  Pilate,  Nero, 
Domitian,  Maximinius,  Diocletian,  and  gen- 
erally to  all  malicious,  blood-thirsty  tyrants, 
and  what  kind  of  death  they  generally  died, 
who  rose  up  against  Christ  and  his  saints, 
may  be  read  both  in  sacred  and  profane 
history. 

What  kind  of  death  and  with  what  con- 
science some  of  these  blood-guilty  of  our 
day,  departed  this  life,  I  will  not  write  for 
certain  reasons;  I  will  nevertheless  say  this 
much,  that  neither  emperor  nor  edicts,  upon 
which  they  relied  all  the  days  of  their  lives, 
could  neither  quiet  nor  pacify  them  in  the 
hour  of  their  death,  but  ofttimes  were  troub- 
led in  their  hearts,  and  with  lamentations, 
painfully  bewailed  the  innocent  blood,  which 
they  shed  in  the  emperor's  name,  and  said, 
O  we  poor,  miserable  men,  what  wiU  become 
of  us  ? 

0  God,  what  counsel?  Beloved  sirs,  what 
counsel  shall  be  given  you  ?  How  will  your 
poor  souls  fare,  in  the  day, "  In  the  which  the 
heavens  shall  pass  away  with  a  gTeat  noise 
and  the  elements  shall  melt  with  fervent 
heat,  the  earth  also,  and  tlie  works  that  are 
therein  shall  be  burnt  up  i "  2  Peter  3 :  10, 
when  we  must  all  appear  before  the  judg- 
ment seat,  and  stand  before  the  impartial 
judge?  when  everyone  shall  be  rewarded 

I  according  to  his  works  ?  he  that  keepeth 
Israel  shall  neither  slumber  nor  sleep,  ''For 
yet  a  little  while,  and  he  that  shall  come 

\  Avill  come,  and  will  not  tany,"  Heb.  10:  37. 


86 


A  CHRISTIAN  AND  AFFECTIONATE 


Therefore,  desist  from  touching  the  apple 
of  the  Lord's  eye ;  for  he  that  toxiclies  his 
saints,  touches  the  apple  of  his  eye.  Take 
pity  on  your  own  souls,  which  must  suffer 
for  it  Avith  eternal  death,  if  you  do  not  turn 
to  God  with  all  your  heart,  and  no  longer 
shed  the  blood  of  the  innocent ;  for  they  daily 
caU  to  him,  "'How  long,  O  Lord,  holy  and 
true,  dost  thou  not  judge  and  avenge  our 
blood  on  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth?" 
Rev.  6;  10,  they  caU,  I  say,  and  their  cries 
are  entered  into  the  ears  of  the  Lord  of 
Sabaoth,  avenging  he  will  avenge,  and  the 
blood  of  his  servants  he  will  require  at  your 
hands. 

Do  not  excuse  yoiuselves,  l)eloved  sirs, 
and  judges,  that  you  are  the  servants  of  the 
emperor;  this  will  not  acquit  you  in  the  day 
of  vengeance.  It  availed  Pilate  nothing  that 
he  crucilied  Christ  in  the  name  of  the  em- 
peror. Serve  the  emperor  in  imperial  mat- 
ters, so  far  as  Scriptiu-e  permits,  and  serve 
God  in  divine  matters,  then  you  may  claim 
his  grace  and  call  yourselves  after  his 
name. 

Do  not  interfere  with  the  right  and  king- 
dom of  Christ;  for  he  alone  is  the  Ruler  of 
the  conscience,  and  beside  him  there  is  none 
other,  let  him  be  your  emperor,  and  his 
holy  word  ;/oui-  edict,  in  this  matter;  and 
you  will  soon  be  satiated  with  raging  and 
mui'der.  You  must  heed  God  before  the 
emperor,  and  obey  God's  word  before  the 
word  of  the  emperor,  if  not,  then  you  are 
the  judges  of  whom  it  is  waitten  in  Micah, 
They  all  lie  in  wait  for  blood ;  they  hunt 
every  man  his  brother  with  a  net.  "That 
they  may  do  evil  with  both  hands  earnestly, 
the  prince  asketh,  and  the  judge  asketh  for 
a  reward;  and  the  great  man  he  irttereth  his 
mischievous  desire :  so  they  wrap  it  up. 
The  best  of  them  is  as  a  brier;  the  most  up- 
right is  sharper  than  a  thorn  hedge ;  the 
day  of  thy  watchmen  and  thy  visitation 
cometh;  now  shall  be  their  perplexity," 
Micah  7:  2—4. 

Therefore,  fight  no  longer  against  the  lamb 
and  his  chosen,  it  will  be  hard  for  you  to 
kick  against  the  pricks. 

But  you  will,  AA^ith  all  scoffers,  say  in  your 
hearts,  when  is  the  promise  of  his  coming  ? 
O  beloved  sirs,  do  pay  attention,  we  have 


known  so  many  who  have  made  as  ostenta- 
tious a  display  as  you,  in  silk  and  velvet,  with 
gold  and  silver,  and  sat  in  exalted  seats,  and 
passed  sentence  uj^on  innocent  blood,  but 
now  they  are  no  more ;  we  inquire  for  their 
places,  and  they  are  not  to  be  found. 

The  day  will  usher  in  as  lightning,  and 
the  hour  shall  come  upon  them  like  a  tem- 
pest; beware  andreform.  We  see  that  the  tree 
buds,  that  the  summer  is  nigh  at  hand,  and 
our  Redeemer  is  hastening,  who  redeems  all 
the  troubled  souls  from  their  afflictions,  and 
he  will  recompense  all  proud  scoffers  ac- 
cording to  their  demerits. 

Yea,  the  day  is  coming,  and  is  not  far  off, 
when  "the  righteous  man  shall  stand  in  gi-eat 
boldness  before  the  face  of  such  as  have  af- 
flicted him,  and  made  no  account  of  his  la- 
bors; w^hen  they  see  it,  they  shall  be  troub- 
led with  terrible  fear,  and  shall  be  amazed 
at  the  strangeness  of  his  salvation,  so  far 
beyond  all  that  they  looked  for,  and  they, 
repenting  and  groaning  for  anguish  of 
spirit,  shall  say  within  themselves.  This  was 
he,  whom  we  had  sometimes  in  derision, 
and  a  proverb  of  reproach ;  we  fools  ac- 
countechhis  life  madness,  and  his  end  to  be 
without  honor;  how  is  he  numbered  among 
the  children  of  God,  and  his  lot  is  among 
the  saints !  Therefore  have  we  erred  from 
the  way  of  truth,  and  the  light  of  righteous- 
ness hath  not  shined  unto  us,  and  the  sun 
of  righteousness  rose  not  upon  us.  "We 
wearied  om-selves  in  the  way  of  wickedness 
'  and  destruction ;  yea,  we  have  gone  through 
deserts,  where  there  lay  no  way;  but  as  for 
the  Avay  of  the  Lord,  we  have  not  known  it. 
What  hath  pride  profited  I'ls?  or  what  good 
hath  riches  with  oiu"  vaunting  brought  us  ? 
All  those  things  are  passed  away  like  a 
shadow,  and  as  a  post  that  hasteth  by," 
AYis.  5:  1—9. 

Then  will  the  terrible,  intolerable  judg- 
ment pass  upon  all  who  know  not  God,  and 
that  obey  not  the  gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Clii'ist,  who  shall  be  punished  with  everlast- 
ing destruction  from  the  presence  of  the 
Lord  and  from  the  glory  of  his  power,  when 
he  shall  come  to  be  glorified  in  his  saints, 
and  to  be  adored  by  all  them  that  believe. 
Then  tlie  wicked  will  hear,  "Depart  from  me 
ye  cursed,  into  everlasting  fire,  prepared  for 
the  devil  and  his  angels,"  Matt.  25:  41, 


EXHORTATION  TO  ALL  IN  AUTHORITY. 


87 


Then  shall  youi-  laughter  be  changed  into 
weeping,  your  joy  into  sorrow,  your  smnp- 
tuoiis,  temporal  lives  into  everlasting  death, 
your  luxury  into  everlasting  woe,  your 
pride  into  dust  and  worms,  your  violence 
into  suffering,  yoiir  pomp  into  stench,  and 
your  cruel  and  unmerciful  tyi-anny  be  retrib- 
uted with  unquenchable  hell-fire. 

My  beloved  sirs,  with  him  nothing  will  be 
concealed  or  forgotten.  He  is  the  judge  that 
searches  the  hearts  and  tries  the  reins,  who 
penetrates  the  heights  of  heaven  and  the 
depth  of  the  abyss,  and  the  length  of  the 
earth,  who  will  not  only  judge  and  punish 
evil  works,  and  every  idle  word,  but  also 
every  unclean,  carnal  thought. 

O  dear  Lord !  O  Lord  of  lords  I  where  then 
will  be  the  emperor  and  his  edicts,  the  false 
prophets,  and  their  deceiving  doctrine?  Then 
they  will  howl  and  weep,  and  cry  in  anguish 
of  soul,  O  ye  mountains  fall  upon  us,  ye 
rocks  hide  us  from  the  face  of  him  that  sit- 
teth  upon  the  throne,  and  from  the  wi-ath  of 
the  Lamb.  Then,  there  you  will  see,  that ' 
it  was  nought  but  lies  and  wind  with  which 
you  comforted  yoru'selves,  as  said.  Rev. 
6 :  IG. 

Beloved  lords,  awaken!  It  is  yet  to-day; 
do  not  boast  because  you  are  of  the  royal 
family,  and  are  called  gracious  lords,  for  it 
is  but  smoke,  dust  and  pride;  but  boast  and 
rejoice  Avhen  you  are  born  of  God,  when 
you  become  a  "chosen  generation,  a  royal 
priesthood,  a  holy  nation,  a  peculiar  peo- 
ple; that  ye  should  show  forth  the  praises 
of  him  who  hath  called  you  out  of  darkness 
into  his  luarvellous  light,"  1  Pet.  2:9. 

Boast  not  that  you  are  mighty  upon  earth, 
and  have  great  power,  but  boast  rather  that 
you  rule  your  land  in  the  true  fear  of  God, 
with  virtue,  Avisdom  and  righteousness,  to 
the  praise  of  the  Lord. 

Boast  not  that  you  can  subdue  lords,  prin- 
ces, cities  and  countries;  but  boaat  if  jow 
subdue  your  earthly  mind  and  can  over- 
come carnal  temptations  by  the  power  of 
faith,  and  die  to  ungodliness,  and  triumph 
through  Christ,  and  be  taken  in  the  king- 
dom of  glory,  with  all  the  pious  soldiers 
of  God,  and  receive  the  promised  crown 
at  the   hand   of  the  Lord,   for  if  you  be 


siTch  kings,  then  you  are  not  only  kings 
according  to  the  flesh,  but  also  according 
to  the  Spirit ;  those  who  love  the  prince 
of  all  kings,  who  are  cleansed  of  sin  by 
his  blood,  who  have  made  God  and  his 
father  their  kings  and  priests,  those  reign 
and  conquer  with  all  the  children  of  God, 
the  world,  flesh,  blood,  sin,  death,  devil, 
false  doctrine,  and  the  infernal  gates;  they 
rejoice  not  because  their  names  are  enrolled 
in  the  register  of  the  kings  of  this  world: 
but  they  rejoice  because  their  names  are 
written  in  the  book  of  life,  in  heaven. 

O  you  high-renowned  noble  lords  and 
princes,  O  that  you  would  in  all  love  and 
meekness  receive  this  simple,  plain,  but 
true  instruction  of  your  poor  servant,  and 
not  despise  it,  whereby  I  have  so  fully,  and 
■with  a  good  heart,  admonished  all  your 
worthy  highnesses. 

Look  not  upon  my  weakness  nor  to  my 
little  understanding,  but  look  to  the  Spirit, 
word  and  example  of  Clirist,  which  I  have 
recommended  and  taught  in  sincerity  of 
heart  to  you  and  to  all  men,  according  to 
my  weak  abilities. 

Do  sincerely  repent,  so  that  you  stand  be- 
fore God;  wail  and  weep  -with.  David;  put 
on  sackcloth  and  raiments  of  hair;  scatter 
ashes  upon  your  heads;  humble  yoiu'selves 
with  the  Idng  of  JSTineveh ;  confess  your  faults 
with  Mauasseh;  die  unto  your  ambitious 
flesh  and  pride;  fear  the  Lord,  your  God, 
vfith  all  your  powers;  judge  in  all  wisdom 
with  fear  and  trembling ;  help  the  oppressed ; 
grieve  not  the  distressed;  promote  the  just 
cause  of  the  widows  and  orphans;  protect 
the  good;  punish  the  evil  in  a  christian 
manner;  discharge  the  duties  of  your  offices 
properly ;  seek  the  kingdom  and  country 
that  will  endure  forever ;  and  reflect  that 
you,  however  highly  esteemed,  upon  earth 
are  only  pilgrims  and  sojourners  in  a  strange 
land. 

Obe}^,  believe,  fear,  love,  seiTe  and  follow 
yoiu"  Lord  and  Savior,  Jesus  Christ,  for  he 
it  is  before  whom  every  knee  shall  boA5^;  he 
is  the  eternal  word,  wisdom,  truth  and  Son 
of  God.  Seek  his  honor  and  praise  in  all 
your  thoughts,  words  and  actions,  and  you 
shall  reign  in  eternity. 


88 


APPEAL  TO  THE  LEARNED. 


APPEAL  TO   THE   LEARNED. 


Herewdth  I  will  leave  all  the  lords  and 
princes,  with  all  the  magistracy  and  nilers, 
and  those  sent  by  them,  in  the  hands  of  the 
Lord,  and  address  myself  to  you,  O  you 
learned,  you,  who  think  that  you  have  the 
kej's  of  heaven,  and  are  the  eyes  and  the 
light  of  the  people;  I  will  speak  -w-ith  you, 
as  with  those  whose  salvation  I  seek  with 
all  my  heart,  because  I  see  with  o^aen  eyes, 
that  both  you  and  your  disciples  riin  vol- 
untarily into  the  eternal  destruction  of  your 
souls,  and  nevertheless  boast  that  you  are 
the  sent  teachers,  and  your  churches  the 
churches  of  Christ,  and  would  cordially  and 
brotherly  admonish  you,  one  and  all,  Ro- 
mans, Lutherans  and  Zuingliaus,  concern- 
ing the  following  articles. 

That  you  would  notice,  in  the  first  place, 
that  your  ministry  and  services  are  not  of 
God  and  his  word,  but  are  from  the  bottom- 
less pit,  for  it  is  evident  that  you  blaspheme 
and  persecute  the  word,  ordinances  and 
commands  of  Christ,  and  teach  and  enforce 
the  word,  ordinances  and  commands  of  anti- 
christ; that  you  profane  the  temjjle  of  God, 
build  and  honor  temples  of  stone,  break  the 
V  living  images  in  which  the  Spirit  of  God 
dwells ;  make  and  dress  images  of  gold, 
silver  and  wood ;  that  you  hate  a  pious, 
blameless  life ;  encourage  and  defend,  by 
your  dissolute  examples,  a  disorderl}-,  pas- 
sionate life  of  the  flesh.  Say,  my  beloved. 
Where  is  there  a  single  letter  in  the  Scrip- 
tures concerning  all  j^our  doings  and  wor- 
ship, such  as  of  masses,  infant  baptism, 
auricular  confession,  &c.?  Is  not,  in  truth, 
the  greater  part  of  what  you  do  and  trans- 
act, all  deception,  hypocrisy,  blasphemy,  ' 
abomination  and  idolatry?  Whence  do  you 
derive  your  offices  and  services,  and  of  whom  , 
are  they?  I  would  advise  3"ou,  in  true  love, 
that  you  would  reflect  upon  them  according  I 
to  the  Scriptures,  and  in  the  true  fear  of  God. 

Secondly,  consider  what  you  are  properly  ' 
seeking  through  this  your  office  and  service.  ! 
You  and  I,  heretofore,  stood  in  the  same 
calling,  office  and  service;  I  candidly  confess  ! 


that  in  all  my  studies,  from  my  youth,  in 
preaching  and  singing,  I  sought  only  a  vain, 
lazj^,  good  living,  praise  and  favor  of  men, 
yea,  solely  the  gratification  of  my  carnal 
desires,  till  the  gracious  and  great  Lord  be- 
stowed meuponthe  gift  of  his  gracious  Spirit, 
and  opened  the  undei'standing  of  my  heart, 
that  I  acknowledged  with  the  preacher  Solo- 
mon, that  all  my  seeking,  life  and  doings 
were  vanity,  and  that  the  end  thereof  was 
certain  death  and  hell. 

But  that  you  continue  so  to  seek  is  too 
palpable  to  be  denied.  For  if  there  were  no 
prebends  and  cloistei's,  but  few  preachers, 
priests  and  monks  would  be  found.  This  1 
certainly  know.  So  long  as  these  exist,  the 
world  shall  never  be  in  want  of  deceivers 
and  hypocrites. 

Say,  beloved,  what  else  is  your  whole 
seeking  and  doing,  than  world,  carnality, 
gluttony,  and  a  voluptuous  life?  Who  can 
scrutinize  and  fully  describe  your  earthly 
mind  and  sensual  life  ?  Some  of  you  make 
an  ostentatious  display  in  ermine,  in  silk 
and  velvet,  others  live  in  full  revelry,  others 
are  avaricious  and  hoard;  some  violate  vir- 
gins and  maids,  others  pollute  the  bed  of 
tlieir  neighbor,  others'  chastity  is  like  the 
chastity  of  Sodom ;  all  your  doctrine  is  de- 
ceiving, your  sacraments  are  enchanting, 
you.r  piety  is  principally  ungodliness,  and 
your  divine  service  is  an  open  abomination 
and  idolatry;  some  of  you  neither  fear  God 
nor  the  devil;  jou  blaspheme  the  name  of 
God,  his  holy  word  you  falsify,  his  chil- 
dren and  servants  you  persecute,  and,  i]i  re- 
liance upon  his  grace,  you  do  all  manner  of 
evil;  if  you  can  only  lead  a  life  free  from 
care,  and  enjoy  fine  times,  then  all  is  well 
done.  Say,  beloved,  is  it  not  so  ?  AVorthy 
men,  is  it  not  so  ?  This  is  youi"  chief  seeking 
aiad  striving,  among  great  and  small,  this 
y oil  must  acknowledge  and  confess ;  for  the 
fniit  is  manifest  to  all  the  world,  and  it  can- 
not be  any  longer  concealed. 

O  men,  men!  beware!  If  any  one  could 
enter  into  life,  on  this  broad  way  which  you 


^ 


APPEAL  TO  THE  LEARNED. 


89 


teach,  and  in  whicli  yon  walk,  and  keep  his 
sonl  in  God,  Vve  might  truly  lament  and  say, 
that  the  prophets,  apostles,  and  all  the  wit- 
nesses of  God,  and  also  Christ  Jesns  him- 
self, did  not  act  wisely,  and  that  they  have 
not  dealt  rightly  towards  ns,  that  thej' 
passed  their  lives  with  so  much  angnish, 
sniiering,  tribnlation  and  pain  in  this  sor- 
rowful vale  of  tears,  and  directed  us,  miser- 
able, weak  childi'en  into  such  a  v.'a,y. 

O  no,  my  beloved,  no ;  trnth  will  eternally 
be  truth;  if  you  are  not  converted  to  a  better 
and  christian  mind;  if  you  die  not  to  yom* 
deception,  and  also  to  your  vain,  carnal 
life,  repent,  and  become  in  yom-  disposi- 
tions like  innocent,  little  children,  you  can- 
not enter  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  "For  to 
be  carnallj'  minded,"  saj^s  Paul,  "is  death." 

Teach,  coll,  hope,  boast  in  any  way  you 
choose,  if  you  desire  to  be  saved,  you  must 
walk  in  the  ways  of  the  Lord,  hear  his 
word,  and  be  obedient  thereto;  for  nothing- 
avails  in  heaven  and  upon  earth,  vdiereby 
you  can  be  saved,  neither  baptism  nor  the 
Lord's  Supper,  neither  eloquence  nor  erudi- 
tion, neither  councils  nor  long  standing 
usages,  neither  emperors  nor  edicts,  neither 
Christ  with  his  grace,  merits,  blood  and 
death,  if  we  are  not  born  of  God  (under- 
stand it  right,  those  who  have  ears  to  hear, 
and  minds  to  understand),  believe  his  word 
sincerely,  walk  in  the  light,  and  do  right, 
as  John  says,  "This,  then,  is  the  message 
wliich  we  have  heard  of  him,  and  declare 
unto  you,  that  God  is  light,  and  in  him  is 
no  darkness  at  all;  if  we  say  that  we  have 
fellowship  with  him,  and  walk  in  darkness, 
we  lie,  and  do  not  the  truth ;  but  if  we  walk 
in  the  light,  as  he  is  in  thi^  light,  we  have 
fellowship  one  with  another,  and  the  blood 
of  Jesus  Christ,  his  Son,  cleanseth  us  from 
all  sin,"  1  John  1:  5—7. 

O  transgressors,  transgressors,  examine 
yoiu"  hearts,  give  heed  to  my  words  and 
learn  wisdom,  you  who  live  in  voluptirous- 
ness  and  sit  at  ease,  who  say  in  yom-  hearts, 
It  is  we,  besides  us  there  is  none  other;  what 
we  command  shall  be  heard,  and  what  we 
speak  must  be  valid  upon  earth;  we  cannot 
go  astray  in  the  Scriptm-es,  and  in  counsel 
we  cannot  err,  and  we  can  teach  nothing  un- 
lawful. Ah !  alas !  your  boasted  wisdom 
leads  you  astray,  and  the  pride  of  j^our 
12 


hearts  causes  you  to  stumble;  return,  your 
path  is  slippery,  and  your  way  leads  to  the 
abyss  of  hell. 

Beloved  men,  learn  to  know  what  God's 
own  and  eternal  Son,  Christ  Jesus,  sought 
upon  earth,  what  he  taught,  and  what  ex- 
ample he  left  3'ou;  his  seeking  was  his  Fa- 
ther's praise,  and  the  salvation  of  om-  poor 
souls;  his  doctrine  was  his  father's  word, 
and  his  precedence  a  suji'e  way  to  the  king- 
dom of  God.  "Who  being  in  the  form  of 
God,"  says  Paul,  "  thought  it  not  robbery  to 
be  ecjual  with  God,  but  made  himself  of  no 
reputation,  and  took  upon  him  the  form  of 
a  servant,"  Phil.  2:  6,  7;  and  came  poor  and 
miserable  into  this  sorrowful  world;  there 
was  no  room  in  the  inn  when  he  was  born; 
he  had  not  Avhereon  to  lay  his  head;  nor  in 
his  death  had  he  wherewith  to  quench  his 
thirst,  although  it  is  he  through  whom  the 
almighty,  all-l)ountiful  Father  grants  to  all 
his  created  beings,  residence,  clothing,  meat 
and  drink,  as  Paul  says,  "For  ye  knew  the 
grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that,  though 
he  was  rich,  yet  for  your  sakes  he  became 
poor,  that  ye  through  his  poverty  might  be 
rich,"  2  Cor.  8:9. 

If  you  have  any  fear  of  God,  and  would 
not  lead  yoru'  own,  and  the  souls  of  3-our 
poor  people  wilfully  to  death,  then  contrast 
your  seeking  with  the  seeking  of  Christ, 
your  doctrine  with  the  doctrine  of  Christ, 
your  spirit  with  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  ancl 
your  life  with  the  life  of  Christ,  then  you 
may  truly  find  whether  you  are  in  or  out  of 
Christ,  who  is  your  God,  what  Lord  you 
serve,  and  of  who.se  spirit  and  kingclom 
you  are. 

Thirdly,  observe  what  fruits  and  useful- 
ness your  office  and  services  bring  forth; 
for  what  is  your  doctrine  other  than  a  use- 
less, feeble  sowing  in  the  wind,  wliich  has 
neither  spirit  nor  power;  your  sacraments 
are  an  encouragement  to  the  impenitent, 
and  your  lives  examples  of  Avickedness. 
"\^^lere  are  the  avaricious  whom  3-ou  have 
meliorated,  the  drunkards  you  have  made 
temperate,  the  polluted  you  have  made  pure, 
the  haughty  whom  you  have  humbled?  How 
will  you  teach  others,  being  yourselves  un- 
taught, and  beget  Christ  an  acceptable 
church,  and  are  yourselves  the  servants  of 
anti-christ,  and  the  children  of  Belial?  You 


90 


APPEAL  TO  THE  LEARNED. 


and  your  disciples,  therefore,  must  ever  con- 
fess, botli  Mgli  and  low,  men  and  women, 
that  joxi  are  all  dead  bodies,  and  have  not 
^/  the  Spirit  of  God;  for  with  yon  we  do  not 
find  contrite  hea-rts,  true  knowledge  of  Christ, 
true  love,  an  earnest  desire  after  the  king- 
dom of  God,  dying  to  earthly  things,  true 
humility,  righteousness,  friendliness,  mercy, 
chastity,  obedience,wisdom,  truth  andpeace; 
but  every  where  we  find  hateful,  envious, 
olidiu'ate,  malicious  hearts,  an  aversion  and 
despising  of  the  divine  word,  lust  and  love 
of  this  world,  haughtiness,  pride,  pomp,  lies, 
knavery,  disgrace,  adultery,  whoredom,  rob- 
bery, burning,  slaying,  cursing,  swearing, 
and  all  manner  of  malice. 

Behold,  you  withered  trees,  and  careless 
shepherds,  these  are  the  fruits  you  bring 
forth,  and  the  sheep  you  pasture,  these  are 
the  churches  and  disciples  you  comfort  with 
the  blood  of  the  Lord,  pireach  to  them  grace 
and  peace,  and  to  whom  you  dispense  bap- 
tism and  the  Lord's  Supper.  If  I  wi-ite  not 
■  the  truth,  reprove  me. 

O  beloved  sirs,  so  entirely  have  you  lost 
every  christian  virtue,  and  understanding, 
besides,  the  light,  and  the  Scriptm-es;  you 
hold  captive  in  ungodliness  under  the  pow- 
er of  hell,  the  jioor,  ignorant  people,  whole 
kingdoms,  cities  and  countries;  yea,  the 
whole  wide  world,  and  that,  O  God !  for 
such  small  hire,  namely,  for  one  hand  full 
of  barley  and  one  piece  of  bread,  as  the 
prophet  says,  O,  that  my  words  might  be  a 
lie,  and  not  the  truth;  sunshine  is  clear,  but 
still  clearer  is  the  truth  which  I  write. 

And  this  is  not  enough  for  you,  O  you 
men,  that  you  so  miserably  deceive  the  poor 
wretched  sotiIs;  and  besides  this,  you  also 
rebuke,  defame,  belie,  and  betray  all  those 
who  seek  and  fear  God  vsdth  all  their  hearts, 
rebuke  all  unrighteousness  with  doctrine 
and  life,  and  so  willingly  walk  in  Christ. 
You  deprive  them  of  their  possessions  and 
lives  that  you  may  be  greatly  honored 
among  the  people,  and  be  not  evil  spoken 
of  in  your  doings,  that  you  be  not  hindered 
in  your  rmlawful  gain;  and  that  you  may 
enjoy  an  easy  ancl  voluptuous  life  to  the 
end  of  j^our  daj^s. 

O  how  rightly  you  are  depicted  by  the 
wisdom  of  God,  which  says,  "Woe  unto  you, 
scribes  and  pharisees,  hypocrites !   for  ye 


shut  up  the  kingdom  of  heaven  against  men; 
for  3"e  neither  go  in  yourselves  (mark), 
neither  suffer  ye  them  that  are  entering  to 
go  in,"  Matt.  23:13. 

Wliat  I  think,  I  ^vl'ite,  and  dissemble  not. 
I  fear,  worthy  sirs,  that  there  are  many  of 
you  so  irngodly,  and  so  far  determined 
upon  unla^\'ful  gain,  indolent  life,  and  the 
praise  of  men,  that  you  would  rather  see  all 
the  god-fearing  put  to  the  stake,  than  lose  a 
guilder  of  your  rents,  or  to  hear  a  harsh 
word  from  the  magistracy,  for  the  sake  of 
the  truth. 

O  you,  with  wanton  looks,  when  will  you 
be  ashamed  ?  You  diamonds !  when  will  you 
be  softened,  and  you  Moors,  when  will  you 
become  white?  I  think  never  more;  for  how 
can  you  do  any  thing  good,  because  you 
have  learned  evil,  and  are  used  to  it  from 
your  infancy? 

Alas!  my  soul  must  gTieve  and  painfull}^ 
mourn  for  your  sakes,  that  you  have  erred 
so  lamentably,  and  besides  this,  you  cover 
all  yoiu"  disgrace  under  the  word  and  name 
of  Christ,  and  do  not  observe,  O  you  men, 
that  you,  together  with  all  the  false  proph- 
ets, are  promised  in  the  Scriptm-es,  and 
threatened  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord,  every 
where  with  nothing  but  punishment,  wrath, 
damnation  and  blackness  of  darkness,  the 
flaming  lake  and  eternal  gnashing  of  teeth, 
weeping,  wailing,  fire,  woe  and  death. 

The  hour  is  near  at  hand  when  we  shall 
hear,  "  Give  an  account,"  &c.  Alas,  would  it 
then  be  due  to  us,  when  the  day  is  at  hand, 
to  walk  a  thousand  years  on  burning  coals 
and  in  red  hot  armor  (flames),  then  we  might 
even  rejoice  and  be  of  good  cheer;  but  now 
it  is  hidden  from  your  eyes,  through  your 
haughtiness,  avarice  and  momentary  lux- 
ury. 

Perhaps  I  would  be  smitten  on  the  cheek 
by  some  of  you,  and  with  Micaiah,  be  com- 
pelled to  hear  from  Zedekiah,  ""Which way 
went  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  from  me  to  speak 
imto  thee  ? "  2  Chron.  18:  23.  O  my  beloved, 
fear  God  and  understand  the  truth.  You 
direct  the  poor  dissolute  souls  to  the  subt- 
lety and  philosophy  of  the  learned,  to  the 
j  many  councils,  to  customs  and  usages  of 
long  standing,  to  imperial  edicts,  to  the  doc- 
trines and  commandments  of  men,  which 
;  are  nothing  but  quicksands,  which  cannot 


APPEAJL  TO  THE  LEARNED. 


91 


save  tlie  house  from  the  tempest,  but  I  do 
not  so,  but,  with  Moses,  the  prophets,  apos- 
tles, angels,  and  the  Father  himself,  I  direct 
yoxT  to  Christ  Jesus,  to  whom  all  the  emper- 
ors, kings,  councils,  usages  and  the  learned, 
will  have  to  yield ;  for  his  word  is  truth, 
and  his  commands  are  eternal  life.  To  him 
every  knee  shall  bow,  of  things  in  heaven 
and  things  in  earth,  and  things  xmder  the 
earth;  all  who  reject  him,  reject  the  Father 
that  sent  him,  Phil.  2:  10. 
This  I  teach  you;  I  direct  jon  to  his 
^  Spirit,  word,  life,  command,  prohibition, 
ordinances  and  usages,  as  to  a  sure  and  im- 
movable foundation,  laid  in  Zion,  to  a  plain 
and  safe  way,  prepared  of  God,  who,  ac 
cording  to  his  sure  promises,  will  lead  all 
the  truly  penitent  and  Christian  believers 
into  eternal  life. 

Beloved  men,  observe,  there  were  four 
hundred  false  prophets  in  the  days  of  Ahab, 
king  of  Israel,  who  unanimously  propliesied 
prosperity  and  felicity,  that  he  should  ad- 
vance, for  God  woulcl  give  the  enemies  of 
the  king  into  his  hands ;  while  there  was  but 
one  Micaiah,  who  spoke  the  real  truth  and 
predicted  adversity  in  the  name  of  the  Lord, 
2Chron.  18:6,  7. 

And  there  were  also  four  hundred  and 
fifty  j)i"ophcts  of  Baal,  and  four  hundred 
prophets  of  the  groves,  all  of  whom  did 
eat  at  Jezebel's  table;  there  was  only  one 
Elijah,  a  man  of  God,  and  a  prophet  of  the 
Lord,  who  was  zealous  for  the  law  of  his 
God,  and  defended  his  praise,  1  Kings  18. 

Joash,  with  all  the  princes,  priests  and 
common  people,  vrere  unanimous  in  their 
groves  and  their  false  worship,  which  they 
had  chosen  after  the  death  of  Jehoiada,  the 
high  priest,  and  there  was  but  one  Zecha- 
riah,  who  reproved  the  ungodly  abomina- 
tions, and  threatened  them  with  the  wiath 
and  punishment  of  his  God,  2  Chron.  24. 

Even  as  those  renowned  and  worthy  men 
of  God,  though  they  were  few,  reproved, 
with  pure,  divine  ardor,  in  the  power  of  the 
\/  Spirit,  and  faithfiilly  admonished  hy  the 
law  of  God  with  their  great  and  glorious 
talents,  all  the  disobedient  and  idolatrous 
kings,  princes,  priests  and  the  common 
people,  without  respect  to  persons ;  and 
on  account  thereof  suftered  disgrace,  mis- 


ery, tribulation,  bonds  and  death,  as  we 
may  abundantly  read  and  see  in  the  Script- 
lu-es  and  in  history ;  I  do  also  here,  with 
my  small  talents,  for  similar  views  and  rea- 
sons, openly  testify  to  the  truth,  because 
I  see,  that  you  all  hypocritically  flatter 
lords  and  princes,  and  caress  the  world,  and 
because  there  is,  alas,  nobody  who  opposes 
this  ungodliness  with  the  word  of  the  Lord, 
nor  reproves  the  wickedness  of  the  world ; 
I  must,  on  this  account,  hear  and  bear 
much,  as  did  the  above  mentioned  although 
I  mean  it  so  well,  and  have  such  true 
grounds. 

O  worthy  men,  deliberate!  reflect  on  the 
matter.  Consider  the  end ;  contemplate  the 
consequence.  You  console  j^ourselves  with 
the  invention  of  men ;  but  we  put  our  trust 
in  the  word  and  truth  of  God ;  you  seek  the 
world,  we  seek  heaven;  you  place  yoiu'  af- 
fections upon  the  present,  we  upon  the  fut- 
ui-e ;  you  depend  upon  the  emperor  and  tem- 
poral powers;  we  depend  on  Christ  and  his 
promises,  till  we  all  shall  appear  before 
him,  who  will  come  in  the  clouds  of  heaven, 
to  requite  all  flesh;  then  you  will  see  what 
you  sought,  what  office  you  conducted,  what 
fruits  you  brought  forth,  for  what  hire  you 
served,  whose  word  you  preached,  whose 
cotmsel  you  rejected,  and  whom,  0  men, 
you  have  so  enviously  pierced. 

Hereby  I  will  commend  you  to  the  Lord, 
you  learned  and  preachers ;  and  entreat  for 
God's  sake  (to  the  good  of  all  your  souls), 
that  you  accept  this  my  faithftil  warning 
mth  gratitude  and  love,  -Raitten  to  you, 
with  a  sincere  and  Christian  intention ;  read 
it  with  an  rmderstanding  heart;  reflect  upon 
it,  and  examine  it  with  fear  and  trembling. 
I  certainly  know  that  you  will  find  nothing 
in  it  but  kindness,  love,  zeal,  and  a  sure 
found^ation  of  the  only  and  invincible  truth. 

And  though  some  of  you  may  think  that 
I  reprove  too  severely,  you  ought  to  know 
that  I  have  not  done  so  without  the  instruc- 
tion, counsel  and  doctiine  of  the  holy  proph- 
ets, Christ  and  the  apostles.  I  have  given 
no  name  without  tlie  word  of  God.  Let  him 
that  is  innocent  thank  God  and  rejoice;  he 
that  is  guilty,  is  not  reproved  by  me,  but  by 
the  Spirit  and  word  of  God. 

O,  ye  whom  I  desire  as  friends,  fear  God 
and  his  judgment;  reform  yoru*  earthly  car- 


92 


APPEAL  TO  THE  COMMON  PEOPLE. 


nal  life ;  abandon  all  j^onr  deceptions, 
blindness,  sedncements  and  abominations, 
in  wliicli  you  have  Intlierto  been  involved; 
seek  the  right  truth  with  all  yoiu-  powers; 
pray  to  God  for  wisdom;  warn  every  one; 
deal  and  act  unblamably;  then  you  Avill 
not  be  of  that  number  of  shepherds  called 
by  such  dreadful  names  in  the  Scriptures, 
and  you  will  not  be  partakers  of  that  dis- 
pleasure, punishment  and  -math,  but  you 
will  inlierit  grace,  mercy  and  life,  as  the 


prophet  saj^s,  "But  if  the  wicked  A\-ill  turn 
from  his  sins  that  he  hath  committed,  and 
keep  all  my  statutes,  and  do  that  which  is 
lawfiil  and  right,  he  shall  surely  live,  he 
shall  not  die ;  all  his  transgressions  that  he 
hath  committed,  they  shall  not  be  men- 
tioned unto  him,"  Ezek.  IS:  21,  23.  The  gra- 
cious and  merciful  Lord,  grant  you  all  his 
grace,  knowledge.  Spirit,  Avisdom,  light  and 
truth,  that  you  may  sincerely  awaken,  re- 
pent, and  be  eternally  sa  red.  Amen. 


APPEAL  TO  THE  COMMON  PEOPLE. 


Give  ear,  ye  people ;  you  who  trust  in 
lies,  and  boast  that  you  are  Christians;  tear 
your  bands  asunder,  and  suffer  yourselves 
to  be  led  no  longer  as  asses  bound  and  un- 
der a  heavy  burden  of  sin,  by  these  afore- 
mentioned drivers,  for  they  deceive  you ; 
they  i^reach  to  you  according  to  their  own 
opinion,  and  not  out  of  the  mouth  of  the 
Lord ;  they  comfort  you  in  your  wicked 
ways ;  they  call  and  cry  only  mercy  and 
peace,  though  it  is  displeasure  and  judg- 
ment, as  the  prophet  says.  The  priests  and 
prophets  teach  a  false  worship,  and  comfort 
my  people  in  their  calamity,  that  ihey  shall 
esteem  it  lightly,  saying,  "Peace,  peace, 
when  there  is  no  peace;"  they  are  the  blind 
leaders,  wdio  lead  a'ou  and  themselves  into 
the  pit,  and  the  blind  watchmen  who  watch 
not  over  the  city  of  God.  Thieves  and  mur- 
derers, who  slay  youi-  poor  souls  with  the 
sword  of  their  false  doctrine,  and  steal  from 
you  the  word  and  kingdom  of  the  Lord; 
greedy  shepherds  who  seek  your  wool,  milk 
and  flesh,  and  not  your  souls.  In  short, 
they  are  tliose  who  wholly  desolate  the 
kingdom  of  Christ,  and  promulgate  in  high 
honor  tlie  kingdom  of  anti-christ  through 
the  whole  world,  and  v/ho  always  comfort 
and  defend  you,  poor  children,  in  your  dis- 
solute abominations,  yoiu'  obdurate,  blind 
life,  so  that,  alas!  there  is  none  who  is  sin- 
cert'ly  converted  to  the  Lord,  laments  his 
sins,  and  says,  What  do  I  ? 

O,  worthy  children  and  brethren,  my  heart 


in  my  body  quakes  and  fears,  when  I  reflect 
that  such  a  numberless  multitude  of  men 
are  born  in  vain  and  to  no  purpose;  who 
AA'ill  have  eternally  to  endure  the  -wi'ath  and 
judgment  of  the  Lord,  if  they  repent  not, 
and  shall  never  find  grace. 

Beloved  children,  take  heed,  for  thus 
Christ  Jesus  teaches  you,  I  tell  you  of  a 
tnith,  "Excei^t  ye  be  converted  and  become 
as  little  childi-en,  ye  shall  not  enter  into 
the  kingdom  of  heaven,"  Matt.  18:  3.  O, 
dear  Lord,  this  is  spoken  by  God's  eternal 
truth,  which  cannot  lie,  and  how  ungodly 
you  ignorant  people  live,  and  how  far  you 
are  from  the  innocence  of  children,  youj.- 
fruits  testify;  for  you  despise  God  and  his 
word;  you  hate  all  righteousness  and  truth, 
many  of  you  live  as  the  irrational  creatiu'es, 
others  quarrel,  curse,  swekr,  are  covetoiTs, 
practice  usury,  lie,  cheat,  injure  and  de- 
fraud one  another;  fidelit}^  and  piety  are 
seldom  found  among  you,  faithlessness, 
and  kna-\'ery,  alas,  ever}^  where ;  eating 
to  excess,  gambling,  gaming,  drinking  and 
caroiising  are  pastimes  amongst  you ;  to 
pollute  women  and  defile  virgins  is  called 
com-ting  and  loAing.  To  take  the  advantage 
of,  and  defraud  one  another,  is  called  rm- 
derstanding  and  wisdom;  you  are  valiant 
at  beer  and  mighty  at  Avine;  unrighteous- 
ness and  destruction  are  in  all  yoiu*  ways, 
the  poor  and  weak  -you  oppress,  and  you 
revile  the  afflicted,  the  god-fearing  and  pious ; 
you  think  and  practice  nothing  but  evil,  you 


APPEAL  TO  THE  COMMON  PEOPLE. 


93 


are  without  uuderstanding,  says  the  proph- 
et, as  a  frantic  heifer.  Pomp  and  splen- 
dor you  call  the  fashion  and  custom  of  the 
country.  The  one  lies  in  wait  for  the  oth- 
er's honor,  property',  and  life,  and  seeks  his 
destruction,  as  the  prophet  says,  yom-  faith 
is  hypocrisy,  your  worship  idolatry,  your 
whole  life  is  world  and  flesh,  as  may  be 
seen,  and  then  you  say,  he  that  walks  in 
simplicity,  walks  right,  as  if  ignorance, 
blindness,  despising  the  truth, and  godliness, 
were  a  pious,  humble  and  plain  life.  Dear 
children,  be  ashamed  of  yom"  otfensive  Avan- 
tonness  and  accursed  folly. 

Do  you  suppose  that  Christ  is  a  liar,  and 
his  word  a  fable?  O  no!  his  sentence  stands 
immovable,  and  shall  never  be  altered ;  if 
you  live  in  pride,  avarice,  voluptuousness, 
unchastity  and  in  carnal  lusts,  believe  not 
Christ  and  his  word,  continue  to  be  earth- 
ly-minded, and  are  not  born  of  God,  j'ou 
must  die  eternally,  or  the  Spirit  of  God  is 
not  true,  but  false. 

Say,  beloved,  why  extol  the  apostles  and 
prophets,  while  you  revile  their  doctrine  as 
heresy,  and  their  lives  as  madness  ?  AYhy 
suffer  yourselves  to  be  called  cln-istians, 
while  you  hate  and  oppose  Christ's  word 
and  example  ? 

Say  you,  we  are  without  understanding, 
imtaught,  and  know  not  the  Scriptures  ?  I 
then  again  reply:  The  word  is  plain  and 
needs  no  comment,  namely,  "Thou  slialt 
love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart, 
and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy 
strength,  and  thy  neighbor  as  thyself," 
Matt.  22:  37,  39.  Again,  You  shall  give 
bread  to  the  hungry  and  entertain  the 
needy,  Isa.  58:  7. 

If  you  live  according  to  the  flesh,  you 
shall  die;  for,  to  be  carnally  minded  is 
death ;  the  avaricious,  drunkards,  and  the 
proud,  shall  not  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God ; 
for  he  will  judge  adulterers  and  fornicators, 
Rom.  8;  1  Cor.  6,  and  many  like  passages. 
All  who  do  not  understand  such  passages, 
we  must  confess  and  acknowledge,  are  more 
like  irrational  creatm-es  then  men,  more 
like  blocks  than  christians. 

O  my  children,  my  beloved  chilcU'en,  do 
not  deceive  your  own  souls;  seek  wisdom 
and  understanding,  even  as  you  do  your 
daily  food,  that  you  may  find  great  riches; 


for  the  kingdom  of  heaven  suffers  violence. 
Strive,  says  Christ,  to  enter  in  at  the  strait 
gate;  ask  and  you  shall  receive;  seek  and 
you  shall  find ;  knock  and  it  shall  be  opened 
unto  you.  The  Almighty,  great  God  is  not 
satisfied  with  a  bare  name,  but  he  desires  a 
true,  sincere  faith,  uirfeigned,  ardent  love,  a 
new,  converted  heart,  true  humility,  mercy, 
chastity,  patience,  righteousness  and  peace; 
he  desires  the  whole  man,  heart,  professions 
and  actions.  He  avIio  delights  in  the  word 
of  the  Lord,  speaks  the  truth  from  the  heart, 
crucifies  his  fiesh,  and  will  give  his  goods 
and  blood  for  the  word  of  the  Lord,  if  it  be 
required. 

Behold,  dear  children,  this  is  the  way  in 
which  we  will  all  have  to  walk,  if  we  desire 

1  to  be  saved ;  therefore,  awaken  and  learn 
wisdom.     Hear  the  inviting  voice  of  God, 

:  open  unto  him,  and  meet  him,  that  he  com- 

j  plain  not  of  you,  as  he  did  formerly  through 
his  prophets,  of  obdurate  and  stiff-necked 
Judea  and  Jerusalem.  "I  have  nourished," 

1  says  he,  "  and  brought  up  children,  and  they 
have  rebelled  against  me;  the  ox  Icnoweth 
his  owner,  and  the  ass  his  master's  crib; 
but  Israel  doth  not  know,  my  people  doth 
not  consider.  Ah,  siuftxl  nation,  a  people 
laden  with  iniquity,  a  seed  of  evil-doers, 
children  that  are  corrupters !  They  have  for- 
saken the  Lord,  they  have  provoked  the 
Holy  One  of  Israel  unto  anger,  they  are 
gone  away  backward,"  Isa.  1 :  4. 

Jeremiah  says,  "Every  one  tiu-ned  to  his 
course,  as  the  horse  rusheth  into  the  battle; 

1  yea,  the  stork  in  the  heaven  knoweth  her 
appointed  times  ;  and  the  turtle  and  the 
crane,  and  the  swallow  observe  the  time  of 
their  coming;  but  my  people  know  not  the 
judgment  of  the  Lord,"  Jer.  8:  6,  7. 

Remember,   dear   children,   how   greatly 
Jesus  Christ  took  to  heart  the  obstinacy 

'  and  blindness  of  the  Jews;  when  he  said, 
"Jerusalem,  Jerusalem,  how  often  would  I 
have  gathered  thy  children  together,  even 
as  a  hen  gathereth  her  chickens  under  her 
wings,  and  ye  would  not,"  he  wept  and  said, 
"If  thou  hadst  known,  even  thou,  at  least 
in  this  thy  day,  the  things  which  belong 
unto  thy  peace,  but  now  they  are  hid  from 
thine  eyes,"  Luke  19:  42. 

"^^^lerefore  lay  apart  all  filthiness  and 
!  Bupei'fluity  of  naughtiness,  and  receive  with 


94 


APPEAL  TO   CORRUPT  SECTS. 


meekness  tlie  ingrafted  word,  wliicli  is  able 
to  save  yonr  souls,"  James  1 :  21.  Seek  Clod 
with  a  Ml  keart,  repent  sincerely,  cleanse 
yourselves  inwardly  before  tlie  Lord,  let  go 
world,  iiesk,  false  doctrine,  and  every  thing 
contrary  to  tlie  konor,  will,  and  word  of 
God;  bear,  believe  and  follow  Jesus  Ckrist, 


tke  only,  and  true  skej)lierd  of  yom-  soxils, 
wlio  sougkt  you  in  suck  great  love,  and  pur- 
ckased  you  witk  suck  a  precious  price,  tken 
you  may,  of  a  trutk,  boast  tliat  you  are  tke 
people  of  God,  and  tke  ckiuck  of  Ckrist. 
To  kim,  tke  Lord  and  Savior  Jesus  Ckrist, 
be  praise  and  the  eternal  kingdom,  Amen. 


APPEAL  TO  CORRUPT  SECTS. 


Christ  said,  "Falsechrists  and  false  proph- 
ets shall  rise,  and  shall  show  signs  and 
wonders,  to  seduce,  if  it  were  possible,  even 
the  elect.  But  take  ye  heed,  behold,  I  have 
foretold  you  all  things,"  Mark  13:  22,  23. 
O,  you  backsliding,  erring  children!  Mind, 
had  you  taken  to  heart  this  faithful  warn- 
ing of  oiu-  Lord  and  Savior,  Christ ;  had 
you  acknowledged  kis  Spirit,  doctrine,  and 
koly  life  as  a  perfect  Spirit,  doctrine  and 
life,  and  acknowledged  kim  as  tke  true 
Propket,  promised  in  Scripture;  andkadyou 
received  kim  as  tke  tnie  and  living  Son  of 
God;  you  would  never  kave  been  led  so  far 
from  kis  ways,  nor  would  suck  frigktful 
errors  kave  taken  place.  But,  O  Lord !  I 
fear  tkat  some  of  you  are  so  far  enckanted, 
tkat  you  vdll  nevermore  come  to  Ckrist,  tke 
true  Skepkerd;  for  you,  tkrougk  a  perverted 
and  obscure  understanding  of  tke  Scriptiu-es, 
defend,  as  just  and  rigkt,  tke  abominable 
works  of  ungodliness,  wkick  are  not  only  con- 
trary to  tke  Spirit,  word  and  will  of  Ckrist, 
but  also  contrary  to  reasonable  modesty, 
nature,  and  reason. 

Is  it  not  a  grievous  error,  tkat  you  suifer 
yourselves  to  be  so  sorely  bewitcked  by 
suck  worthless  persons,  and  so  lamentably 
misled  from  one  unclean  sect  to  another; 
first  to  that  of  Munster,  next  to  Battenberg, 
now  Davidists;  from  Beelzebub  to  Lucifer, 
and  from  Belial  to  Behemoth  'i  Ever  learn- 
ing, but  never  able  to  come  to  the  knowl- 
edge of  tke  real  trutk.  You  suffer  your 
selves  to  be  led  about  by  every  wind  of 
doctrine.  You  ckoose  out  a  way  for  your- 
selves, as  do  also  tke  priests  and  monks; 
you  kold  not  to  the  head,   Christ,  from 


which  all  the  body,  fitly  joined  together, 
Cometh  imto  a  perfect  man,  unto  the  meas- 
ui'e  of  the  stature  of  the  fullness  of  Christ. 

I  fear  that  your  sins  vfill  be  punished; 
for  you  are  earthly,  and  carnal  minded, 
whereby    you    thnist  from    you  the  pui'e 

j  knowledge  of  Christ,  and  kate  kis  cross; 

'  and  against  all  admonition  of  Scriptures, 
against  tke  undeceiving  example  of  Ckrist 

j  and  kis  saints,  you  conform  yoiu'selves  in 

i  tke  splendor,  pomp,  eating,  drinking,  folly, 

I  kypocrisy,  and  false  worskip,  of  tkis  proud, 
useless,  vain  and  idolatrous  workl,  wkick 
you  skould,  by  rigkt,  instruct  and  admon- 
isk  by  a  pious,  kumble,  sober,  and  godly 
walk. 

O,  you  backsliding  childi'en  !  consider 
kow  grievously  jow  disgrace  tke  koly  Moses, 
wko  teackes  and  speaks  to  you  out  of  tke 
mouth  of  God.  He  says,  "I  wiU  raise  tliem 
up  a  propket  from  among  tkeir  bretkren, 
like  unto  thee,  and  will  put  u\y  words  in  his 
mouth;  and  he  shall  sped;k  unto  tkem  all 
tkat  I  skall  command  kim.  And  it  skall 
come  to  pass,  tkat  wkosoever  will  not  kear- 
ken  unto  my  words  Avkick  ke  skall  speak  in 
my  name,  I  v.dll  require  it  of  him,"  Deut.  18: 

'  IS,  19.    Tkis  is  repeated  by  Peter  and  Ste- 

i  phen  in  Acts  3:  23;  and  7:  37. 

Wkat  do  you  do  witk  all  tke  great  propli- 

!  ets  of  God,  as  David,  Isaiak,  Jeremiak  and 
Ezekiel,  wko,  in  so  many  places,  Avitk  suck 

[  plain  words,  tkrougli  tke  inspiration  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  direct  us  to  Christ  and  his 
Avord?  They  must  either  testify  to  lies,  or 
your  prophets  must  be  deceivers  and  false 
teachers.  This  is  incontrovertible. 
Did  not  holy  Paul  say,  "But  thougk  we, 


APPEAL  TO  CORRUPT  SECTS. 


95 


or  an  angel  from  heaven,  preach,  any  other 
gospel  nnto  jon  than  tliat  which  we  have 
preached  urdo  you,  let  him  be  accursed," 
Gal.  1 :  8.  That  your  prophets,  with  their 
king,  dominion,  polygamy,  sword,  &c.,  do 
not  agree  with  Paul  and  the  doctrine  and 
gospel  of  the  apostles,  j'ou  are  all  forced  to 
acknowledge  and  admit,  whence  it  forcibly 
follows,  that  they,  with  their  doctrine  and 
conduct,  are  cursed  and  anathematized. 

Say,  my  beloved,  what  do  you  do  with 
the  revealed  and  infallible  word  and  testi- 
mony of  the  Almighty  Father,  which  he 
liimself  has  testified  of  his  Son,  and  said  ? 
"This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am 
well  pleased;  hear  ye  him,"  Matt.  17:  5. 
Hwi  sJiall  you  liear;  but  since  you  reject 
his  Spirit,  word  and  example,  you  follow 
and  hear  those  who,  with  their  spirit,  doc- 
trine and  conduct,  are  from  the  bottomless 
pit,  yea,  manifestly  anti-christs  and  false 
prophets. 

Know  you  not,  that  the  Son  of  God  has 
himself  commanded  us  that  we  should  ob- 
serve all  that  he  has  enjoined,  and  that  he 
will  be  with  us  until  the  end  of  the  world  ? 

Will  you  then  say,  that  the  doctrine  of 
Christ  and  his  apostles  was  imperfect,  and 
that  your  teachers  bring  forth  the  perfect 
■  instruction?  I  answer,  that  to  teach  and  be- 
lieve this,  is  the  most  horrible  blasphemy, 
the  most  mocking  perversity,  that  can  be 
uttered  against  the  Most  High ;  for  you 
thereby  declare  that  Christ  is  not  the  true 
Son  of  God,  the  perfect  Teacher,  and  the 
true  image  of  righteousness.  You  deny  the 
whole  Scriptiu'e,  yoii  reject  the  testimony  of 
Moses  and  all  the  prophets,  who  pointed  to 
the  only  and  true  Ciuist,  as  has  been  shown; 
you  disparage  the  word  of  the  Father,  and 
reject  Christ  Jesus,  with  his  Spirit,  word, 
kingdom  and  spiritiial  government;  you 
put  your  txTist  and  hoj)es  in  lying,  mortal 
flesh,  and  upon  earthly,  carnal  things, 
which,  as  the  Scriptiu-es  teach,  must  be  dis- 
persed like  dust  before  the  wind.  Examine 
the  Scriptiu-es  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  and 
reflect,  if  such  is  not  a  gross  blasphemy 
against  the  Almighty. 

Saj',  you  deceived  children,  where  is  there 

a  syllable  in  the  whole  doctrine  of  Christ 

^    and  the  apostles  (according  to  which  Spirit, 

doctrine,  conduct  and  example  all  Scripture 


must  be  understood),  by  whiclf  you  can 
prove  and  establish  one  of  all  yoiu-  eiTing 
articles  ? 

If  you  would  appeal  to  the  literal  under- 
standing and  transactions  of  Moses  and  the 
prophets,  then  must  you  also  become  Jews, 
receive  circumcision,  literally  possess  the 
land  of  Canaan,  again  erect  the  Jewish 
kingdom,  build  the  city  and  temple,  and  ac- 
cording to  the  law,  offer  sacrifices,  attend  to 
the  worship  of  God,  and  declare  that  Christ, 
the  promised  Savior,  has  not  yet  come,  who 
has  changed  the  literal  and  figurative  cere- 
monies into  new,  spiritual  and  abiding  sub- 
stances. 

You  miserable,  erring  sheej),  observe,  I 
have  before  remarked  to  the  magistrates, 
that  the  kingdom  of  Christ  is  not  of  this 
visible,  perishing  world,  but  that  it  is  an 
eternal,  spiritual  and  abiding  kingdom, 
where  there  are  no  eating  and  drinking,  but 
righteousness,  peace  and  joy  in  the  Holy 
Ghost.  There  no  king  reigns,  but  the  true 
King  of  Zion,  Christ  Jesus.  He  is  the  King 
of  righteousness,  the  King  of  peace,  the  King 
of  kings,  who  has  all  power  in  heaven  above, 
and  on  earth  beneath;  before  whom  every 
knee  shall  bow,  and  every  tongue  confess. 
The  true  king  David  in  Spiiit,  who,  through 
his  righteousness,  merits  and  crimson  blood, 
has  ransomed  the  sheep  from  the  mouths  of 
the  savage  lions  and  bears  of  the  pit,  has 
slain  the  gi'eat  and  terrible  Goliah,  and 
obtained  for  the  spiritual  Israel  of  God,  eter- 
nal welfare  and  peace.  Neither  the  King 
nor  his  servants  l^ear  any  sword  but  the 
sword  of  the  Spirit,  piercing  even  to  the 
dividing  asunder  of  soul  and  spirit,  the 
word  of  God,  with  which  he  brings  forth, 
builds,  extends  and  governs  his  kingdom, 
guards  and  defends  it  under  the  pressing- 
cross,  in  all  trials  and  temptations,  from 
the  gates  of  hell,  onsets  and  powers,  and 
not  with  iron  or  steel,  as  the  rade,  vindictive 
world  does ;  for  his  kingdom  and  dominion 
is  spirit,  and  not  letter,  as  has  been  shown. 

Again,  under  this  kingdom,  and  under 
this  King,  no  other  wedlock  must  be  toler- 
ated, except  between  one  man  and  one  vro- 
man,as  God  had  in  thebeginning  established 
in  the  union  of  Adam  and  Eve;  and  Christ 
has  further  said,  that  these  two  are  one  flesh, 


96 


APPEAL  TO   CORRUPT  SECTS. 


and  tliat  they  shall  not  separate,  save  for 
the  cause  of  fornication,  Matt.  5:  32. 

Tliis  is  not  a  kingdom  in  which  a  display 
is  made  of  gold,  silver,  pearls,  silk,  velvet 
and  costly  finery,  as  is  done  by  the  proud 
wicked  world,  and  which  also  your  leaders 
teach  and  give  you  liberty  to  do  under  this 
deception,  viz.,  that  it  is  harmless  if  you  do 
not  desire  and  serve  them  from  your  heart. 
Thus  might  satan  approve  his  haughtiness, 
and  make  pure  and  good  the  desire  of  his 
eyes.  In  the  kingdom  of  all  humility  (I 
say),  the  outward  adorning  of  the  body 
is  not  desired  and  souglit  with  power,  but 
the  inward  adorning  of  the  spirit,  with  zeal, 
diligence,  and  a  liroken,  contrite  heart. 

Here  is  known  no  lying,  eating,  drinking, 
or  hypocrisy,  here  none  conforms  himself 
to  a  drunken,  luxurious,  idle  and  idolatrous 
world,  nor  lays  from  hini  the  cross  of  Christ, 
as  you  do,  but  all  are  upright  and  godly  in 
lieart  and  deed.  They  si)eak  the  truth  from 
the  heart.  They  lead  a  circumspect,  tem- 
perate life;  shun  all  idolatry  and  false  doc- 
trine from  within  and  without;  abstain  from 
all  appearance  of  evil ;  perform  tlie  true 
worship  of  the  heart;  abide  firmly  in  the 
word  and  ordinances  of  Christ;  lead  an  un- 
blamable life  before  the  whole  world,  and 
testify  of  Jesus  Christ  with  the  mouth, 
works,  possessions  and  blood,  as  the  divine 
honor  requires  it. 

Here  that  confession  is  unkno^vn  to  which 
some  of  you  pretend,  here  we  confess  only 
to  the  true  God  before  whom  we  have  sinned, 
and  to  our  neighbor  against  whom  we  have 
trespassed. 

Here  modesty,  rectitude,  and  honesty  are 
taught  and  practiced,  but  not  immodesty,  '. 
disgrace  and  uncleanness.    I  think  you  un- 1 
derstand  well  what  I  mean. 

In  short,  here  the  Spirit,  word,  will,  com-  ; 
mands,  prohibitions,  ordinances,  customs,  j 
and  examples  of  Christ  are  taught.    To  ^ 
which  all  Scriptures  refer  us,  and  not  the 
opinions  of  false  prophets,  high  sounding 
words,  enchanting  appearances,  boasting, 
dreams,  and  lying  miracles,  against  whicli, 
the  Spirit  of  God,  and  the  Scriptures  every- 
where warn  and  counsel  us. 

Dear  children,  reform  yoiirselves.  Every 
one  who  teaches  you  otherwise,  than  is  testi- 
fied by  the  word  of  the  Lord,  even  though 


he  were  one  who  could  dry  up  the  bottom 
of  the  sea,  and  hurl  the  stars  down  from 
heaven,  let  him  be  abandoned,  and  let  his 
doctrine  be  regarded  as  deceiving  and  er- 
roneous, for,  to  all  eternity  there  may  no 
other  foundation  be  laid,  than  that  which  is 
laid,  Christ  Jesus.  lie  is  the  corner  stone 
and  foundation  in  Zion,  on  v/hom  all  the 
building  fitly  framed  together  (according  to 
his  will.  Spirit  and  word),  growetli  intoa 
holy  temple  unto  the  Lord. 

O  ye  backsliding  children,  hear  the  word 
of  God  and  make  liaste,  for  your  way  is  in 
darkness,  and  your  path  leads  to  death. 
Embrace  the  truth  and  learn  wisdom,  for 
i  your  comforters  have  destroyed  you  and 
rendered  uneven  the  way  in  which  you  must 
go.  Munster  and  Amsterdam  may  well  be 
to  you  an  eternal  warning  and  example. 
When  a  prophet,  said  Moses,  speaks  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord,  if  the  thing  follow  not, 
nor  come  to  j^ass,  that  is  not  the  thing 
which  the  Lord  hath  spoken. 

0  dear  Lord !  How  many  innocent  heai-ts 
have  they  rained?  How  many  poor  souls 
have  they  deceived?  What  gross  shame  have 
they  cast  upon  the  word  of  the  Lord?  ^\T2at 
great  abominations  have  some  of  them  com- 
mitted under  the  appearance  of  good?  How 
have  they  made  the  poor,  blind  magistrates, 
who  are,  alas,  destitute  of  a  correct  under- 
standing of  the  holy  word,  to  be  guilty  of 
innocent  blood  ? 

1  think  it  is  time  you  should  see  and  learn 
to  know  your  lying  faithless,  and  deceiving 
prophets.  They  are  the  foxes  which  destroy 
the  vineyard  of  the  Lord.  These  are  the 
thieves  and  murderers  of  j'^.our  souls;  false 
prophets  who  deny  the  Lord  that  bought 
them;  who  have  directed  you,  poor  erring- 
sheep,  by  their  own  lying  visions,  dreams, 
and  thoughts  of  their  hearts,  and  have  led 
you  against  all  the  Scriptures  ujion  a  false 
and  loose  foundation. 

How  like  unto  those  you  have  become,  of 
whom  Eusebius  vsrites,  that  they  walked  ac- 
cording to  the  lusts  of  their  hearts,  as  the 
prophets  foretold ;  wlio  denied  Paul  and  the 
New  Testament,  and  carried  with  them  a 
liook,  which  they  boasted,  fell  from  lieaven 
as  a  present  to  them. 

So  it  is  with  you,  O  ye  entranced  (bear 
with  me,  for  it  is  the  truth  whicli  I  write). 


APPEAL  TO   COERUPT  SECTS. 


97 


The  prophets  you  read  according  to  the 
Jewish  understanding.  You  say  the  doc- 
trine of  Chiist  and  the  apostles  is  at  the 
present  time  fulfilled ;  and  pretend  that 
there  is  now  another  dispensation,  &c.,  and 
observe  not  that  you  thereby  deny  the  Son 
of  God,  and  gainsay  the  whole  Scriptures ; 
you  comfort  yourselves  with  mere  lies,  as 
also  did  disobedient  Israel  in  their  time. 

Oh  dear  Lord !  How  long  shall  these  sore 
plagues  endirre  ?  how  long  shall  the  name 
of  the  Lord  through  you  be  blasphemed,  and 
his  holy  word  through  you  be  disgraced? 
Is  it  not  a  grievous  error  (man  phrenzy), 
that  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God, 
who,  brought  forth  in  eternal  righteousness, 
has  reconciled  heaven  and  earth  by  the 
blood  of  his  cross,  with  his  word  of  truth, 
and  with  the  counsels  of  eternal  life,  is  re- 
jected from  your  hearts,  which  he  so  dearly 
bought,  and  which  should,  so  properly  be 
the  dwelling  place  of  Christ;  and  poor,  sin- 
ful flesh,  and  mortal  man  descended  from 
Adam,  full  of  all  unrighteousness,  haughty 
speeches,  lies  and  open  deception  is  received 
by  you  and  adopted  in  stead. 

Oh,  beloved  children,  what  are  you  doing? 
Are  you  so  thoroughly  enchanted  that  you 
have  lost  aU  reason,  intelligence,  the  Script- 
ures, and  everything,  so  that  you  cannot  see 
at  all?  then  may  God  be  merciful  unto  you. 
Good  childi'en,  observe  that  a  letter  of  the 
law  of  Moses  could  not  be  changed  till  the 
new  Moses,Chi-ist  Jesus,  came,who  was  prom- 
ised through  the  law  and  the  prophets.  K 
then  the  letter  of  the  law  was  so  strong,  etfect- 
ive  and  firm,  and  in  its  time  unchangeable, 
although  given  only  through  a  servant,  and 
sealed  by  perishable  blood,  how  much  more 
powerful,  effectual,  fii-m,  and  unchangeable 
is  the  free  law  of  the  Spirit,  which  was  given 
through  the  Son  himself,  and  confirmed  by 
the  blood  of  the  eternal  covenant. 

All  who  taught  anything  contrary  to  the 
word  of  Moses,  were  false  prophets,  for  noth- 
ing was  to  be  taken  from,  nor  added  thereto, 
but  aU  appeals  were  to  the  law  and  the  testi- 
mony. Dent.  4:  3.  All  the  prophets  of  the 
present  day  are  false  who  teach  contrary  to 
the  Spirit,  word,  commands,  prohibitions, 
ordinances  and  example  of  Clu'ist,  even 
though  such  should  exhibit  themselves  in 
appearance,  as  holier  than  John,  more  zeal- 
13 


ous  than  Elias,  and  more  miraculous  than 
Moses. 

They  persuade  you  that  the  doctrine  of 
the  apostles  is  imperfect,  but  that  tliey  now 
teach  that  which  is  perfect.  This  is  a  de- 
ception above  all  deceptions,  as  above  said, 
for  thereby  the  creatiu-e  is  honored  more 
than  the  Creator.  Paul  does  not  refer  to 
any  better  doctrine  or  perfection  other  than 
that  which  is  shown  by  the  doctrine  of  the 
apostles,  which  will  abide  in  everlasting 
clearness,  according  to  the  infallible  promise 
of  God,  and  which  we  shall  receive  in  the 
resurrection  of  the  righteous,  when  all  doc- 
trine shall  receive  an  end.  This  is  true, 
otherwise  Paid  is  at  variance  with  himself, 
and  the  true  reality  is  not  to  be  found  in 
Christ. 

Again,  will  you  say,  then,  with  the  Jews 
and  Scribes,  that  Elias  will  come  before  the 
great  and  terrible  day,  and  thus  wait  for 
something  new? 

First,  I  answer  with  Christ's  own  Avords, 
that  "all  the  prophets  and  the  law  prophe- 
sied until  John,  and  if  ye  will  receive  it, 
this  is  Elias,  which  was  for  to  come,"  Matt. 
11:13,  14. 

Secondly,  Even  though  Elias  himself  were 
to  come,  he  dare  not  teach  any  thing  against 
the  foundation  and  doctrine  of  Christ  and 
the  apostles,  but  he  must,  if  he  would  preach 
aright,  teach  and  preach  conformably  to  the 
same,  for,  by  the  Spirit,  word,  actions  and 
example  of  Christ,  all  must  be  judged,  and 
receive  the  last  sentence,  otherwise  the  whole 
Scriptiu'es  are  false. 

Therefore,  one  of  two  things  must  follow, 
either  that  we  are  not  to  look  for  an  Elias 
any  more,  since  John  was  the  Elias  who 
was  to  come;  or  if  an  Elias  should  come 
yet,  he  must  propose  and  teach  us  nothing 
but  the  foundation  and  word  of  Christ,  ac- 
cording to  the  Scriptm-es;  for  Christ  is  the 
man  who  sits  upon  David's  throne,  and 
shall  reign  forever  in  the  kingdom,  house, 
and  congregation  of  Jacob. 

I  would  then,  herewith  sincerely  admon- 
ish you  all  to  weigh  and  prove  all  spirit, 
doctrine,  faith,  and  conduct,  with  tlie  Spirit, 
doctrine  and  conduct  of  Christ,  and  that  ye 
;  be  temperate.  All  spirits  which  accord  there- 
with, are  from  God,  but  those  which  are 
j  contrary,  are  from  him,  who  from  the  begin- 


98 


TO  THE  BRIDE,  KINGDOM,  STATE, 


ning  has  turned  Adam  and  Ms  race  aside 
from  God,  and  lias  led  them  by  lies  onward 
to  death. 

If  you  will  not  hear,  hut  will  ever  tui'n 
your  ears  to  lies,  and  believe  the  deceiving 
creature  more  than  the  infallible  Creator;  if 
you  set  your  feet  upon  slippery  places;  if 
you  neither  fear  nor  regard  Scripture  ad- 
monitions, northe  j)ower  and  punishments  of 
God,  but  reject  and  set  aside  all  as  idle  and 
useless,  and  suffer  yourselves  always  to  be 
comforted  with  falsehoods,  visions,  dreams, 
splendid  delusions,  false  interpretations  and 
continue,  without  the  cross,  on  the  broad 
way,  then  will  the  righteous  Lord  send  to 
you  mockers  and  deceivers,  and  by  his 
lighteous  judgment  suffer  you  to  be  led 
from  one  ungodly  course  to  another,  as  may 
already  be  seen. 

You  shall  be  satiated  Avith  lies,  vanity, 
folly  and  hypocrisy.  You  will  reap  the 
fruits  of  your  wantonness,  and  at  last,  with 
all  false  prophets  and  Ijing  wonder  w^oi'k- 
ers,  you  shall  hear  the  words,  "I  know  you 
not  whence  ye  are;  depart  from  me,  all  ye 
workers  of  iniquity,"  Luke  13:  27. 

Be  ye  then  eternally  warned  and  faith- 


fully admonished  of  God.  Beware,  the  day 
approaches,  repent,  reform.  The  word  of 
God  is  true.  Is  there  any  one  among  you 
who  fears  God,  let  him  reflect  on  what  I 
here  write;  search  the  Scriptures  and  be- 
lieve the  truth,  for  God  hates  all  liars. 
Eternal  woe  and  gnashing  of  teeth  will  be 
the  portion  and  reward  of  the  hypocrite ; 
"Whosoever  transgresseth  and  abideth  not 
in  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  hath  not  God,"  2 
John  1:9. 

O  ye  miserable,  enchanted  childi'en !  turn 
again.  If  ye  knew  what  it  was  to  forsake 
the  living  fountain  of  Christ,  and  dig  for 
yourselves  dry  wells  which  can  neither  yield 
nor  hold  water,  Jer.  2,  how  soon  would  you 
turn  yoiu'  back  on  the  false  prophets  and 
their  hypocritical  lives,  surrender  your- 
selves to  the  true  Shepherd  of  your  souls, 
Christ  Jesus,  and  follow  and  obey  his  sure 
!  coimsel,  teaching,  admonition,  ordinance, 
and  holy  example  (although  in  weakness); 
but  alas,  enchanting  blindness  has  obscured 
your  understanding.  The  beloved,  merciful 
Lord  grant  you  eyes  to  see  and  hearts  to 
understand;  this  is  our  sincere  wish,  Amen. 


TO  THE  BRIDE,  KIKGDOM,  STATE, 


AND 


CHURCH  OF  THE  LORD,  GRACE  AND  PEACE. 


Thus  spake  the  Bridegroom,  Christ  Jesus, 
through  Solomon  to  his  bride,  the  church, 
"Rise  up,  my  love,  my  fair  one,  and  come 
away,  for  lo,  the  winter  is  past,  the  rain  is 
over  and  gone,  the  flowers  appear  on  the 
earth;  the  time  of  the  singing  of  birds  is 
come,  and  the  voice  of  the  tm-tle  is  heard  in 
om-  land ;  the  fig  tree  putteth  forth  her  green 
tigs,  and  the  vines  with  the  tender  grape 
give  a  good  smell.  Arise,  my  love,  my  fair 
one,  and  come  away,"  Cant.  2:  10 — 13. 

Chosen,  true  children,  you,  who  vnth  me, 
are  called  to  the  like  grace,  inheritance  and 
kingdom,  and  are  named  after  the  Lord's 


name,  hear  the  voice  of  Christ;  your  king; 
hear  the  voice  of  your  bridegroom,  ah,  thou 
bride  of  God,  thou  friend  of  the  Lord,  arise, 
and  adorn  thyself  to  honor  thy  king  and 
bridegToom.  Though  thoii  art  piu'e,  purify 
thyself  yet  more  ;  though  thou  art  holy, 
hallow  thyself  yet  more,  and  though  thou 
art  right,  rectify  thyself  yet  more ;  adorn 
thyself  with  the  white  silken  robe  of  right- 
eousness; hang  about  thy  neck  the  golden 
chain  of  all  piety;  gird  thyself  with  the  fair 
girdle  of  brotherly  love;  put  on  the  wedding- 
ring  of  true  faith ;  gh'd  thyself  with  precious 
fair  gold  of  the  divine  word.    Adorn  thyself 


AND  CHURCH  OF  THE  LORD. 


wdtli  the  pearls  of  all  modesty,  wash  thy- 
self with  the  dear  waters  of  grace,  and  an- 
oint thyself  with  the  oil  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Wash  thy  feet  in  the  clear,  limped  river  of 
Almighty  God ;  let  your  whole  body  be 
pure  and  clear,  for  thy  friend  hates  all 
wrinldes  and  spots;  so  will  he  have  pleas- 
ure in  thy  beauty  and  will  praise  thee  and 
say,  "How  fair  is  thy  love,  my  sister,  my 
spouse  I  How  much  better  is  thy  love  than 
wine,  and  the  smell  of  thine  ointments,  than 
all  spices.  Thy  lips,  O  my  spouse,  drop  as 
the  hone3''-comb ;  honey  and  milk  are  under 
thy  tongue,"  Cant.  4:  10,  11. 

Rejoice,  O  thou  bride  of  the  Lord !  for 
your  beloved  is  fairer  than  all  the  children 
of  men,  "The  chiefest  among  ten  thousand, 
his  head  is  as  the  most  fine  gold,  his  locks 
are  bushy  and  as  black  as  a  raven.  His 
eyes  are  as  the  ej'es  of  doves,  by  the  rivers 
of  waters,  washed  with  milk  and  fitly  set. 
His  cheeks  are  as  a  bed  of  spices,  as  sweet 
flowers;  his  lijis,  like  lilies,  dropping  sweet 
smelling  myrrh.  His  hands  are  as  gold 
rings  set  with  the  beryl;  his  hellj  is  as 
bright  ivory,  overlaid  with  sapphires.  His 
legs  are  as  jiiUars  of  marble,  set  upon  sock- 
ets of  fine  gold.  His  countenance  is  as  Leb- 
anon, excellent  as  the  cedars ;  his  mouth 
is  most  sweet,  yea,  he  is  altogether  lovely," 
Cant.  5:  10—16.  Cry  out  and  say,  "Hear- 
ken, O  daughter,  and  consider  and  incline 
thine  ear ;  forget  also  thine  own  people,  and 
thy  father's  house,  so  shall  the  king  greatly 
desire  thy  beauty,"  Ps.  45:  10,  11. 

Draw  near,  O  thou  queen,  O  thou  well- 
prepared  and  fairest  of  all  woman ;  bow  thy 
neck  with  Esther,  under  his  powerful  scep- 
tre; hear  his  word  and  fear  his  judgment; 
acknowledge  his  great  love,  for  he  has 
greatly  humbled  himself  towards  us.  "Thy 
birth  and  thy  nativity  is  of  the  land  of  Ca- 
naan; thy  father  was  an  Amorite,  and  thy 
mother  a  Hittite,  and  as  for  thy  nativity,  in 
the  day  thou  wast  born,  thy  navel  was  not 
cut,  neither  wast  thou  washed  in  water  to 
supple  thee;  thou  wast  not  salted  at  all, 
nor  swaddled  at  all,"  Ezek.  16 :  3,  4.  Thou 
wast  polluted  in  thy  blood,  behold  so  des- 
pised were  your  souls,  as  the  prophet  la- 
mented. But  he  has  pitied  thee,  promised 
thee  life,  noui-ished  thee  and  clothed  thy 
shame,  purified  thee  from  thy  uncleanness, 


!  wiped  off  thy  blood,  anointed  thee  with  bal- 
j  sam,  clothed  thee  with  spiritual  clothes;  he 
;  has  adorned  thee  with  bracelets,  ear-rings, 
and  a  beautiful  crown,  and  has  taken  thee 
for  his  bride,  and  made  an  everlasting  cov- 
enant with  thee;  he  has  fed  thee  with  oil, 
I  honey  and  wheaten  bread;  he  has  led  thee 
to  the  chamber  of  his  love,  and  kissed  thee 
Avith  the  mouth  of  his  peace. 

How  lovely  and  gracious  a  bridegToom 
and  king  is  he,  who  has  chosen  his  miser- 
I  able,  impure,  unesteemed,  yea,  unchaste 
I  servant,  to  such  an  exalted  station,  and  has 
called  her  to  be  such  a  giorioiis  queen,  and 
has  spared  no  labor,  jjains  nor  costs,  till  he 
has  made  her  the  fairest,  purest,  most 
worthy  and  precious  among  women. 

Arise,  make  haste,  adorn  and  dress  your- 
selves, extol  and  praise  him  who  has  crea- 
ted you,  and  called  you  to  siich  a  high  honor 
through  the  word  of  his  grace. 

The  winter  is  past,  the  rain  is  over  and 
gone,  the  flowers  appear  on  the  earth,  and 
;  the  voice  of  the  turtle  dove  is  heard  in  our 
land;  there  is  nothing  more  which  can  harm 
or  hinder,  for  hell,  sin,  the  devil,  death,  the 
world,  flesh,  fire  and  sword,  are  already 
overcome  by  all  the  children  of  God,  through 
Christ!  All  they  know  is  Christ  Jesus,  their 
seeking  is  the  pure  apostolic  doctrine  and 
the  pious,  unblamable  life,  which  is  from 
God. 

Praise  be  to  the  Most  High,  who  has  si- 
lenced the  falsehoods,  for  the  truth  sounds 
in  every  street.  Anti-christ  sinks  to  shame, 
and  Christ  rises  to  higher  honor,  yea,  the 
unfruitful,  cold  winter  has  disappeared,  and 
the  fruitful  j^leasant  spring  has  come,  the 
lovely  fair  flowers  shoot  forth  and  vegetate, 
in  every  place ;  the  voice  of  the  turtle  dove 
is  heard.  The  wholesome,  holy  word,  the 
word  of  repentance,  the  word  of  grace  and 
eternal  peace,  is  testified  with  word,  vrrii- 
iugs,  life  and  death,  in  many  countries. 

"The  fig  tree  putteth  forth  her  green  figs, 
and  the  vines  with  the  tender  gi'ape,  give  a 
good  smell ;  arise,  my  love,  my  fair  one, 
and  come  away,"  Cant.  2:  13.  Faith  as- 
sumes verdm'e,  love  blooms,  the  sun  soft- 
ens, and  the  truth  is  published  and  testified 
to,  which  remained  fruitless  for  so  many 
years;  although  you  must,  for  a  short  time, 
:  bear  the  heat  of  the  sun,  yet  you  so  well 


100 


TO  THE  BRIDE,  KINGDOM,  STATE,  &c. 


know  that  tlie  kingdom  of  glory,  in  eternal 
joy,  is  promised  and  prepared  for  you. 

Rejoice  and  watch ;  tlion  art  blacli  but 
comely,  thou  art  as  the  tents  of  Kedar,  as 
the  curtains  of  Solomon.  "Awake,  O  north 
wind,  and  come,  thou  south;  blow  upon  my 
garden,  that  the  spices  thereof  may  flow 
out,"  Cant.  4:  16.  Fear  not,  little  flock,  for 
it  is  the  Father's  good  pleasure  to  give  you 
the  kingdom,  not  the  perishing  kingdom  of 
Assyria,  Media,  Macedonia,  nor  of  Rome, 
but  the  kingdom  of  the  saints,  the  kingdom 
of  the  great  King,  the  kingdom  of  David, 
the  kingdom  of  grace  and  eternal  peace,  j 
which  shall  never  more  perish,  but  shall  | 
abide  and  stand  forever,  therefore,  hear  him  i 
and  be  obedient,  that  you  be  not  thriist  out 
with  the  haughty,  disobedient  Yashti,  but 
with  the  pious  Esther,  live  in  endless  glory, 
before  the  true  Ahasuerus,  Christ,  and  abide 
with  him  forever. 

Arise,  thou  daughter  of  Zion,  and  observe 
what  is  promised  thee.     O  Jerusalem,  al- 
though thou,  as  a  comfortless  one,  sittest 
for  a  while,  and  must  bear  all  manner  of 
storms  and  hail,  but  your  helper  will  arrive 
in  time,  who  brings  forth  thy  righteousness 
as  the  morning,  and  is  thy  shelter  from  the 
wind  and  storm.     For  He  who  loved  thee 
lias  said,  "Behold,  I  will  lay  thy  stones 
with  fair  colors,  and  lay  thy  foimdations 
with  sapphires,  and  I  will  make  thy  win- 
dows of  agates  and  thy  gates  of  carbuncles  , 
and  all  thy  borders  of  pleasant  stones,  and  j 
all  thy  children  shall  be  taught  of  the  Lord; 
and  great  shall  be  the  peace  of  thy  children.  : 
In  righteousness  shalt  thou  be  established;  j 
thou  shalt  be  far  from  oppression,"  Isa.  54:  [ 
n— 14. 

Behold,  thy  wall  stands  firmly  upon  twelve 
foundations,  thy  gates  are  of  pearls,  the  city 
is  of  pure  gold,  the  river  of  living  waters, 
proceeding  from  the  throne  of  God  and  the 
lamb,  is  in  the  midst  of  your  way,  and  the 
tree  of  life  is  on  either  side,  and  its  leaves 
serve  to  heal  the  nation.  Happy  and  holy 
is  he  who  has  part  in  this  city. 

Therefore,  so  purify  yoiu'selves,  you  who 
seek  the  Lord,  circumcise  the  foreskin  of 
your  hearts,  for  the  holy  city  may  be  in- 
habited by  no  uncircumcised  person,  the 
golden  streets  are  trodden  by  no  unclean 


feet;  the  unclean,  drink  not  of  the  pure  wa- 
ters; the  fruit  of  life  shall  never  be  eaten  by 
any  of  the  ungodly,  "  For  without  are  dogs, 
and  sorcerers,  and  whoremongers,  and  mur- 
derers, and  idolaters,  and  whosoever  loveth 
and  maketh  a  lie,"  Rev.  23:  15. 

Be  ye  all  minded  like  Christ  Jesus.  Be 
earnest  to  hold  the  union  of  the  Spirit 
through  the  covenant  of  peace;  ye  are  all 
one  temple,  house,  city,  moimtain,  body 
and  church  in  Christ  Jesus. 

Place  your  candle  upon  a  candlestick, 
build  yoiu"  city  upon  a  high  mountain;  live 
unblamably,  behave  in  all  things  consistent 
with  Christianity,  fear  God  in  all  your  ways, 
praise  him  in  all  j^oui-  works ;  for  gi-eat  is 
the  grace  which  has  appeared.  Prove  yom-- 
selves  in  all  things,  as  those  who  are  born 
of  God;  shun  all  false  doctrine;  repay  not 
evil  with  evil,  but  retm'u  the  evil  with  good; 
pray  without  ceasing;  in  patience  possess 
your  soirls;  judge  all  your  thoughts,  words, 
and  lives,  after  the  thoughts,  words,  and 
life  of  Christ,  so  shall  you  in  eternity  never 
more  be  deceived. 

Walk  worthily  after  the  calling  whereby 
ye  are  called.  Let  the  tja-annical,  blas- 
pheming, upbraiding,  and  furious,  hate  the 
Lord  and  his  word,  they  persecute  you  not, 
but  Christ  Jesus,  to  whom  they  are  inimical, 
they  will  be  judged  in  their  time,  and,  if 
the}^  do  not  repent,  A\-ill  be  repaid  again  in 
their  own  bosoms. 

Strive  and  wrestle  valiantly,  in  order  that 
the  crown  be  not  taken  from  you.  FI3'  to 
the  mountain  of  the  covert  of  Christ  Jesus. 
Gird  yom'selves  with  the  weapons  of  right- 
eousness, declare  God's  word  with  freedom, 
neither  shrink  nor  give  way.  God  is  your 
conductor;  be  faithful  unto  death,  so  shall 
you  inherit  the  crown  of  life. 

Whosoever  overcomes,  will  be  clothed 
with  white  clothing,  and  his  name  shall  not 
be  erased  fi-om  the  book  of  life.  Although 
we  appear  to  the  unwise,  to  die  and  depart 
from  the  right  way,  our  soiils  are,  neverthe- 
less, in  hope  and  peace.  Wis.  3:  2. 

"It  is  a  faithful  saying,"  says  Paul,  "for 
if  we  be  dead  with  him  (Christ),  we  shall 
also  live  with  him ;  if  we  suffer,  we  shall 
also  reign  with  him;  if  we  deny  him,  he 
will  also  deny  us,"  2  Tim.  2:  11,  12.    There- 


CONCLUSION  OP  THIS  BOOK. 


101 


fore,  fear  your  God  from  the  heart,  watch  j  you  with  the  immaculate  blood  of  Christ 
and  pray  and  commend  to  him  your  affairs,  '  Jesus. 

as  Jeremiah  did.  He  has  chosen  you  to  be  I  Peace  be  with  you,  the  Spirit,  power  and 
his  loving  bride,  children,  and  members ;  j  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  be  with  all 
called  you  to  the  kingdom  of  his  grace,  and  1  my  fellow  laborers,  believers,  brethren  and 
the  inheritance  of  his  glory,  and  has  bought  i  sisters,  till  eternal  life.  Amen. 


CONCLUSIOI  OF  THIS  BOOK. 


Behold,  dear  sirs,  friends  and  brethren, 
here  we  have  briefly  pointed  out  and  de- 
clared upon  what  foundation  and  Scriptures 
we  are  built,  what  we  seek  and  have  in  view, 
and  how  we  rebuke,  with  the  word  of  the 
Lord,  all  abominable  sects  and  ungodliness 
of  the  whole  world,  both  -w-ith  the  gi'eatest 
and  the  smallest,  without  any  respect  of 
persons,  and  we  point  out  to  every  one,  the 
wholesome,  pure  truth.  The  god-fearing 
may  read  and  judge.  But  this  I  have  not 
done  in  order  that  the  cross  of  Chi"ist  may 
be  avoided,  in  no  wise,  for  I  know  and  am 
persuaded,  that  the  lamb  with  the  wolf,  the 
dove  with  the  kite,  and  Clu'ist  with  Belial, 
can  never  be  at  peace,  the  truth  must  be 
hated;  and  were  it  so,  that  Clirist  himself 
should  speak  from  heaven,  still  would  nei- 
ther Scripture  nor  godliness,  neither  Clirist 
nor  apostle,  neither  prophet  nor  saints,  nei- 
tlier  lives  nor  property,  be  regarded  by  men. 
All  those,  who  rebuke,  in  pure,  upright  zeal, 
the  haughty,  avaricious,  proud,  idolati'ous, 
bloodthirsty  world,  and  who  seek  their  hap- 
piness and  eternal  welfare,  with  all  the  heart, 
must  suffer  and  be  oppressed. 

You  must  (said  Christ),  be  hated  of  all 
men  for  my  name's  sake.  Through  much 
tribulation  you  must  enter  into  the  kingdom 
of  God.  Clirist  himself  so  suffered  and  then 
entered  into  his  glory. 

Therefore,  I  have  done  this,  that  the  pre- 
cious, pure  truth,  might  be  revealed;  that 
here  and  there  some  might  be  won  ;  the 
right  way  pointed  out  to  the  blind ;  the  hun- 
gry fed  with  the  word  of  God ;  the  erring 
directed  to  Christ,  the  shepherd ;  the  igno- 
rant taught;  the  kingdom  of  God  extended  ; 
and  his  holy  name  magnified  and  praised, 


this,  together  with  our  innocence,  shall  be  a 
witness  on  the  day  of  judgment  to  all  blood- 
thirsty tyi-ants,  and  all  deceivers,  false 
prophets,  and  all  hardened  and  impenitent, 
that  to  them  the  truth  had  been  testified. 
But  will  ye  not  hear,  then  be  youi-  sins  upon 
you ;  I  have  declared  unto  you  according 
to  my  small  gifts,  God's  Spirit,  word,  foun- 
dation, ordinance  and  will,  and  have  point- 
ed out  to  you  righteousness.  Whoever  has 
ears  to  hear,  let  him  hear,  and  whoever  has 
understanding,  let  him  understand. 

I  testify  my  Savior  openly;  I  acknowl- 
edge him,  and  dissemble  not.  If  you  repent 
not  and  be  not  born  of  God,  in  yom-  spirit, 
belief,  life  and  worship,  and  become  not  one 
with  Christ,  then  is  the  sentence  of  your  con- 
demnation on  your  poor  souls  already  fin- 
ished and  prepared. 

All,  who  teach  you  otherwise  than  we  have 
here  taught  and  testified  to  you,  from  the 
Scriptui-es,  deceive  you.  This  is  the  naiTow 
way  through  which  we  all  must  walk,  and 
must  enter  the  strait  gate,  if  we  would  be 
happy.  Here  is  excepted,  neither  emperor 
nor  king,  duke  nor  count,  knight  nor  noble- 
man, doctor  nor  licentiate,  rich  nor  poor, 
man  nor  woman.  Whoever  boasts  that  he 
is  a  christian,  the  same  must  walk  as  Clirist 
walked.  "  If  any  man  have  not  the  Spirit  of 
Christ  he  is  none  of  his.''  "  A^Tiosoever  trans- 
gresseth  and  abideth  not  in  the  doctrine  of 
Clmst,  hath  not  God,"  2  John  1:  9.  "He 
that  committeth  sin  is  of  the  devil,"  1  John 
8:  8.  Here  neither  baptism.  Lord's  Supper, 
confession,  nor  absolution  will  avail  any- 
thing. These  and  other  Scriptures  stand 
immoveable,  and  judge  all  those  who  live 
out  of  the  Spirit  and  word  of  Clirist,  and 


I 


103 


CONCLUSION  OP  THIS  BOOK. 


whose  tliouglits  are  upon  earthly  and  car- 
nal things;  they  shall  never  be  overthrown, 
perverted  nor  weakened,  by  angel  or  devil. 

Will  yon  say,  with  refractory  Israel,  we 
vrill  not  hear  the  word  which  you  have 
preached  to  us  in  the  name  of  the  Lord? 
but  we  will  do  as  our  forefathers,  our  kings 
and  princes  have  done  from  fcnmer  years 
till  the  present  time.  So  I  answer  with  holy 
Jeremiah  and  say,  Although  you  have  pleas- 
ure in  lies,  and  do  such  abominations,  so 
hath  the  Lord  taken  your  wickedness  to 
heart,  and  has  sent  you  one  hard  punish- 
ment after  another,  as  hunger,  pestilence, 
storms,  grief,  misery  and  the  consuming, 
devouring  sword,  that  yoiu'  land  is  turned 
to  a  waste,  to  amazement  and  a  curse,  as 
one  evidently  may  see  in  many  places,  be- 
cause you  perform  strange  worship ;  despise 
the  Lord,  your  God;  cast  Ids  word  aside; 
shed  innocent  blood ;  walk  according  to  3'our 
wantonness;  sin  against  God,  and  walk  not 
according  to  his  law,  ordinance  and  com- 
mands, as  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  has  com- 
manded jow. 

Again,  as  the  iiuprolitable  and  rebellious 
world  are  warned  and  rebuked  against  their 
will,  the  prophets,  and  the  true  servants  of 


God,  are  .judged  and  destroyed  by  the  prin- 
ces and  magistracy,  as  seditious  mutinists, 
and  are  persecuted  by  the  priests  and  com- 
mon people  as  deceivers  and  heretics. 
Therefore,  we  have  made  up  our  minds  to 
both  teach  and  suffer,  expecting  that  we 
will  fare  no  better  in  this  matter  than  they 
did,  but  we  say  Avith  Ezekiel,  That  when 
this  shall  come  to  pass,  then  shall  yoii  tind 
that  the  undisseml)led,  pure  word  of  the 
Lord,  had  been  taught  to  you. 

The  merciful,  gracious  father,  through  his 
loving  Son,  Christ  Jesus,  our  Lord,  grant  to 
you  all,  the  gift  and  grace  of  his  Holy  Spirit, 
that  you  may  hear  and  read  these  our  chris- 
tian labors  and  service  of  true  love,  with 
such  hearts,  that  you  may  strive  for,  con- 
fess, believe,  and  follow  after  the  genuine 
triith,  with  all  y(Uir  soul,  and  be  eternally 
saved,  Amen. 

Dear,  worth}-  lords,  grant  to  your  poor 
servants,  that  we  may  fear  the  Lord  from 
the  heart,  and  preacli  the  word  of  God,  and 
do  right.  This  we  pray  you  for  Jesus' 
sake.  O  Lord !  Father  of  all  grace,  open 
the  eyes  of  the  blind,  that  they  may  see  thy 
wa3%  word,  truth  and  will,  and  walk  therein 
with  faithful  hearts.  Amen. 


MENNO  SIMON. 


THE    TI^TJE 


CHRISTIAN  FAITH, 


WHICH   CONVERTS,   CHANGES, 
MAKES  PIOUS,  SINCERE,  NEW,  PEACEFUL,  JOYFUL  AND  BLESSED 

THE  HUMAN  HEART; 


A¥1TH  ITS  NATUIUL  rROPERTIES,  NATURE,  OPERATIONS  AND  POWERS. 


I'AKEFULLY  KEVISED,  AND  MOKE  FOKMALLY  PRESENTED,  IN  THE  YEAR  1556. 


BY 


MENNO    SIMON. 


"He  that  bclicvctli  in  mc  (said  Christ)  though  he  were  dead,  yet  shall  he  live. 
And  whosoever  liveth  and  believeth  in  me  shall  never  die,"  John  11:  25,  36. 

"  For  other  foundation  can  no  man  lay  than  that  is  laid,  which  is  Jesus  Christ," 
1  Cor.  3:  11. 


ELKHART,  INDBANA: 

PUBLISHED   BY  JOHN  F.   FUNK  AND   BROTHER. 

18  7  1. 


1 


THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  FAITH. 


We  wisli  all  the  cliosen  children  of  God,  our  heloved  hrethren  and  sisters  in  Christ 
Jesvs,  an  increase  of  faith,  grace,  peace  and  spiritual  joy,  perfect  righteovsness  and 
eternal  life,  all  n^hich  is  of  God,  our  heavenly  FatJier,  through,  Jesus  Christ,  his  only 
begotten  Son,  our  Lord,  who  loved  us,  and  washed  us  from  our  sins  in  his  blood.  To 
hiin  be  praise,  honor,  glory.  Mngde.m,  poiccr  and  majesty,  from  eternity  to  eternity. 
Amen. 


Chosen,  beloved  children,  brothers  and 
sisters  in  Christ  Jesus,  although,  O  God ! 
we  are  so  unwisely  prevented  by  this  irra- 
tional, blind  world,  from  preaching  tlie  true 
gospel  of  our  Lord  and  Savior  Jesus  Christ 
to  every  one,  verbally,  and,  although  the 
cruel,  bloody  tyranny,  encouraged  by  our 
useless,  wicked  priests  and  preachers,  is 
used  so  unrestrainedly  against  Christ  and 
his  word  (for  these  poor  children  seek  and 
love  dross  more  than  gold,  chaff  more  than 
wheat,  lies  more  than  truth,  and  darkness 
more  than  light),  yet  shall  God's  only 
invincible  truth,  which  always  triumphs, 
through  the  Holy  Ghost,  in  the  true  chil- 
dren of  God,  bear  its  crown;  notwithstand- 
ing that  it  is  stung  so  miserably  in  the  heel 
by  the  conquered  serpent  and  his  seed,  the 
proud  despisers,  liars  and  blood-shedders, 
that  it  can  scarcely  stand  in  obedience  to  its 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Notwithstanding  their 
raving,  this  envious,  bloody  seed  and  ser- 
pent must,  with  bruised  head,  and  quite 
powerless ,  remain  under  its  sway,  for  through 
the  jjower  of  the  Spirit,  and  tlie  gospel  truth 
in  Christ  Jesus  he  is  wholly  overcome. 

Since  then,  this  old,  crooked  serpent, 
wliich  was  from  the  beginning,  proudly  and 
falsely  opposed  to  God,  and  was  a  cruel 
murderer,  is  put  under  the  feet  of  Christ  and 
his  church,  and  has  endured  and  seen  his 
lying  seed  destroyed  and  trampled  under 
foot,  thi-ough  the  revealed  truth,  therefore, 
does  he  gnash  his  teeth  in  furious  rage,  and 
14 


breathe  out  his  accursed,  infernal  breath  of 
heresy  through  his  prqphets  and  preachers. 
He  casts  out  of  his  mouth  tlie  terrible  streams 
of  tyranny  through  the  rulers  and  tlie  mighty 
of  the  earth,  after  the  glorious  church  (wo- 
man), pregnant  with  the  word  of  the  Lord, 
with  a  view  to  exterminate  and  destroy  her 
seed.  But  God  be  eternally  praised,  who 
has  protected  her  against  the  red  di-agon, 
and  has  prepared  her  a  place  in  the  wilder- 
ness. 

Since,  then,  for  reasons  assigned,  I  cannot 
teach  publicly,  nevertheless,  I  will  serve  you 
by  wTiting,  as  long  as  the  Lord  will  permit 
me,  and  I  live.  I  will  serve  you  with  my 
small  talents,  whicli  the  gracious  Father  has 
granted  me  tlu-ougli  his  Son,  Christ  Jesus, 
out  of  the  abundant  treasury  of  his  heaven- 
ly riches.  I  say  with  Paul,  Not  with  the 
wisdom  of  man,  not  with  words  of  wisdom 
to  serve  you,  for  I  possess  and  know  them 
not.  I  let  those  seek  them  who  are  eager 
after  them.  My  boasting  is,  with  Paul,  only 
to  know  Christ,  and  him  crucified ;  for  to 
know  him  is  eternal  life.  Therefore  God 
cannot  endow  us  with  better  wisdom  than 
with  this,  although  it  is  foolishness  to  the 
world;  for  truth  is  more  precious  than  gold 
and  silver ;  than  all  pearls  and  precious 
stones;  there  is  nothing  under  heaven  to  be 
compared  to  her.  Her  ways  are  ways  of 
pleasantness,  and  all  her  paths  are  peace; 
she  is  a  tree  of  life  to  them  that  lay  hold 


106 


FAITH. 


upon  her;  and  happy  is  every  one  that  re- 
taineth  her. 

Yes,  beloved  brothers,  every  one  who  is 
thus  rightly  taught  of  God,  in  this  wisdom 
(for  she  is  the  wisdom  of  the  saints),  may 
glorj',  by  the  gTace  given  him,  over  all  grad- 
uated doctors,  theologists,  jm-ists,  orators 
and  poets,  although  he  could  neither  write 
nor  speak,  and  were  he  the  most  helpless 
upon  earth.  But  all  those  who  are  not  in- 
structed in  this  wisdom  from  God,  though 
they  were  as  glorious  as  Solomon,  as  vic- 
torious as  Alexander,  as  rich  as  Croesus,  as 
strong  as  Hercules,  as  learned  as  Plato,  as 
subtle  as  Aristotle,  as  eloquent  as  Demos- 
thenes and  Cicero,  and  as  well  skilled  in 
languages  as  Mitliridates ;  yea,  so  great- 
ly experienced  that  his  like  were  not  to  be 
found  from  the  beginning,  nevertheless,  he 
is  a  fool  in  the  ej'es  of  the  Lord;  this  must 
be  confessed  and  acknowledged. 

With  this  Avisdom,  I  say,  so  much  as  the 
gracious  Father,  the  Giver  of  every  perfect 
gift,  has  given  me  through  his  Son,  Jesus 
Christ,  I  desire  to  serve  not  only  our  broth- 
ers and  sisters,  but  the  whole  world,  with 
all  my  heart,  that  all  the  hungry  and  thirsty 
souls  may  be  clothed  from  above,  and  be 
satisfied  with  this  celestial  wisdom,  who  de- 
sire to  live  according  to  the  will  of  the  Lord; 
those  souls  which  he  created  to  his  honor, 
and  pui'chased  with  the  l)lood  of  his  Son, 
that  they  may  learn  to  know  God  through 
his  Son  and  word,  in  spirit,  who  says,  "Let 
not  the  wise  man  glor,y  in  his  wisdom,  nei- 
ther let  the  mighty  man  glory  in  his  might, 
let  not  the  rich  man  glory  in  his  riches ;  but 
let  him  that  glorieth,  glory  in  this,  that  he 
understandeth  and  knoweth  me,  that  I  am 
the  Lord,  which  exercise  loving  kindness, 
.judgment  and  righteousness,  in  the  earth; 
for  in  these  things  I  delight,  saith  the  Lord," 
Jer.  9:23,  24. 

O,  dear  children,  vou  Avho  are  born  of  the 
word  of  the  Lord  through  the  Spirit,  reflect 
rightly  upon  these  tilings  in  your  hearts, 
how  incomprehensibly  great  the  heavenly 
Imunty  and  grace  are,  which  have  appeared 
to  us,  throixgh  Clirist,  and  have  been  given 
us  of  the  Father,  that  he  has  so  gracioiasly 
bestowed  upon  us,  gi-ievous  sinners,  in  our 
most  abominable  blindness,  the  glorious 
and  divine  gift  of  his  wisdom ;   yea,  when 


we  knew  neither  God  nor  Christ,  were  stran- 
gers to  the  life  that  is  out  of  God,  children  of 
wrath  and  of  eternal  death,  knew  not  the 
word  of  peace,  and  strayed  like  sheep  who 
knew  no  shepherd;  that  he  has  so  gracious- 
ly bestowed  upon  us  this   great  treasure, 
the  true  knowledge  of  the  kingdom  of  God; 
the  treasure  which  lies  buried  in  the  field 
he  discovered  to  us  by  his  Spirit,  and  made 
known  to  us  the  mystery  of  his  good  will, 
and  the  true  regenerating  signification  of 
his  holy  gospel,  which  cannot  be  taught  in 
colleges,  cannot  be  purchased,  is  not  to  be 
brought  from  foreign  lands,  nor  can  it  be 
merited  by  any  thing ;  that  he  has  opened 
to  us  with  the  ]s.ej  of  his  word  and  Spirit, 
the  saving  truth,  and  has  closed  it  to  all  em- 
perors, kings,  lords,  princes,  the  wise  and 
the  learned,  before  the  whole  world ;  that 
he  redeemed  us  from  the  power  of  darkness, 
I  and,  according  to  his  will  and  good  pleas- 
I  ure,  led  us  into  the  kingdom  of  his  dear 
'  Son;  yea,  that  he  has  made  us  kings  and 
priests,  that  we  are  to  be  a  chosen  and  holy 
i  people ;  a  jieople  to  serve  him  in  love,  and 
to  be  his  own,  that  we  are  to  publish  his 
power  and  virtue,  because  he  has  called  us 
I  out  of  darkness  to  his  marvelous  lisht,  as 
!  Peter  says.    O  ,gi*eat  grace  and  love! 
I      Most  beloved  brothers,  alwaj'^s  rejoice  in 
I  the  Lord.   Again,  I  say,  with  Paul,  rejoice, 
that  the  great  King,  Jesus  Clirist,  who  has 
all  power  in  heaven  and  on  earth,  that  he 
I  has  manifested  such  grace  towards  you,  that 
he  has  called  you,  poor,  unesteemed  chil- 
dren, to  such  high  honor,  you  who  are  the 
reproach  and  disgrace  of  the  whole  world, 
that  he  has  made  you  kings  and  priests ; 
Kings,  I  say,  who  have  been  anointed  with 
I  the  oil  of  grace,  through  the  Holy  Ghost, 
!  crowned  with  the  crown  of  honor,  clothed 
with  the  garment  of  righteousness,  and  gov- 
erned by  Clirist,  your  King;  not  with  the 
weapons  of  death,  such  as  fire-arms,  spears, 
swords,  horses,  riders  and  servants,  as  the 
kings  of  this  world  do,  but  with  the  invinci- 
ble and  eternal  sceptre  of  the  power  of  God, 
namely,  with  the  sharp-edged  sword  of  the 
holy  word,  which  v/ill  victoriously  triumph 
by  virtue  of  3^our  unconquerable  faith,  over 
*  gold,  silver,  cities,  countries,  lords,  princes, 
I  tiesli,  blood,  banners,  banishment,  swords, 
I  stakes,  water,  fire,  liunger,  thirst,  naked- 


FAITH. 


107 


ness,  hell,  sin,  law,  fear,  devil  and  death; 
yon  will  be  perfect  in  life  and  death,  and 
secure  from  all  yom*  enemies,  both  visible 
and  invisible,  who  would  deprive  and  rob 
you  of  the  promised  kingdom,  through  the 
advice  and  seed  of  the  old  serpent.  The 
dominion  and  government  of  the  spiritual 
king  are  spiritual,  therefore,  iiwy  cannot  be 
fatally  hurt  or  conquered  by  tyranny,  false 
doctrine,  or  evil  lusts;  for  they  can  do  all 
things  through  Christ,  who  strengthens  them, 
who  also  is  their  helper  and  redeemei-,  whose 
shield  and  sword  is  their  glory. 

Again,  you  are  also  priests  anointed  of 
God,  not  with  the  external  oil  of  Aaron  and 
his  sous,  nor  with  the  perishable  blood  of 
oxen  and  sheep ;  nor  with  the  splendid  gar- 
ments of  gold,  silk  and  precious  stones,  as 
the  law  required;  but  anointed,  sprinkled 
and  affected  with  the  oil  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
with  the  blood  of  Christ,  and  clothed  with 
the  garment  of  righteousness,  ordained  and 
called  of  God,  not  to  slay  the  creatures  dai- 
ly, and  offer  them  upon  altars,  in  outward 
temples  of  stone,  as  Moses  commanded  the 
priests  in  the  law;  but  you  are  to  slay  hu- 
man beings,  all  your  lives,  with  the  sword 
of  the  divine  word  (understand  spin'iaaU>/), 
together  with  yoiu-  own  refractory  flesh  and 
blood,  that  is,  that  you  teach  and  reprove 
them,  and  yourselves,  with  the  Spirit  and  j 
word  of  the  Lord,  that  you  and  they  die  to 
your  unrighteousness  and  evil  lusts,  destroy 
them,  and  thus  offer  in  your  spiritual  house 
or  temple,  not  made  with  hands,  upon  the 
only  and  eternal  altar  of  otir  reconciliation, 
Jesus  Christ. 

Besides,  you  are  not  such  priests,  who  of 
their  own  righteousness  offer  bread  and 
wine  for  the  sins  and  transgressions  of  the 
common  people,  and  for  the  souls  of  the  de- 
ceased, neither  are  you  to  sing  nor  read 
mass,  nor  worship  the  golden,  silver,  wood- 
en and  stone  images,  nor  serve  nor  burn  in- 
cense to  them  as  the  poor,  ignorant  priests 
of  the  world  do;  but  you  are  holy  priests, 
who  piu'ify  and  sanctify  your  own  bodies 
daily,  and  in  time  of  need  voluntarily  ofi'er 
them  as  a  sweet  smelling  sacrifice,  for  the 
truth's  sake,  together  with  your  ardent  pray- 
ers and  joyful  thanksgiving,  out  of  a  be- 
lieving, converted,  pure  heart;  for  such  offer- 
ings are  well  pleasing  to  the  Lord. 


Would  to  God,  that  all  who  are  called 
priests,  were  changed  into  such  priests;  ah! 
how  much  innocent  blood  would  be  spared, 
how  gloriously  the  truth  would  be  spread, 
and  what  a  noble  Christian  world  this  would 
be! 

Say,  beloved  brothers,  who  can  fully  com- 
prehend tJiis  grace,  or  relate  these  benefits  ? 
Again, formerly,  we  all  strayed  as  lost  sheep, 
which  have  no  shepherd;  we  walked  accord- 
ing to  the  lusts  of  our  evil  flesh,  even  as 
they  all  do,  who  know  not  the  way  of  the 
Father;  we  were  unbelievers  in  divine  things, 
blind  and  without  understanding,  full  of 
bruises  and  putrifying  sores  from  the  sole  of 
the  foot  to  the  crown  of  the  head,  and  by 
natui-e,  children  of  wi-ath  like  others.  But 
blessed  be  the  Lord,  now  we  are  washed, 
now  we  are  sanctified,  now  we  are  justi- 
fied in  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
through  the  Spirit  of  otir  God,  1  Cor.  6:  11; 
in  short,  we  are  converted  to  the  true  Shep- 
herd and  preserver  of  our  souls,  Jesus  Christ, 
who  pastures  us  in  the  rich  pastures  of  his 
truth,  feeds  us  with  the  bread  of  his  word, 
sustains  us  with  the  tree  of  life,  and  refreshes 
us  with  the  water  of  his  Spirit.  Who  can 
comprehend  and  relate  this  grace  'i 

Besides  this,  when  we  were  yet  ungodly 
and  enemies,  he  did  not  punish  us  as  he  did 
the  angels  that  sinned,  nor  like  the  first 
depraved  world,  nor  lilce  Sodom  and  Go- 
morrah, nor  like  those  who  worshipped  the 
calf,  nor  like  those  in  the  day  of  provoca- 
tion, nor  like  the  seditious  and  adulterers, 
nor  like  those  in  the  wilderness,  who  acted 
contrary  to  his  will  and  word,  for  he  de- 
stroyed all  of  them;  btit  he  saved  us  through 
his  great  mercy,  led  us  by  his  right  hand, 
drew  us  by  his  goodness,  renewed  us  by 
his  word,  begat  us  by  the  Holy  Ghost, 
and  enlightened  us  by  the  clear  light  of 
his  ti-uth;  that  we  by  his  grace  renounced 
the  world,  flesh,  devil  and  all  manner  of 
evil,  willingly  entered  upon  the  path  of 
peace  and  submitted  to  the  easy  yoke  of 
his  gospel.  It  appears  to  me.  this  may 
properly  be  called  grace. 

Most  beloved  children,  take  heed :  Since 
then,  the  gracious  Father  has  dealt  so  marvel- 
ously  with  us  according  to  his  great  mercy, 
and  manifested  his  love  toward  us  without 
our  merits,  it  is  right  and  becoming  that  we 


108 


FAITH. 


also  love,  fear,  praise  and  honor  such  a 
benevolent  Lord  and  merciful  Father,  with 
all  onr  powers  serve  him,  and  be  obedient 
to  him  in  all  onr  weakness. 

Since  then,  he  has  manifested,  toward 
us  afflicted  sinners,  such  unspeakable  love 
and  grace,  as  said,  wliich  love  and  grace 
cannot  be  rightly  seen  and  understood, 
with  the  blind  eyes  and  the  ignorant  reason 
of  the  Hesh,  but  must  be  seen  and  under- 
stood with  the  inward  eyes  of  the  mind,  and 
through  the  unction  of  the  Holy  Ghost;  that 
is,  with  a  sincere,  sure,  immoveable,  conti- 
dent,  vigorous,  unfeigned  and  pure  faith; 
such  as  the  Scriptures  teach. 

Such  an  unfeigned  faith  being  required  as 
mentioned,  and  clearly  linding  in  the  word 
of  the  Lord,  that  all  dealing  and  aim  of 
true  Christianity,  concerning  the  new  birth 
or  creature,  true  repentance,  dying  unto  sin, 
a  new  life,  true  righteousness,  obedience, 
salvation  and  eternal  life,  lie  in  a  sincere, 
active  faith,  according  to  all  Scripture,  as 
may  be  seen  and  read  in  many  passages; 
tlierefore  have  I,  through  the  grace  of  the 
Lord,  undertaken  to  prove  to  all  lovers  of 
eternal  truth,  by  divine  testimony  from  the 
word  of  the  Lord,  which  is  the  true  doctrine 
that  avails  before  God,  and  lias  the  promise 
in  the  Scriptures;  namely,  which  has  en- 
ergy, power,  work,  and  effect,  agreeing  with 
the  gospel  of  Christ  and  the  doctrines  of  the 
apostles,  in  order  tliat  all  those  who  see, 
read  or  hear  our  waitings,  may  thoroughly 
and  understandingly  know  that  the  stub- 
born, fruitless  faith  of  this  world  is  vain 
and  dead,  and  is  eternally  banished  and 
accursed  of  God ;  and  its  fruits  vain  hy- 
pocrisy, commands  of  men,  idolatry,  and 
false  sei-vice.  It  regenerates  none,  it  is  earth- 
ly and  carnally  minded,  hating  and  perse- 
cuting the  truth;  for  this  faith  knows  neither 
Christ  nor  his  word,  as  may  be  evidently 
seen  through  the  whole  world.  God  knows 
of  no  other  faith  than  that  which  has  power 
and  fruit,  regenerates  the  heart,  converts 
and  renews,  as  the  Scriptures  say,  ''The 
just  shall  live  by  faith,"  Hab.  2:  4. 

It  is  all  in  vain  to  boast  of  faith  where 
the  godly,  new  fruits  and  works  of  faith 
are  not. 

I  therefore,  exhort  all  my  god-fearing 
readers  in  the  Lord,  and  entreat  all,  that 


they  would  impress  those  things  on  their 
souls,  and  waite  them  on  the  tablets  of 
their  hearts,  that  our  holy  and  christian 
faith  is  not  a  dead  or  superannuated  specu- 
lation, as  the  world  thinks,  nor  is  it  only 
verbal  boasting,  as  we  find  it  among  the 
great  and  tolerated  sects ;  but  it  is  an  active 
gift  and  power  of  God,  a  living,  heavenly 
inspiration  in  a  melted,  open  heart,  or  con- 
science which  hrmly  believes  and  lays  hold 
upon,  and  acknowledges  the  whole  word  of 
God  (the  threatening  law,  as  well  as  the  con- 
soling gospel),  to  be  right  and  true,  whereby 
the  heart  is  pierced  and  moved  through  the 
Holy  Ghost  with  a  peculiar,  regenerative,  re- 
newing, vivifying  power,  and  it  th'st  produ- 
ces the  fear  of  God,  for  it  knows  the  judg- 
ment and  wrath  of  the  Lord,  over  all  trans- 
gressions and  sins  which  are  committed 
against  his  will  and  word.  Theheart  dreads, 
fears,  and  is  astonished  before  God,  and 
therefore,  dares  not  do,  counsel,  or  permit 
anything  which  it  acknowledges  through 
the  word,  in  the  Spirit,  that  God,  the  right- 
eous judge,  hates  and  forbids  in  his  holy 
word. 

This  faith  also  produces  the  love  of  God 
whereby  we  love  him;  for  it  acknowledges 
from  the  testimony  of  the  holy  Scriptures, 
rightly  understood,  in  Spirit,  the  unsearch- 
ably great  riches  of  grace,  wherewith  our 
merciful,  good  Father,  through  Christ,  has 
so  graciously  endowed  us.  Therefore  it 
loves  in  return  its  loving  God,  awakened 
by  the  manifest  beneficence  of  the  aforesaid 
grace,  and  is  thus  voluntarily  urged,  through 
the  active  power  of  love  (resulting  from  such 
xmfeigned  faith),  to  obedience  of  all  the  com- 
mands of  God,  even  as  Christ  says,  "If  a 
man  love  me,  he  will  keep  my  words,"  John 
14:  23. 

Behold,  this  is  the  faith  with  which  we 
have  to  deal  in  the  following  writings.  It  is 
the  only  faith  which  has  the  promise  in 
Scripture  of  salvation  and  eternal  life, 
through  Christ,  the  only  and  first  begotten 
Son  of  God.  To  him  be  praise,  honor  and 
glory,  from  eternity  to  eternity.  Amen. 

We  see  that  if  any  one  wishes  to  build  a 
good  house,  or  high  and  permanent  tower, 
that  first  a  solid  foundation  is  laid,  so  that 
it  will  sustain  the  heavy  superstructure ;  that 
the  work,  commenced  at  such  great  expense. 


FAITH. 


109 


be  not  ruinously  and  shamefully  demolished 
and  abandoned.  Thus  it  must  be  with  all 
true  christians;  they  must  have,  in  their 
hearts,  such  a  sure  and  solid  foundation 
that  tlie}'^  may  stand  unshaken  in  the  build- 
ing of  their  faith,  against  all  the  raging 
tempests,  rains  and  floods,  which  will  try 
them  not  a  little,  so  that  they  may  success- 
fully accomplish,  by  the  help  of  the  Lord, 
their  xmdertaken  work  and  building ;  so 
that  they  may  not  again  depart  from  the 
right  road,  to  the  everlasting  shame  and  in- 
jury of  their  poor  souls.  Paul  says,  "If 
any  man  draw  back,  my  soul  shall  have  net 
pleasure  in  him,"  Heb.  10:  38. 

Faithful  brethren,  take  heed  :  This  pre- 
cious, and  only  well  adapted  corner-stone, 
ground  and  foundation  in  Zion,  prepared 
for  us  by  the  Father,  upon  which  we  have 
to  build  the  edifice  of  our  faith,  is  Jesus 
Christ.  ^Vll  who  are  founded  upon  this 
ground,  will  not  be  consumed  by  the  fire  of 
tribulation;  for  they  are  living  stones  in  the 
temple  of  the  Lord,  they  are  like  gold,  sil- 
ver and  precious  stones,  and  can  never  be 
prevailed  against  by  the  gates  of  hell,  such 
as  false  doctrine,  flesh,  blood,  world,  sin, 
devil,  water,  fire,  sword,  or  by  any  other 
means,  if  ever  so  sorely  tried;  for  they  are 
founded  upon  Christ,  confirmed  in  the  faith 
and  assured  in  the  word  tlirough  the  Holy 
Ghost  that  they  are  not  to  be  turned  away 
from  tlie  pure  and  wliolesome  doctrine  of 
Christ  by  all  the  fmious  and  bloody  Neros 
luider  the  heavens,  with  all  their  cruel  tyr- 
anny; they  are  not  to  be  diverted  from  an 
imblamable  and  pious  life,  which  is  of  God, 
as  we  have  seen  in  many  places  for  more 
than  twenty  years  past;  for  they  are  as  im- 
moveable as  Mount  Zion,  as  firm  pillars, 
brave  soldiers,  and  as  pious,  valiant  wit- 
nesses of  Christ;  they  have  fought  till  death, 
and  do  daily  fight  for  the  word  and  trutli 
of  the  Lord  (God  be  eternally  praised ).  I 
speak  t>f  those  who  have  the  Spirit  and 
word  of  the  Lord. 

Yea,  that  stone  lies  firm  in  their  hearts, 
and  is  so  sealed  by  faith  in  them,  that  in 
their  greatest  need  they  regard  neither  fath- 
er nor  mother,  wife  nor  child,  money  nor 
possessions,  life  nor  death;  for  they  are  so 
constrained  by  veneration  to  God  in  their 
hearts,  because   Christ   says.   "Whosover 


i  therefore  shall  confess  me  before  men,  him 

;  will  I  confess  also  before  my  Father  which 
is  in  heaven;  but  whosoever  shall  deny  me 
before  men,  him  will  I  also  deny  before  my 

I  Father  which  is  in  heaven,"  Matt.  10:  32,  33; 
that  they  are  not  allowed  to  speak  a  false 
word,  even  to  escape  the  hands  of  the  blood- 
thirsty and  the  dangers  of  death;  as  may 
be  seen. 

But  I  fear,  yea,  indeed  it  is  found  to  be 

I  the  case,  that  the  greater  part  of  all  those 
who  call  these  poor  innocent  sheep,  accursed 

i  heretics ;  who  betray,  catch,  banish,  take 

t  their  lives  and  possessions,  are  not  ashamed, 
nor  tremble  before  their  God  who  hates  all 

]  lies,  to  use,  for  the  sake  of  a  stiver,  yea  for 
nay,  and  nay  for  yea,  and  yet  dare  boast  of 
Christ  and  call  themselves  after  his  name. 
If  they  are  such  liars  and  so  unfaithful  in 

!  small  things,  what  they  would  do  in  greater 
things  where  life  and  possessions  come  into 
requisition,  as  is  the  case  with  these  poor 

;  sheep,  may  be  easily  imagined. 

'  O  reader,  reflect.  If  the  old,  crooked  ser- 
pent, with  all  liis  deception,  falsehood  and 
lies,  lived  in  the  christian  hearts,  as  is  the 
case  with  their  persecutors,  their  goods 
would  not  be  plundered,  and  their  blood 
woirld  not  be  shed.  And  they  would  not 
only  conceal  the  truth,  but  they  Avould  with 
all  the  children  of  the  devil  hate  and  oppose 
it.  All  who  are  born  of  the  truth,  hate  lies. 
Again,  all  who  are  born  of  lies,  hate  tlie 
truth.  If  they  hate  the  truth,  how  can  thej^ 
speak  it  ?  especially  when  life  and  posses- 
sions are  at  stake.  If  our  rulers  and  judges 
v.ish  to  be  assured  of  tliis  difference,  let 
them  call  some  of  their  evil  doers  before  the 
judgment  seat,  who  are  guilty  of  death,  and 
(examine  them  in  relation  to  things  whereof 
they  are  accused;  but  without  punishing 
them,  what  does  it  avail,  though  they  would 
freely  confess  their  giiilt,  for  which  they  are 
to  die,  as  these  innocent  children  do  in  their 
faith?  Yea,  what  is  more,  lot  Aour  most 
high-renowned  monks,  in  their  profession, 
caps,  &c.,  .your  most  accomplished  priests 
in  their  terms  and  masses,  be  as  severely 
tested  as  you  do  these,  in  their  faith;  then 
we  will  see  what  vdW  become  of  all  their 
professions,  caps,  terms  and  masses.     But 

!  the  common  proverb  is:  The  wolf  escapes, 
but  the  lamb  has  to  suffer. 


110 


FAITH. 


Since  then,  I  say,  all  those  who  are  born 
of  the  truth,  and  have  Christ  and  his  truth, 
and  his  Spirit,  dwelling  in  their  hearts,  in 
such  during  their  lives,  and  in  death,  we  tind 
nothing  but  the  simple,  plain  truth  of  Christ, 
by  which  they  are  born  unto  righteousness, 
and  are  converted;  yet  it  is  manifest,  that 
however  piously,  and  unblamably  they  live, 
our  lying,  adulterous,  lewd,  idolatrous, 
lih-unken  priests  and  monks  (who  openly 
rob  God  of  his  glory,  and  maliciously  mur- 
der those  whom  Christ  purchased  with  his 
precious  blood,  belie  them  before  the  whole 
Avorld,  betray  and  bring  them  to  the  stocks 
and  posts,  and  all  this  for  no  other  reason 
than  that  they  are  TU'ged  throiigh  tlie  mani- 
fest truth,  through  their  strong  faith  and 
through  the  Spirit  and  fear  of  the  Lord,  to 
renounce  their  leaven,  vain,  false  doctrine 
and  idolatrous  sacraments,  and  with  all 
their  hearts,  to  live  according  to  the  will  of 
God.  O  Lord  I  thus  they  live  Avitli  those 
who  seek  and  fear  Thee  with  all  their  hearts. 

Say,  beloved  lords,  when  shall  this  cruel, 
disgraceful  miu-dering,  bloody  seed,  be  pre- 
vented by  you  from  continuing  in  their 
Judas  like  conduct?  When  will  you  turn 
yoiu-  backs  to  their  deceiving  lies,  and  turn 
yom-  faces  to  Christ  ?  When  shall  the  inno- 
cent blood  be  wiped  from  yoiu-  deadly  and 
avenging  sword,  and  again  be  put  into  the 
sheath?  When  will  you  hear  and  fear  God, 
more  than  you  do  lords  and  princes?  When 
shall  the  abominations  of  anti'chiist  be  root- 
ed out  of  your  heart,  and  instead  thereof, 
the  doctrine  of  Chi-ist  be  planted  therein? 
When  will  you  be  satisiied  with  pious  and 
unblamable  lives,  and  be  satiated  with  the 
blood  of  innocent  saints^  When  shall  Clmst 
Jesus,  with  his  word.  Spirit  and  life,  through 
faith,  be  conceived  in  you,  and  in  deed  be 
born  in  you?  I  fear  never.  For  you  are 
earthly  and  carnally  minded,  the  eyes  of 
your  understanding  are  darkened,  that  you 
desire  the  world  rather  than  heaven ;  lies 
rather  than  truth ;  sin  rather  than  righteous- 
ness; the  honor  and  praise  of  man  rather 
than  that  of  God. 

Yes,  beloved  lords,  why  say  so  much? 
With  you  it  is  the  same  as  with  the  priests 
and  preachers,  who,  through  the  instruction 
of  Scripture,  know  tlie  truth  in  part;  but 
since  they  love  their  cross-fleeing  body  more 


than  God,  they  preach  and  teach  only  so 
far  as  the  mandates  and  resolutions  of  the 
princes  permit  and  suffer,  so  that  they  do 
not  incur  the  disi)leasure  of  the  world,  and 
be  deprived  of  their  worldly  honor,  and 
their  easy  life.  It  is  the  same  case  with 
you,  my  dear  loids.  Though  many  of  you 
well  know  that  the  teaching,  ceremonies, 
divine  service  and  life  of  your  priests  and 
preachers  are  untrue,  deceiving,  idolatrous, 
false  and  carnal,  and  that  ours  are  the  doc- 
trine and  ceremonies  of  the  Loi'd,  according 
to  Scripture.  Yet,  in  order  to  retain  the 
friendship  of  the  emperor,  and  your  in- 
comes I  mean  yon  who  are  guilty  of  blood, 
Christ  Jesus  wi{\\  his  innocent  lambs  must, 
without  any  mercy,  if  the  mandates  are  en- 
forced, as  the  ringleaders  of  all  rogues  and 
thieves,  who  are  deserving  of  all  torture  and 
shame,  be  caught,  'oanished,  robbed  and 
doomed  to  death.  And  then  you  say:  The 
emperor's  mandates  judge  you. 

Beloved  lords  beware;  the  hour  is  fast 
approaching,  that  the  Almighty,  the  great, 
and  terrible  God,  the  impartial,  righteous 
Judge,  will  judge  and  sentence  all  our  do- 
ings; then  you  will  see  too  late,  whom  you 
have  persecuted  and  pierced.  Therefore, 
awaken  in  time,  fear  God,  remember  him, 
and  reform,  while  it  is  yet  called  to-day. 

I  entreat  you,  my  reader,  be  not  displeased 
that  I  have  digressed  so  far;  for  it  was  not 
done  without  a  cause.  But  now,  we  will 
continue  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  in  the 
thing  we  have  undertaken,  and  treat  and 
teach  as  much  of  it,  as  the  merciful  Father 
will  grant  us  grace  and  aid  thereto,  that  we 
may  modestly  show  to  all  the  godfearing, 
who  seek  the  truth  from  their  hearts,  the 
difference  between  faith  and  unbelief;  the 
fruits  of  faith  and  of  unbelief,  and  that  they 
may  grow  in  the  true  christian  faith,  until 
the  gracious  Father,  out  of  the  abundance 
of  his  glory,  makes  them  strong  in  the  iiin?r 
man,  by  power,  through  the  Spirit,  and  till 
Christ  dwell  in  their  hearts,  through  faith, 
that  they  may  be  rooted  and  grounded  in 
love,  may  be  able  to  comprehend,  with  all 
saints,  what  is  the  breadth  and  length  and 
depth  and  heiglith,  and  to  know  the  abim- 
dant  love  of  Clu-ist,  Avhich  passes  knowl- 
edge, and  be  tilled  with  all  the  fullness  of 
God.    And  besides,  that  they  may  know 


FAITH. 


Ill 


that  it  is  all  hatred  and  lying  which  the 
scribes  teacli  and  cast  up,  tonching  our  faith 
concerning  the  sword,  sedition,  polj'gamy, 
&c.  I  speak  of  that,  which  I  and  my  beloved 
brothers  preach  and  teach,  verbally  or  by 
writing,  publicly  or  privately,  to  all  the  well 
disposed. 

Cordially  beloved  brothers,  when  we  can, 
with  spiritual  eyes,  I'ighth'  see  into  the  im- 


pure, abominable  doctrine  of  faith,  with  all 
the  abominable  unbelief  and  blind  evil  life, 
resulting  from  siich  abominable  doctrine  of 
those,  w-ho  boast  themselves  to  be  clrristians, 
then  we  may  with  jiropriety  be  astonished, 
yea,  grieved  to  death  at  their  great  blind- 
ness and  grievous  errors.  For  however  in- 
human and  rude,  it  must  be  called  the  holy 
christian  faith. 


THE  PAPISTIC  BELIEF. 


It  is  true,  the  papists  teach  and  believe, 
that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God,  that  he 
offered  up  Hs  flesh,  and  shed  his  blood  for  us, 
but  if  we  would  enjoy  them,  and  be  partak- 
ers thereof,  we  must  adhere  to  and  obey  the 
pope  and  his  church,  hear  mass,  receive  the 
holy  water,  perform  pilgrimages,  call  upon 
the  mother  of  the  Lord,  and  the  departed 
saints,  confess  at  least  twice  a  year,  receive 
papistic  absolution,  have  our  childi-en  bap- 
tized, and  commemorate  the  holy  days.  The 
priests  must  vow  chastity ;  the  bread  in  the 
mass,  must  be  called  the  flesh,  and  the  wine, 
the  blood  of  Christ;  besides  all  their  other 
idolatrjr  and  abominations,  which  are  daily 
practiced  by  them. 

And  all  this  is  called,  by  these  poor,  ig- 
norant people,  the  most  holy  christian  faith, 
and  the  institution  of  the  holy  christian 
clmrch.  Although  it  is  nothing  but  mere 
Imman  opinion,  self-chosen  righteousness, 
seductive  hypocrisj^,  manifest  deception  of 


the  soul,  ungodly,  indecent  bodily  nourish- 
ment and  gain  of  lazy  priests,  an  accursed 
abomination,  an  incensing  of  God,  a  dis- 
graceful blasphemy,  an  unworthy  despising 
of  the  blood  of  Christ,  a  self-devised  under- 
taking, and  a  disoliedient  contumacy  to  the 
divine  word.  In  short,  a  false,  offensive, 
divine  worship,  and  open  idolatry,  of  which 
Jesus  Christ  (to  whom  the  Father  points  us) 
has  not  left  or  commanded  us  a  single  letter 
of  all  these  things. 

It  does  not  suffice  that  they  practice  such 
abominations;  thej^  not  only  also  despise 
as  vain  and  useless  all  true  fruits  of  faith, 
commanded  of  God  himself,  the  sincere, 
pure  love  and  fear  of  God,  the  love  and 
sei-vice  of  our  neighbor,  the  true  sacraments 
and  divine  service,  &c.,  but  they  also  revile 
them  as  damnable  and  heretical,  and  exter- 
minate and  persecute  them.  I  think  this 
may  properly  be  called  a  sect. 


THE  LUTHERAN  BELIEF. 


The  Lutherans  teach  and  believe,  that  we 
are  saved  by  faith  alone,  withoiit  any  re- 
gard to  works.  They  maintain  this  doctrine 
as  firmly  as  though  works  vv'ere  not  at  all 
necessary;  yea,  that  faith  is  of  such  a  nat- 
ure that  no  work  can  be  suffered  or  allowed 
beside  it.  And,  therefore,  had  the  highly 
important,  zealous,  and  earnest  epistle  of 
James  (because  he  reproves  such  a  frivolous, 
vain  doctrine  and  faith),  to  be  esteemed  and 


considered  as  straw.  O  presumption  I  Is 
the  doctrine  straw,  then  must  also  the  cho- 
sen apostle,  the  faithful  servant  and  witness 
of  Clu-ist,  who  wrote  and  taught  it,  have 
been  a  man  of  straw;  this  is  as  clear  as  the 
meridian  sun.  For  the  doctrine  shows  the 
character  of  the  man. 

Let  every  one  take  heed,  how,  and  what 
he  teaches ;  for  with  this  same  doctrine  they 
have  led  the  reckless  and  ignorant,  great 


112 


FAITH. 


'  I 


and  small,  citizens  and  the  common  people, 
into  such  a  fruitless,  wild  life,  and  hav^e  so 
much  unbridled  them,  that  we  would  scarce- 
ly find  sucli  an  ungodly  and  abominable 
life  among  the  Turks  and  Tartars,  as  we 
see  among  them.  Their  open  deeds  l)ear 
testimony ;  for  the  excessive  eating  and 
drinking;  the  superfluous  pomp  and  splen- 
dor, the  whoring,  lying,  cheating,  cursing, 
swearing  by  the  wounds,  sacraments  and 
sufferings  of  the  Lord,  the  shedding  of  blood 
fighting,  etc.,  which  exist  among  many  of 
them,  and,  alas,  have  neither  measure  nor 
bounds.  In  manj^  carnal  things,  both  the 
teachers  and  disciples  are  the  same,  as  may 
be  seen.  I  well  know,  what  I  write,  and 
what  1  have  heard  and  seen,  I  testify,  and 
I  know  that  1  testify-  the  tmth. 

If  any  one  can  simpl.y  say  with  them.  Ah! 
what  dishonest  knaves  and  villains  these 
desperate  jjriests  and  monks  are!  The.y  wish 
them  the  venereal  or  some  other  disease; 
the  ungodly  pope  with  his  shorn  crew,  sa}^ 
the}',  have  deceived  us  long  enough  with 
purgatorj',  confession  and  fasting;  Ave  now 
eat  as  we  have  hunger;  fish  or  flesh,  as  we 
desire ;  for  every  creatiu-e  of  God  is  good, 
says  Paul,  and  is  not  to  be  rejected.  But 
what  follows  the}'  do  not  want  to  understand 
or  know;  namely,  to  (live  as)  the  believing, 
who  know  the  truth  and  enj  o_y  it  with  thanks- 
giving. They  further  saj".  How  shamefully 
they  have  deceived  us  poor  people,  they  have 
robbed  us  of  the  blood  of  the  Lord,  and  di- 


rected us  to  their  mummery  and  to  their  en- 
chanting works.  God  ])e  praised,  we  now 
know  that  all  our  works  avail  nothing,  for 
the  blood  and  death  of  Christ  alone  must 
blot  out,  and  pay  for  our  sins.  They  begin 
to  sing  a, psalm:  Der  Stride  ist  entzwei  iind 
w/'r  sindfrei,  <£•(•.,  i.  e.  The  cord  is  cut  asun- 
der and  we  are  at  liberty,  while  the  smell 
of  beer  and  wine  issiies  from  their  drunken 
mouths  and  noses.  Any  one  who  can  but 
read  this  disticli,  if  he  live  ever  so  carnalh'. 
is  a  good  evangelical  man,  and  a  fine  broth- 
er. And  should  some  one  come,  who  would, 

I  in  true  and  sincere  love,  admonish  or  re- 
prove them,  and  direct  them  to  Jesus  Christ, 
to  his  doctrine,  sacraments  and  unblamable 
example,  and  show  that  it  does  not  become  a 
christian  to  carouse  and  drink,  and  to  re- 
vile and  curse,  &c.,  he  must  from  that  hour 
hear,  that  he  is  a  legalist  {WerA'J/eih'ffe/-), 
one  who  would  take  heaven  by  storm,  or  a 
factionist,  a  fanatic  or  hypocrite,  a  defamer 
of  the  sacrament,  or  an  anabaptist. 

Behold  !  thus  God,  the  righteous  Lord, 
suffers  these  to  err  and  go  astray  in  their 
hearts,  who  rely  upon  the  precious  death 
and  the  most  holy  flesh  and  blood  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  together 
with  his  saving  and  reverent  word,  in  their 
sensual  lusts  and  wantonness,  and  make  it 

I  an  occasion  of  their  unclean  and  sinful  flesh. 
It  appears  to  me  this  may  also  truly  be 
called,  a  liberal  and  free  sect. 


THE  BELIEF  OF  THE  ENGLISH  OR  ZUIXGLIANS. 


The  .English,  or  Zuinglians  believe  and  ; 
confess  that  there  are'two  sons  in  Christ  ■ 
Jesus,  the  one  is  God's  son,  without  mother,  , 
and  impassive ;  and  the  other  is  the  son  of  | 
Mary,  or  the  son  of  man,  without  father,  and 
passive.     And  in  this  passive  son  of  Mary, 
the  impassitie  Son  of  God  dwelt;  so  that  the 
son  of  Mary,  who  was  crucified,  and  died 
for  lis,  was  not  the  son  of  God.     This  was 
acknowledged   by  one  of  their  princij^al , 
teachers,  called  Martin  Micron,  also  by  one  , 
Harman  Yon  Ronsen  (if  I  recollect  his  name 
rightly),  before  7ne,  two  or  three  times  in  a 
large  assembly,  in  the  year  litiM. 


Further,  the  said  Micron,  when  I  ques- 
tioned him  in  relation  to  the  aura  seminis 
of  the  woman,  concerning  which  we  had  not 
a  few  words,  acknowledged  and  said:  I  have 
to  confess  that  a  woman  has  no  seminal 
functions  but  an  afflux  of  catamenial  fluid 
to  the  uterus.  See,  before  God,  it  is  the  truth 
that  I  wTite.  He  also  wrote  in  a  book, 
printed  in  England  ;  these  words,  touching 
the  coagulating  of  the  fluids  in  the  uter- 
us. If  the  fluids  thus  changed,  as  the  book 
says,  and  as  he  confesses,  that  a  woman  has 
only  catamenial  fluids  in  the  uterus,  as  said; 
then,  it  is  evident,  that  they  believe  (if  thej^ 


FAITH. 


l13 


agTee  with  liim)  that  their  Savior  is  not 
God's  first  and  only  begotten  Son,  but  the 
mere  result  of  a  vitiated  state  of  the  uterine 
fluids. 

John  A'Lasco  also  writes,  that  Christ  par- 
took of  no  other  flesh  than  that  which  was 
subject  to  sin  and  death,  in  order  that  he 
might  be  temj^ted.  He  states  in  the  same 
book,  "If  he  is  holy,  why  was  he  sentenced 
in  the  Father's  judgment,  for  the  sake  of 
sin?"  This  I  cannot  otherwise  understand, 
before  God,  than  that  he  believes,  that  the 
man,  Christ  Jesus,  was  a  sinful  Christ  and 
guilty  of  death.  Read  his  defence  made 
against  me,  of  the  Incarnation-,  there  you 
will  find  his  ground. 

O  God,  watch  over  all  true  hearts,  that 
they  may  never  believe  such  intolerably 
great  abominations.  It  makes  mc  shudder, 
and  I  am  astonished  in  my  heart,  yea,  I  am 
ashamed  in  my  soul,  that  I  must  make  men- 
tion thereof;  for  it  is  too  offensive.  Biit  since 
tliey  defame  and  slander  us  daily  before  all 
men,  both  verbally  and  by  writing,  what  a 
very  detestable  foundation  and  doctrine  we 
have  of  Christ  (since  we  confess,  with  the 


Scriptm-e,  that  he  was  the  first  and  only  be- 
gotten Son  of  God,  who  died  for  us),  and 
they  present  these  abominable  things  to  the 
poor,  simple  people,  as  said,  and  deceive 
them  so  miserably  thereby ;  for  this  reason, 
am  I  constrained  in  my  conscience,  to  the 
honor  of  God,  and  to  the  warning  of  all 
godfearing  souls,  to  notice  this  and  pre- 
sent it  to  the  reader,  whose  mind  is  held 
captive  by  them,  to  reflect  upon  ;  for  I 
know  not  how  we  could  believe  more  cru- 
ellj^  and  abominably  of  Christ,  teach,  feel, 
think  or  speak  of,  than  to  say,  It  was  not 
the  Son  of  God  who  died  for  us,  but  it  was 
the  result  of  a  vitiated  catemenial  fluid;  a 
man  of  sin  and  death,  &:c. 

And  though  they  may  gainsay  and  deny 
this,  and  say  that  I  -WTOte  this  gratuitously 
concerning  them,  it  is  true  ;  it  happened 
repeatedly,  and  before  many  pious  hearts; 
they  may  deny  it,  but  it  will  be  found  true 
in  the  day  of  the  righteous  judgment,  be- 
fore the  ej'es  of  the  Eternal  and  great  maj- 
esty, as  I  have  written  it.  O  abominable 
sect ! 


THE  TRUE  CMISTIAN  BELIEF- 


We  teach  and  believe,  and  this  by  virtue 
and  power  of  the  whole  Scriptures,  that  the 
whole  Christ  Jesus  from  above  and  below, 
inwardly  and  outwardly,  visibly  and  invis- 
ibly, is  God's  first  and  only  begotten  Son, 
the    incomprehensible,   eternal    Word,   by  i 
which  all  things  are  created,  the  first  born  of  j 
every  creature ;  that  he  became  a  true  man  in  I 
Mary,  the  immaculate  virgin,  through  the  j 
almighty,  eternal  Father,  eternal  Spirit  and  ! 
power,    beyond    the    comprehension    and 
knowledge  of  men ;  sent  and  given  unto  us 
out  of  pure  mercy  and  grace,  from  the  Fath-  > 
er;  the  express  image  of  the  invisible  God, 
and  the  brightness  of  his  glory.    We  teach 
and  believe  that  the  first  and  only  begotten 
Son  of  God,  Jesus  Christ,  is  our  only  and 
eternal  Messiah,  prophet,  teacher  and  high 
priest,  who  has  fulfilled  the  required  and 
commanded  law  for  all  his  believers,  inas- 
15 


much  as  they  could  not  fulfil  it  on  account 
of  the  weakness  of  their  flesh;  who  taught 
us  the  good  will  and  pleasure  of  his  Father, 
a.nd  went  before  us  as  a,n  unblamable  j^at- 
tern,  and  freely  offered  himself  upon  the 
cross  for  our  sins,  as  a  sweet-smelling  sacri- 
fice to  the  Father.  Tlu-ough  whom  we  all, 
who  sincerely  l^elieve  this,  have  received  the 
forgiveness  of  our  sins,  grace,  favor,  mercy, 
liberty,  peace,  life  eternal,  a  reconciled  Fath- 
er and  free  access  to  God,  in  the  Spirit;  and 
this  all  througli  his  merits,  righteousness, 
intercesion  and  blood,  and  not  through  our 
own  works.  Behold  this  is  the  true  sum- 
mary of  our  belief  concerning  Christ,  our 
Savior,  the  Son  of  God. 

All  who  can  believe  this,  as  certain  and 
true,  are  sealed,  through  the  word  of  God, 
in  their  spirit,  are  inwardly  changed,  re- 
ceive the  fear  and  love  of  God,  and  bring 


114 


FAITH. 


forth,  out  of  their  faith,  righteousness,  fruit, 
power,  au  unblamable  life  and  a  new  being; 
as  Paul  says,  "With  the  heart,  man  believ- 
eth  unto  rigliteousness.'"  Througli  faith, 
says  Peter,  God  purities  our  hearts.  And 
thus  follow  the  fruits  of  righteousness  out 
of  an  upright,  unfeigned,  pious.  Christian 
faith.     Observe  this  well. 

All  those  who  sincerely  believe  the  right- 
eous judgment  of  God  and  his  eternal  wTath 
over  all  sin  and  wickedness,  and  do  not 
doubt  in  spirit,  look  at  the  fallen  angels; 
they  look  at  the  first,  depraved  world,  at 
Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  and  upon  disobe- 
dient, refractory  Israel.  They  take  particu- 
lar notice  how  God  humbled  his  innocent 
Son,  who  knew  no  sin,  and  in  whose  mouth 
guile  was  not  found;  how  he  was  humbled, 
and  made  the  most  miserable  among  men  for 
the  sake  of  om-  sins.  Yea,  that  he  was  so 
beaten  and  tortured,  that  while  extended 
on  the  cross,  he  piteously  complained  to  his 
Father  saying,  "My  God,  my  God,  why  hast 
thou  forsaken  me  ?'"  Matt.  27:  45. 

All  who  truly  believe  this,  will  certainly 
fiee  from  all  unrighteousness,  as  they  would 
from  the  fangs  of  a  serpent;  they  turn  awa.y 
from  all  sins,  and  dread  them  more  than  a 
burning  Ih-e,  or  a  piercing  sword,  for  their 
whole  mind  and  conscience  testify  to  them, 
that  if  they  knowingly  and  wilKully  sin 
against  the  law  and  word  of  God,  and  do  not 
receive  Christ  in  a  pure  and  good  conscience, 
live  according  to  the  flesh,  and  despise  the 
inviting  voice  of  God  that  they  will  fall  un- 
der the  dreadful,  eternal  sentence  and  wrath 
of  God. 

This  the  pious  and  aged  Eleazar  believed, 
who  was  well  versed  in  the  law,  2  Mace.  6: 
18,  and  the  god-fearing,  virtuous  mother, 
with  her  seven  sons,  2  Mace.  7:1,  the  three 
faithful  young  men  in  the  flery  furnace,  the 
beloved  Daniel,  and  the  fair,  virtuo\is  Su- 
sanna, the  honorable  pattern  of  all  pious 
women,  Daniel  13.  They  would  rather  en- 
diu'e  for  a  season  the  wrath  and  fury  of 
tyrants,  than  sin,  and  thus  bring  upon 
themselves  the  eternal  anger  and  wrath  of 
God.  The  righteous,  say  the  Scriptiu-es, 
live  by  faith.  For  the  true  evangelical  faith, 
which  makes  the  heart  sincere  and  pious  be- 
fore God,  moves,  changes,  lu-ges  and  con- 
strains a  man,  so  that  he  will  always  hate 


the  evil,  and  Avillingly  do  the  things  which 
are  right  and  jiist ;  even  as  it  is  unneces- 
sary to  admonish  or  warn  a  man  of  under- 
standing not  to  cut  his  own  throat,  or  drink 
poison,  or  thrust  himself  from  a  high  tower, 
or  run  into  deep  water;  for  he  well  knows 
if  he  did  so,  he  could  not  escape  death.  It 
is  also  unnecessary  that  we  should  admon- 
ish, or  warn  those,  who  sincerely  believe 
that  the  wages  of  sin  is  death,  that  drunk- 
ards, liars,  fornicators,  whoremongers,  adul- 
terers, avaricious,  idolators,  blasphemers  of 
God,  envious,  blood-shedders,  iierjurers, 
thieves  and  the  like  sinners,  shall  not  in- 
herit the  kingdom  of  Christ,  that  they  shall 
not  get  drunk,  nor  commit  fornication,  &c. 
The  divine  fear,  which  is  of  such  a  faith, 
warns,  exhorts,  reproves,  urges  and  deters 
them,  so  that  they  will  never  more  consent 
to  such  carnal,  ungodly  works,  much  less 
do  them.  For  their  faith,  which  is  sealed 
of  the  Spirit  through  the  word,  teaches  them 
that  the  end  thereof  is  death. 

We  must  thus  believe  with  the  heart,  "as 
Paul  says;  that  is,  we  must  so  adhere  to  the 
word  to  receive  and  impress  it  upon  our 
hearts,  that  we  may  never  turn  or  be  divert- 
ed from  it,  but  that  faith  be  more  and  more 
rooted  in  our  hearts,  that,  through  the  vir- 
tue thereof,  we  may  fear  God  with  all  our 
powers,  and  do  sincere  penance.  Sincere,  un- 
feigned fears  drive  out  sin,  for  it  is  impossi- 
ble to  be  ji;stified  witlioiit  the  fear  of  God. 

Here  observe,  what  an  excellent,  pleasing 
fruit  of  faith  the  fear  of  the  Lord  is ;  it  is 
the  only  power  which  expels  the  sins  of  be- 
lievers, buries;  slays,  destroys  and  makes 
sin  nought,  this  is  the  first  part  of  true  re- 
pentance, as  we  are  taught  and  admonished 
by  the  baptism  of  believers.  "The  fear  of 
the  LoED  is  the  beginning  of  wisdom ;  a 
good  understanding  have  all  they  that  do 
his  commandments;  his  praise  endurethfor 
ever,"  Ps.  Ill :  10. 

Fxu'ther,  All  who  comprehend  with  a  sin- 
cere, unwavering,  believing  heart,  the  great 
solicitude  and  ardent  care  of  God  for  us 
(here  I  speak  of  him  according  to  the  man- 
ner of  man),  and  his  unbounded  kindness, 
mercy  and  love,  as  internally  manifested 
toward  us  through  Christ  Jesus,  that  he  did 
not  spare  his  eternal  Son,  by  whom  he  cre- 
ated the  heavens  and  the  earth,  the  seas  and 


FAITH. 


115 


the  fullness  thereof,  his  incomj>rehensible, ' 
eternal  Word,  power  and  wisdom,  bnt  for  | 
onr  sakes,  gave  him  over,  humbled  him,  I 
suffered  liim  to  endure  hunger,  and  thirst,  j 
was  derided,  taken,  mocked,  his  holy  face  | 
spit  upon,  scoui'ged,  crowned  with  a  crown  j 
of  thorns,  condemned,  crucified  and  slain, 
that  we,  through  his  sicl-uiess  and  stripes, 
might  be  healed,  through  his  poverty,  might 
become  rich,  through  his  being  despised, 
obtain  glory ;  through  his  cm-sing,  obtain 
blessing;  through  his  punishment,  receive 
grace;  through  his  blood,  the  remission  of 
sin;  through  his  offering,  be  reconciled,  and 
through  his  death,  might  obtain  eternal  life. 
He  also  created  ever}^  living  creature  for  our 
use,  and  made  them  subject  to  us.  He  serves 
and  provides  us  with  winter  and  summer, 
heat  and  cold,  night  and  day,  rain  and 
dearth;  to  us  he  sent  his  holy  apostles  with 
his  holy  word,  endowed  iis  with  his  Spirit, 
enlightens,  governs,  admonishes,  reproves 
and  comforts  us ;  he  has  given  us  the  neces- 
sary shelter  and  food  to  supply  oiu-  wants, 
and  in  the  midst  of  a  perverted  lion-like  gen- 
eration, he  has  kept  and  preserved  us  by  his 
grace,  &c.   I  say,  again,  he  who  believes  this 
with  all  his  heart,  apprehends  and  lays  hold 
of  it,  can  never  be  prevented,  neither  by  an- 
gel nor  devil,  neither  by  life  nor  death;  but 
must  love  this  gracious  Father,  from  his  in 
most  heart,  who  has  manifested  so  great 
love  and  mercj^  towards  us  grievous  sinners ; 
yea,  praise,  honor,  thank,  serve,  and  be 
obedient  to  him,  all  the  days  of  his  life. 

For  this  is  the  greatest  delight  and  joy  of 
believers,  that  they  in  their  weakness  maj^ 
walk  and  live  according  to  the  will  and 
word  of  the  Lord,  and  where  the  unfeigned, 
pure  love  of  God  dwells,  there  without  fail, 
must  also  be  the  vohmtary,  ready  service  of 
that  love,  namely,  the  keeping  of  his  com- 
mands. Solomon  says,  "They  that  put  tlieir 
trust  in  him  shall  understand  the  truth,  and 
such  as  be  faithful  in  love  shall  abide  with 
him,"  AYis.  3:  9.  And  this  is  what  Paul 
says,  "In  Jesus  Christ  neither  circumcision 
availeth  any  thing,  nor  uncircumcision;  but 
faith,  which  worketh  by  love,"  Gal.  5:6. 

That  love  is  of  such  an  effective  power  and 
nature,  may  be  very  plainly  seen  in  natural 
love;  we  need  not  admonish  rational  par- 
ents, to  provide  their  children  with  neces- 


sai-y  food  and  clothing,  for  natural  love 
will  admonish  them  thereto.  And  thus  with 
man  and  wife,  who  sincerely  love  each  other 
with  conjugal  love;  they  think  it  no  dis- 
pleasure willingly  to  serve  each  other  and 
be  fellow  helpers,  as  it  becomes  them,  being 
one  flesh.  And  so  is  also  the  nature  and 
property  of  holy,  divine  love,  for  all  those 
who  by  faith  are  one  with  the  Father  and 
his  Son,  Christ  Jesus,  in  love  and  spirit, 
through  the  true  and  genuine  knowledge  of 
the  aforementioned  favor,  need  not  be  ad- 
monished that  they  should  serve  the  Lord, 
seek  the  kingdom  of  God,  use  baptism  and 
the  Lord's  Supper,  according  to  the  ordi- 
nance of  the  Scriptures,  constrain  heart 
and  tongue,  reflect  upon  the  law  and  will 
of  God  with  all  earnestness,  hear  Christ 
and  follow  him,  and  that  they  should  not 
love  gold  and  silver,  money  and  posses- 
sions, wife  and  children,  life  and  death 
above  Christ  and  his  word.  For  the  effect- 
ual nature  of  the  ardent  love  of  God,  which 
is  of  a  pure  heart,  good  conscience,  un- 
feigned faith  Tu-ges  and  constrains,  moves 
and  operates  so  much  in  their  hearts,  that 
they  stand  prepared  with  body,  soul,  pos- 
session and  blood,  to  do  what  he  command- 
ed them,  and  not  do  thatwliich  he  prohibit- 
ed; as  we  may  see  (God  be  praised)  in  great 
plainness  and  power,  and  hear  daily  of 
many  pious  hearts. 

And  it  is  hereby  evident,  if  we  would  love 
God  and  walk  in  obedience  to  his  com- 
mands, we  sliordd  believe,  have  a  special 
regard  to  his  favors,  and  with  the  heart 
adhere  closely  to  the  word  of  his  promise, 
as  said ;  for  that  love  which  is  sincere,  is  a 
very  precious  fruit,  it  is  a  branch  and  plant 
of  faith  from  which  the  other  part  of  true 
repentance  flows,  namely,  the  unblamable 
new  life,  represented  to  us  by  baptism,  as 
related  above,  of  the  fear  of  the  Lord;  with- 
out which  love,  all  eloquence,  all  tongues, 
all  knowledge  and  understanding,  all  boast- 
ings of  faith,  learning,  miracles,  prophesy- 
ing, alms,  persecution,  cross  and  suffering, 
are  vain  before  God ;  yea,  unfruitful  and 
dead. 

Every  one  that  loveth  is  born  of  God,  and 
knoweth  him,  for  God  is  love,  such  a  one 
does  all  things  according  to  the  nature  and 
word  of  the  Lord,  for  it  is  the  fulfilling  of 


116 


FAITH. 


the  law,  obedience  to  his  commands,  the 
bond  of  perfection  and  peace,  and  it  is  pre- 
tigured  by  the  splendid  girdle  of  Aaron  and 
his  sons. 

Love,  says  Solomon,  is  as  strong  as  death; 
jealousy  is  as  crnel  as  the  grave;  the  coals 
thereof  are  coals  of  fire,  which  have  a  most 
vehement  iiame;  many  waters  cannot  quench 
love,  yea,  so  firm  and  strong  and  ardent  is 
love  that  it  surpasses  every  thing,  conquers 
and  consirmes  what  is  opposed  to  Christ  and 
his  word,  be  it  world  or  flesh,  tyrant  or 
devil,  sin  or  death,  or  Avhatever  we  may 
think  of  or  name;  and  this  is  all  through 
the  power  and  Spirit  of  Jesus  Christ  from 
wliom  it  originates. 

Moses  preceded  A\ath  fear,  then  came  Christ 
with  love.  First  the  terrilic  law,  and  after- 
wards the  consoling  gospel;  first  wrath  in 
the  feelings  of  oiu-  consciences,  afterwards 
grace;  first  uneasiness  of  pain,  then  peace; 
first  tribulation,  then  joy.  In  short,  first 
the  letter  which  killeth,  then  the  Spirit  which 
quickeneth. 

Behold,  my  reader,  such  a  faith  as  men- 
tioned, is  the  true  christian  faith,  Avhich 
praises,  honors,  magnifies  and  extols  God 
the  Father  and  his  Son  Jesus  Clirist,  through 
filial  fear  and  fruitful  love,  for  by  it  we 
know  the  good  will  of  the  Father  towards 
us  through  Christ ;  by  it,  I  say,  we  know 
that  all  the  promises  to  the  fathers,  the  wait- 
ing of  the  patriarchs,  the  whole  figurative 
law,  and  all  the  predictions  of  the  prophets, 
are  fulfilled  in  Christ,  with  Clirist,  and 
through  Christ.  That  Christ  is  our  king, 
Prince,  Lord,  Messiah,  the  promised  David,* 
the  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah,  the  strong 
Giant,  the  Mighty  God,  the  Everlasting  Fath- 
er, the  Prince  of  peace,  God's  almighty,  in- 
comprehensible, eternal  Word  and  Wisdom, 
the  first  born  of  every  creature,  the  Light  of 
the  world,  the  Sun  of  righteousness,  the  ti'ue 
Yine,  the  Well  of  life,  the  true  Door  and 
Shepherd  of  the  sheep,  the  true  Foundation, 
and  the  precious  Corner-stone  in  Zion,  the 
right  Way,  the  Tmtli  and  Life,  the  promised 
Prophet,  oxxY  Master  and  Teacher,  our  Ke- 
deemer.  Savior,  Friend  and  Bridegroom.  In 

*  Jer.  23 :  5 ;  Kev.  5:5;  Isa.  9:5;  John  1:1;  Col.  1  : 
15;  John  13:  35;  John  15:  1;  10:3;  1  Cor.  3:  11;  Isa. 
28:16;  John  14:  6;  Deut.  18:18;  John  3:  2;  15:5; 
Tit.  3:13;  John  8:  39;  1  Tim.  3:5;  Eph.  1:23. 


short,  our  only  and  eternal  Mediator,  Advo- 
cate, High-priest,  Propitiator  and  Interces- 
sor, om-  Head  and  Brother.  And  since  we 
know  all  this  by  faith,  therefore,  I  sa}^,  we 
also  observe  his  word  rightly,  hear  his  voice, 
and  implicitlj^  follow  his  example,  and  coun- 
sel, ancl  depart  from  ungodliness;  the  heart 
is  changed,  the  mind  is  renewed,  and  with 
Moses  we  rely  upon  the  future  promises,  as 
though  they  were  in  sight,  and  patiently 
wait  for  them  with  pious  Abraham,  till  he, 
with  all  the  chosen,  shall  in  reality  inherit 
them.  "Now  faith,"  says  Paul,  "is  the  sub- 
stance of  things  hopecl  for,  the  evidence  of 
things  not  seen,"  Heb.  11:  1.  He  says,  fur- 
ther. But  hope  that  is  seen  is  not  hope.  God, 
says  Christ  himself,  is  a  Spirit;  his  word, 
grace,  and  thepromise  of  the  New  Testament; 
his  kingdom  and  government  are  spiritual ; 
and  thus  we  have  to  believe  all  things 
through  an  upright,  pure,  and  sure  faith,  with 
a  candid  heart,  and  judge  and  see  with  spir- 
itual ej^es;  but  we  may  well  say  with  Paul, 
"All  men  have  not  faith,"  3  Thess.  3:  2. 

Therefore,  all  those  who  stop  their  ears  to 
the  threatening,  punishing  and  death-deal- 
ing law,  and  will  not  fear  God,  reject,  and 
desire  not  the  gracious  gospel  of  Christ,  shut 
their  eyes  to  the  light  of  righteousness,  and 
will  neither  see  nor  walk  the  true  way,  hard- 
en their  hearts,  and  will  not  acknowledge 
the  just  judgment  of  the  vsrath  and  displeas- 
ure of  God,  his  mercy  and  favor  and  his  un- 
bounded grace,  are  unbelievers  ;  for  they 
reject  Christ  Jesus,  run  haughtily  into  per- 
verse wa3^s;  they  choose  to  themselves  a 
righteousness  and  means  of  salvation  con- 
trary to  the  word  of  God;  the  wisdom  of  the 
Lord  they  esteem  foolishness;  his  truth  as 
lies;  his  gospel  as  delusion;  the  virtuous, 
christian  life  as  madness;  and  thetraeuse 
of  his  sacraments,  as  heresy.  Open  idolatry, 
commands  of  men,  superstition  and  offen- 
sively ornamented  lies,  are  their  greatest 
consolation  and  true  worship;  their  belly 
is  their  God ;  they  love  the  world  more  than 
heaven;  all  their  delight  is  in  covetousness, 
avarice,  pride,  pomp,  gold,  silver,  money 
and  possessions ;  in  buying  and  selling,  they 
cheat  and  deal  treacherously ;  their  common 
life  is  drinking,  gambling,  ciu'sing,  swear- 
ing, hatred,  strife  and  fighting;  they  follow 
the  flesh  in  its  lusts;  the}^  defame  and  seek 


FAITH. 


117 


the  calamity  of  their  neighbor,  his  dishonor, 
disgi-ace  and  shame.  In  short,  they  say, 
with  the  fool,  in  their  hearts,  "There  is  no 
God,"  Ps.  14:  1. 

Although  they  boast  of  God  with  the 
mouth,  praise  his  name  with  tlieir  lips,  bow 
their  knees  outwardly  before  him,  and  say 
that  they  are  redeemed  with  the  death  and 
blood  of  Christ;  it  is  nevertheless  vain  hy- 
pocrisy, for  they  do  it  only  from  habit,  and 
feignedly,  and  not  inwardly  through  faith, 
in  power  and  truth.  They  are  those  of  wliom 
it  is  -RTitteu,  "They  profess  that  they  know 
God,  but  in  works  they  deny  him ;  being 
abominable  and  disobedient,  and  unto  every 
good  work  reprobate,"  Tit.  1 :  16.  And  this, 
because  they  do  not  believe  Christ  and  his 
word,  their  end  is  death,  as  he  says,  "He 
that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned,"  yea,  is 
already  condemned. 

It  is  true  what  Paul  says,  "  Without  faith 
it  is  impossible  to  please  him  (God);  for  he 
that  cometh  to  God,  must  believe  that  he  is, 
and  that  he  is  a  rewarder  of  them  that  dili- 
gently seek  him,"  Heb.  11:  G.  O  for  an  open 
heart!  For  profound  understanding!  Yea, 
if  we  rightly  examine  these  words,  we  have 
reason  to  be  astonished  at  the  wisdom  and 
understanding  of  Paul.  For  if  we  rightly 
reiiect  upon  the  matter,  we  must  ever  confess 
before  the  Lord,  who  tries  our  reins  and 
hearts,  that  we  never  believed  it  with  the 
heart,  that  God  is,  and  hence,  we  have  led 
a  vain,  ungodlj^  life.  For  it  cannot  be  oth- 
erwise ;  if  any  one  believes  with  all  his  heart, 
that  God  is,  he  will  also  believe  that  his 
word  is  ivne,  that  tlie  wages  of  sin  is  death, 
that  all  things  are  open  to  his  eyes,  and 
that  there  is  nothing  concealed  before  him. 
That  we  must  give  an  account  of  all  oiir 
thoughts,  words  and  deeds,  liefore  his  judg- 
ment seat  in  the  day  of  his  coming.  Be- 
lieving all  this,  we  then  begin  to  be  aston- 
ished before  such  an  omniscient  and  right- 
eous Judge,  yea,  to  fear  and  tremble  greatly. 

In  the  second  place,  all  who  believe  with 
the  heart,  that  God  is,  they  also  believe 
that  he  is  true,  and  therefore,  none  can 
be  saved  contrary  to  his  word;  for  he  is 
the  God  of  truth,  and  in  him  there  are  no 
lies.  His  uttered  word  abides,  it  can  nei- 
ther be  bent  nor  broken ;  those  who  thus  be- 
lieve, begin  to  fear  his  righteous  judgment; 


they  cast  behind  them  all  their  falsa  patch- 
work, all  false  promises,  all  the  bolsters 
and  cushions  of  the  false  prophets,  and  they 
seek  the  Lord  who  has  bought  them.  They 
are  abased  in  their  own  eyes;  for  the  heart 
is  humbled.  They  sigh,  weep,  pray,  lament, 
knock,  and  call  at  the  throne  of  grace,  till 
they  are  heard  and  encouraged  by  the  word 
of  his  peace,  comforted  \\'ith  the  promise 
of  his  grace,  and  anointed  with  the  Holy 
Ghost. 

In  the  third  place,  all  who  believe  that 
God  is,  also  believe  that  he  is  gracious 
and  merciful,  that  he  has  bestowed  and  sent 
us  his  only  Son,  that  he  taught  us  the  right 
way,  fulfilled  the  laAv  for  us,  reconciled  us 
to  the  Father,  and  redeemed  us  by  his  blood 
and  bitter  death;  has  conquered  hell,  the 
devil,  sin  and  death,  and  obtained  for  us 
grace,  favor,  mercy,  and  eternal  life,  &c., 
and  therefore,  the  sorrowful,  afflicted  hearts, 
which  saw  through  the  terrible,  threatening 
law,  nothing  but  the  wrath  of  God  and  eter- 
nal death  are  again  revived.  They  become 
candid,  peaceable,  and  joyful  in  the  Holy 
Ghost,  are  of  a  joyful  disposition,  and  are 
thus  made  to  belong  to  their  Head  and  Sav- 
ior, are  united  and  made  one  with  Him, 
ingrafted  through  the  Spirit  of  God  and 
pure,  unfeigned  love,  that  they  are  of  one 
heart,  one  soul  and  spirit  with  him  ;  they 
think,  speak  and  live  in  their  weakness  as 
he  has  taught  and  commanded  them  in  his 
word.  They  renounce  and  avoid  all  false 
doctrine,  unbelief,  false  sacraments,  and  all 
idolatrj^;  put  oif  the  spotted  garment  of  sin, 
which  is  the  evil  perverted  life,  and  is  of  the 
flesh.  They  seek  the  doctrines  and  sacra- 
ments commanded  them  of  Christ;  that  di- 
vine service  which  is  taught  in  the  Script- 
ures, and  that  pious  and  unblamable  life 
which  is  from  God.  For  by  faith  they  are 
changed  in  the  inner  man,  converted  and 
renewed,  because  they  have  a  sealed,  and 
assured  conscience,  which  bears  witness  to 
them  that  God  is,  that  he  is  righteous  and 
true,  gracious  and  of  abundant  mercy.  And 
therefore  they  desire,  seek  and  do  nothing, 
either  inwardly  or  outwardly,  but  that  which 
they  know,  through  the  word,  that  Christ 
Jesus,  with  his  holy  apostles  has  command- 
ed and  taught  them. 

Behold,  my  brethren,  here  you  have  now 


118 


FAITH. 


the  true  properties  and  nature  of  a  true  j 
christian  faith,  and  what  a  great  mystery,  { 
signification,  spirit  and  power  are  contained 
summarily  in  these  words,  He  must  Mieve 
that  God  is.  "Wliosoever  believeth  in  him 
should  not  perish,  but  have  eternal  life," 
John  3:  15;  "He  that  believeth  and  is  bap- 
tized shaU  be  saved,"  Mark  16:  16;  "AVho- 
soever  believeth  on  him  shall  not  be 
ashamed,"'  Rom.  10,  and  the  like  passages. 
For  it  will  always  be  the  case  where  there 
is  a  true,  christian  faith,  there  also  will  be 
a  dying  to  sin,  a  new  creature,  true  repent- 
ance, a  sincere,  regenerated  and  unblamable 
christian.  One  does  no  longer  live  accord- 
ing to  the  lusts  of  sin,  but  according  to  the 
will  of  him  who  pm-chased  ns  with  his 
blood,  drew  us  by  his  Spirit,  and  r<?genera- 
ted  us  by  his  word,  namely,  Christ  Jesus. 

But  where  there  is  only  nominal  faith,  and 
no  righteousness,  or  change,  or  new  and  pen- 
itent life,  there  is  nothing  but  unbelief,  hy- 
pocrisy and  lies.  No  matter  how  much  we 
may  speak,  or  dispute  about  the  Scriptiires, 
this  rule  will  remain  iirm,  and  can  never  be 
broken.  "7/"  ye  live  after  tJie  flesTi,  ye  sliall 
die,"  Rom.  8:  13.  All  therefore,  who  live  in 
pomp  and  splendor,  in  excessive  eating  and 
drinking,  adultery,  fornication,  avarice, 
hatred,  envy,  lasciviousness,  defrauding 
and  such  sins;  all  who  defame  the  Lord's 
holy  and  high  name,  word,  will,  and  also 
his  community,  slander  and  traduce  their 
neighbor;  deprive  him  of  his  honor,  name, 
welfare,  body  and  goods  ;  and  all  who 
cm-se  and  swear  by  the  Lord's  sufferings, 
wounds,  sacraments,  cross  and  death,  are 
unbelieving  heathens,  and  not  believing 
christians.  This  is  as  clear  as  the  light 
of  day,  for  their-  fruits  testify  before  the 
whole  world,  that  they  are  not  the  true  olive 
tree  and  vine  from  which  we  may  pluck  or 
gather  the  true,  ripe  fruits ;  for,  that  they 
comfort  themselves  with  the  doctrines  and 
commands  of  men,  use  a  strange  baptism. 
Lord's  supper  and  divine  worship,  which 
Christ  has  not  taught;  seek  the  remission 
of  sins  by  foreign  means;  such  as  holy  wa- 
ters, masses,  aiuicular  confessions,  pilgrim- 
ages, &c.,  walk  in  a  perverted,  crooked  path, 
believe  not  Christ  and  his  word,  all  must 
confess  who  have  only  natural  discernment 
and  understanding.    All  who  acknowledge 


Christ  to  be  the  Son  of  God,  and  his  word 
as  the  truth,  acknowledge  that  his  com- 
mands are  eternal  life,  and  that  they  seek 
no  other  worship,  word,  sacraments,  or 
means  of  reconciliation,  nor  another  wa}^ 
of  life  than  that  which  Christ,  God's  own 
Son,  presented  and  taught  them  by  the 
word  of  his  truth. 

Hence  it  is  evident,  that  where  sincere  and 
true  faith  is,  which  avails  before  God,  which 
is  a  gift  from  him,  and  comes  from  hearingthe 
holy  word,throughtheblossoming  tree  of  life, 
full  of  all  manner  of  precious  fruits  of  right- 
eousness, such  as  the  fear  and  love  of  God, 
mercy,  friendship,  chastity,  temperance,  hu- 
mility, candor,  truth,  peace  and  joy  in  the 
Holy  Ghost,  <S:c.,  there  is  a  sincere,  evangel- 
ical, pious  faith;  there  also  are  the  sincere, 
gospel  fruits  of  an  evangelical  natru'e. 

I  say  gospel  fruit,  for  the  strange  fruit, 
such  as  infant  baptism,  masses,  matins, 
vespers,  caps,  palms,  crosses,  chapels,  al- 
tars, bells,  &c.,  know  not  the  gospel,  for 
they  are  neither  commanded  of  God,  nor  of 
Jesus  Clirist,  his  Son,  nor  by  the  apostles 
and  prophets,  therefore,  are  they  abomina- 
tions and  not  believing  fruits,  even  as  the 
golden  calf  was  with  Israel,  the  worship  of 
Baal,  the  high  places,  altars  and  churches, 
and  the  crime  of  making  their  children  pass 
through  the  fire. 

The  true  evangelical  faith  looks  upon,  and 
has  respect  to  the  doctrine,  ceremonies,  com- 
mands, prohibitions,  and  unblamable  ex- 
amples of  Christ  alone,  and  strives  to  con- 
1  form  thereto  with  all  its  powers,  even  as  fire 
j  in  its  nature  can  produce  nothing  but  com- 
bustion and  flame ;   the  sun,  nothing  but 
,  light  and  heat;  the  water  causes  moisture, 
I  and  a  good  tree  brings  good  fruit  after  its 
natural  properties;  and  thus  upright,  evan- 
gelical faith  produces  true  evangelical  fruit, 
and  that,  after  its  true,  good,  evangelical 
nature;  yea,  even  as  an  honest  ,virtuous  bride, 
,  by  the  virtue  and  the  natm'e  of  natural  love,  is 
'  ever  ready  to  hear  and  obey  the  voice  of  her 
bridegroom ;  and  from  a  sincere,  pious  dispo- 
sition, favor  and  love  which  she  has  for  and 
towards  him,  will  ever  so  conduct  herself, 
before  her  most  faithful  ft-iend  and  beloved 
husband,  whom  she  respects  and  loves  with 
,  all  her  heart,  that  for  his  sake  she  vohmtarily 


FAITH. 


119 


endiu'es  w]ia,t  ever  may  befall  lier;  even  also 
it  is  with  a  sincere,  regenerated  believer,  who 
has  been  joined  to  Christ,  by  grace  through 
faith ;  he  has  become  one  with  Christ  throngh 
this  ardent  love,  that  he  is  ever  willing  and 
prepared  to  do  his  bidding  and  will,  to  en- 
dm-e  all  things  for  the  sake  of  the  holj'  name 
of  Jesus,  in  evil  as  well  as  in  good  report. 
Eager  to  endure  all  things  that  may  befall 
him  at  any  time,  be  it  joy  or  tribulation, 
satiation  or  hunger,  refreshing  or  thirst, 
honor  or  dishonor,  in  good  or  bad  report, 
in  prison  or  at  liberty,  in  exile  or  at  home, 
ease  or  discomfort,  life  or  death.     Such  a 


soul  partakes  of  her  bridegroom's  nature 
and  disposition,  is  pious  in  heart  and 
thought;  true  in  words  and  well  seasoned; 
all  her  waj^s  are  righteousness,  devoutness; 
wise  as  the  serpent;  harmless  as  the  dove; 
a  genuinely  pious  disposition,  fidelity,  zeal, 
peace,  feiTent  prayer,  an  unl)lamable  con- 
duct, a  sincere,  pure,  brotherly  love,  and  a 
voluntary  obedience  to  Christ  and  his  holy 
word;  for  the  righteous  live  by  faith,  as  we 
shall  iucontrovertibly  and  plainly  show,  b}^ 
the  grace  of  God,  in  the  following  examples, 
recorded  and  testified  to  in  the  holy  Script- 
m-es,  Amen. 


XOAH'S  FAITH. 


The  holy  Scriptures  testify  concerning 
Noah,  the  son  of  Lamech,  that  he  found 
grace  before  the  Lord,  because  he  was  a 
righteous  man,  unwavering  and  perfect  in 
his  generation.  Peter  calls  him  a  preacher 
of  righteousness.  High  and  glorious  is  the 
testimony,  whicli  is  given  fn  the  Scriptures 
concerning  this  man. 

When  all  the  world  was  depraved  before 
God,  and  the  face  of  all  the  earth  was  full 
of  wickedness,  the  sons  of  God  saw"  the 
daughters  of  men  that  they  were  fair,  and 
they  took  them  wives  of  all  whom  they 
chose,  and  would  not  suffer  themselves  to 
be  reproved  by  the  Spirit  of  God;  then  spake 
the  Lord,  I  will  yet  give  them  respite  for 
a  hundred  and  twenty  years;  he  also  gave 
jSToah  a  command,  that  he  should  make  a 
ship  or  ark,  by  which  he  and  his  house 
might  be  saved  from  the  coming  flood,  for 
God  the  Lord  was  about  to  destroy  the 
whole  world  with  water.  Noah  believed  the 
word  of  the  Lord  with  all  his  heart,  and 
kept  it  in  his  mind,  as  if  he  saw  it  before 
him  with  his  eyes.  He  commenced  building 
as  he  had  been  commanded,  for  he  believed 
with  his  whole  heart,  that  the  threatened 
punishment  would  come.  And  when  the  ap- 
pointed year  was  completed,  and  the  dis- 
obedient, wicked  v/orld  repented  not,  the 
word  of  the  Lord  must  be  accomplished. 
Noah  went  into  the  ark  with  all  clean  and 
unclean  creatures  as  the  Lord  commanded 


him.  The  same  day  that  he  entered  the  ark, 
the  fountains  of  the  great  deep  were  broken 
up,  and  the  windows  of  heaven  were  opened, 
and  it  rained  forty  days  and  forty  nights, 
till  all  the  high  mountains  upon  the  face  of 
the  whole  earth  were  covered;  fifteen  cubits 
upward  did  the  waters  prevail ;    and  all 
j  creatiu-es  upon  the  earth  that  had  in  them 
!  the  breath  of  life,  as  men,  bii"ds,  beasts  and 
j  worms  were  destroyed.  Noali  and  his  fami- 
ly, together  with  the  animals  which  were 
j  with  him  in  the  ark,  were  preserved  in  the 
I  ark  by  the  power  and  grace  of  Almighty 
God,  in  whom  Noah  trusted  with  all  his 
I  heart. 

:  Through  faith,  saith  Paul,  Noah  honored 
God,  and  prejjared  the  ark  for  the  salvation 
of  his  house,  according  to  the  divine  com- 
mand which  was  not  yet  seen,  through 
which  he  condemned  the  world,  and  became 
:  an  inheriter  of  the  righteousness  which  is 
by  faith. 

Oh!  lovely  example,  O  glorious  pattern  of 
a  sure  and  firm  faith.  For,  as  he  believed 
his  God,  so  was  he  upright  and  unwavering. 
He  believed  the  threatened  punishment  firm- 
ly, as  if  he  saw  it  before  his  eyes,  and  there- 
fore he  labored  so  many  years,  and,  through 
the  eternal  Spirit  of  Christ,  he  warned  the 
imbelieving,  disobedient  spirits,  or  men  led 
captive  by  sin,  to  repent  and  reform.  He 
feared  the  word  of  the  Lord,  and  doubted 
not  that  it  would  haj^pen  as  the  Lord  had 


126 


FAITH. 


spoken.  He  well  knew  that  the  word  of  the 
Lord  was  powerfiil,  as  the  prophet  said, 
"O  Lord,  thou  spakcst  from  the  ben-inning 
of  tlie  creation,  and  saidst  thus.  Let  heaven 
and  eartli  be  made;  and  thr  word  was  a 
perfect  work,"  2  Esdras  6:  38.' 

And  when  he  had  preached  and  built 
fort}',  eighty  or  a  hundred  years  (the  Script- 
ures do  not  say  how  long  he  built  and 
taught),  he  did  not  become  weak  in  faith 
by  long  delay,  for  he  well  knew  that  the 
punishment  of  God  would  come  upon  the 
unconverted,  because  he  had  formerly  so 
told  him,  and  that  he,  and  his  would  be 
preseiTed  through  the  mercy  and  grace  of 
him  who  promised,  for  he  is  the  God  of 
truth,  and  no  lie  is  found  in  him. 

The  Lord  God  warned  the  pious  Noah, 
and  said,  "The  end  of  all  hesh  is  come  be- 
fore me,  for  the  earth  is  tilled  with  violence 
through  them,  and  behold,  I  will  destroy 
them  with  the  earth,'"  Gen.  6:  13.  So  also 
hath  he  through  his  own  blessed  Son,  through 
his  holy  prophets  and  apostles,  with  his  hblj^ 
word,  truthfully  warned  us  and  said,  If  j'ou 
repent  not,  be  not  born  of  God,  believe  not 
in  Christ,  walk  not  in  his  commandments, 
reform  not  your  wicked  lives,  but  serve 
strange  Gods,  be  haughty,  proud,  ambi- 
tious, lustful,  blood-thirst}',  malicious,  un- 
just, idle,  earthly,  Heshly,  and  devilish,  you 
will  die  in  your  sins,  and  shall  not  enter 
into  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  shall  be  con- 
demned, shall  be  cast  into  the  fiery  pool, 
must  inherit  eternal  woe  and  pain,  with  all 
the  acciu'sed,  and  with  devils,  and  have  no  ] 
part  nor  communion  in  the  kingdom  of 
Christ,  to  all  eternity. 

My  readers,  take  heed,  if  we,  with  the  up- 
right and  godly  Noah,  observe  the  faithful 
warnings  of  Christ  and  his  Holy  Spirit,  and 
believe  with  the  whole  heart ;  lielieve  the 
word  of  God  to  be  time  and  immutable,  the 
threatened  jiunishment  will  come  in  its  time, 
even  though  it  should  be  delayed  a  thou- 
sand years ;  yet,  I  advise  that  every  one 
watch,  for  all  who  die  in  their  sins,  receive 
their  punishment,  for  the  time  of  grace  is 
then  expired;  then  we  would  undoubtedly 
fear  and  tremble  to  the  inmost  of  our  souls, 
at  the  wrath  and  punishment,  threatened  in 
the  Scriptures  to  all  the  impenitent  which 
will  l)e  eternal  in  its   duration ;   we  would 


1  pray  to  God  for  grace,  would  clothe  our- 
I  selves  in  sackcloth  and  mourning  garments, 
would  truly  repent,  reform  the  wicked  life, 
follow  after  righteousness,  and  with  our  new 
and  spiritual  Noah,  Christ  Jesus,  enter  into 
the  new  and  spiritual  ark,  which  is  his 
church ;  ever  being  careful  and  fearful  that 
the  deluge  of  the  coming  wrath  of  God,  will 
not  unexpectedly  overtake  us  with  all  the 
unbelieving  and  impenitent,  who  acknowl- 
edge neither  God  nor  Christ,  neither  Spirit 
nor  word,  as  it  overtook  the  corrupt  antedi- 
luvian world  as  mentioned;  yea,  we  woidd 
sincerely  watch  for  the  coming  of  the  Lord, 
and  give  heed  to  the  time  of  grace,  preserve 
our  wedding  garment,  and  have  oil  in  our 
.  lamps,  that  our  house  be  not  unseasonably 
'  broken  through,  and  we  with  the  girest,  who 
had  not  on  a  wedding  garment,  be  cast  forth 
from  the  Lord's  wedding,  into  outer  dark- 
ness and  abide  eternally  without. 

Because  alas,  we  do  not  believe  the  threats, 
pvmishments,  wrath  and  judgments  of  the 
Lord,  and  have  little  regard  for  the  exam- 
ples of  Scripture,  therefore,  we  say  with  the 
mockers,  Beloved,  where  is  the  promise  of 
his  coming  ?  All  things  abide  as  they  were 
from  the  beginning  since  the  fathers  fell 
asleep.  It  will,  I  fear,  happen  with  us  as  it 
did  with  the  unbelievers  and  disobedient 
who  were  overtaken  with  sudden  destruction 
in  the  time  of  Noah  and  Lot,  as  one  may 
plainly  see  and  read  concerning  the  coining 
of  the  Lord,  Matt.  24;  Luke  17;  because  we 
do  not  believe  the  threats,  judgments,  and 
wTath  of  the  Lord,  but  disregard  them,  there- 
fore do  we  lead  such  a  reckless,  unbridled 
life,  follow  the  lusts  of  the  flesh,  eat,  drink, 
build,  sow,  reap  and  marry  without  any 
fear  or  care,  and  avariciously  hoard  up  gold, 
silver  and  possessions,  and  haughtily  say 
in  our  hearts  there  is  peace  and  liberty,  till 
swift  destruction  shall  overtake  us. 

Again,  let  every  one  look  well  and  watch. 
The  messenger,  with  his  peremptory  sum- 
mons is  already  at  the  door,  who  will  say. 
Render  an  account ;  thou  mayest  be  no  long- 
er steward.  But  could  we,  with  the  unwav- 
ering and  pious  Noah,  firmly  believe  the 
coming  eternal  \\Tatli  and  punisliment,  also 
the  promises  through  Christ,  to  all  true  chil- 
dren of  God,  we  would,  undoubtedly,  not  be 
found  so  inattentive,  drowsv  and   indiffer- 


FAITH. 


121 


ent,  but  with  full  earnestness  witliout  delay, 
rise  from  our  abominable  sin,  separate  our- 
selves from  our  grievous  errors,  and  slum 
wickedness  as  we  would  a  liungry,  roaring 
lion,  or  a  blood-tliirsty  enemy ;  we  should  also 
watch  with  open  eyes  all  our  days,  lest  the 
Master  of  the  house  overtake  us  wlien  we 


sleep  and  regard  us  not.  Let  us  not  strike 
our  fellow  servants;  neither  eat  nor  drink 
with  gormandizers,  that  he  may  not  give  us 
our  portion  and  lot  with  the  hypocrites. 
Concerning  this  watching,  read  Matt.  24; 
Mark  13:  37. 


ABRAHAM'S  FAITH  AND  OBEDIENCE. 


Abraham,  the  highly  renowned  patriarch, 
who  had  not  his  equal  in  honor,  as  Sirach 
writes,  believed  God  and  trusted  upon  his 
word  with  the  whole  heart,  and  thus  man- 
ifested obedience  and  power  as  the  result 
of  his  faith.  The  Lord  commanded  him 
and  said,  "Get  thee  out  of  thy  country, 
and  from  thy  kindred,  and  from  thy  fath- 
er's house,  unto  a  land  that  I  will  shew  thee, 
and  I  will  make  of  thee  a  great  nation,  and 
I  will  bless  thee,  and  make  thy  name  great, 
and  thou  shalt  be  a  blessing,  and  I  will 
bless  them  that  bless  thee,  and  curse  him 
that  curseth  thee,  and  in  thee  shall  all  fam- 
ilies of  the  earth  be  blessed,"  Gen.  12:  1 — 3. 
When  he  heard  the  command,  he  believed 
his  God  and  consulted  not  the  ease  of  his 
body  nor  his  natural  reason,  but  renounced 
both,  and  did  not  strive  nor  dispute  with 
God,  in  whom  he  trusted  and  by  whose 
command  he  went  forth;  he  did  not  desire 
to  know  before  hand  into  what  land  he 
should  go.  He  believed  his  God  with  his 
whole  heart,  he  was  obedient  and  went  forth 
at  that  hour,  together  with  Sarai,  his  wife, 
not  knowing  where  he  should  go.  He  re- 
posed firmly  and  surely  upon  the  promise 
of  God,  who  would  not  deceive  nor  betray 
him,  for  he  well  knew  that  he  was  a  God 
who  was  true  and  firm  in  all  his  words,  and 
that  he  would  bring  him  into  such  a  country 
as  he  had  promised  him. 

Behold,  how  upright  and  perfect,  how 
plain,  obedient,  and  full  of  confidence  is 
true,  christian  faith,  as  may  he  seen  in  this 
patriarch.  Compare  your  faith  and  its  fruits 
with  Abraham's  faith  and  its  fruits,  and  I 
presume  you  will  iind  that  you  have  never 
yet  become  his  faithful  seed  and  children; 
IG 


i  for  it  is  manifest  that  you  are  stubborn  and 
I  unbelieving,  so  fleshly  and  earthly  minded 
;  that  you  would  not  give  a  clay  house,  a 
poor  bed,  a  cow  or  a  horse,  nor  would  you 
'  endure  a  hard  word  for  the  sake  of  the  word 
of  the  Lord,  and  his  testimony;  and  I  doubt 
j  whether  you  would  forsake  father  or  mother. 
i  or  the  land  of  yom-  birth,  for  the  sake  of 
:  your  faith,  and  like  Abraham,  travel  with 
■5\ife   and   children  to   an    imknown    land. 
j  Cursed  unbelief  keeps  off  the  whole  vforld 
I  from  the  truth ;   for  many  of  you  say.  We 
well  know  that  you  have  the  truth,  but  what 
does  it  avail?  We  are  poor  and  full  of  years, 
we  cannot  longer  labor  or  earn;  we  have  a 
house  fuH  of  children  and  cannot  earn  our 
bread  in  other  lands;  we  fear,  also,  that  the 
Lord  may  not  have  su,ch  a  care  for  us  as  he 
had  for  Abraham ;  others,  sa}'  we,  have  much 
wealth,  we  are  young  in  years,  and  may 
live  long,  yet  father  and  mother  hinder  us. 
The  wife  says,  my  husband  opposes  me ; 
the  husband  says,  my  wife  is  against  me, 
and  the  like  unbelieving  fleshly  excuses  and 
cares.   They  never  take  to  heart,  nor  under- 
stand, that  Christ  has  richly  promised  you, 
that  if  you  abide  by  his  word,  you  shall  re- 
ceive all  the  necessaries  of  the  earth,  as  food, 
clothing,  and  shelter.    "I  have  been  yoimg, 
and  now  I  am  old;  yet  have  I  not  seen  the 
righteous  forsaken,  nor  his  seed   begging 
!  bread,"  Ps.  37:  25. 

■  Faithful  readers,  observe,  if  we  had  a  firm 
:  faith  and  a  sure  confidence,  like  this  godly 
man,  and  dare  trust  from  the  heart  upon  the 
living  God,  O  how  little  should  we  trouble 
ourselves  with  such  heathenish  cares,  con- 
cerning dwelling,  eating,  drinking,  and 
:  clothing,  for  we  well  know,   that  Christ, 


122 


FAITH. 


God's  own  Son,  has  promised  that  if  we  | 
seek  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and  his  right- 
eousness, and  turn  our  hearts  to  some  hon- 
est labor,  he  will  not  forsake  us  to  all  eter- 
nity, but  will  supply  all  our  necessities,  for  j 
he  cares  for  us.  j 

Secondly,  obser\"e  his  faith,  when  a  mes- 
sage came  to  Abraham,  that  Lot,  his  broth- 
er's son,  was  taken  to  Sodom  by  Chedorla- 
omar,  the  king  of  Elam,  and  his  confederate 
kings,  Abraham  rose  up  with  three  hundred  | 
and  eighteen  of  his  servants  and  followed  ' 
after  the  aforementioned  kings ;  he  overtook 
them  in  the  night  and  slew  them  and  re-took 
all  their  goods,  togetlier  with  Lot,  the  pris- 
oners and  their  wives,  Gen.  14:  16. 

Here  the  fait! iful  patriarch  manifested  his 
love,  the  result  of  faith,  and  feared  not  the 
power  of  the  four  kings.    He  trusted  in  the 
living  God,  he  sought  not  his  own  safety, 
nor  the  safety  of  his  servants,  but  willingly  j 
risked  all,  in  order  that  he  might  rescue  his 
oppressed  liinsman  from  the  hands  of  his 
enemies,  as  an  example  for  all  the  spiritual  i 
children  of  Abraham,  that  they  should  so  | 
love  their  brethren  who  are  born  of  the  in- 
corruptible seed  of  the  holy  divine  word, 
and  not  only  assist  them  with  money  and  \ 
goods,  hnt  also  in  an  evangelical  manner,  ^ 
risk  and  give  their  lives  for  them  m  time  of 
need.    I  say  in  an  evangelical  manner;  for 
the  aid  of  the  sword  is  forbidden  to  all  true 
christians.     According  to  the  New  Testa-  , 
ment,  all  true  believers  should  meekly  suf-  [ 
fer,  and  not  fight  and  combat  with  swords 
and  firearms.    But  if  we  wish  to  save  or 
gain  om-  neighbor's  soul,  by  the  help  of  the 
Spirit  and  word  of  om-  Lord,  or  if  we  see 
our  brethren  in  need  or  peril,  and  perse- 
cuted for  the  sake  of  the  word  of  the  Lord, 
then  we  should  not  close  our  doors  to  them, 
but  receive  them  in  om-  houses,  share  with 
them  our  food,  aid,  comfort  and  assist  them 
in  their  tribulations,  &c.    In  such  cases,  we 
should  risk  our  lives  for  our  brethren,  even 
if  we  knew  beforehand  that  it  would  be  at 
the  cost  of  our  lives.   This  example  we  have 
of  Chi-ist,  who  for  our  sakes,  did  not  spare 
himself,  but  willingly  yielded  his  life,  that 
we  through  him,  might  live. 

In  the  third  place,  observe,  that  to  Abra- 
ham tlie  promise  was  given,  that  his  seed 
should  be  as  numerous  as  the  stars  of  heav- 


en ;  that  they  shoidd  be  strangers  in  another 
land  that  was  not  theirs,  and  that  they 
should  be  oppressed  and  compelled  to  serve 
four  Inmdred  years,  &c.  When  this  promise 
was  made  lie  believed;  he  believed  this,  and 
his  belief  was  reckoned  to  him  for  right- 
eousness. He  waited  with  patience,  and  it 
was  fulfilled  in  its  time;  he  murmured  not, 
nor  disputed  with  God,  because  his  seed 
shoidd  suffer  so  greatly  for  so  many  years. 
An  admonition  to  all  true  christians  that 
they  should  cleave  to  the  word  of  the  Lord, 
with  all  the  heart,  and  shoidd  hold  firmly 
to  his  promise;  for  God  cannot  forget  or 
break  his  word ;  heaven  and  earth  shall 
pass  awaj-,  but  his  word  shall  stand  and 
abide  forever.  All  who  sliall  trust  in  it,  to 
them  it  shall  be  reckoned  as  righteousness, 
as  it  was  to  Abraham.  Through  faith  he 
saw  the  promise  fi'om  afar;  he  saw  it,  and 
comforted  himself  therewith.  In  like  man- 
ner also  with  us,  the  promise  of  the  future, 
eternal  life,  is  given  through  Christ,  and  we 
are  informed  that  for  his  name's  sake,  we 
must  suffer  much  from  this  perverted  and 
wicked  generation.  This  promise  is  seen 
from  afar,  and  a,ll  who  sincerely  believe  it 
and  comfort  themselves  therewitli,will  doubt- 
lessly receive  it  in  due  time,  however  hard 
and  long  they  may  be  persecuted  and  tor- 
mented by  the  evil  Egyptian  race.  For,  al- 
though the  children  of  Abraham  were  grieved 
with  much  sorrow  and  pain  for  some  hun- 
dreds of  years,  yet  did  the  Lord,  according 
to  his  promise,  lead  them  forth  victoriously, 
and  gave  them  the  land  of  promise ;  and 
thus  it  will  be  with  us  if  we  doubt  not  the 
promises,  but  receive  them  with  a  firm  faith, 
as  Abraham  did,  and  throiigh  faith  walk  in 
all  the  commandments  of  God,  possess  our 
soids  in  patience  and  honor,  fear,  love,  thank 
and  serve  the  Lord.  How  lamentablj'  so- 
ever, we  are  here  persecuted,  oppressed, 
smitten,  robbed  and  murdered  by  the  hell- 
ish Pharaoh,  and  his  fierce,  unmerciful  serv- 
ants, or  burned  at  the  stake,  or  drowned  in 
the  water,  yet  shall  the  day  of  our  salvation 
arrive,  and  all  our  tears  shall  be  wiped  from 
oiu'  eyes,  and  we  shall  be  arrayed  in  the 
white  silken  robes  of  righteousness,  and 
with  Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob,  follow  the 
Lamb,  and  sit  down  in  the  kingdom  of  God 
and  possess  the  precious,  pleasant  land  of 


FAITH. 


138 


eternal  peace.  Praise  God,  ye  vvlio  suffer  for 
Christ's  sake  and  raise  yonr  heads,  for  the 
time  is  near  when  yon  shall  hear.  Come  ye 
blessed,  and  ye  shall  rejoice  with  him  for- 
ever. 

In  the  fom-th  place,  observe,  that  Abra- 
ham received  a  command  from  God,  that  he 
and  also  his  male  children  of  eight  days 
old,  should  be  circnmcised,  with  all  his 
servants,  those  who  were  born  in  his  honse, 
and  those  who  were  bought,  and  this  should 
be  a  covenant  sign  between  God  and  him. 
He  was  not  disobedient  to  God,  nor  yet  dis- 
pleased with  him.neither  did  he  complain  nor 
mnrmnr  against  him  on  account  of  the  great 
pain  and  smarting  he  should  suffer  in  his 
old  age,  by  performing  such  a  dishonorable 
and  ridiculous  cerem^ony,  whereby  he  could 
neither  praise  God,  nor  help  or  serve  his 
neighbor,  but  he  heard  and  believed  the 
word  of  the  Lord,  and  humbly  and  submis- 
sively followed  it  without  delay.  He  well 
knew,  that  unless  he  would  believe  the  word 
of  God,  he  could  obtain  nq  grace,  no  bless- 
ing, no  promise,  for  only  the  obedient  ob- 
tain the  promise. 

Here  again  the  simple,  plain  submission, 
and  willing  obedience  of  Abraham's  faith, 
are  made  manifest  hy  its  fi-uits;  for  if  he 
had  followed  flesh  and  blood,  and  reasoned 
with  himself,  he  undoubtedly  would  not  have 
obeyed,  but  he  would  have  entered  into  ar- 
gument with  God,  and  said,  No,  Lord,  it 
shall  not  be  so,  for  this  sign  will  profit  me 
nothing,  for  Thou  art  not  praised  thereby 
nor  my  neighbor  served.  All  the  heathen 
who  know  not  thy  great  name  will  mock  at 
it  as  foolishness,  from  the  very  natm'e  of  the 
ceremony.  O  no!  He  spake  not  against  the 
Lord,  bi\t  he  believed  and  acted,  and  it  was 
reckoned  to  him  for  righteousness,  and  lie 
was  called  the  friend  of  God. 

This  is  for  the  encoiu-agement  of  all  the 
pious,  that  they  should  believe,  and  submis- 
sively follow  the  word  of  the  Lord,  however 
heretical  and  ridiculous  it  may  appear  to 
them,  not  mui-muring  against  the  Lord  why 
he  so  commanded  it;  but  it  is  enough  that 
they  know  that  he  has  commanded,  and  in 
what  manner  he  has  commanded. 

Again,  it  shames  all  haughty  despisers 
and  unbelieving  mockers,  who  so  presumpt- 
uously open   their   blasphemous,   wicked 


mouths  against  Christ,  and  say.  What  can 
baptism  profit  us,  or  why  does  God  de- 
mand so  much  water  ?  It  is  enough,  if  we 
are  inwardl.y  pious  men,  regard  the  com- 
mands of  love,  and  lead  a  pious,  virtuous 
life,  and  such  like  hj^jociitical  words;  for 
these  poor  miserable  hypocrites  know  not 
when  the  inward  man,  of  which  they  boast, 
has  become  upright  through  faith  and  pi- 
ous in  God,  throTigh  the  grace,  word,  and 
Spirit  of  the  Lord,  that  he  dare  not  depart 
one  hair's  breadth  from  the  word  and  ways 
of  the  Lord,  but  does  willingly  all  things 
wlia,tsoever  the  Lord  has  commanded  him, 
let  it  be  what  it  will. 

It  is  very  manifest  that  Christ  Jesus  has 
commanded  water  baptism,  upon  the  con- 
fession of  our  faith,  and  that  he  received  it 
himself,  Matt.  3:  16.  The  holy  apostles  did 
not  teach,  nor  practice  otherwise ;  their  sig- 
nification and  effect  were  not  otherwise,  and 
so  many  glorious  promises  depend  thereon, 
as  may  plainly  be  seen  and  read,  Mark  16: 
15  (understand  me  rightly),  not  by  \'irtiie  of 
the  wrought  sign  itself,  but  that  we  receive 
Christ,  in  whom  the  Father  ga,ve  the  promise 
thi'ough  faith,  and  are  ready  to  live  accord- 
ing to  his  word.  Say,  beloved,  how  shall 
one  obtain  the  accompanying  promise  if  he 
does  not  do  what  is  commanded  ?  But  what 
does  it  avail  all  wlio  believe  not  the  Lord's 
word,  who  would  rather  have  money,  goods, 
body  and  life,  than  Christ?  They  are  earthly 
and  fleshly  minded,  tliey  strive  against 
Christ,  disobey  the  Scriptiu'es,  dispute  and 
say.  What  can  water  benefit  us?  But  if  they 
believed  the  word  of  the  Lord  from  the 
heart,  as  Abraham  did,  and  were  new  and 
changed  men  in  Christ  Jesus,  through  the 
power  of  the  same  faith,  they  would  love 
their  enemies,  do  good  for  evil,  pray  for 
those  by  wliom  they  ai'e  persecuted,  be 
ready  to  forsake  possessions  and  all  that 
they  have  and  are  for  the  glory  of  the 
Lord,  a.nd  for  the  necessary  service  of  their 
neighbor.  They  would  not  reject  the  cross 
of  the  Lord,  but  flesh  and  blood  would  be 
mortified ;  they  would  fear  God  and  his 
judgments,  ancl  love  him,  for  his  kindness; 
they  would  undoubtedly  not  murmur  and 
dispute,  but  stand  prepared,  like  Abraham, 
to  seal-  their  faith  by  its  fmits ;  they  would 
receive  the  commanded  baptism,  surrender 


134 


FAITH. 


themselves  to  all  obedience,  and  according 
to  their  weakness,  walk  as  the  Lord  com- 
mands, teaches  and  enjoins  upon  all  true 
Christians. 

Since  they  believe  not  Christ  and  his  word, 
they  neither  fear  nor  love  him ;  therefore 
they  reject,  npbraid  and  blaspheme  his  holy 
doctrine,  Spirit,  commandments,  prohibi- 
tions, ordinances  and  usages  as  deceiving 
heresy,  and  obedience  to  him  as  an  open 
abomination.  O  reader,  beware!  God,*the 
Lord,  is  a  God  who  adheres  to  his  word; 
he  brought  calamity  upon  Adam  and  Eve 
and  their  posterity  on  account  of  the  forbid- 
den fruit.  For  a  small  transgression  Uzzah 
was  punished  with  death,  2  Sam.  6:7.  On 
account  of  one  transgression,  the  faithful 
Moses  was  not  permitted  to  enter  the  prom- 
ised land.  AMioever  received  not  the 
bloody  sign  of  circumcision,  was  to  be  cut 
off  fi-om  among  the  people.  Therefore,  it 
must  be  plainly  imderstood,  that  his  word  I 
and  \vill  must  be  obeyed,  otherwise  we  can-  i 
not  be  saved,  for  he  is  the  God  who  has 
made  heaven  and  earth  and  the  fullness  | 
thereof;  the  Almighty,  terrible  God,  who  j 
lives  forever  in  his  majesty  and  glory;  the  : 
Lord  and  Ruler  over  all.  Woe  to  him  who  j 
speaks  against  him  and  despises  his  word 
and  mil.  The  works  of  such  an  one  testify 
that  he  believes  not  in  Christ,  and  whoso- 
ever believeth  not,  as  Chiist  himself  declares, 
is  condemned  already.  Therefore,  it  is  all 
in  vain  to  excuse  ourselves  or  seek  evasion. 
How  any  one  who  is  so  unbelieving  and  re- 
bellious, that  he  refuses  God  a  handful  of 
water,  can  conform  himself  to  love  his  ene- 
mies, mortify  the  llesh  to  the  service  of  his 
neighbor,  and  to  take  up  the  cross  of  Christ, 
I  will  leave  the  serious  reader  to  reflect  up- 
on, in  the  fear  of  God. 

I  know  for  certain,  that  all  their  disputa- 
tion, pretentions  and  evasions  are  nothing 
but  fig  leaves,  and  their  lives,  nothing  but 
hypocrisy. 

In  the  fifth  place  obsei-ve,  when  the  Lord 
had  spoken  to  Abraham,  that  at  the  end  of 
the  year  he  would  return,  and  that  Sarah, 
his  wife,  should  have  a  son,  whom  he  should 
call  Isaac,  and  that  he  would  make  his  eter- 
nal covenant  with  him  and  his  seed  after 
him ;  though  he  was  nearly  a  hundi'ed  years 
old,    and    Sarah    ninety,  nevertheless,   he 


doubted  not.  He  did  not  think  upon,  or 
regard  his  own  frailty  and  the  barrenness 
of  Sarah,  but  fh-m  and  strong  in  faith,  he 
trusted  u]Don  the  promise  of  his  God,  and 
praised  him  for  his  grace;  for  he  knew  that 
God  was  able  to  perform  that  which  he  had 
promised.  Therefore,  from  this  same  Abra- 
ham, because  he  believed  the  word  of  the 
Lord,  descended  as  many  as  the  sand  which 
is  upon  the  sea  shore  or  the  stars  of  heaven, 
Gen.  22:  17. 

Behold,  most  beloved,  how  an  upright,  un- 
feigned, christian  faith  regards  God  as  al- 
mighty and  true;  it  knows  that  he  can  and 
will  do  all  that  he  has  jaromised,  and  there- 
fore, Abraham  looked  not  upon  the  frailty 
and  age  of  himself  and  Sarah.  He  doubted 
not  the  promised  words,  but  believed  without 
wavering,  for  he  knew  well,  that  tlie  same 
God  who  created  heaven  and  earth,  and 
the  fullness  thereof  through  his  word,  who 
stretched  the  heavens  abroad,  and  to  the 
stormy,  raging  sea  set  an  established  bound, 
whose  word  sustains  the  earth  in  the  midst 
of  the  water,  who  rules  all  with  the  word  of 
his  strength,  and  gives  life  to  the  dead,  could 
undoubtedly,  when  he  chose,  render  that 
fmitful,  which  before  was  barren. 

Since  then,  such  a  promise  was  given  to 
him  of  God,  he  doubted  not,  but  hoped  for 
that,  which  in  nature,  was  not  to  be  expect- 
ed. Through  faith  in  God,  he  received  that 
which  was  promised  to  him,  namely  his  son 
Isaac,  through  the  aged  and  barren  Sarah; 

j  so  in  like  manner  it  is  spiritually  with  us ; 

:  if  we  believe,  with  the  whole  heart,  the  prom- 

I  ised  word  of  grace,  which  is  the  gospel  of 
peace,  whereby  the  redemption  from  our 

'  sins,  through  the  blood  of  the  Lord,  is  made 
known  ;  so  will  also  our  dead  conscience 
flourish  and  live;  we  shall  receive  the  spii-- 
itual  Isaac,  Christ  Jesus,  with  the  eternal 
blessing,  and  bring  forth  fruit.   Christ  said, 

'  My  mother  and  my  brethren  are  those,  who 
hear  the  word  and  will  of  God,  and  do  ac- 
cordingly ;  but  whosoever  believeth  not  this 
Isaac,  receives  not  Christ,  but  the  wrath  of 
God  abides  upon  him. 

i  In  the  sixth  place  observe,  how  severely 
the  Lord  tried  the  faith  of  Abraham,  when 
he  said,  "  Take  now  thy  son,  thine  only  son, 

i  Isaac,  whom  thou  lovest,  and  get  thee  into 

I  the  land  of  Moriah,  and  offer  him  there  for 


FAITH. 


125 


a  burnt  offerina;  iipon  one  of  the  mountains 
which  I  will  tell  thee  of,"  Gen.  22:  2.  Abra- 
ham heard  the  word  of  the  Lord  and  was 
obedient.  He  took  his  son  with  him  and 
went  to  the  place,  which  the  Lord  had  com- 
manded him ;  and  when  he  came  there,  Isaac 
said.  Father,  behold  here  is  tire  and  wood, 
but  where  is  the  lamb  that  shall  be  offered  'i 
Abraham  answered  his  son,  and  said,  "My 
son,  God  will  provide  himself  a  lamb  for 
a  burnt-offering." 

O  my  most  beloved,  reflect !  Observe  the 
conduct  and  conversation  of  Abraham  and 
his  son  Isaac.  I  suppose  reason  will  teach 
you  how  full  of  trouble  and  giief  the  mind 
of  the  father  was  on  account  of  his  beloved 
son,  for  Abraham  was^flesh  and  blood  as 
we  are.  That  son,  who  was  born  to  him  in 
his  old  age,  through  the  promise  and  gift  of 
God,  his  only  son  born  of  a  free  woman,  the 
desire,  the  joy  and  the  peace  of  his  heart, 
the  staff  of  his  age,  through  whom  he  re- 
ceived the  comforting  promise;  mrist  be  slain 
and  bui'ued  with  fire. 

How  hard  and  sorely  he  was  tried,  yet 
did  he  not  oppose  God  with  a  single  word, 
nor  contend  and  say.  Why  hast  thou  given 
me  a  son  since  he  must  die  'i  Neither  did  he 
reprove  the  Lord,  by  saying,  that  he  had 
falsified  his  promise,  for  it  was  through 
Isaac  that  the  promise  -was  made,  but  he 
confided  in  his  God  mth  his  whole  heart; 
he  laid  aside  all  reasoning  and  wisdom,  and 
followed  not  sense  nor  flesh.  He  spared 
not  his  beloved  son  for  the  Lord's  sake.  He 
loved  his  God  far  above  his  child,  and  there- 
fore he  refused  not  to  offer  him  willingly  as 
a  burnt  offering  to  Him  from  whom  he  re- 
ceived him.  He  bound  him  and  lifted  him 
upon  the  avoocI,  and  raised  his  hand  and 
knife  to  slay  him ;  he  believed  that  God 
could  again  raise  him  fi'om  the  dead.  He 
was  about  to  obey  the  command  which  he 
had  received,  when  an  angel  spake  from 
Heaven,  saying,  "Lay  not  thine  hand  upon 
the  lad,  neither  do  thou  any  thing  unto  him, 
for  now  I  know  that  thou  fearest  God ;  see- 
ing thou  hast  not  withheld  thy  son,  thine 
only  son  from  me,"  Gen.  23:  12.  And  thus 
the  obedient,  faithful  Abraham  received  his 
son  as  a  tj^pe  of  the  resurrection.  The  word 
of  James  is  true,  "Abraham  believed  God, 
and  it  was  imputed  xinto  him  for  righteous- 


I  ness,  and  he  was  called  the  friend  of  God," 
James  2:  23. 

Beloved  children,  we  must  always  stand 
confounded  before  God,  when  we  compare 
our  little,  weak  faith  and  its  fruit  with  the 
faith  of  Abraham.    He  refused  not  to  travel 
in  an  unknown  country,  as  soon  as  he  was 
j  commanded.    He  was  a  man  full  of  peace, 
and  sought  not  his  own  interest.     He  re- 
i  leased  Lot  out  of  the  hands  of  his  enemies. 
i  He  believed  the   promise   concerning   the 
;  promised  land  and  seed.     He  murmured 
I  not  on  account  of  the  long  time  nor  of  the 
j  oppression  of  his  seed.    He  sirffered  him- 
self to  be  circumcised  in  advanced  age.    He 
believed    the    Lord's    promise    concerning 
i  Isaac,  and  taught  all  his  servants  and  chil- 
dren, that  they  should  follow  the  way  of 
the  Lord,  and  do  that  which  was  right.   He 
j  was  willing  to  offer  Isaac  as  the  Lord  had 
■  commanded  him.   This  may  truly  be  called 
I  faith. 

j      So  entirely  was  this  pious  man  dead  to 
himself,  that  he  denied  all  his  lusts,  his  will 
I  and  mind,  and  loved  his  God  alone.    He 
;  trusted,  feared,  loved  and  honored  his  God, 
'  with  all  his  soul  and  heart,  and  walked  ac- 
cording to  his  commandments,  as  is  evi- 
denced by  his  fruits,  as  may  be  observed 
and  understood    from   many  passages  of 
Scriptm-e.  But  what  kind  of  faith  our  false, 
boasting  christians  possess,  who  sufier  them- 
selves to  think  that  they  are  the  seed  of 
,  Abraham,  I  will  let  their  fruits  be  the  judge; 
for  they  covet  and  hoard,  curse  and  swear, 
\  lie  and  cheat ;  they  are  haughty  and  proud, 
i  eat  and  drink  intemperately,  commit  forni- 
'  cation  and  adultery,  fight,  rob,  steal,  take 
!  usury,  and  are  full  of  idolatry  and  wicked- 
ness.   Those  who  have  a  little  light  refuse 
to  remove  from  one  village  to  another,  or 
from  one  city  to  another,  for  the  word  and 
truth  of  the  Lord;  they  seek  their  own  in- 
i  terests,  and  esteem  brotherly  love  but  light- 
I  ly;  they  are  earthly  minded,  and  flee  from 
i  the  cross  of  Christ ;   they  regard  not  the 
;  promise  and  goodness  of  the  Lord  ;   they 
j  fear  not  his  coming  judgment,  and  punish- 
ment ;  they  love  the  creatm-e  more  than  the 
Creator;  his  name  be  blessed  forever.  Amen. 
In  short,  I  know  not  what  it  is,  in  which 
I  they  do  not  serve  themselves,  nor  act  con- 
\  trary  to  the  command  of  God.    They  boast 


126 


FAITH. 


notwithstanding,  that  they  are  the  children 
of  Abraham,  and  have  his  promise.  All  no! 
my  friends,  yonr  prophets  have  led  you 
astray,  and  yom-  false  hopes  deceive  yon; 
as  true  as  the  Lord  lives,  if  you  believe  not 
his  word,  from  the  whole  heart,  nor  through 
the  power  of  the  same  faith,  walk  in  his 
ways,  bring  not  forth  the  christian  fruits  of 
righteousness,  and  do  not  follow  the  foot- 


steps of  this  pious  patriarch;  you  are  not 
his  seed  and  children,  neither  have  j'Oi;  his 
faith  nor  his  promise.  But  all  who  receive 
Christ  in  their  hearts,  through  faith,  and 
adhere  strictly  to  his  word  and  obey  it,  are 
the  si^iritual  childi'eu  of  Abraham,  and  fel- 
low heii-s  of  his  promise,  for  they  are  reck- 
oned his  seed. 


FAITH  AND  FIDELITY  OF  MOSES. 


Moses,  a  servant  aud  messenger  of  God,  | 
was   also   found  faithful,  vigorous,   living 
and  active  in  his  faith.     He  was  called  of 
the  Lord,  that  he  should  lead  Israel  out  of  '< 
Egypt.  He  did  not  exalt  himself  to  the  high  ; 
station  of  a  prince,  but  humbled  himself  be- 
fore God  with  all  his  heart,  and  said,  Send, 
Lord,  whom  thou  wilt,  but  what  am  I,  that 
I  should  go  to  Pharaoh  and  lead  forth  Is- 
rael? Besides,  I  am  not  eloquent,  neither; 
heretofore,  nor  since  thou  hast  spoken  unto  ; 
thy  servant,  but  am  of  a  slow  tongue.    He 
refused  so  long,  that  the  Lord  Avas  angry. 
With  fear  and  trembling,  he  at  last  took  : 
upon  himself  the  commanded  duty,  and  sur- 
rendered himseK  to  his  God,  in  whom  he 
trusted. 

He  went  willingly  before  the  fierce  Pha- 
raoh, and  showed  great  wonders  and  power 
before  him  and  all  his  servants.  He  ran- ! 
somed  the  people,  thi'ough  the  out-stretched 
arm  and  strong  hand  of  God.  He  divided 
the  Red  Sea  and  passed  v/ith  Israel,  un- 
harmed, through  the  deep,  Exod.  14:  21,22. 
He  received  the  tables  of  stone  on  which 
were  WTitten  the  commandments  of  the  Lord. 
He  caused  bread  to  rain  from  heaven,  and  \ 
water  to  flow  from  the  flinty  rock.  He  pre- 
Ijared  the  tents  and  the  ark  of  the  testi- 
mony, as  he  was  directed  upon  the  mount- 
ains. He  ordained  the  iigurati\  e  priesthood, 
with  all  the  duties,  offerings,  sanctitications, 
apparel,  &c.,  according  to  the  command  of 
the  Lord. 

He  went  with  the  people,  pitched  the  tents, 
and  took  them  up  again  at  the  command  of 
the  Lord.  He  gave  them  the  commands  and 


statutes  of  the  Lord.  He  stood  as  a  faitliful 
mediator  between  God  and  the  people,  when 
they  had  sinned,  and  he  turned  the  wrath 
from  Israel.  He  punished  idolaters,  whore- 
mongers and  the  rebellious.  He  slew  Sihon, 
king  of  the  Amorites,  and  Og,  Idng  of  Ba- 
shan.  The  Lord  was  with  him  in  all  his 
ways. 

By  faith,  says  Paul,  "He  refused  to  be 
called  the  son  of  Pharaoh's  daughter,  choos- 
ing rather  to  suffer  affliction  with  the  people 
of  God,  than  to  enjoy  the  pleasures  of  sin 
for  a  season,  esteeming  the  reproach  of 
Chi-ist  greater  riches  than  the  treasure  in 
Egypt,  for  he  had  respect  imto  the  recom- 
pense of  the  reward ;  by  faith  he  forsook 
Egypt,  not  fearing  the  wrath  of  the  king,  for 
he  endiu-ed,  as  seeing  him  who  is  invisible. 
Through  faith  he  kept  the  passover,  and  the 
sprinkling  of  blood,  lest  he  that  destroyed 
the  first  born  shoiild  touch  them,"  Heb.  11: 
24—28. 

Kind  reader,  respect  the  word  of  the  Lord, 
for  when  we  look  spiritirally  upon  such  holy 
examples  and  contrast  them  with  the  insup- 
portable pride,  haughtiness,  avarice,  idola- 
try, disobedience  and  unfaithfulness  of  the 
prince  of  the  world,  and  with  the  blind,  mad 
mibelief  of  the  common  people,  then  we  must 
acknowledge  that  they  are  far  from  the  obe- 
dience and  active  faith  of  Moses.  Yea,  they 
are  unbelieving  heatheiis,  and  not  Chris- 
tians. 

Moses  believed  his  God  and  acted  i-ightly 
in  all  his  transactions.  He  was  kind,  and 
solicitous  for  the  welfare  of  the  people  un- 
der his  care,  as  he  was  commanded.    He 


FAITH. 


127 


was  the  meekest  of  men;  served  neither 
for  gift  nor  reward,  but  obeyed  the  voice 
and  word  of  the  Lord;  was  faitliful  in  all 
his  lionse,  and  faithfully  prosecuted  his  du- 
ties in  the  fear  of  the  Lord.  He  faithfully 
commanded  out  of  the  mouth  of  God,  and 
in  upriglit  love,  faithfully  admonished  the 
people,  that  they  and  their  descendants, 
from  generation  to  generation,  should  hear 
and  be  obedient  to  the  voice  of  the  Lord 
God  of  their  fathers,  and  should  follow  no 
other  customs,  commandments,  righteous- 
ness or  worship,  than  that  which  he  had 
taught  or  commanded  thexu,  till  the  new 
prophet,  the  teacher  of  righteousness,  the 
Ijlessed  seed  of  Abraham,  Christ  Jesus, 
should  come. 

But  if  we  would  go  to  our  rulers,  princes, 
lords,  bishops,  priests,  monks  and  preach- 
ers, and  all  those  who  boast  of  the  name 
and  faith  of  Christ ;  if  we  would  rightly 
measure  their  faith  and  obedience  with  the 
word  of  the  Lord,  which  is  the  true  stand- 
ard, and  should  find  some  who  sincerely 
seek  Clirist  from  the  heart,  fear,  love,  be- 


lieve and  trust  him ;  who  teach  and  practice 
rightly  the  ordinances,  commands,  sacra- 
ments and  true  worship  of  God;  who  con- 
form their  whole  lives  both  inwardly  and 
outwardly,  according  to  the  word  and  ex- 
ample of  the  Lord;  and  who,  in  love,  exe- 
cute the  service  which  is  enjoined  on  them, 
as  this  faithful  Moses  has  done  in  all  his 
transactions,  I  fear  tliej^  are  so  few  that  we 
should  have  to  go  far  and  search  long  to 
find  them,  and  if  there  are  still  some,  they 
must  be,  alas,  given  as  a  y)vey  to  the  blood- 
thirsty, and  bear  the  cross  of  the  Lord. 

I  testify  to  you  the  truth  in  Christ,  and 
lie  not.  All  who  hear  not  the  voice  of  Clirisf, 
believe  not  his  holy  word,  follow  not  his 
pure  unblamable  life,  from  the  whole  heart, 
in  all  humility,  patience,  meekness,  obe- 
dience and  love  ;  liave  not  the  working 
and  living  faith  of  Moses,  but  are,  after  the 
contents  of  his  doctrines,  already  judged. 
O,  reader,  l:)eware !  neither  monej-,  name, 
nor  boasting  will  avail  you,  but  power  and 
deeds,  if  you  wisli  to  be  savpd,  and  not  lie 
condemned. 


THE  FAITH  OF  CALEB  AXl)  JOSHUA. 


Joshua  and  Caleb,  through  faith,  passed 
over  Jordan  and  entered  the  promised  land. 
When  Moses  sent  out  the  twelve  spies  to 
view  and  explore  the  country,  he  said,  "Get 
you  up  this  way  southward,  and  go  up  into 
the  mountain,  and  see  the  land  what  it  is, 
and  the  people  that  dwelleth  therein,  wheth- 
er they  be  strong  or  weak,  few  or  many; 
and  what  the  land  is  that  they  dwell  in, 
whether  it  be  good  or  bad,  and  what  cities 
they  be  that  they  dwell  in,  whether  in  tents 
or  in  strong  holds,  and  what  the  land  is, 
whether  it  be  fat  or  lean,  whether  there  be 
wood  therein  or  not ;  and  be  ye  of  good 
com*age,  and  bring  of  the  fruit  of  the  land. 
Now  the  time  was  the  time  of  the  first-ripe 
grapes,"  Num.  13: 17 — 20. 

They  went  up  and  viewed  the  laud,  even 
as  Moses  had  commanded  them  by  the 
mouth  of  the  Lord,  and  after  forty  days 
they  came  to  Moses  and  Aaron,  ancl  to  the 


whole  congregation  in  the  wilderness  of  Pa- 
ran  to  Kadesh,  carrying  with  them  grai^es, 
pomegranates  and  figs,  saying,  "We  cami- 
unto  the  land  whither  thou  sentest  us,  and 
surely  it  flowetli  with  milk  and  honey,  and 
this  is  the  fruit  of  it.  Moreover,  we  saw  the 
children  of  Anak  there.  And  Caleb  stilled 
the  people  before  Moses,  and  said.  Let  us 
go  up  at  once  and  possess  it ;  for  we  are 
well  able  to  overcome  it.  But  the  men  that 
went  up  with  him  said,  we  be  not  able  to  go 
up  against  the  people,  for  they  are  stronger 
than  we.  And  they  brought  iip  an  evil  re- 
port of  the  land  which  they  had  searched 
imto  the  children  of  Israel,  saying.  The  land 
through  which  we  have  gone  to  search  it,  is 
a  land  that  eateth  up  the  inhabitants  there- 
of, and  all  the  people  that  we  saw  in  it  are 
men  of  great  stature ;  and  there  we  saw  the 
giants,  the  sons  of  Anak,  which  come  of  the 
giants;    and  we  were  in  our  own  sight  as 


128 


FAITH. 


grasshoppers,  and  so  we  were  in  their 
sight,"  Num.  13:  27—33. 

"And  all  the  congregation  lifted  iip  their 
voice  and  cried;  and  the  people  wept  that 
night,  and  all  the  childi-en  of  Israel  mur- 
mured against  Moses  and  against  Aaron; 
and  the  whole  congregation  said  nnto  them. 
Would  to  God  that  we  had  died  in  the  land 
of  Egj-pt,  or  would  to  God  we  had  died  in 
the  wilderness,  and  wherefore  hath  the  Lord 
bronght  iis  nnto  tliis  land,  to  fall  by  the 
sword,  that  our  wives  and  our  children 
should  be  a  prey?  Were  it  not  better  for  us 
to  return  into  Egypt?  And  they  said  one  to 
another.  Let  us  make  a  captain,  and  let  us 
return  into  Egypt.  Then  Moses-and  Aaron 
fell  on  their  faces  before  all  the  assembly  of 
the  congregation  of  the  children  of  Israel. 
And  Joshua  and  Caleb  rent  their  clothes; 
and  they  spake  unto  all  the  company  of 
the  children  of  Israel,  saj'ing,  the  land 
which  we  passed  through  to  search  it,  is  an 
exceeding  good  land.  If  the  Lord  delight 
in  us,  then  he  will  bring  us  into  this  land 
and  give  it  us;  a  land  which  floweth  with 
milk  and  honey.  Only  rebel  not  ye  against 
the  Lord,  neither  fear  ye  the  people  of  the 
land,  for  they  are  bread  for  us;  their  de- 
fence is  departed  from  them,  and  the  Lord 
is  with  us;  fear  them  not.  But  all  the  con- 
gregation bade,  stone  them  with  stones,"' 
Num.  14:  1—10. 

Behold,  dear  reader,  it  is  because  these  two 
faithful  men  lielieved  the  word  and  prom- 
ise of  God,  with  all  their  hearts,  that  they 
trusted  firmly  in  his  Almighty  power,  pa- 
ternal mercy  and  great  works,  as  if  they 
had  already  obtained  them.  They  saw  the 
lieinous  unbelief  and  heard  the  bitter  mur- 
muring of  their  brethren,  that  they  thereby 
detracted  from  the  Almighty  Majesty,  as  if 
he  were  not  able  to  fulfil  his  promises  unto 
them,  and  that  he  had  deceived  them  by 
his  enticing  words,  therefore,  they  were  very 
sorrowful  and  sad,  and  rent  their  clothes, 
as  has  been  said.  And  therefore  they  were 
the  only  two  persons  of  six  hundred  thou- 
sand, that  came  with  Moses  out  of  Egypt, 
who  entered  into  tlie  promised  land.  All 
the  rest  died  in  the  wilderness  during  the 
time  of  forty  years,  and  they  did  not  reach 
the  promised  land,  because  they  did  not  be- 
lieve on  the  Almiglity  God,  tlie  God  of  their 


'  fathers,  Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob,  who 
with  such  unheard-of  signs  and  wonders, 
led  them  throxigh  the  Red  Sea,  and  so  gra- 
ciously upheld  and  guarded  them  in  the 
wilderness. 

Thus,  alas,  it  is  with  some  at  the  present 
day.  They  have  spied  the  pleasant  land, 
have  seen  and  tasted  its  precious  fruits, 
have  been  enlightened  by  the  word  of  the 
Lord,  have  tasted  the  heavenly  gifts,  have 

:  partaken  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  have  tasted  of 
the  sweet  word  of  God,  and  the  power  of 

,  the  world  to  come,  and  have  beheld  the 
gi-ace  of  the  Lord,  but  since  they  do  not 
consult  God,  but  their  own  sinful,  disobe- 

;  client,  evil  flesh,  which  always  seeks  its  own 

:  pleasure,  and  will  not  willingly  bear  the 
cross  of  the  Lord.  They  behold  with  carnal 
eyes,  and  see  that  so  many  powerful  tyrants 
and  fenced  cities  are  arrayed  against  them, 
that  they  have  to  pass  a  howling  wilderness, 
and  must  ascencl  many  high  mountains  ; 
that  they  must  give  as  a  prey,  honor,  money, 
possessions,  wife,  children,  body  and  life; 

,  hence  they  murmur  against  Moses  and  Aa- 

i  ron,  and  seek  to  stone  Joshua  and  Caleb. 

1  They  cause  their  poor  teachers  and  leaders, 
who  with  true  love  direct  to  the  word  and 
examples  of  Christ,  and  preach  the  pure 
truth,  such  intolerable  suffin-ing.  They  back- 
bite and  defame  them  beyond  measure,  and 
choose  for  themselves,  here  and  there  a  cap- 
tain, false  prophet  or  teacher,  who,  with 
fair  words  and  under  the  appearance  of 
good,  lead  them  back  to  Egypt.  They  pre- 
fer temporal  to  eternal  things,  they  fear  per- 
ishing man  more  than  the  immortal,  eternal 
God,  the  Lord  and  Creator  of  the  world. 
AVith  unbelieving,  carnal  Israel,  they  say 
in  their  hearts,  We  are  not  strong  enough 
to  go  up  against  this  great  and  strong  peo- 
ple, and  are  not  able  to  obey  the  doctrine, 
ordinances  and  example  of  Christ,  for  all 
the  world  is  against  us,  all  lords  and  prin- 
ces persecute  us,  the  preachers  and  priests 
upbraid  and  defame  i;s,  and  we  must  be- 
come a  by-word  and  a  derision  to  all  the 
world.  AYe  are  much  too  weak  to  bear  such 
great  misery,  therefore  they  want  to  transfer 
it  to  tlie  Lord.  Tims  you  think  and  err,  for 
your  unbelieving,  carnal  hearts  have  so 
blinded  you,  that  you  know  not  the  riglit- 
eous  judgment  of  God,  you  hope  not  that  a 


FAITH. 


129 


holy  life  shall  be  rewarded,  and  esteem  not 
the  honor  of  an  unblamable  sonl. 

Dear  reader,  take  warning,  for  as  trne  as 
the  Lordlives,  I  tell  you,  that  all  those  who 
thus  cast  aside  the  word  of  the  Lord,  again 
become  unbelieving  in  God,  and  become  so 
earthly  and  carnal-minded  that  they  fear 
those  whom  they  ought  not  to  fear ;  and  fear 
not  those  whom  they  should  fear ;  who  think 
more  of  the  perishable  creatures,  such  as 
home,  lands,  gold,  silver,  wife,  children, 
body  and  life,  than  of  the  everlasting  God 
and  his  eternal  kingdom,  and  have  a  greater 
desire  to  enjoy  in  peace,  for  a  season,  the 
dark  Egypt  of  this  ungodly  world,  than  to 
inherit  the  pleasant  fruitful  land,  in  endless 
peace  with  God;  such  shall  all  fall  in  the 
wilderness,  and  unless  they  repent,  shall 
never  enter  into  his  rest,  Heb.  4:1. 

But  those  who,  with  Joshua  and  Caleb, 
hold  firmly  to  the  word  of  the  Lord;  who 
firmly  believe  on  Clu'ist,  as  the  Scrij)tures 
direct;  who  are  firmly  assured  in  their  hearts 
by  the  Holy  Ghost,  that  God  will  not  fail 


in  a  single  word,  but  that  he  will  fulfill,  in 
its  time,  all  that  he  has  promised;  who  are 
not  prevailed  on  by  the  gates  of  hell ;  who 
sufler  not  themselves  to  be  deceived  by  the 
subtle  lies  and  philosophy  of  the  learned ; 
who  are  not  frightened  by  the  tyranny  of 
the  blood-thirsty;  who  are  not  vanquished 
by  carnal  lusts ;  nor  enchanted  by  the  fine 
appearance  of  false  prophets,  but  walk  hum- 
bly in  the  King's  highway ;  who  follow 
Christ,  their  Shepherd  and  Leader,  and 
judge  all  their  ways  by  his  Spirit,  word, 
and  unblamable  example ;  who  turn  not 
aside,  neither  to  the  right  hand,  nor  to  the 
left;  behold  they  are  those  who  will  victori- 
ously enter  the  spiritual,  promised  land,  the 
eternal  rest  and  peace,  God's  eternal  king- 
dom and  glory,  with- all  the  saints  and  be- 
lievers, and  through  grace,  eternally  inherit 
it  with  Christ,  as  Joshua  and  Caleb  inherit- 
ed the  figurative  land  through  faith,  and 
with  their  children  inherit  it.  O  children 
believe.  "All  things,"  says  Christ,  '"are  pos- 
sible to  him  that  believeth,"  Mark  9:  23. 


THE  BELIEF  OF  THE  PIOUS  KIXG  JOSIAH. 


Josiah,  an  illustrious  and  pious  king  in 
all  his  works,  did  that  which  was  pleasing 
to  the  Lord,  and  walked  in  all  the  ways  of 
his  father  David,  and  departed  not  there- 
from, neither  to  the  right  hand  nor  to  the  left. 
And  when  he  was  yet  a  child  he  began  to 
seek  the  God  of  David,  his  father.  And  in 
the  eighteenth  year  of  his  age  he  sent  Sha- 
phan,  his  scribe,  to  Hilkiah  the  high  priest, 
that  money  might  be  given  to  those  who 
worked  at  the  house  of  the  Lord.  And  Hil- 
kiah said  to  Shaphan,  I  have  found  the 
book  of  the  Law  in  the  house  of  the  Lord, 
and  Hilkiah  gave  the  book  to  Shaphan  and 
he  brought  it  to  the  king.  And  when  the 
king  heard  the  words  of  the  law,  which  were 
^^Titten  in  the  book,  he  rent  his  clothes,  as 
one  who  feared  his  God.  He  believed  the 
word  of  the  Lord,  and  feared  the  coming 
wrath  which  he  threatened  in  the  book 
which  was  found.  He  then  commanded 
Hilkiah,  Ahikam,  Achbor,  and  Shaphan 
17 


saying,  "Go  ye,  inquire  of  the  Lord  for 
me,  and  for  the  j)eople,  and  for  all  Judah, 
concerning  the  words  of  this  book  that  is 
found,  for  great  is  the  wrath  of  the  Lord 
that  is  kindled  against  us,  because  our  fa- 
thers have  not  hearkened  unto  the  words  of 
this  book,  to  do  according  unto  all  that 
which  is  wi-itten  concerning  us,''  2  Kings 
22:  13. 

So  they  went  to  Huldah,  a  prophetess, 
the  wife  of  Shallum,  and  asked  her  as  Jo- 
siah had  commanded  them;  the  woman  an- 
swered them,  "Thus  saitli  the  Lord  God  of 
Israel,  Tell  the  men  who  hatli  sent  you  unto 
me.  Thus  saitli  the  Lord,  behold,  I  will 
bring  evil  upon  this  place,  and  upon  the 
inhabitants  thereof  even  all  the  words  of 
the  book  which  the  king  of  Judah  hath 
read,  because  they  have  forsaken  me,  and 
have  burned  incense  unto  other  gods,  that 
they  might  provoke  me  to  anger,  with  all 
the  works  of  their  hands ;  therefore,  my  wrath 


130 


FAITH. 


shall  be  kindled  against  this  place  and  shall ' 
not  be  quenched.  But  to  the  king  of  Judah, 
which  sent  jow  to  inquire  of  the  Lord,  thus 
shall  ye  say  to  him,  Thus  saith  the  Lord 
God  of  Israel,  as  toudiing  the  words  which 
thou  hast  heard,  because  thine  heart  was 
tender,  and  thou  hast  humbled  thyself  be- 
fore the  Lord,  when  thou  heardest  what  I 
spake  against  this  place  and  against  the 
inhabitants  thereof,  that  thej^  should  be- 
come a  desolation  and  a  curse,  and  hast  i 
rent  thj^  clothes  and  wept  before  me,  I  also 
have  heard  thee,  saith  the  Lord.  Behold, 
therefore,  I  will  gather  thee  unto  thy  fathers, 
and  thou  shalt  be  gathered  into  thy  grave 
in  peace,  and  thine  eyes  shall  not  see  all 
the  evil  which  I  will  bring  upon  this  place, 
and  they  brought  the  king  word  again. 

"When  now  the  king  heard  these  words, 
he  sent  and  gathered  unto  him  all  the  eld- 
ers of  Judah  and  Jerusalem.  And  the  king 
went  up  into  the  house  of  the  Lord,  and  all 
the  men  of  Judah  and  all  the  inhabitants  of 
Jerusalem  with  him,  and  the  priests  and  the 
prophets,  and  all  the  people  both  small 
and  great,  and  he  read  in  their  ears  all  the 
words  of  the  book  of  the  covenant,  which 
was  found  in  the  house  of  the  Lord.  And 
the  king  stood  by  a  pillar,  and  made  a  cove- 
nant before  the  Lord  to  walk  after  the  Lord 
and  to  keep  his  commandments,  and  his 
testimonies,  and  his  statutes  with  all  their 
heart,  and  all  their  soul  to  perform  the 
words  of  this  covenant  that  were  written  in 
this  book.  And  all  the  people  stood  to  the 
covenant,"  2  Kings  22:  15—20  and  23:  1—3. 
And  Josiah  caused  all  who  were  to  be  found 
in  Israel  to  serve  the  Lord,  and  they  dejiart- 
ed  not  from  him  as  long  as  Josiah  lived. 

Here,  dear  reader,  observe  what  kind  of 
faith  Josiah  had,  and  what  the  fruits  thereof 
were.  He  heard  the  word  of  the  Lord,  and 
believed  it.  He  rent  his  clothes,  inquired 
of  the  Lord  and  renewed  the  covenant  be- 
cause he  heard  what  God  had  commanded 
in  the  same  book;  that  they  should  not  do 
according  to  their  own  thoughts;  that  they 
should  not  follow  after  strange  Gods,  nor 
the  abominations  of  the  Canaanites  and  the 
other  heathens  which  were  dispersed  before 
them,  but  they  should  serve  the  Lord  alone 
and  cleave  to  him,  and  keep  his  commands 
as  he  directed  them.     He  was  strong  in  the 


Lord,  resolved  in  a  manly  spii'it,  and  acted 
valiantly  in  all  his  doings,  for  he  believed 
and  trusted  God  with  all  his  strength ;  and 
with  earnest  zeal,  he  tore  down  all  that  his 
forefathers  and  former  kings,  out  of  their 
own  imaginings  and  choice,  had  brought  in 
and  established  as  holy  sei-vice. 

He  biu'ned  all  the  vessels  of  Baal  and  tore 
down  all  the  groves,  high  places  and  altars, 
in  the  land  of  Judea  and  Samaria.  He  de- 
filed Topheth,  which  is  in  the  valley  of  the 
children  of  Hinnom.  He  destroyed  the  horses 
of  the  sun,  and  burned  the  chariots  of  the 
sun  with  tire.  He  broke  down  the  altar  of 
Bethel  and  offered  the  idolatrous  priests  and 
the  dead  bones  thereupon,  as  the  man  of 
God  had  proclaimed  aforetime.  He  de- 
stroyed all  that  was  opposed  to  the  law 
of  God.  He  kept  the  passover  of  the  Lord 
as  it  was  written  in  the  book  of  the  cove- 
nant, in  such  a  glorious  manner  as  no  judge 
or  king  had  kept  it  before.  He  also  jnit 
away  all  sooth-saj^ers  and  wizards,  images, 
idols,  and  all  the  abominations,  that  were 
spied  in  the  land  of  Judah  and  in  Jerusa- 
lem, that  they  might  perform  the  words  of 
'  the  law  which  were  written  in  the  book  that 
Hilkiah,  the  High  priest  found  in  the  house 
of  the  Lord,  and  like  unto  him  there  was  no 
king  that  turned  to  the  Lord  with  all  his 
heart  and  all  his  soul,  and  with  all  his 
might,  according  to  all  the  law  of  Moses ; 
neither  after  him  arose  there  any  like  him, 
2  Kings  23:  24,  25. 

Hear  now,  O  ye  great  princes  and  kings, 
and  all  those  who  suffer  themselves  to  think 
'  that  they  are  faithful  lords  and  christian 
princes,  to  you  is  my  admonition!  Have  you 
any  fear  of  God  ?  Any  love  to  Christ  or  his 
;  blessed  word?  Or  is  there  yet  any  sincerity 
j  of  nature  with  you,  who  have  understand- 
ing ?  Then  know  that  you  are  not  gods  from 
heaven;  but  poor  dying  men  of  the  impure 
guilty  seed  of  Adam.     Humble  yourselves 
under  the  Almighty  hand  of  God,  and  com- 
:  pare  Josiah  with  his  faith  and  works  with 
your  faith  and  works,  in  order  that  you  may 
learn  to  know  how  far  j^ou  are  from  the 
Spirit  and  word  of  Christ,  and  that  you  bear 
'  nothing  else  than  a  mere,  idle,  vain,  empty 
name. 

AVhilst  Josiah  was  yet  a  child,  and  young 
in  years,  he  feared  God,  and  manifested  a 


FAITH. 


131 


matvire  mind  and  understanding  in  all  his 
works;  bnt  you,  my  dear  lords,  fear  neither 
God  nor  the  devil.  Cursed  unbelief  is  your 
mother,  and  unrighteousness,  your  sister. 
In  divine  things  you  are  blind,  deaf  and 
dumb;  yea,  during  your  whole  lives,  you 
are  as  destitute  of  understanding  as  chil- 
dren. 

Josiah  was  eight  years  old  when  he  was 
made  king,  and  in  the  eighth  year  of  his 
reign,  he  began  to  seek  the  God  of  his  fa- 
ther David ;  but  your  seeking,  from  the 
cradle  on,  is  solely  pomp  and  splendor, 
haughtiness  of  heart,  wantonness,  riding, 
sporting,  killing,  enlargement  of  your  do- 
minions, increase  of  pati'onage  and  treasure, 
tighting,  warring,  taxing  and  usiuy;  to  af- 
flict the  destitute  and  poor;  to  domineer 
one  over  another,  and  to  live,  with  all  your 
might,  openly,  according  to  the  lusts  of  the 
flesh.  The  open  deed  testifies  that  I  wTite 
the  truth. 

Josiah  began,  in  the  twelfth  year  of  his 
reign,  to  purify  Judah  and  Jerusalem  from 
the  high  places,  groves,  idolatry  and  molten 
images,  but  you  build  them  in  every  city, 
village,  street  and  alley ;  upon  every  high 
mountain  and  in  every  deep  valley,  and 
whoever  would  admonish  you  with  the  Spirit 
and  word  of  Christ,  must  be  a  heretic  and 
uuist  tread  the  press  of  afliiction. 

Josiah  was  solicitous  for  the  house  of  the 
Lord,  and  appointed  and  paid  artificers  to 
labor  thereat.  But  you  break  down,  and  by 
your  vindictive  mandates,  tyranny  and  the 
sword,  oppose  the  house  and  dwelling  of 
Christ,  which  is  his  church,  which  he  has 
sanctified  by  his  Spirit,  cleansed  by  his 
blood,  and  adorned  by  the  word,  ordinances 
and  sacraments  of  his  Father.  You  prevent 
it  from  being  rebuilt  in  its  apostolic  clear- 
ness, and  from  becoming  perfect  in  its  doc- 
trines, sacraments  and  conduct,  according 
to  the  command  of  Christ  and  his  holy 
word. 

Josiah  expelled  all  soothsayers  and  wiz- 
ards. He  offered  the  idolatrous  priests  upon 
their  idolatrous  altars,  and  Isurued  the  dead 
bones,  &c.,  but  the  bones  of  the  man  of  God 
from  Judah,  and  of  the  prophets  of  Sama- 
ria, he  bm-ned  not.  But  joxi  sustain  and 
cherish,  as  shepherds  of  the  flocks  of  Christ 
and  keepers  of  your  souls,  false  prophets 


and  deceiving  priests;  the  greater  part  of 
whom  are  open  drunkards,  libertines  and 
idolaters,  full  of  aU  unrighteousness,  covet- 
ous in  heart,  whose  belly  is  their  god,  blind 
watchmen,  and  dumb  dogs,  who  dishonor 
God,  and  destroy  poor  miserable  souls. 
You  have  them  in  preference  in  your  courts 
and  give  them  the  highest  seats  at  your 
tables.  They  are  honored  with  high  names 
and  great  titles,  and  are  greeted  by  every 
one  as  doctors,  lords  and  masters.  Yoxr 
present  them  splendid  dwellings,  great  rents 
and  possessions,  and  say.  They  who  serve 
the  gospel  must  live  by  the  gospel ;  although 
they  do  nothing  but  place  soft  pillows  and 
cushions  under  you,  and  preach  according 
to  the  itching  of  your  ears.  But  the  true, 
pious  teachers  and  faithful  servants  of 
Christ,  who  sincerely  seek  jonv  salvation 
and  that  of  the  whole  world,  who  direct  you 
to  Christ,  who  rightly  use  his  sacraments 
and  ordinances,  who  desire  to  lead  you  and 
all  men  on  the  right  way,  and  who  walk  un- 
blamably ,  they  must  without  mercy  or  chris- 
tian modesty  be  persecuted  by  you,  sen- 
tenced to  fire  and  water,  and  must  bear 
mockery  and  shame  before  all  the  world. 

Josiah  made  a  covenant  with  the  Lord, 
and  with  all  the  elders,  priests,  prophets 
and  common  people,  that  they  should  serve 
the  Lord  as  long  as  they  lived,  &c.  But 
you  have  made  yom-  covenant  with  anti- 
christ and  with  all  your  preachers,  priests, 
monks,  judges  and  rulei's,  that  the  pervert- 
ed, broad  way  shoiild  be  pursued,  the  doc- 
trines and  institutions  of  men  should  be 
taught,  followed  and  obseiTed,  instead  of 
the  true  service  of  God;  to  the  people,  doc- 
trine, commands,  Spirit,  Supper,  life  and 
separation  of  Christ,  you  give  no  place,  and 
whoever  acts  or  speaks  contrarj^  to  your 
abominations,  must  lose  his  possessions  or 
his  life. 

Josiah  heard  the  word  of  the  Lord  and 
became  contrite  in  heart ;  he  rent  his  clothes 
and  wept  before  the  Lord ;  he  feared  the 
coming  -WTatli,  because  they  and  tlieir  fore- 
fathers had  rejected  the  word  of  God.  But 
you,  m.y  dear  lords,  are  so  hardened  and 
blinded,  so  bormd  by  your  sins,  and  lusts 
of  the  tiesh,  through  cursed  unbelief;  so 
enchanted  by  the  false  prophets,  that  we 
cannot,  in  the  least,  move  your  impeni- 


132 


FAITH. 


tent,  hardened  hearts,  neither  Iby  the  threat- 
ening law  of  the  Lord,  nor  by  his  fierce 
wi-ath,  and  terrible  judgement;  neither  by 
the  devouring  flames  of  hell  and  eternal 
death,  nor  by  the  peaceful  gospel  of  grace; 
neither  by  the  precious  blood  of  Christ,  nor 
by  the  pious,  unblamable  life  of  all  the 
saints,  who  with  their  simple  yea  and  nay, 
are  daily  murdered,  before  your  eyes  as  in- 
nocent sheep,  on  account  of  their  faith  and 
piety.  It  is  time  that  you  awake,  and  take 
notice  how  you  and  we,  with  our  forefathers, 
have  so  abundantly  merited  the  righteous 
punishm.ent  and  wi-ath  of  God.  May  the 
merciful  Lord  grant  you  eyes  that  j'^ou  may 
see. 

Josiah  turned  to  the  Lord  with  his  whole 
heart,  soul  and  might,  but  you  dare  proudly 
disregard  the  God  who  has  created  you,  de- 
ny the  Lord  who  has  purchased  you,  and 
turn  yoiirselves  to  dumb  idols,  to  wood, 
stone,  gold  and  silver  images,  to  water, 
bread  and  wine,  to  the  unprofitable  doc- 
trines and  commandments  of  men,  yea,  to 
open  abominations  and  idolatry,  not  ob- 
serving that  it  stands  wi'itten,  "Idolaters 
shall  have  their  part  in  the  lake  which  burn- 
eth  with  tire  and  brimstone,"  Rev.  21:  8. 

Behold,  dear  sirs,  the  above  is  true;  it  is 
manifest  by  3^ our  pride,  whoredom,  carnal 
life,  and  by  the  ruins  of  bm'ut  countries  and 
cities,  the  great  number  of  churches,  clois- 
ters, priests  and  monks,  matins,  vespers,  and 
every  other  false  worship. 

Besides,  when  we,  on  account  of  the  mul- 
titude of  our  sins,  are  visited  with  pestilence, 
famine,  war,  and  other  dangerous  evils  and 
plagues,  your  only  remedies,  to  appease  the 
wrath  of  God,  and  quench  the  burning  fire 
of  his  anger,  are  idolatrous  masses,  proces- 
sions, as  they  are  called,  dead  bones,  im- 
ages, crosses,  banners.  They,  the  papists  I 
mean,  bear  these  strange  abominations,  and 
follow  after  them  with  uncovered  heads, 
folded  hands,  and  burning  waxcandles,  &c. 
Therefore,  you  turn  not  aside  the  tierce 
wrath,  but  augment  it  more  and  more,  for 
the  Lord  will  not  give  his  divine  honor  to 
works  of  man's  choice  nor  to  any  creature, 
neither  does  he  accept  any  such  masses, 
processions,  crosses,  images  and  abomina- 
tions, nor  regards  them  in  his  mind,  as  the 
prophet  said. 


Beloved  sirs,  repent.  The  statute  book  of 
Clu'ist  is  entirely  lost  to  you.  Clirist  and 
his  truth,  sacraments.  Spirit  and  life,  you 
have  never  known  nor  possessed  in  the  least 
degree.  You  serve  strange  gods,  you  hear, 
follow  and  use  the  doctrine,  sacraments,  or- 
dinances and  commands  of  anti-christ;  you 
lead  an  unclean,  ungodly  and  carnal  life. 
O  sirs,  take  warning !  your  sins  have  arisen 
to  heaven. 

Although  it  is  so  little  regarded  by  you, 
God  grant  it  may  be  otherwise,  yet  this 
book  of  Christ,  by  the  grace  of  God,  has 
been  found  again  by  some.  The  pure,  un- 
adulterated truth  has  come  to  light,  through 
the  piu'e,  unmingled  gospel,  and  is  daily 
read  in  your  ears,  and  explained  before 
your  eyes  with  a  godlj^,  virtuous  life,  with 
an  open  confession,  and  above  all,  with 
much  of  the  property  and  blood  of  the 
saints;  yet  your  hearts  continue  so  stony 
and  hard  that  they  cannot  be  converted  or 
moved,  neither  by  grace  nor  wrath;  neither 
by  adversity  nor  prosperity,  as  we  have 
said.  Behold  thus  has  the  blindness  of  Sod- 
om, the  darkness  of  Egypt,  the  hardening 
of  Pharaoh,  through  the  righteoiis  judgment 
of  God,  come  upon  our  kings,  princes,  lords 
and  rulers. 

Dear  sirs,  awake !  and  make  haste,  the 
trumpet  is  sounded,  prepare  yoiu'selves ! 
Youi'  mortal  sickness  and  cankering,  tilthy 
wounds  are  shown  to  you.  I  counsel  you  to 
sufter  yourselves  to  be  helped.  You  possess 
neither  Christ  nor  his  word.  Your  contro- 
versy is  against  the  Lamb  and  his  chosen. 
Your  way  is  in  darkness,  and  leads  to  the 
abyss  of  hell.  The  wi-ath  of  the  Lord  has 
gone  forth  over  you  and  your  land,  for  j^ou 
live  more  carnally  and  evil  than  can  be  im- 
agined or  described. 

O  my  dear  sirs !  reform,  repent,  so  that 
you  may  stand  before  God;  cleanse  your 
hands  and  hearts  before  the  Lord;  change 
yom-  pride,  into  humility,  and  yom-  mirth, 
and  joy  into  sorrow;  rend  your  hardened 
hearts,  and  your  garments;  hear  and  seek 
Christ,  and  not  anti-christ;  implicitly  obey 
Christ's  Spirit,  doctrine,  sacraments,  com- 
mands and  infallible  example,  and  not  the 
vain  doctrines  and  commandments  of  m'"" 
for  they  corrupt  and  profit  not. 

Put  away  from  among  you,  all  offence, 


FAITH. 


133 


abominations  and  idolatry,  masses,  altars, 
infant  baptism,  the  idolatrous  bread,  or 
supper  (I  mean  such  as  is  used  by  the  world), 
images,  confessions,  the  wanton  sodomy, 
unchastity  of  the  papistic  priests  and 
monks;  destroy  and  root  up  all  accui-sed 
heathen  disgrace;  such  as  brothels,  every 
species  of  gambling,  open  houses  of  drunk- 
enness, together  with  idolatrous  temples, 
high  places,  groves,  churches  and  cloisters, 
which  were  so  numerously  built  contrary  to 
the  Scriptm-es  by  our  forefathers,  through 
blindness  and  ignorance. 

We  call  on  all,  poor,  deceiving  teachers 
and  false  sects,  great  and  small,  who  are 
against  the  Spirit,  ordinances,  word  and 
life  of  Christ,  sincerely  to  repent,  and  help 
us  to  resist,  not  by  violence,  tjTanny  or 
sword;  as,  alas!  it  is  the  custom  with  you, 
but  by  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  with  doctrine, 
exhortation  and  the  like  virtuous  services 
and  mild  means,  so  that  they  may  turn 
from  evil,  and  hear  and  follow  Christ. 

Permit  all  faithful  messengers  and  serv- 
ants of  God  to  preach  Christ,  to  use  his  sac- 
raments and  ordinances  according  to  the 
Scriptui'es,  lead  a  penitent  and  unblamable 
life,  and  gather  unto  Christ  a  glorious 
church,  that  they  may,  through  the  Spirit 
and  grace  of  God,  according  to  the  Script- 
mes,  win  and  bring  unto  Christ  an  un- 
spotted, pure  virgin. 

Again  I  say,  reform ;  you  have  erred  and 
mocked  God  too  long,  and  worshipped  anti- 
christ instead  of  Christ  too  long;  walked 
too  long  in  the  perverse  and  broad  way  of 
death.  Awaken!  it  is  yet  to-day;  behold, 
the  true  book  of  the  law;  the  saving,  pure 
gospel  of  Christ  which  was  hid  for  so  many 
centuries  by  the  abominations  of  anti-christ, 
is  found. 

Hear  and  read  attentively,  believe  and 
observe  it  faithfully;  it  is  the  word  of  the 
Lord  God,  which  Jesus  Christ,  the  irrst  and 
only  begotten  Son  of  the  Almighty  Father, 
brought  from  heaven  and  taught  iis.  Bow 
to  his  righteous  sceptre,  fear,  love,  serve, 
honor  and  follow  him  with  all  your  heart, 
with  all  your  soul  and  with  all  yoiu-  pow- 
ers, as  did  the  pious  Josiah.  For  the  Lord 
our  God.  is  Lord  of  lords,  and  God  of  gods. 


a  mighty,  and  a  terrible  God,  which  regard- 
eth  not  persons,  nor  taketh  reward. 

Yes,  beloved  lords.  Can  you  thus  convert 
yourselves  with  all  your  hearts  ?  Can  you 
change  your  hearts  and  humble  yourselves 
before  God?  Deny  yoiu-selves,  seek  and  fol- 
low Christ  and  his  righteousness?  Kenounce 
the  world  and  flesh  with  all  its  lusts,  as  you 
■  have  heard  ?  Then  you  will  become,  true, 
!  spiritual  kings,  and  priests;  then  you  will 
;  possess  your  souls  in  peace,  gain  the  victory 
and  conquest  over  all  the  deadly  enemies  of 
your  souls;  you  will  live  and  die  in  grace; 
then  you  may  in  truth,  without  any  hjrpoc- 
risy,  be  called  christian  kings  and  believ- 
ing princes.  The  testimony  of  Peter  to  all 
clu-istians,  I  say  to  all  christians,  is  true, 
"Ye  are  a  chosen  generation,  a  holy  nation, 
a  peculiar  people,"  1  Pet.  2:  9. 

But  if  you  refuse  this  and  remain  what 
you  are  now,  preferring  perishing,  temporal 
pleasm-es,  joys  and  glory,  to  the  imperish- 
able, eternal  joy  and  glory;  I  desire  then 
that  you  would  reflect  upon  what  Sirach 
says,  "Why  are  earth  and  ashes  proud? 
He  that  is  to-day  a  king,  to-morrow  shall 
die,"  Sir.  10:  9.  Yea,  what  are  they  all,  who 
are  of  Adam,  but  dust  and  ashes,  a  passing 
wind,  a  vapor,  poor,  miserable,  mortal  flesh, 
food  for  worms,  yea  men,  and  not  God.  O, 
Sirs,  take  warning,  awake  and  reform  your- 
selves !  God  is  Lord,  who  will  judge  you. 
Once  more,  take  warning. 

Behold,  my  kind  reader,  here  you  have 
before  you  a  few  examples  of  true  faith,  as 
Noah  and  Abraham,  before  the  giving  of 
the  law,  and  Moses,  Joshua,  Caleb  and  Jo- 
siah, under  the  law,  cited  from  Scripture, 
wherefrom  you  may  learn  how  simple  and 
plain,  unfeigned,  open  and  obedient,  yea, 
how  full  of  all  kind  of  virtues  and  fruits  a 
true  faith  has  been  from  the  beginning,  as 
may  be  seen  in  Abel,  Enoch,  Isaac,  Jacob, 
Joseph,  Jephthah,  Baruch,  Gideon,  Samp- 
son, Rahab,  Samuel,  David,  Ezekiel,  Elias, 
Helias  and  others.  Now  I  will,  by  the  grace 
of  God,  present  you  with  a  few  examples 
from  the  New  Testament,  whereby  you  may 
very  clearly  learn  what  an  indescribably 
great  power,  fruit,  spirit,  life  and  energy,  a 
true,  evangelical,  christian  faith  in  its  true 
nature  always  includes.  So  that  you  will 
not.  through  a  false  notion,  conform  to  this? 


134 


FAITH. 


ignorant,  unbelieving  world,  who  boast  and 

pretend  tliat  their  fruitless,  dead  opinion   cere,  evangelical  faith 


and  historical  knowledge  of  Christ,  is  a  sin- 


THE  FAITH  OF  THE  CENTURION  OF  CAPERXAUM. 


At  the  time  when  the  Lord  Jesus  entered 
Capernaum,  the  servant  of  a  centurion  lay- 
sick,  whom  he  loved  much.  When  he  heard 
that  Jesns  was  there,  he  had  the  consent  of 
some  of  the  elders  of  the  Jews,  and  sent 
them  with  a  request  to  Jesus,  that  he  would 
come  to  him  and  restore  his  sick  servant, 
and  Jesus  went  with  them.  And  not  being 
far  from  the  house  of  the  centiu-ion,  he  sent 
some  of  his  friends  to  him,  who  said.  Lord 
trouble  not  thyself;  for  I  am  not  worthy 
that  thou  shouldst  enter  under  my  roof 
(here  notice  his  humility),  and  I  did  not 
think  myself  worthy  personally  to  call  and 
see  thee;  but  speak  the  word,  and  my  child 
shall  be  healed.  He  acknowledged  that  all 
must  bow  to  Christ  and  his  word,  and  said, 
I  also  am  a  man  under  authority,  having 
soldiers  under  me,  and  I  say  unto  one.  Go, 
and  he  goeth;  and  to  another  come,  and  he 
cometh;  and  to  my  servant  do  this,  and  he 
doeth  it.  As  if  he  would  say  to  Christ,  Be- 
hold, Lord,  I  am  but  a  man,  and  have  to 
serve  the  councils  at  Rome,  nevertheless,  I 
have  so  much  power  over  my  servants,  that 
they  must  obey  what  I  command  them;  but ! 
thou.  Lord,  art  such  a  Lord  that  all  the 
mighty  have  to  bow  to  thee,  all  that  is  411 
heaven  above  and  on  earth  beneath,  must 
3^ield  to  thee.  If  thou  but  command  sick- 
ness and  death,  they  will  have  to  obey  thee, 
and  leave  my  child.  And  again,  if  thou 
command  health  and  life,  they  will  have  to 
retiu-n  again.  Therefore,  it  is  not  necessary 
that  thou  shouldst  come  into  the  house  of 
thy  unworthy  servant;  Ijord,  only  speak  the 
word,  and  my  child  will  again  be  restored. 
When  Jesus  heard  these  words,  he  was  quite 
astonished,  and  said  to  the  people  that  fol- 
lowed, Yerily,  I  say  unto  you,  I  have  not 
found  so  great  faith,  no,  not  in  Israel, 
Matt.  8. 

Behold,  faitliful  reader,  here  you  have  the 
centurion  as  a  living  example,  by  which  you 


may  learn  how  a  true  christian  faith  hum- 
bles itself  before  God,  and  doubts  not  his 
power,  and  how  kindly  and  graciously  he 
deals  with  his  poor  servants,  be  they  male 
or  female.  The  centurion  was  moved  with 
compassion  towards  his  poor  servant,  and 
had  great  concern  for  him,  that  he  spared 
no  pains  to  trouble  the  elders  of  the  Jews  to 
send  to  Christ  and  entreat  him  to  come  and 
heal  his  sick  servant.  This  is  to  the  dis- 
grace and  shame  of  all  false  christians,  and 
especially  to  many  rich,  some  of  whom  are 
more  severe  on  the  poor  servants  and  hire- 
lings, and  have  less  feeling  for  them,  than 
they  (with  youi-  leave)  have  for  their  domes- 
tic animals  -,  for  as  soon  as  the  servants 
sicken,  so  that  they  cannot  perform  all  man- 
ner of  drudgery,  they  are  unmercifully  turned 
out  of  doors,  and  sent  to  this  or  that  asylum, 
or  to  their  parents  and  friends,  who  some- 
times, scarcely  have  a  mouthful  of  bread  or 
a  bed  in  their  houses.  Others  again  have 
to  get  a  substitute  in  their  place,  while  sick, 
and  pay  him  out  of  their  own  earned  pit- 
tance; and  if  they  in  health  even  do  fulfil 
their  engagements  with  hard  and  severe  la- 
bor, still,  some  of  these  unmerciful,  blood 
thirsty,  treat  these  innocent  ones,  who  have 
to  watch  when  they  sleep,  labor  when  they 
rest,  run  when  they  command,  stand  when 
they  sit,  in  such  a  manner,  as  to  take  the 
greater  portion  of  their  earnings,  or  scan- 
dalize them;  now,  say  they,  a  spoon  is  lost; 
anon  a  dish  is  broken ;  in  short,  they  al- 
ways speak  evil  of  them  and  can  never  be 
pleased.  Yea,  some  of  them  would  feed 
them  upon  water  or  straw,  and  pay  them 
with  the  whip  and  chaff,  even  as  they  do 
their  laboring  oxen  and  horses,  if  they  were 
not  afraid  and  ashamed  of  men,  for  they 
would  not  be  ashamed  before  God,  alas, 
whom  they  know  not.  O  woe,  unto  such 
heathenish  tyranny  and  unmerciful  cruelty ! 
The  centui'ion  calls  his  servant  his  child. 


FAITH. 


135 


by  which  he  manifests  his  paternal  love  and 
humility  towards  his  poor  servant.  Though 
he  was  lord,  and  held  in  high  honor,  never- 
theless, he  did  not  exalt  himself  above  his 
poor  sei-vant,  for  he  well  knew  that  one  God 
created  both  of  them,  that  they  were  born  of 
one  seed,  and  had  one  origin.  But  what 
conduct  such  heathen  christians  manifest 
towards  their  oppressed  servants,  their  ac- 
tions, alas,  openly  show ! 

How  lamentably  some  of  the  poor  chil- 
dren are  despised  by  some  of  them.  How 
many  disgraceful  words  have  some  of  them 
to  hear,  and  how  many  sore  stripes  to  en- 
dure. Their  scolding  and  rash  words,  con- 
tinue from  morning  till  night;  some  of  them 
make  their  girls  prostitutes ;  yea,  what  shall 
I  say  more.  These  poor  children  are  regard- 
ed bj^  them,  and  especially  b}'  the  rich,  as 
the  poor,  despised  donkey,  by  the  magniii- 
cent,  fat  horse,  and  the  iiltliy  pebbles  by 
the  beautiful  pearls.  Ah!  reader,  it  is  all 
much  worse  than  I  can  describe ;  it  is  in- 
deed time  that  they  would  look  into  these 
things,  and  reiiect  more  deeply  upon  love. 

The  centurion  humbled  himself  before  the 
Lord  with  all  his  heart,  esteeming  himself 
not  worthy  that  Christ  should  come  under  his 
roof.  But  our  haughty,  proud  heathens  strut 
about  with  puffed  up  hearts  and  extended 
necks,  high-minded,  idle,  and  daring;  one 
boasts  of  his  family-,  another  of  his  wealth, 
a  third  of  his  wisdom,  a  fourth  of  his  skill 
and  beauty,  &c.  But  the  innocent  and  meek 
Christ  says.  Learn  of  me ;  for  I  am  meek 
and  lowly  in  heart,  and  falsely  boast  that 
they  have  his  name,  word,  death  and  blood, 
3^et  know  it  not. 

The  centurion  believed,  that  Christ  was 
mighty  and  able,  by  his  word,  to  do  all 
that  he  desired ;  but  this  miserably  be- 
nighted people  esteem  it  not  more  than 
they  do  Lucian  and  ^^sopian  fables.  Hence 
it  is,  that  they  lead  such  an  impenitent,  car- 
nal life,  and  use  such  idolatrous  sacraments 
and  false  worship,  and  have  departed  so  far 
from  the  true  King's  highwaj',  still  they 
would  be  the  true,  apostolic,  and  belie\ing 
church  of  Chi-ist ;  but  even  as  Christ  testi- 
fied to  the  centurion,  that  he  had  not  found 
such  faith  in  Israel ;  so  we  might,  on  the 
other  hand,  testify  and  say  of  this  peo- 
ple, that  such  a  heedless,  cruel,  haughty, 


'  proud,  and  unmerciful  unbelief  is  unknown 
j  among  the  heathen,  and  is  not  to  be  found 
:  with  them,  Avho  never  heard  of  the  word  of 
Christ.  Behold,  thus  does  the  righteous 
Lord  let  those  err  and  fall  into  blindness  of 
heart,  who  so  little  regard  his  most  holy 
word,  hate  and  thrust  his*  fatherly  grace, 
goodness.  Spirit,  knowledge  and  faith  fi'om 
them. 

But  it  is  not  so  with  you,  my  most  be- 
I  loved.    Take  this  sincere,  pious  centurion 
'  as  an  example;   imitate  him  in  his  faith, 
love,  humility  and  virtues,  and  be  as  solic- 
!  itous  for  your  servants,  as  he  was  for  his 
servants;  teach,  admonish  and  reprove  them 
with  a  paternal  spuit,  as  often  as  they  err; 
set  them  an  unblamable  example,  in   all 
righteousness  and  piety;  have  compassion 
with  their  severe  labor;    comfort  them  in 
their  poverty;  comfort  them  and  gTieve  them 
not;  supplythem  withtheir  necessary  wants, 
food  and  their  earned  hire,  and  do  not  cur- 
tail them;   protect  them  in  all  honorable 
things;  rebuke  them  not  without  cause,  lest 
they  become  timid;  do  not  drive  them  away 
from  you,  but  let  them  unmolestedly  serve 
;  out  their  time  as  agreed,  lest  the  name  of 
the  Lord  be  blasphemed;  be  at  all  times 
friendly  towards  them,  and  if  they  are  weak 
and  sick,  assist  and  minister  unto  them;  get 
i  others  to  serve  in  their  place,  without  detri- 
ment to  them,  till  the  Lord  take  them  hence, 
or  restore  them  to  health ;  sympathize  with 
them,  and  be  merciful ;   assist  them  in  all 
their  need;  lift  not  3-our  hearts  above  them, 
nor  despise  them,  for  Wxej  are  your  brethi-en 
I  according  to  the  flesh.     In  short,  be  you  so 
minded  in  love  towards  them  as  Christ  Jesus 
!  is  towards  us.     At  all  times  remember  that 
I  we  also  have  a  Lord  in  heaven,  before  whose 
!  judgment-seat  we  must  all  appear  and  ren- 
der on  account  of  all  our  works. 

But  if  they  are  wanton  and  obstinate,  and 
will  not  hear  j^our  word  and  command,  nor 
\  follow  your  admonition  and  counsel:  would 
rule  and  not  serve;  waste  their  time  and  not 
labor  industriously;  are  unfaithful,  rebell- 
ious and  troublesome;  roguishlj-  ruin  joxw 
family  and  children,  &c.;   then  agree  with 
them  and  bring  the  matter,  touching  their 
'  wages,  before  two  or  three  witnesses,  so  that 
the  blame  may  not  rest  upon  you,  and  the 
1  word  of  the  Lord  be  not  blasphemed.    In 


136 


FAITH. 


such  case  then,  let  them  be  dismissed,  that 
yoTu*  good  conscience  be  not  disturbed  on 
their  account,  and  yom-  house  and  children 


should  do  to  your  poor  hirelings,  even  as 
you  desire  that  it  should  be  done  to  you, 
being  called  with  them.     This  the  law  and 


be  not  depraved.     Yea,  my  bretlu'en.  you  ':  tlie  projiliets  teach. 


THE  FAITH  OF  ZACCHEUS,  THE  PUBLICAN. 


Luke  says  that  "Jesus  entered  and  passed 
through  Jericho ;  and  behold,  there  was  a 
man,  named  Zaccheus,  which  was  the  chief 
among  the  publicans,  and  he  was  rich;  and 
he  sought  to  see  Jesus,  who  he  was,  and 
could  not  for  the  press,  because  he  was  little 
of  stature;  and  he  ran  before,  and  climbed 
up  iitto  a  sycamore  tree  (or  as  some  say, 
into  a  wild  fig  tree),  to  see  him ;  for  he  was 
to  pass  that  way;  and  when  Jesus  came  to 
the  place,  he  looked  up,  and  saw  him,  and 
said  to  him,  Zaccheus,  make  haste,  and 
come  down ;  for  to-day  I  must  abide  at  thy 
house,  and  he  made  haste,  and  came  down, 
and  received  him  joyfully,  and  said  imto 
the  Lord,  Behold,  Lord,  the  half  of  my  ; 
goods  I  give  to  the  poor;  and  if  I  have  taken  , 
any  thing  from  any  man  by  false  accusa- 1 
tion,  I  restore  him  fom-  fold;  and  Jesus  said 
unto  him.  This  day  is  salvation  come  to  this 
house,  forasmuch  as  he  is  also  a  son  of 
Abraham,"  Luke  19:  1 — 9. 

Paul  saj's.  For  whatsoever  things  were  j 
wi"itten  aforetime  were  WTitten  for  our  in- 
struction; and  thoiigh  we  know  Zaccheus' 
faith,  fruit,  mercy,  love  and  true  conversion, 
it  avails  us  nothing,  if  we  do  not  practice 
and  come  up  to  his  faith,  with  its  contrite, 
pious  fruits.  I  therefore  entreat  all  my  read- 
ers, who  live  openly  in  sin;  all  the  wealthy, 
avaricious,  unrighteous  merchants  and  gi'o- 
cers,  all  financiers  and  bankers,  all  who  love 
money;  judges,  lawyers,  advocates,  preach- 
ers, priests  and  monks,  all  drunken  land- 
lords, together  with  all  those  who  deal  in 
unlawful  gain  ;  I  entreat  all  by  the  love 
of  our  Lord  and  Savior,  Jesus  Christ,  that 
they  would  well  consider,  with  an  under- 
standing heart,  tliis  liistory  and  narrative 
touching  Zaccheus,  in  order  that  they  may 
learn  therefrom,  that  they  do  not  yet  pos- 
sess the  right,  true  faith  and  that  Christian- 


ity which  avails  with  God;  and  that  they 
have  nothing  but  a  fruitless,  vain  boasting 
of  Christ  and  of  faith. 

Zaccheus  was  chief  of  the  publicans,  and 
he  received  Christ  joyfully  in  his  house  and 
heart.  He  believed  and  was  renewed;  he 
reformed  his  life,  and  departed  from  his  for- 
mer evil  ways.  That  our  open  transgress- 
ors do  not  yet  reform  their  old,  ungodly 
lives,  and  that  they  do  not  desire  Chi'ist 
and  his  faith,  however  much  they  may  boast, 
is  as  clear  as  the  light  of  day. 

Zaccheus  was  rich,  and  one  half  of  his 
wealth  he  gave  to  the  poor.  But  our  rich 
people  seek  more  and  more,  how  they  may 
increase  their  money  and  possessions,  build 
their  houses  splendidlj^,  and  add  farm  to 
farm.  They  do  not  defend  the  cause  of  the 
poor  and  needy;  are  unmerciful,  proud, 
avaricious  and  wanton;  do  not  remember 
what  is  written  concerning  them,  "Go  to 
now,  ye  rich  men,  weep  and  howl  for  your 
miseries  that  shall  come  upon  you ;  yom- 
riches  are  corrupted,  and  your  garments  are 
moth-eaten;  your  gold  and  silver  is  can- 
kered, and  the  rust  of  them  shall  be  a  v,'it- 
ness  against  you,  and  shall  eat  yoiir  flesh 
as  it  w^ere  fire,"  James  5:  1 — 3.  Neither  do 
3'ou  reflect  on  what  David  says,  "I  have 
seen  the  wicked  in  great  power,  and  spread- 
ing himself  like  the  green  bay-tree;  yet  he 
passed  away,  and  lo,  he  was  not:  Yea,  I 
sought  him,  but  he  coidd  not  be  found,"  Ps. 
37;  35,  36.  Ah!  what  a  hard  saying  which 
the  Lord  uttered,  "Woe  unto  you  that  are 
rich,  for  ye  have  received  yoiu-  consolation," 
Luke  6:  24,  and  "It  is  easier  for  a  camel  to 
go  through  the  eye  of  a  needle,  than  for  a 
rich  man  to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God," 
Matt.  19:24. 

Zaccheus  said  to  the  Lord,  "If  I  have 
taken  anj^  thing  from  any  man  by  false  ac- 


FAITH. 


137 


cusation,  I  restore  liim  fonr  fold,"  but  our 
miserably  avaricious,  never  cease  from  de- 
frauding their  neighbor.  For  the  whole, 
broad  world,  both  man  and  woman,  are  so 
greedy  after  unlawful,  shameful  gain,  that 
it  cannot  be  imagined  nor  related. 

Lords  and  princes  daily  invent  new  de- 
vices and  practices,  that  they  may  increase 
their  dominions,  interests,  tolls  and  rents. 
They  tax,  shave,  grasp  and  rob  without  any 
mercy  or  bounds;  they  draw  the  very  mar- 
row from  the  bones  of  the  poor,  and  show 
by  their  actions,  that  they  are  companions 
of  those  of  whom  it  is  written,  "  Thy  princes 
are  rebellious,  and  companions  of  thieves," 
Isa.  1 :  23.  O  that  he  knew  Christ,  would 
repent,  cease  to  do  evil,  and  would  reflect 
more  on  love. 

Judges,  lawyers  and  advocates  also  seek 
all  artifice  to  get  unlawful  gain;  with  few 
exceptions  they  all  serve  for  gifts  and  mon- 
ey, for  if  they  did  not  expect  profit  or  gain, 
I  am  persuaded  that  burgomasters  and 
judges  woiild  be  few  in  the  whole  empire. 
For  the  sake  of  gain,  they  sit  and  judge, 
and  they  often  encourage  causes  for  the 
sake  of  a  fee.  Some  of  them  pervert  law 
and  right  for  the  sake  of  a  gift,  and  do  not 
reflect  on  what  Jehoshaphat  said  to  the 
judges,  "Take  heed  what  ye  do;  for  ye 
judge  not  for  man,  but  for  the  Lord,  who  is 
with  you  in  the  judgment;  wherefore  now 
let  the  fear  of  the  Lord  be  upon  you;  take 
heed  and  do  it;  for  there  is  no  iniquity  with 
the  Lord  our  God,  nor  respect  of  persons, 
nor  taking  of  gifts,"  2  Chron.  19:  G,  7. 

Captains,  knights,  servants  and  such  like 
bloody  men,  are  ready  to  serve  for  the  sake 
of  gain,  and  swear  with  uplifted  fingers  that 
they  will  destroy  cities  and  countries,  take 
citizens  and  inhabitants,  kill  them  and  take 
their  possessions  from  them,  although  they 
never  harmed  them,  nor  gave  them  anj^  prov- 
ocation. O  God!  what  execrated,  ungodly 
abominations  and  traffic.  And  still  it  must 
be  said,  that  they  protect  the  country  and 
people,  and  that  they  assist  in  administer- 
ing justice! 

Priests,  monks  and  preachers  are  equally 
bent  upon  unlawful  gain.  They  are  not 
shocked  to  make  God's  only  and  fu'st  be- 
gotten Son,  his  eternal.  Almighty  Word  and 
Wisdom,  the  one  and  only  everlasting  foun- 
18 


dation  of  heaven  and  earth,  Jesus  Christ, 
with  his  holy  apostles,  to  be  open,  false  wit- 

:  nesses,  heretics,  and  deceivers ;  for  Christ 
says,  "He  that  believeth  and  is  baptized, 
shall  be  saved,"  Mark  16:  IG.  But  they  say, 
He  that  believeth  and  is  baptized,  is  a  her- 

^  etic,  and  shall  be  damned.  Clulst  says, 
"But  if  thou  wilt  enter  into  life,  keep  the 
commandments,"  Matt.  19 :  17.     But  they 

\  say,  None  can  keep  God's  commandments. 

!     Paul  says.  If  ye  live  according  to  the 

\  flesh  ye  shall  die;  again,  The  unrighteous, 
di'unkards,  the  avaricious,  the  haughty,  the 
unchaste  and  the  like,  shall  not  inherit  the 
kingdom  of  God.  But  tliey  say,  We  are 
poor  sinners ;  who  can  always  live  as  the 
Scriptures  teach?  Christ  died  for  sinners, 
and  the  like  consolations,  whereby  they 
deny  Christ  and  his  word,  and  thus  en- 
com-age  the  whole  world,  rich  and  poor, 
small  and  great,  in  their  hardened  and 
wicked  life,  that  there  are,  alas,  few  who 
truly  repent,  or  seek  after  God.  They  preach 
what  the  ignorant  blind  world  desires,  that 
they  may  quietly  enjoy  the  reward  of  Ba- 
laam (their  cloisters  and  stipends,  I  mean), 
that  they  may  lead  an  epicurian  life  with- 
out care;  for  they,  poor  creatures,  know  not 
that  they  are  those  of  whom  it  is  written, 
"Woe  unto  them !  for  they  have  gone  in  the 
way  of  Cain,  and  ran  greedily  after  the  er- 
ror of  Balaam  for  reward,  and  perished  in 
the  gainsaying  of  Core,"  Jude  1:  11,  ac- 

i  cursed  people,  2  Pet.  2.  O  God,  that  they 
would  beware !  . 

The  unrighteous  merchants  and  grocers  (I 

j  say  the  iinrigldeous,  for  I  do  not  mean  those 
who  are  righteous  and  pious),  together  with 
all  those  who  deal  avariciously  and  penuri- 
ously,  are  so  bent  upon  accxu'sed  gain,  that 
theyexcludeGod  from  their  hearts.  They  cen- 
sure what  they  should  properly  praise,  and 
praise  what  they  should  censure;  they  lie 
and  swear;  use  many  vain  words;  adulter- 
ate their  merchandise  to  cheat  the  people, 
and  to  take  what  is  not  their  own;  they  sell, 
lend  and  trast  the  needy  at  exorbitant  gain 

!  and  usury,  never   seriously  reflecting  nor 

i  taking  to  heart,  that  it  stands  written, "  That 
no  man  go  beyond  and  defraud  his  brother 
in  any  matter,"  1  Thess.  4:  G. 
I  would  that  they  might  more  seriously 

I  lay  to  heart  the  doctrine  of  Sirach,  "A  mer- 


138 


FAITH. 


chant  shall  hardly  keep  himself  from  doin.c; 
wrong;  and  a  huckster  shall  not  be  freed 
from  sin ;  many  have  sinned  for  a  small 
matter,  and  he  that  seeketh  for  abundance 
will  turn  his  ej'es  away ;  as  a  nail  sticketh 
fast  between  the  joinings  of  the  stones,  so 
doth  sin  stick  close  between  buying  and 
selling.  Unless  a  man  hold  himself  dili- 
gently in  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  his  house 
shall  soon  be  overthrown,"  Eccl.  26:  29;  27: 
1—3. 

This  I  wTite  as  a  warning  to  the  god-fear- 
ing merchants  and  grocers,  so  that  they  will 
not  imitate  the  ungodly,  lest  they  be  over- 
come by  avarice,  but  be  circumspect  in  deal- 
ing and  beware  of  dangers. 

Some  are  made  thieves,  some  jnui-derers, 
others  jugglers,  necromancers,  some  are 
whoremongers,  others  gamblers,  others  are 
betrayers,  others  become  executioners  and 
tormentors,  and  also  some  persecutors  and 
slayers  of  the  pious,  &:c.,  and  all  this  for 
the  sake  of  accursed  gain,  whereby  they 
openly  testify  (because  they  walk  in  such  a 
way  and  are  so  bent  upon  unlawful  gain), 
that  they  are  of  the  devil  and  not  of  God, 
that  they  have  not  the  faitli  and  word  of 
Christ,  but  in  every  respect  are  inimical 
and  opposed  thereto. 

Yes,  kind  reader,  the  whole  world  is  so 
contaminated  and  involved  in  this  accursed 
avarice,  fraud,  false  practices  and  unbecom- 
ing gain,  in  this  false  traffic  and  merchan- 
dise, with  this  finance,  usury,  and  self-inter- 
est, that  I  scarcely  know  how  it  could  be 
worse;  yet  they  are  still  the  priest's  and 
preacher's  christians,  and  are  said  to  earn 
their  bread  honestly,  and  to  do  justice 
to  all. 

Ah!  my  reader,  how  different  all  this  is 
from  the  faith,  disposition  and  converted 
life  of  Zaccheus.  For  if  they  had  the  mind, 
faith  and  power  of  Zaccheus,  which  we  must 
have,  if  we  would  ever  be  saved,  it  is  my 
opinion  that  few  lords  and  princes  would 
continue  in  their  violence  and  wanton  lives; 
few  riders  (knights)  and  servants  in  their 
ungodly  service  and  deeds  of  blood ;  few 
judges,  lawyers  and  advocates  in  their 
courts  and  offices;  few  rich  persons  in  the 
unlawful  use  of  their  riclies;  few  merchants 
and  grocers  in  their  usurious  and  danger- 
ous trade;  and  few  preachers,  priests  and 


monks  would  continue  in  their  incomes,  sti- 
pends and  cloisters.  There  would  soon  be 
a  different  state  of  things ;  because  it  cannot 
be,  but  that  the  righteous  live  by  faith.  Yea, 
they  would,  with  joyful  heart,  say  with 
Zaccheus,  The  poor  we  willingly  serve  with 
our  goods,  and  if  we  have  defrauded  any 
one,  we  will  gladly  satisfy  him. 

All  who,  like  Zaccheus,  rightly  receive 
Jesus  Chri  st  in  the  house  of  their  conscien- 
ces ;  rightly  receive  the  word  of  Christ  as  he 
did,  and  be  also  trulj^  born  through  the 
word;  are  rightly  influenced  by  the  Spirit 
of  Christ;  and  are  of  the  same  mind  with 
him,  it  is  impossible  that  thej^  could  de- 
fraud any  one  even  of  a  farthing ;  for  we  see 
that  the  disposition  and  usage  of  all  true 
believers  is  to  injure  none  on  earth;  but,  as 
much  as  in  them  is,  assist  all;  to  defraud 
none,  but  to  do  justice  to  all.  As  Paul  says, 
"Let  him  that  stole,  steal  no  more;  but 
rather  let  him  labor,  working  with  his  hands 
the  thing  which  is  good;  that  he  may  have 
to  give  to  him  tliat  needeth,"  Eph.  4:  28. 

But  why  say  much?  For  my  part  I  do  not 
know  where  to  find  the  mighty  and  the  rich; 
in  what  courts  we  can  find  judges,  lawyers 
and  advocates ;  and  in  what  cities  and  coun- 
tries, merchants  and  grocers;  or  what  clois- 
ters and  chm'ches  we  can  look  for  preach- 
ers, priests  and  monks,  who  rightly  believe 
and  follow  Cluist;  who,  being  regenerated, 
penitent  and  pious,  desist  from  all  improp- 
er practices,  fraud,  craftiness,  robbery,  and 
unlawful  gain,  and  say  with  Zaccheus,  Those 
whom  we  have  defrauded  we  will  repay  fom-- 
fold.  The  prophet  complains  that  every  one 
from  the  least  even  unto  the  greatest,  is  given 
to  coA'etousness,  Jer.  8:  10. 

Since  then  they  are  determined  upon  ac- 
cui'sed,  abominable  avarice,  and  unlawful 
gain,  and  deal  so  rudely  and  plainly  con- 
trary to  love,  and  none  any  where  repent, 
hence,  it  is  evident  that  they  are  not  in  the 
church  of  Christ,  for  the  church  of  Christ  is 
called  his  body  and  bride  in  the  Scripture. 
If  the  church  be  his  body,  she  must  then  be 
flesh  of  liis  flesh,  and  bone  of  his  bone;  and 
if  she  be  his  bride,  she  must  be  of  his  gen- 
eration, be  righteous,  holj^,  meek,  cliaste, 
true,  lovely,  merciful;  yea,  hear  and  be  obe- 
dient to  his  voice;  tlierefore,  Christ  cannot 
admit  of  any  other  members  in  his  church 


FAITH. 


139 


but  those  who  are  of  one  heart,  spirit  and 
sonl  with  him,  partakers  of  his  Spirit;  who 
are  dead  to  all  unrighteoiisness,  bnry  the 
old  evil  life  of  sin,  walk  by  faith,  nnblam- 
ably  in  love,  receive  the  truth  joyfully,  wil- 
lingly serve  their  neighbor,  as  did  this  be- 
lieving, regenerated  and  renewed  Zaccheus. 

He  desired  to  see  Christ,  and  received  him 
with  joy;  he  believed  his  word,  and  aban- 
doned his  ungodly  life ;  he  ministered  to  the 
poor,  and  reconciled  those  whom  he  had 
defrauded.  In  short,  he  proved  himself  to 
be  a  pious,  sincere,  regenerated  child  of  God 
in  all  his  actions;  therefore  he  heard  the 
peaceable,  joyful  word  of  divine  grace, 
''This  day  is  salvation  come  to  this  house, 
forasmuch  as  he  also  is  a  son  of  Abraham," 
Luke  19:  9. 

Behold,  worthy  reader,  those  who  believe, 
are  penitent  and  renewed  as  Zaccheus  was, 
and  walk  in  love,  belong  to  the  chiu'ch  and 
body  of  the  Lord,  as  Christ  himself  says,  "By 
this  shall  all  men  know  that  ye  are  my  dis- 


ciples, if  ye  have  love  one  to  another."  They 
are  the  living  stones  of  the  Lord's  temple, 
and  the  true  citizens  of  Jerusalem;  in  which 
neither  sorcerers,  nor  whoremongers,  nor 
murderers,  nor  idolaters,  nor  whosoever 
loveth  and  maketh  a  lie,  have  part.  Yea, 
as  long  as  Zaccheus  was  such  a  one,  he  was 
without;  for  such,  says  Paul,  have  neither 
lot  nor  part  in  the  kingdom  of  God  and 
of  Christ. 

But  as  soon  as  he  believed  the  word  of  the 
Lord,  through  faith  he  repented  and  turned 
himself  to  love;  from  that  hour  he  was  en- 
titled to  citizenship,  with  Clirist  himself;  the 
path  of  life  was  opened  to  him,  peace  de- 
clared, salvation  bestowed,  and  he  was  ac- 
knowledged and  received  as  a  joint-heir  of 
gi-ace,  and  a  child  of  God,  as  the  Lord  says, 
This  day  is  salvation  come  to  this  house, 
&c.  For  as  Christ  is  holy,  so  must  also  his 
children,  brethren,  members,  chiu'ch  and 
bride  be  holy;  for  it  is  waitten,  Be  ye  holy, 
for  I  am  holy. 


THE  MUIIDEKEJI'S  FAITH. 


The  evangelists  teach  that  there  were  two 
malefactors  crucified  with  Christ;  the  one 
on  the  right  hand,  and  the  other  on  the  left. 
"  One  of  the  malefactors  which  were  hanged, 
railed  on  him,  saying.  If  thou  be  Christ, 
save  thyself  and  ns^  but  the  other  answer- 
ing rebuked  him,  saying,  Dost  not  thou  fear 
God,  seeing  thou  art  in  the  same  condemna- 
tion? And  we,  indeed  justly;  for  we  receive 
the  due  reward  of  our  deeds ;  but  this  man 
hath  done  nothing  amiss;  and  he  said  unto 
Jesus,  Lord,  remember  me  when  thou  com- 
est  into  thy  kingdom.  And  Jesus  said  unto 
him,  Yerily  I  say  unto  thee,  To-da^r  shalt 
thou  be  with  nie  in  Paradise,"  Luke  23: 
39—43. 

Good  rM'der,  observe  particularly  what  I 
write.  When  we  critically  view  the  confes- ; 
sion  of  this  evil  doer,  we  are  astonished  at 
the  great  power,  the  good  nature,  the  abun- 
dance of  fruit,  si)iritual  vision,  energetic 
love  and  the  free  confession  of  his  faith.  It 
is  evident  that  he  had  been  an  abandoned,  [ 


ungodly  reprobate,  who  neither  knew  nor 
feared  God,  but  maliciously  committed  all 
manner  of  sins,  robbed  his  neighbor  of  his 
goods  and  shed  his  blood.  Matthew  and 
Mark  call  him  a  murderer,  and  Luke  calls 
him  a  malefactor.  This  apijears  to  be  the 
case  as  he  testifies  himself,  that  he  had  to 
die  for  crimes  which  he  had  committed. 

Notwithstanding  all  this,  as  soon  as  this 
malefactor,  extended  on  the  cross  between 
Jerusalem  and  Mount  Calvary,  heard  in  his 
last  distress,  the  word  of  God  from  the 
mouth  of  the  Lord,  it  wrought  in  him  so 
powerfully,  that  his  heart  within  him  was 
touched  and  changed,  which  led  him  to  seek, 
from  that  moment,  the  salvation  of  his  fel- 
low-men and  rebulced  his  reviling  compan- 
ion, saying,  Fearest  thou  not  God  i  He  con- 
fessed his  own  sins  and  his  maliciousness, 
saying,  We  are  receiving  according  to  our 
merits  and  works;  and  he  acknowledged 
the  condemned  Jesus  (who  was  cursed  to 
die  on  the  cross  as  one  of  the  most  aban- 


140 


FAITH. 


doned  mcalefactors,  by  the  chief  priests, 
Pharisees  and  scribes,  and  denied  of  the 
people  and  condemned  to  death),  to  be  in- 
nocent, righteous,  pure  and  without  sin, 
saying,  This  one  lias  done  no  evil.  Besides 
this,  he  also  sought  grace  and  mercy  of 
God,  although  it  appeared  to  human  un- 
derstanding that  he  was  denied  all  mercy, 
and  every  favor  both  by  God  and  man.  For 
he  was  at  this  time  the  most  rejected  and 
despised  of  all  men,  as  the  prophet  laments, 
Isa.  53:  6,  and  the  thief  applied  to  none  oth- 
er, in  heaven  or  upon  earth,  than  to  this 
poor,  innocent,  calumniated,  banished  and 
crucified  Jesus;  in  full  confidence  drawing 
near  to  him,  as  the  throne  of  divine  grace, 
that  he  might  obtain  the  remission  of  his 
sins,  saying,  "Lord  remember  me  when  thou 
comest  into  thy  kingdom."' 

I  think,  this  may  justly  be  called,  a  true, 
christian  faith,  and  a  truly  worthy  fruit  of 
penitence  and  repentance;  and  it  was  noth- 
ing else  to  the  Lord,  but  a  refreshing  of  his 
thirsty  soul,  as  a  molifying  of  his  deep 
wounds,  as  a  consolation  of  his  sore  dis- 
tress, and  as  a  comfort  in  his  painful  suffer- 
ings and  cruel  death,  so  that  he  in  the  same 
hour,  heard  the  consoling,  joyful  word  of 
divine  grace  and  eternal  peace,  from  Jesus, 
namely.  Fear  not,  all  tliy  sins  which  thou 
didst  commit  in  thy  ignorance  are  cover- 
ed, they  shall  never  more  be  remembered, 
either  by  me  or  my  Father.  I  pledge  my 
innocent  blood  as  security ;  therefore,  be  of 
good  cheer,  what  thou  didst  desire,  thou 
hast  already  obtained,  "To-day  shalt  thou 
be  with  me  in  Paradise." 

Behold  my  reader,  here  you  have,  in  the 
malefactor  mentioned,  a  fair  example  of  a 
sincere,  christian  faith,  with  its  properties, 
disposition,  nature,  power  and  fruits.  With 
this  same  murderer,  many  vain  despisers 
comfort  and  flatter  themselves  in  their  sin- 
ful and  impenitent  lives,  think  and  say  to 
themselves,  God  is  merciful;  he  knows  that 
we  are  the  children  of  Adam,  if  we  do  not 
live  as  the  Scriptures  teach,  and  as  they 
would  have  us  live,  yet  we  hope,  by  the 
grace  of  God  to  be  saved,  as  was  the  mur- 
derer. These  poor  creatures  know  not  that 
the  thief  will  be  a  sore  condemnation  to 
them ;  because  they  hear  the  word  of  the 
Lord  so  often,  and  believe  it  not,  neither 


are  they  obedient  thereto.  Ah  reader!  do 
not  thus  mock  God;  I  fear  many  will  fail 
in  their  hopes  in  this  matter. 

Again,  I  say  that  all  wilful  despisers,  who 
thus  say  and  think  in  their  hearts,  must  be 
eternally  convicted  by  this  thief,  and  shall 
stand  confounded,  for  as  soon  as  he  heard 
the  gospel  of  grace,  he  received  it  in  a  pure 
conscience,  through  faith,  and  became  peni- 
tent, regenerated  and  pious.  And  these  hear 
it  from  year  to  year,  see  daily  so  many  fair 
fruits,  and  that  it  is  so  gloriously  testified 
by  possessions  and  blood ;  nevertheless, 
they  remain  unbelievers  and  are  hardened 
in  sin;  for  they  reject  the  inviting  grace, 
they  resist  the  operating  Spirit,  they  con- 
temn the  preached  word,  they  trample  un- 
der foot  the  proffered  gift,  and  say,  where 
are  the  Scriptures,  whereby  we  may  comfort 
such  unreasonable,  shameful  scorners,  or 
promise  and  proclaim  to  them  the  grace 
and  peace  of  the  Lord  ? 

I  fear  they  are  the  sterile,  unfruitful  earth, 
of  which  Paxil  speaks,  which  drinketh  in 
the  rain  of  the  holy,  divine  word,  that 
cometh  oft  upon  it,  and  nevertheless,  bears 
only  thorns  and  thistles;  are  rejected  and 
nigli  unto  cursing,  which  are  to  be  bvuned. 
They  are  those  of  whom  Solomon  laments 
and  says,  "How  long,  ye  simple  ones,  will 
ye  love  simplicity?  and  the  scorners  delight 
in  their  scorning,  and  fools  hate  knowledge? 
Because  I  have  called,  and  ye  refused ;  I 
have  stretched  out  my  hand  and  no  man  re- 
garded; but  ye  have  set  at  naught  all  my 
coimsel,  and  would  none  of  my  reproof,  I, 
also  will  laugh  at  your  calamity ;  I  will  mock 
when  your  fear  cometh  and  when  distress 
and  anguish  cometh  upon  you,  then  shall 
they  call  upon  me,  but  I  will  not  answer," 
Prov.  1 :  22 — 28.  But  because  they  do  not 
look  for  light,  he  will  turn  it  into  the  shad- 
ow of  death,  and  make  it  gross  darkness. 

The  murderer  believed  as  soon  as  he 
heard.  O!  that  they  would  do  so;  and 
think  upon  what  David  said,  "To-day,  if 
ye  will  hear  his  voice,  hardeil''*not  youi- 
hearts  as  in  the  provocation,"  Heb.  3:  15. 

The  murderer  heard  but  once  and  believed, 
and  these  hear  it  so  often,  and  yet  they  be- 
lieve not.  He  heard  and  was  changed;  but 
these  hear  and  continue  the  same,  and 
harden  their  hearts  yet  more  and  more. 


FAITH. 


141 


He  reproved  his  reviling  (?ompanion,  and  , 
admonished  him,  tliat  he  should  fear  God;  : 
but  these  blaspheme  and  revile  all  the  faith- 
fi;l  who  do  so ;  and  love  those  who  hate  the  ! 
truth.     He  unreservedly  confessed  his  sins 
and  wickedness,  without  fear;  but  these,  no 
matter  however  avaricious,  drunken,  proud, 
unchaste,  unclean,  envioiis  and  idolatrous 
they  are,  do  not  confess  their  transgressions 
and  sins,  and  when  called  to  repent  and  re-  \ 
form,  they  say.  Yea,  what  have  we  done? 

He  acknowledged  that  Christ's  kingdom 
was  not  earthly,  for  he  said,  JMieii  tJtou  \ 
comest  into  tliy  Idngdom ;  but  tliese  have  all ' 
their  pleasures  in  gold  and  silver,  in  eating 
and  drinking,  in  splendor  and  wantonness, 
and  in  the  perishable,  visible  riches  of  the 
world ;  they  do  not  regard  the  invisible,  eter- 
nal riches,  which  Christ  out  of  grace,  has  be- 
stowed upon  all  his  believers,  and  merited 
them  by  the  shedding  of  his  precious  blood. 

He  confessed  the  poor,  condemned,  cruci- 
fied Jesus  before  all  the  rulers,  priests,  Phar- ; 
isees  and  before  the  people,  and  acknowl- 
edge him  as  his  Savior  and  Lord;  but  these, 
alas!  deny  his  Almighty  Majesty,  his  heav- 
enly origin  and  glory,  and  do  not  regard 
his  judgment.  Spirit,  word,  ordinances,  com- 
mands, sacraments  and  promises,  although 
he  has  seated  himself  as  a  triumphant  and 
conquering  prince,  at  the  right  hand  of  the 
Father,  and  has  received  all  power,  both  in  ] 
heaven  and  upon  earth,  in  eternal  glory  of , 
the  Father.  j 

He  sought  mercy,  favor  and  the  foi'give- ; 
ness  of  his  sins,  of  Christ ;  but  these  seek 
it  of  their  preachers,  priests  and  monks, 
through  masses,  confessions,  absolution, 
bread  and  wine,  holy  water  and  the  like 
superstitions  and  abominations. 

He  heard,  because  he  believed  on  Christ, 
the  pleasing  words,  To-day  tlioxi  slialt  he 
witJt  me  in  Paradise ;  but  these  shall  hear, 
becaxise  they  believe  not  on  Christ,  the  dread- 
ful, intolerable  and  awful  sentence.  Depart 
from  me  ye  cursed  into  eDerlastinr/fire.  Their 
faith  was  unlike,  as  will  also  be  their  re- 
ward. Let  all  mockers  take  this  to  heart. 

And  thus,  take  notice,  finally  this  peni- 
tent sinner  will  rise  up  against  those  who 
have  comforted  themselves  with  him  in  their 
sins,  and  criminate  and  condemn  them  be- 
fore the  face  of  his  Majesty.    For  they  hav- 


ing so  often  heard  the  sweet  melody  of  the 
divine  word,  and  never  Avere  grateful,  nor 
ever  learned  or  believed  it  with  open  and 
renewed  hearts;  but  the  murderer  heard  it 
but  once,  and  immediately  believed.  Ah ! 
dear  children,  beware  and  seek  Christ  while 
he  may  be  found,  and  call  on  him  while  he 
is  yet  near,  lest  his  anger  go  forth,  and  the 
lire  of  his  fierce  wrath  consume  you. 

Think  you,  O  perverted  scorners !  that 
you  can  receive  or  reject  faith,  repentance, 
sorrow  for  sin,  and  the  grace  of  God,  at 
pleasiu-e?  O  no!  Holy  Paul  says,  "Even 
as  they  did  not  like  to  retain  God  in  their 
knowledge,  God  gave  them  over  to  a  repro- 
bate mind,"  Rom.  1 :  28.  That  sentence  shall 
be  passed  upon  all  proud  scorners.  Chil- 
di-en  beware ! 

Notice  this  parable.  There  is  a  very  rich 
potentate,  emperor  or  king,  whom  I,  through 
great  ignorance,  hated  all  my  days ;  he  had 
compassion  upon  me,  and  because  I  am 
such  a  poor  man,  he,  through  his  faithful 
servants,  tendered  me  not  only  his  favor 
and  friendship,  but  also  a  great  sum  of 
gold,  many  precious  stones  and  gems,  and 
all  this  out  of  love  and  compassion;  and  I 
am  so  ungrateful,  that  I  will  not  only  not 
give  meat  and  drink  to  the  faithful  servants 
of  this  kind  prince,  who  loves  me  dearly, 
for  these  great  favors ;  but  I  turn  them  with 
ignominy  and  disgrace,  out  of  doors,  throw 
mud  and  stones  at  them,  put  them  into  pris- 
on and  bonds,  deprive  them  of  property 
and  life,  take  the  i^roffered  gifts,  place  them 
in  a  closet,  and  trample  them  under  foot, 
&c.,  and  inform  the  prince.  That  I  do  not 
now  desire  his  jiresents,  but  if  he  will,  in 
the  course  of  one  or  ten  years  offer  them 
again,  then  I  will  perhaps,  make  up  my 
mind  and  receive  them  and  tender  my 
thanks  for  the  favors.  Now,  I  will  allow 
yoii  all  to  judge,  whether  it  would  be  right 
that  such  a  prince  should  again  offer  his 
favor,  since  I  treated  him  and  his  sen-ants 
so  perfidiously?  Or  whether  he  should  not 
miich  more  turn  his  favor  into  displeasm'e, 
and  his  love  into  wrath  toward  me,  for  my 
presumptuous  tyi'anny,  haughty  rejection 
of  his  favors,  and  severely  punish  me  ?  I 
thinlc,  you  would  award  me  his  punishment 
and  not  his  grace. 

Thus  it  is  with  you.  O  you  scorners !  The 


142 


FAITH. 


merciful  Lord,  whose  riches  and  grace  are 
immense,  has  graciouslj^  pitied  us  in  these 
abominable,  last  days,  and  had  compassion 
on  onr  great  blindness  and  deadly  poverty, 
although  we  hated  his  hol}'^  will  from  our 
infancy,  and  througli  his  faithful  servants 
freely  offered  us  his  beloved  Son  with  his 
holy  word,  Spirit,  merits,  ordinances  and 
example,  tendered  us  his  grace,  peace  and 
eternal  life,  kingdom,  inheritance,  joy  and 
glory,  together  with  the  remission  of  our 
sins;  he  dug  about  its  and  fostered  us,  bar- 
ren trees,  for  many  years.  He  calls  and 
teaches  daily,  through  his  chosen,  who  wil- 
lingly sacrifice  possession  and  life  as  a  tes- 
timony ;  he  puts  at  variance  the  father 
against  the  son,  and  the  son  against  the 
father;  the  mother  against  the  daughter, 
and  the  daughter  against  the  mother;  the 
members  of  the  family  against  one  another, 
and  friend  against  friend,  &c.  Some  he  suf- 
fers to  be  cb-iveu  about  in  strange  countries, 
in  tribulation,  in  sori'ow,  in  misery,  in  fear, 
in  want,  in  vexation,  in  deserts,  in  moun- 
tains, in  dens  and  in  caves  of  the  earth.  He 
gives  signs  in  the  sun,  moon,  and  the  stars 
in  heaven;  in  earthquakes,  war,  pestilence, 
new  diseases,  famine,  and  unheard  of  won- 
ders upon  the  earth.  Asa  hen  gathers  her 
chickens,  he  would  gather  us  under  the 
wings  of  his  love;  and  as  a  faitliful  shep- 
herd of  his  sheep,  he  would  bring  us  to  the 
right  fold  of  his  grace ;  bring  us  into  the 
chamber  of  his  covenant,  and  kiss  us  with 
the  lips  of  his  peace;  wash  us  from  all  our 
uncleanness,  and  make  us  his  bride;  re- 
deem us  from  the  dominion  of  hell  and 
death,  and  lead  us  into  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,  and  of  eternal  life.  In  short,  he 
would  release  us  from  the  power  of  dark- 
ness and  the  devil,  and  receive  us  and  make 
us  holy  as  his  chosen  children  and  heirs. 

But,  alas,  in  relation  to  you,  it  is  alto- 
gether vain;  as  already  said,  his  proffered 
grace  and  word  you  reject;  you  persecute 
and  kill  his  faithful  sen^ants  and  ministers; 
you  defame  and  blaspheme  the  imblamable, 
pious  life,  together  with  the  confession  of 
the  saints ;  you  scoff  at  his  gi-eat  signs,  won- 
ders and  reproofs,  and  your  faces  are  like 
those  of  the  lecherous,  and  your  hearts  as 
diamonds;  you  are  neither  ashamed,  nor 
will  jou  be  converted;  you  say  yntTa.  per- 


verted scorners.  Depart  from  us,  for  we  de- 
sire not  tlie  knowledge  of  thy  ways.  What 
is  the  Almighty,  that  we  should  serve  him  ? 
And  wliat  proiit  should  we  have,  if  we  pray 
to  him  ?  Job  21 :  14,  15. 

Since  then,  you  are  so  ungrateful  to  your 
God,  yea,  are  altogether  vain  and  insulting 
towards  him,  who  has  shown  to  us,  from 
the  beginning,  such  great  mercy,  that  you 
entirely  reject  and  disregard  his  paternal 
admonitions,  chastisings,  doctrines,  com- 
mands, obedience  to  his  holy  word,  and  the 
innocent  blood  of  his  saints,  together  with 
all  his  great  powers  and  miracles ;  yea,  you 
consider  them  as  mere  deception  and  here- 
sy ;  that  you  do  not  regard  the  clay  of  grace ; 
that  you  inconsiderately  trample  under  foot 
Christ  and  his  holy  Spirit,  gospel,  regenera- 
tions, faith,  sacraments,  death  and  blood, 
together  with  all  his  other  spiritual  riches 
and  heavenljr  gifts;  and  that  you  do  not 
fear,  seek,  love,  honor  thank  nor  serve  the 
Almighty,  immortal,  only  and  eternal  God; 
and  still  hope  that  you  will  be  saved  with 
the  murderer,  then  I  tell  and  warn  you  in 
sincere  love,  while  it  is  yet  to-day,  that  youi* 
hopes  will  not  be  realized,  for  when  you. 
think  to  find  him,  he  wall  then  hide  himself 
from  you;  he  will  turn  his  fierce  countenance 
upon  you,  as  the  Scriptures  say,  "Then 
shall  they  call  upon  me,  but  I  will  not  an- 
swer; they  shall  seek  me  early,  but  they 
shall  not  find  me,"  Prov.  1 :  28. 

I  therefoi'e  entreat  and  exhort  my  readers 
in  general ;  to  hear  while  you  have  ears,  and 
see  while  you  have  eyes;  understand  while 
you  have  hearts;  awaken  and  watch  while 
you  have  time  and  si)ace,  lest  j'our  ears, 
eyes,  hearts,  and  opportunities  be  taken 
from  you,  and  you  become  deaf,  blind,  im- 
penitent, hardened  and  perverted. 

Friends,  beware!  now  it  is  to-day,  yester- 
day is  past;  to-morrow  is  not  promised  us. 
Short  is  tlie  time;  behold,  the  judge  is  at 
the  door,  therefore  delay  not,  to  turn  unto 
the  Loi'd,  and  defer  it  not  from  day  to  day; 
for  his  wrath  will  soon  overtake  you.  Late 
repentance,  says  Augustine,  is  seldom  true; 
but  if  true,  it  never  is  too  late.  Repent  while 
j^ou  enjoy  health,  says  he,  that  you  maybe 
certain. 

Therefore,  do  as  did  the  thief  or  murder- 
er, for,  as  soon  as  he  heard,  he  believed. 


FAITH. 


143 


Do  you  also  thus  hear,  and  thus  believe, 
for  the  eyes  of  the  Lord  are  upon  the  faith- 
ful. The  Savior  says,  those  who  hunger 
and  thirst  after  righteousness,  shall  be  filled; 
those  who  seek,  shall  find;  those  who  ask, 
shall  receive;  those  wlio  knock,  to  them  it 
shall  be  opened.  But  if  yon  refuse,  when 
he  seeks  to  bestow  his  grace  upon  you,  he 
will  also  refuse  when  you  seek  him,  and 
would  fain  obtain  his  grace.  "They  that 
despise  me,"  saith  the  Lord,  "shall  be  light- 
ly esteemed,"  1  Sam.  3:  30. 

Therefore,  seek  while  it  is  day,  that  you 
may  find ;  ask,  that  you  may  receive ;  hear, 
that  you  may  believe  ;  believe,  that  you 
may  do ;  and  do,  that  you  may  live ;  for, 
from  hearing,  cometh  faith ;  out  of  faith, 
doctrine;  on  obedience,  the  fulfilment  of  the 
promise  depends. 

For  this  reason  all  things  are  imputed  to 
faith  in  the  Scriptures ;  such  as  true  re- 
pentance, regeneration,  sanctification  of  the 
heart ;  the  righteousness  which  avails  be- 
fore God  ;  the  blessing  of  salvation  and 
everlasting  life;  for  faith  is  the  source  and 
cause  of  all  good,  as  is  fully  related. 

Seeing,  then,  that  this  is  the  true  and 
proper  ground  of  the  Scriptures,  as  we  have 
briefly  explained,  you  will  then  have  to 
confess  that  all  wilful  scorners  are  put  to 
sliame  in  tlieir  doings,  by  the  thief,  and 


'  that  he  will  be  their  accuser  in  the  day  of 
the  Lord,  as  the  Lord  says  of  the  Mnevites,  . 
and  of  the  Queen  of  the  South. 

All  who  hear  and  believe  the  word  of 
Christ,  and  are  turned  by  the  power  of  faith 
with  all  their  hearts  to  Christ,  acknowledge 
Christ  openly,  by  an  unblamable,  pious 
life,  before  all  the  world,  confidently  seek 
his  grace  and  mercy,  &c.;  to  them  he  is  a 

!  glorious  comforter,  a  precious  balm  and 
liniment  in  their  troubled  and  wounded 
consciences,  by  which  they  may  see  and 
know  God's  unbounded  favor,  mercy  and 
love,  towards  all  truly  penitent  sinners,  if 
they  have  sinned  ever  so  long  and  heinous- 

1  ly,  that  they  by  faith  may  satisfy  their  souls 

:  with  him,  and  not  doubt  the  grace  of  God 
on  account  of  their  sinful  lives  in  which  they 
formerly  walked;  for  the  Lord  did  not  with- 

j  hold  his  grace,  nor  did  he  say,  'No,  thief, 
your  sins  are  too  great  and  numerous,  and 
you  also  have  sinned  too  long.  But  as  soon 
as  he  saw  his  new  heart,  and  heard  him 
confessing,  he  bestowed  his  grace  iipon  the 
poor,  distressed  sinner,  and  forgave  him  all 
his  sins,  and  said,  To-day  thouslialt  he  with 
me  in  Paradise;  for  he  tliat  heJievetli  on  me 
lias  eternal  life.  The  prophet  also  says.  If 
the  righteous  turn  from  liis  unrighteousness 
and  does  righteously,  I  will  not  remember 
his  unrio-hteousness  which  he  did. 


FAITH  OF  THE  SINFUL  WOMAN. 


Luke  says,  "One  of  the  Pharisees  desired 
Jesus  that  he  would  eat  with  him,  and  he 
went  into  the  Pharisee's  house,   and  sat 
down  to  meat;  and  behold,  a  woman  of  the 
city,  which  was  a  sinner,  when  she  knew 
that  Jesus  sat  at  meat  in  the  Pharisee's  , 
house,  brought  an  alabaster  box  of  oint- , 
ment,  and  stood  at  his  feet,  behind  him,  j 
weeping,  and  began  to  wash  liis  feet  with  ' 
tears,  and  did  wipe  them  with  the  hairs  of ; 
her  head,  and  kissed  his  feet,  and  anointed 
them  with  the  ointment,"  Luke  7:  36 — 38. 

Here  we  again  learn  to  know,  in  the  case 
of  this  sinner,  what  kind  of  a  heart,  dispo- 
sition, fruit  and  life,  a  sincere,  true  Chris- 


tian faith  produces.  She  was  possessed  of 
seven  devils  (if  she  was  the  woman  called 
Mary  Magdalene,  whom  the  evangelists 
mention),  and  as  it  appears,  lived  accord- 
ing to  the  inclinations  of  her  flesh,  for  she 
is  called  a  sinner  in  the  Scriptiu-es,  so  long 
as  the  Lord  had  not  called  her  out  of  dai'k- 
ness  into  light,  from  lies  unto  truth.  As 
soon  as  she  heard  his  word,  she  with  eager- 
ness received  it  in  a  sincere  and  renewed 
heart,  by  which  she,  who  was  a  great  sin- 
ner, became  a  penitent  and  pious  woman. 
Herirnrighteous,  carnal  heart  waS  so  warmed 
and  touched,  that  her  eyes  streamed  with 
tears,  that  she  wet  the  feet  of  the  Savior 


144 


FAITH. 


therewith.  Her  hair  she  used  as  a  towel  to 
wipe  his  feet;  her  avarice  was  quelled;  she 
anointed  his  head  and  feet  with  precious 
ointment,  which  might  have  been  sold  for 
three  hundred  pence ;  lier  proiid  heart  was 
humbled;  she  did  not  seek  the  highest  seat 
at  the  table,  but  she  sat  mournfiillj  at  the 
feet  of  the  Lord,  and  heard  his  blessed 
word. 

A'Slien  the  Pharisee  saw  this,  he  murmur- 
ed; Christ  said  to  him,  "Simon,  seest  thou 
this  woman?  I  entered  into  thine  house, 
thou  gavest  me  no  water  for  my  feet;  but 
she  hath  washed  my  feet  with  tears,  and 
wiped  them  with  the  hairs  of  her  head. 
Thou  gavest  me  no  kiss,  but  this  Avoman. 
since  the  time  I  came  in,  hath  not  ceased  to 
kiss  mj'  feet.  My  liead  with  oil  thou  didst 
not  anoint;  biit  this  woman  hath  anointed 
my  feet  with  ointment.  AVherefore  I  say 
unto  thee,,  her  sins,  whicli  are  many,  are 
forgiven;  for  she  loved  mucli,  but  to  whom 
little  is  forgiven  the  same  loveth  little.  And 
he  said  Tinto  her.  Thy  sins  are  forgiven;*** 
thy  faith  hath  saved  thee;  go  in  peace," 
Liike7:44— 48,  50. 

Beloved  reader,  take  notice  that  all  the 
proud,  haughty,  avaricious,  carnal  and 
adulterous,  who  call  themselves  Christians, 
but  who  are  by  no  means  such,  testify  by 
their  disposition,  heart,  mind  and  walk  that 
they  hate  and  are  inimical  to  Christ,  are 
shamed  and  reproved  by  this  regenerated, 
penitent  sinner,  in  all  their  actions ;  for 
through  her  faith  she  changed  her  proud, 
haughty  and  obdurate  heart  into  an  liumble, 
contrite  and  broken  one. 

They  say  that  they  believe,  and  yet  there 
are  no  limits  nor  bounds  to  their  accursed 
wantonness,  foolisli  pomp,  show  of  silks,  vel- 
vet, costly  clothes,  gold-rings,  chains,  silver 
belts,  pins,  buttons,  curiously  adorned  shirts, 
handkerchiefs,  collars,  veils,  aprons,  velvet 
shoes,  slippers  and  such  like  foolish  finer}'; 
never  regarding  that  the  enlightened  apos- 
tles, Peter  and  Paul  have,  in  plain  and  ex- 
press words  forbidden  this  to  all  christiaii 
women.  If  this  is  forbidden  to  women  how 
much  more  then  should  men  abstain  from 
it,  who  are  the  leaders  and  heads  of  their 
women.  Notwithstanding  all  this  they  still 
want  to  be  called  the  christian  chui-ch. 

Every  one  makes  an  ostentatious  display; 


'  yea,  sometimes  goes  beyond  his  ability  to 
pay.     One  is  desirous  to  excel  another  in 
foppery,  or  at  least  to  be  equal  with  him. 
And  does  not  reflect  that  it  is  written,  "Love 
not  the  world,  neither  the  things  that  are  in 
,  the  world.    If  any  man  love  the  world,  the 
'  love  of  the  Father  is  not  in  him;  for  all  that 
is  in  the  world,  the  lust  of  the  flesh,  and  the 
lust  of  the  eyes,  and  the  pride  of  life  is  not 
of  the  Father,  but  is  of  the  world;  and  the 
world  passeth  away,  and  the  lust  thereof; 
but  he  that  doetli  the  will  of  God  abideth 
for  ever,"  1  John  2:  15—17. 
I      Again,  I  say,  this  sinful  woman  believed, 
and  from  that  moment  she  was  freed  from 
disgraceful  sins,  for  the  unclean  devil  was 
cast  out,  as  you  have  heard.  But  what  abom- 
inable, disgraceful  unchastity.  adulter}'  and 
fornication  is  practiced  among  many  men 
and  women  (who  boast  that  they  believe), 
in  many  cities  and  countries,  is  best  known 
to  him   before  whose  eyes  all  things  are 
I  open;  and,  alas,  not  wholly  concealed  be- 
fore men.     It  is  manifest  that  ilie  world  is 
full  of  lasciviousness,  adulterers,   fornica- 
[  tors,  sodomites,  buggerers,  bastards  and  il- 
■  legitimate  children,  and,  alas,  it  has  come 
'  so  far,  that  they  live  at  peace  and  liber- 
ty, notwithstanding  that  God  commanded 
through  Moses,  that  both  the  adulterer  and 
adulteress   should  die,   Deut.  22:  22;   that 
j  there  should  be  neither  whores  nor  whore- 
mongers in  Israel,  and  the  illegitimate  chil- 
dren even  to  the  tenth  generation  were  not 
'  to  be  admitted  into  the  congregation  of  the 
'  Lord.   And  further,  It  was  the  express  com- 
mand and  ordinance  of  God,  that  if  any 
one  in  Israel  had  intercoiu'se  with  a  virgin, 
'  who  was  not  betrothed  or  engaged,  he  was 
compelled  to  marry  her,  if  her  father  con- 
:  sented,  and  was  not  to  put  her  away  all  his 
;  days,  because  he  humbled  her,  Exod.  22:  IC. 
Ah  !   reader,  reflect  upon  what  the  last 
command  contains.     They  all  boast,  how- 
ever lascivious  they  are,  that  they  are  spir- 
'  itual  Israelites,  that  they  have  the  triith, 
and  are  baptized  in  the  name  of  Christ,  and 
yet  they  are  not  ashamed  to  reduce  their 
poor,  weak  sisters,  who  are  comprised  with 
them  in  the  same  faith,  baptism,  holy  Suja- 
per  and  worship,  to  poor,  deluded  and  de- 
graded strumpets,  against  all  Scripture  and 
cliristian  love;   although  God's  own  word. 


FAITH. 


145 


and  tlie  quoted  command  tell  them,  that  if 
they  have  lain  with  them,  they  should  mar- 
ry them  and  never  forsake  them.  If  they 
would  more  seriously  reflect  upon  these 
things,  many  a  disgraced  one  would  be 
saved  of  her  shame,  whereas  now,  many  a 
child  is  so  unmercifully  disgraced  and  many 
a  girl  and  virgin  bereaved  of  her  honor  and 
virtue. 

I  wTite  you  the  truth  in  Christ,  you  may 
believe  it  if  you  will,  that  if  you  are  a  chris- 
tian or  would  be  one,  and  have  seduced  but 
one  poor  child  with  your  subtle  attempts 
and  pretences,  and  if  you  would  not  lose 
your  soul,  you  will  have  to  marry  her  and 
not  forsake  her,  nor  cast  her  from  j'ou;  for 
you  have  humbled  her,  as  heard.  Behold, 
this  is  the  Lord's  own  word  and  law.  All, 
therefore,  who  knowingly  despise  this  law 
of  God,  and  reject  the  disgraced  and  marry 
another,  will  have  to  confess  before  God  that 
the_^/'.9^  our.  is  his  wife,  and  not  the  lad  one. 
0,  you  violators  of  female  chastit}',  reflect 
upon  these  things  and  learn  wisdom. 

Would  you  say  that  this  command  has 
reference  only  to  Israel  and  not  to  the  chris- 
tian, I  would  then  ask  you  in  the  flrst  place, 
Whether  you  consider  yourself  to  be  a  chris- 
tian or  not?  If  you  say  no,  do  then  all  you 
can,  and  look  for  the  judgment  threatened 
to  all  out  of  Christ.  But  if  you  say  yes,  then 
the  matter  is  already  decided,  that  she  must 
be  3"0ur  wife.  For  a  christian  miist  not  live 
with  a  sister,  in  such  a  manner  as  to  make 
her  a  prostitue.  O  no !  the  Scriptiires  teach, 
that  christians  are  members  of  Christ,  and 
not  whores  and  profligates.  I  hope  this 
blunt  language  will  be  understood. 

In  the  second  place*I  ask.  Which  of  the 
two  people  should  be  the  more  holy  and 
virtuous,  the  literal  or  the  spiritual  ?  If  you 
say  the  literal,  then  you  have  exalted  Moses 
with  his  people  and  service  above  Christ, 
which  thing  is  evidently  opposed  to  all 
Scripture.  But  if  you  say  the  spiritual, 
then  the  matter  is  again  decided  that  she 
must  be  your  wife;  then  the  literal  must 
not  make  his  sister  to  be  a  prostitute,  much 
less  the  spiritual,  which  is  the  Lord's  own 
body,  brother,  sister,  generation  and  bride. 

In  the  third  place,  I  ask.  Whether  the  com- 
mand. Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thy- 
self, is  not  given  to  the  christians  as  well  as 
19 


to  Israel?  If  you  say  no  yoTi  have  denied 
the  whole  New  Testament,  which  teaches 
and  earnestly  insists  upon  the  love  of  our 
neighbor.  But  if  you  say  i/e.s;  then  I  saj- 
for  the  third  time,  that  she  must  be  your  le- 
gitimate wife.  Because  you  did,  contrary 
to  the  command  of  love,  so  abominabh^  dis- 
grace and  humble  her,  therefore,  the  Script- 
ures teach  that  5"ou  are  to  restore  lier  to 
honor,  and  that  you  shall  take  her  to  be 
your  wife.  Let  ever}'  one  see  to  it.  the  com- 
mands of  love  will  ever  remain.  Blessed 
are  they  who  take  heed  to  them  and  observe 
them  in  fear. 

In  the  fourth  place  I  ask.  Whether  there 
is  any  one  who,  with  a  good  conscience,  can 
transgress  and  break  the  command  of  God  ? 
If  you  say  yes,  then  you  deny  the  Script- 
ures, which  teach,  that  we  shall  walk  in  the 
ways  of  the  Lord  and  keep  his  command- 
ments. But  if  you  say  no,  then  I  tell  you 
the  fourth  time,  that  she  is,  and  must  be 
your  wife;  for  it  is  the  command  of  God, 
firmly  based  upon  love,  that  if  you  have 
lain  Avith  a  virgin,  you  should  marry  her 
and  never  forsake  her,  as  heard. 

Behold,  my  reader,  here  you  are  more 
than  plainly  taiight  what  the  word  of  the 
Lord  teaches  in  regard  to  this  matter.  And 
if  you  continue  so  ungodly  as  to  transgress 
the  command  of  the  Lord  by  disgracing  one, 
and  marrying  another,  you  may  read  the 
consequences  in  1  Cor.  6:  9,  10,  unless  you 
sincerely  repent. 

This  I  write  by  no  means,  to  encourage 
him  who  has,  in  days  gone  b.y,  ignorantl.v 
done  so,  to  leave  the  wife  whom  he  after- 
ward married,  and  take  in  her  stead  the 
disgraced  one;  not  at  all,  for  I  doubt  not 
but  that  the  merciful  Father  will  gracious!}' 
overlook  the  errors  of  those  who  have  igno- 
rantly  done  so,  and  who  will  hencefortli 
fear,  and  willingly  obey  his  commands. 
But  I  write  this,  that  every  one  should 
guard  himself  against  such  disgrace,  and 
reflect  more  profoundly  upon  tlie  command 
of  the  Lord  and  of  love,  and  observe  how 
Clirist  is  so  wholly  neglected  by  the  world: 
for,  alas,  they  are  generally  influenced  b}' 
their  accursed  lusts,  whether  the}'  are  lords, 
princes,  priests,  monks,  noble  or  ignoble, 
citizens  or  peasants;  with  few  exceptions, 
they  are  so  much  inflamed,  that  they  follow 


146 


FAITH. 


this  unbecoming,  devilish  disgi'ace  of  ac- 
cursed lechery,  like  the  dog  pursues  the 
hare.  They  are,  says  Jeremiah  5:8,  as 
fed  horses  in  the  morning,  every  one  neigh- 
ed after  his  neighbor's  vrife.  There  is  noth- 
ing that  can  deter  or  prevent  them  from 
this  accursed  abomination,  neither  natural 
honor,  nor  Moses,  with  all  his  threatenings, 
neither  the  prophets,  nor  Christ  Jesus  him- 
self, nor  the  apostles,  neither  heaven  nor 
the  angels;  yea,  neither  hell  nor  devil;  nei- 
ther life  nor  death ;  if  they  can^only  satisfy 
their  unchaste,  disgraceful  lust,  then  all  is 
well  with  them . 

They  are  whoil}"  bent  upon  this ;  some 
they  seduce  with  fair  words,  others  by  false 
promises  and  gifts,  some  by  giving  them 
wine  to  drink;  by  dancing,  and  songs  of 
levity,  some  by  courteous  llatter}%  by  amo- 
rous tenderness,  and  the  like  artifice;  _yea, 
some  deceive  by  their  atfected  sighings  and 
weepings,  so  that  they  can  only  accomplish 
their  ungodly  designs,  and  gratify  their 
lusts,  then  all  is  right,  and  they  rejoice. 
But  they  do  thereb}^  incense  Almighty  God, 
transgress  his  holy  word,  disgrace  their 
neighbor,  do  violence  to  tlie  law  of  love,  de- 
file the  marriage  bed,  violate  virgins,  have 
illegitimate  children  and  destroy  their  poor 
souls  eternally;  about  all  this  they  care 
nothing.  They  say,  this  is  our  portion  and 
our  lot  and  nothing  else. 

I,  therefore,  say  with  Moses,  Cursed  be 
they  of  God,  Avho  do  works  of  iniquity ;  and 
all  the  people  shall  say.  Amen.  And  with 
Job,  That  hell  will  consume  them,  as  drought 
and  heat  consume  the  snow-waters ;  with 
Paul,  That  God  will  judge  them;  and  with 
John,  Their  part  is  in  the  lake  which  burn- 
eth  with  lire  and  brimstone,  which  is  the 
eternal  (second)  death.  Ah!  that  these  poor 
people  would  take  heed,  believe  and  observe 
the  words  of  the  Lord. 

In  the  second  place,  I  write  this;  that 
every  one  might  awaken,  sincerely  repent, 
and  weep  over  his  past  disgraceful  conduct 
before  God,  lest  he  cast  him  off  eternally; 
but  be  gracious  to  him  for  the  sake  of  the 
blood  of  his  Son;  and  no  more  defile  the 
bed  of  his  neighbor,  nor  disgrace  virgins, 
])ut  live  in  all  honor,  each  with  his  own  wife ; 
that  the  unmarried  keep  free  from  lechery, 
and  if  he  cannot  restrain  himself,  let  Mm 


seek  a  pious  wife  in  the  fear  of  God;  and 
he  that  has  transgressed,  and  has  not  taken 
another,  that  he  honor  the  disgraced  one, 
and  according  to  christian  love  and  the  word 
of  God,  extricate  her  from  her  degraded 
state;  thus  teacliing  their  children,  and  chil- 
dren's children,  from  generation  to  genera- 
tion, even  as  Tobias  did  his  Son,  saying, 
Beware  of  all  whoredom,  my  son,  and  take 
not  a  strange  woman,  but  keep  to  your  own 
wife. 

"Know  ye  not,"  says  Paul,  "that  your 
bodies  are  the  members  of  Clirist  ?  Shall  I 
then  take  the  members  of  Christ  and  make 
them  the  members  of  a  harlot?  God  forbid," 
1  Cor.  G:  15.  Again,  he  says,  "For  this  is 
the  will  of  God,  even  your  sanctification, 
that  ye  should  abstain  from  fornication ; 
that  every  one  of  j^ou  should  know  how  to 
possess  his  vessel  (body)  in  sanctification 
and  honor;  not  in  the  lust  of  concupiscence, 
even  as  the  gentiles  which  know  not  God, 
for  God  has  not  called  us  unto  uncleanness, 
but  unto  holiness,"  1  Thes.  4:  3—7.  Yes, 
good  reader,  ti'ue  believers  have  to  lead  an 
honorable  and  chaste  life ;  that  not  as  much 
as  adultery,  lechery,  and  unchastity  be  pri- 
vately or  openly  mentioned  among  them; 
if  any  one  among  them,  only  mention  it,  it 
is  an  abomination,  for  thus  it  becomes  the 
saints  to  live. 

As  we  find  many  wicked  men  who  shame- 
fully seduce  poor,  simple  hearts;  so  on  the 
other  hand  we  find  impudent  women  and 
girls,  who  are  often  the  first  cause  that  such 
disgrace  is  sought  and  sometimes  practiced 
upon  them.  Although  many  are  not  guilty 
of  the  deed,  nevertheless  .they  are  not  guilt- 
less, that  they  mak»so  free  with  other  men 
and  associates  in  open  triflings,  singing, 
dancing,  drinking,  kissing,  courting,  flirt- 
ing, and  the  like  vanity  and  abominations, 
whereby  they  kindle  the  fire  of  base  pas- 
sions, which  continue  till  consumed,  as  may 
be  seen. 

O  how  propei'ly  Siracli  admonishes  us, 
when  he  says,  "Meet  not  with  an  harlot, 
lest  thou  fall  into  her  snares ;  use  not  much 
the  company  of  a  woman  that  is  a  singer, 
lest  thou  be  taken  with  her  attempts;  gaze 
not  on  a  maid,  that  thou  fall  not  by  those 
things  that  are  precious  in  her;  give  not  thy 
Boul  unto  harlots,  that  thou  lose  not  thine 


FAITH. 


147 


inheritance;  look  not  round  abont  thee  in 
the  streets  of  the  city,  neitlier  wander  thon 
in  the  solitary  places  thereof;  turn  away 
thine  eye  from  a  beautiful  woman,  and 
look  not  upon  another's  beauty;  for  many 
have  been  deceived  by  the  beauty  of  a  wom- 
an; for  herewith  love  is  kindled  as  a  lire. 
Sit  not  at  all  with  another  man's  wife,  nor 
sit  down  with  her  in  thine  arms,  and  sj)end 
not  thy  money  with  her  at  the  wine;  lest 
thine  heart  incline  imto  her,  and  so  through 
thy  desire,  thou  fall  into  destruction,"  Sir. 
9:  3—9. 

Were  it  now  so,  that  the  aforementioned 
married  and  unmarried  women  were  true 
believers,  even  as  was  the  sinful  woman, 
they  would  tiien  also  fear  the  Lord,  they 
would  abandon  all  vanity  and  ungodly  ac- 
tions, and  lay  snares  for  none,  nor  give  any 
occasion  for  evil ;  yea,  would  walk  honora- 
bly and  modestly ;  avoid  all  manner  of 
pride  and  superfluitj^,  and  make,  or  desire 
no  other  clotJies  than  those  necessary  and 
comfortable  for  their  daily  labor.  They 
would  not  frequent  the  idolatrous  temple 
and  idle  banquets,  for  which  occasions  this 
pompous  show  is  generally  gotten  up. 

The  sinful  woman  adorned  her  soul  and 
not  her  outward  appearance,  for  she  be- 
lieved; but  these  adorn  their  bodies,  and 
not  their  soiils,  for  they  believe  not. 

The  sinful  woman  sighed  and  wept,  was 
afraid  of  the  wrath  and  judgment  of  the 
Lord,  for  she  saw  that  she  had  done  wi'ong, 
and  sinned;  biit  these  laugh  and  sing,  dance 
and  pi'ance  about,  and  do  not  see  their  enor- 
mous misdeeds,  and  great  sins,  and  there- 
fore, they  do  not  fear  the  wrath  and  judg- 
ment of  the  Lord. 

She  was  compassionate  and  merciful;  an- 
ointed the  head  and  the  feet  of  the  Lord, 
and  found  the  true  worship;  but  these  are 
unmercifiil  and  cruel,  and  know  of  no  other 
worship  than  to  go  to  the  chapel  to  receive 
holy  water;  to  offer  tapers  and  wax-candles 
to  blind  blocks  and  images;  to  offer  masses 
and  vespers;  to  call  upon  the  departed  saints 
for  help ;  to  confess  once  or  twice  a  year  to 
their  idolatrous,  drunken,  lascivious  priests ; 
to  receive  their  bread  of  abomination  and 
absolution,  and  the  like  superstitions  and 
delusions. 

The  sinful  woman  sought  the  company  of 


the  righteous;  but  these  seek  the  company 
of  the  unrighteous.  They  visit  each  other 
to  talk  all  manner  of  foolishness;  to  injure 
their  neighbor's  reputation;  to  defame  and 
backbite;  to  speak  disgi-acefully  of  one  an- 
other, speak  of  costly  furniture,  houses, 
goods  and  handsome  companions,  men  and 
tine  clothing.  In  short,  their  works  openly 
show  that  they  have  not  the  faith  of  the  sin- 
ful woman,  and  belong  not  to  the  congrega- 
tion of  the  righteous. 

The  sinful  woman  sat  at  the  feet  of  Jesus 
and  heard  his  holy  word;  but  these  hear 
teachers,  who  can  tickle  their  ears,  and 
preach  to  please  them.  In  short,  why  need 
I  say  much  ?  it  is,  O  God !  so  corrupted, 
that  we  hnd  the  whole  world  tilled  with  fool- 
ish men  and  women,  I  mean  spiritually, 
deaf  ears,  unenlightened  hearts;  tiie  blind 
are  leading  the  blind,  and  they  will  all  fall 
into  the  pit  of  eternal  death,  imless  they  are 
again  enlightened,  if  we  believe  it  to  be  true 
what  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  has  taught  us; 
for  their  doctrine,  sacraments,  and  worship 
are  altogether  false ;  their  unbelief,  and  car- 
nality prevail  every  where. 

Behold,  reader,  here  take  notice,  how  vast- 
ly this  sinfirl  woman  differs  after  conversion 
in  her  faith  and  conduct,  from  tlie  faith  and 
conduct  of  the  world.  They  are  like  the  sin- 
ful woman  before  her  conversion,  but  not 
after  conversion.  Whether  such  are  believ- 
ers, I  will  let  the  sensible  reader  to  reHect 
upon  with  the  Spirit  and  word  of  the  Lord. 

I  know  of  a  certainty,  that  a  proud,  haugh- 
ty, avaricious,  selfish,  unchaste,  lecherous, 
wi'angling,  en\ious,  disobedient,  idolatrous, 
false,  Ij'ing,  unfaithful,  thievish,  defaming, 
backbiting,  blood-thirsty,  unmerciful  and 
revengeful  man,  whosoever  he  may  be,  is 
no  christian,  even  if  he  was  baptized  one 
himdred  times,  and  attended  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per daily;  for  it  is  not  the  sacraments,  or 
the  signs,  such  as  haptism  and  the  Lord's 
Supper,  but  a  sincere,  christian  faith,  with 
its  unblamable,  pious  fruits,  represented  by 
the  sacraments,  that  makes  a  true  christian 
and  has  the  promise  of  life. 

Here,  neither  masses,  holy  water,  holy 
days,  rosaries,  auaicular  confession  nor  ab- 
solution, avail ;  only  a  believing,  contrite, 
broken  heart,  spirit  and  mind,  a  penitent, 
changed,  new  heart,  a  pious  life,  dead  unto 


148 


FAITH. 


sin,  according  to  the  trutli  will  avail.  Such 
was  the  confession  and  repentance  of  the 
sinful  woman,  and  she  also  heard  immedi- 
ately, Tliy  sins  mr.  forgiven,  tJ/?/ faith  hath 
saved  thee,  f/o  -in-  peace. 

But  the  abominable,  auricular  confession 
which  is  so  highly  esteemed  by  the  world, 
is  nothing  but  hypocrisy,  human  righteoiis- 
ness  and  superstition,  open  delusion  of  un- 
believers, a  false  hope  of  the  impenitent  sin- 
ner, and  a  subtle  invention  of  gain  by  the 
avaricious  priests,  whereby  they  set  aside 
triie  confession  and  repentance,  and  com- 
fort and  encourage  the  world  in  their  reck- 
less, ungodly  life. 

But  if  you  would  rightly  confess  and  re-  : 
pent,  and  receive  true  absolution  of  God,  then  ■ 
approach  him  with  a  believing,  penitent  and  1 
regenerated  heart,  with  a  sorrowing,  broken, 
distressed  mind,  leave  off  sinning,  do  justice  | 
to  your  neighbor,  love,  aid,  serve,  reprove 
and  comfort  him,  and  if  you  have  sinned  | 
agaiust  him,  or  deceived  him,  acknowledge  | 
it  to  him  aud  reconcile  him.     Behold,  this  i 
is  the  only  true  confession  and  penance,  j 
which  is  taught  in  the  word  of  God.    The 
Lord  grant  that  you  may  rightly  under- 
stand, and  perform  this  confession  and  re- 
pentance. 

I,  therefore,  entreat  and  desire  all  women, 
through  the  mercy  of  the  Lord,  to  take  this 


sinful,  sorrowing  woman  as  a  pattern  and  fol- 
low her  faith,  humble  yourselves  before  the 
Lord,  and  reprove  your  avarice,  pride,  ob- 
scenity and  all  manner  of  evil.  Let  all  your 
thoiights  be  pure,  and  let  yoxu'  words  be 
circumspect  and  seasoned.  And  whatsoever 
you  do,  that  do  in  the  name  and  fear  of  the 
Lord  Jesus,  and  do  not  adorn  yourselves 
with  gold,  silver,  costly  pearls,  and  embroid- 
ered hair;  but  dress  yourselves  in  such  ap- 
parel, as  becomes  women  professing  god- 
liness, and  which  is  serviceable.  Be  obe- 
dient to  your  husbands  in  all  reasonable 
things,  so  that  those  who  do  not  believe 
may  be  gained  by  your  upright,  pioiis  con- 
versation without  the  word,  as  Peter  says. 

Eemain  within  your  houses  and  gates, 
except  you  have  something  of  importance 
to  do,  such  as  attending  to  your  temporal 
concerns,  to  administer  to  the  needy,  to  hear 
the  word  of  the  Lord,  or  to  attend  upon  his 
holy  sacraments,  &c.  Attend  faithfully  to 
yoiu'  charge,  to  your  children,  house  and 
domestics,  and  to  all  that  is  commanded 
you,  and  walk  in  all  things  like  the  sinful 
woman  did  after  her  conversion;  that  you 
may  be  true  daughters  of  Sarah,  believing 
women,  sisters  of  Chiist,  and  joint  heii-s  of 
a  future  life,  1  Pet.  3:  6;  then  you  shall 
hear  the  gracious  words,  77^2/  '^™*  ^'>'<^  f"^''- 
given,  thy  faith  hath  saved  tJiee,  go  in  peace. 


FAITH  OF  THE  WOMAN  OF  CANAAN'. 


Matthew  writes  that  Jesus  was  in  the  land 
of  Gennesaret,  and  says,  "  Then  Jesus  went 
thence  and  departed  into  the  coasts  of  Tyre 
and  Sidon,  and  behold,  a  woman  of  Canaan 
came  out  of  the  same  coasts,  and  cried  unto 
liim,  saying,  Have  mercy  on  me,  O  Lord, 
thou  son  of  David ;  my  daughter  is  giiev- 
oiisly  vexed  with  a  devil ;  but  he  answered 
her  not  a  word.  And  his  disciples  came  and 
besought  him,  saying,  Send  her  away,  for 
she  crieth  after  tis;  but  he  answered  and 
said,  I  am  not  sent  but  unto  the  lost  sheep 
of  the  house  of  Israel.  Then  she  came  and 
worshipped  him,  saying.  Lord  help  me. 
But  he  answered  and  said,  It  is  not  meet  to 


take  the  children's  bread  and  to  cast  it  to 
the  dogs;  and  she  said.  Truth,  Lord;  yet 
the  dogs  eat  of  the  crumbs  which  fall  from 
their  masters'  table.  Then  Jesus  answered 
and  said  to  her,  0  woman,  great  is  thy  faith; 
be  it  unto  thee  even  as  thou  wilt.  And  her 
daughter  was  made  whole  from  that  very 
hour,"  Matt.  15:21—28. 

Here  you  again  have  a  tine  example  and 
pattern  of  a  sincere,  christian  faith  ;  for 
Avhen  this  woman  perceived  how  powerfully 
Jesus  preached  grace,  and  hearing  besides 
that  he  could  do  what  he  desired,  that  he 
manifested  love  and  mercy,  and  that  he  sent 
none  away  comfortless,  she  unhesitatingly 


FAITH. 


149 


approached  him,  not  doubting  his  grace, 
mercy,  love  and  power,  although  she  was 
not  heard  at  the  first  or  second  request.  She 
was  importunate  both  in  her  faith  and  pray- 
er, with  siich  a  desire  that  slie  might  par- 
take of  the  spiritual  crumb  of  his  mercy, 
and  obtain  relief  for  her  poor  daughter. 
Yea,  she  manifested  such  a  faith,  constan- 
cy, humility  and  piety,  that  the  Lord  said 
to  her,  "0  woman,  great  is  tliy  foitli;  he  it 
unto  tTiee  even  as  tJiou  loilt." 

Faithful  reader,  observe;  were  we  with 
spiritual  eyes  rightly  to  look  upon  this 
woman's  faith  and  fruits,  we  would  be  aptly 
taught  of  her,  especially  in  two  particulars. 

For,  as  soon  as  she  heard  that  the  Lord 
taught  pure  mercy,  grace,  repentance  and 
reformation,  preached  the  kingdom  of  God, 
raised  the  dead,  made  the  blind  see,  the 
deaf  hear,  the  cripples  walk,  the  leprous 
clean,  healed  the  sick,  and  cast  out  unclean 
spirits;  that  he  reproved  the  scribes,  phari- 
sees  and  the  common  people,  for  their  un- 
belief, perverseness,  blind  hypocrisy  and 
carnal  lives,  and  testified  that  he  was  the 
prophet  and  Messiah,  promised  in  the  law 
and  the  prophets,  whereby  his  fame  spread 
abroad  through  all  Jiidea  and  the  adjacent 
countries ;  hearing  all  this,  her  tender  heart 
and  mind  were  so  turned  to  him,  through 
such  testimonies,  miracles,  doctrines  and 
deeds  of  love,  that  she  did  not  doubt  Jiis 
mercy,  power,  goodness  and  grace ;  she 
therefore,  went  to  him  wath  a  sincere  desire, 
in  sure  and  true  faith,  trusting  with  all  her 
heart,  that  he  would  not  deny  her  humble 
prayer,  but  that  he  would  graciously  hear 
and  grant  it;  and  she  also  obtained  what 
she  desired. 

She  heard  and  believed;  she  saw  and  con- 
fessed. But  these  insane  people  imagine 
that  they  are  christians,  but  are,  according 
to  my  understanding,  greater  disbelievers, 
blinder,  more  hardened  and  worse  than 
Turks,  Tartars,  or  any  of  the  lieathens. 
Their  works  testify  that  I  write  the  truth  ; 
and  they  cannot  be  moved  to  hear,  or  obey 
the  truth  by  godly  means  and  services;  nei- 
ther by  doctrine  nor  exhortation,  neither  by 
the  unblamable  lives  nor  the  innocent  blood 
of  saints,  which  is  daily  shed  before  their- 
eyes,  as  has  been  mentioned  before,  when 
treating  of  i\i%  faith  of  the  murderer. 


The  movement  and  doctrine  of  the  holy 
divine  word,  we  have  had  in  Germany  a 
number  of  years,  and  have  it  yet  daily  more 
abundantlj^,  in  such  power  and  clearness, 
that  they  may  plainly  see  that  it  is  the  fin- 
ger and  work  of  the  Lord.   For  the  haughty 
are  humbled,  the  avaricious  are  made  kind, 
the  di-unkards  become  sober,  the  unchaste 
made  pure,  &c.,  and  dare  not  indulge  in  a 
single  thought,  or  word,  or  act  contrary  to 
the  will,  word  and  Spirit  of  the  Lord,  and 
they  receive  it  with  such  an  aifection,  that 
they  do  not  fear  to  forsake  father,  mother, 
;  husband,  wife,   children   and  possessions, 
'  nay  willingly  suffer  death  on  account  of  it. 
I  For  many  of  them  are  burned,  drowned, 
i  killed  with  the  sword,  apprehended,  exiled, 
\  and  their  property  confiscated;  yet  all  this 
!  avails  nothing  witli  these  obdurate  people. 
If  it  is  but  reported  (when  an  innocent  sheep 
has  been  slaughtered),  that  he  was  an  ana- 
baptist, it  is  sufficient;  they  never  inquire 
:  what   he   professed    and   what    scriptural 
I  grounds  he  had;  what  his  conduct  and  life 
I  were,  whether  he  injured  any  one,  or  not. 
Neither  do  they  reflect,  that  it  must  be  a 
'  special  power  and  work  which  restrains  one 
wholly  from   drunkenness,  lasciviousness, 
pomp  and  pride,  from  all  vanity,  abomina- 
ble lying,  carnal  life  and  from  all  idolatry ; 
I  and  constrains  him  to  all  sobriety,  chastity, 
i  meekness,  piety,  truth,  and  the  true  wor- 
sliip,  on  account  of  which,  we  have  to  hear 
all  manner  of  disgrace,  and  to  endure  per- 
j  secution  and  misery,  and  so  often  endure 
the  loss  of  life,  as  you  may  see. 
:      If  a  thief  is  led  to  the  gallows  or  a  mur- 
derer is  broken  upon  the  wheel,  or  if  a  male- 
factor is  punished  with  death  every  one  in- 
quires wliat  he  has  done.     He  is  not  sen- 
tenced by  the  judges  as  long  as  they  do  not 
imderstand  fully  the  ground  and  truth  of 
his  evil  deed;  but  if  an  innocent,  contrite 
christian,  whom  the  gracioiTS  Lord  has  res- 
cued from  the  evil,  imgodly  ways  of  sin, 
and  placed  in  the  way  of  his  peace,  is  ac- 
I  cased  by  the  priests  and  preachers,   and 
placed  before  the  judges  they  deem  him  un- 
worthy of  an  impartial  examination,  in  re- 
lation to  what  reasons  or  Scriptures  move 
him  that  he  will  not  hear  his  priests  and 
preachers,  nor  have  his  children  baptized, 
nor  attend  their  service,  nor  longer  eat  and 


156 


Flrffl:'. 


drink  with  them,  and  serve  the  devil.  Isor 
do  they  desire  to  know  why  he  reformed 
his  life  and  received  the  baptism  of  Clirist, 
or  what  urges  him  that  he  willingly  suffers 
or  even  would  die  for  his  faith.  The}^  only 
ask,  7s  he  baptized?  If  he  answers  in  the  af- 
firmative, the  sentence  is  fixed,  that  he  must 
die. 

All  who  see  or  hear  such  miracles  of  Al- 
mighty God  that  such  jjoor,  imlearned  men, 
yea,  sometimes,  poor,  feeble  women,  or 
girls,  are  so  fortified  in  God  that  they  fear 
neither  judge  nor  execiitioner;  that  neither 
fire  nor  water,  neither  halter  nor  sword,  nei- 
ther life  nor  death  can  deter  them  from  their 
faith.  These  persecutors  do  not  inquire  what 
they  did,  whether  they  are  traitors  to  their 
country  or  city,  whether  they  have  taken 
the  property  of  others,  or  disgraced  some 
one's  daughter  or  wife  ;  or  whether  they 
did  any  thing,  not  in  accordance  with  the 
word  of  God,  with  common  honesty  and 
natural  probity?  O  no  !  So  much  discretion 
and  love  are  not  to  be  found.  If  they  only 
have  the  word  of  the  Lord,  and  believe  it 
and  fully  obey  his  commands  and  ordinan- 
ces, and  gladly  regulate  their  poor,  weak 
lives  by  the  truth;  then  they  are  called  reb- 
els by  the  lords;  heretics  by  the  learned; 
and  are  adjudged  by  the  common  people 
as  well  desei-ving  such  cruel  punishments 
and  disgraceful  death.  Behold,  thus  has 
the  murderous,  blood-thirsty  devil  deceived 
the  whole  world,  through  his  priests  and 
preachers;  yea,  that  I  fear,  scarcely  one  is 
to  be  found  among  a  hundred  thousand, 
who  will  lay  to  heart  such  a  strong  faith, 
obedience,  frankness,  power,  great  suffering 
and  ignominious  death,  so  that  he  would 
once  reflect  upon  his  abominable  unbelief, 
disgraceful  wickedness  and  presumptuous, 
carnal  life,  or  doubt  the  doctrine  of  his 
teachers,  sacraments,  their  lives  and  wor- 
ship. How  truly  did  the  prophet  say,  "The 
righteous  perisheth  and  no  man  layeth  it  to 
heart,"  Isa.  67:  1.  There  cannot  be  found 
beneath  the  wide  canopy  of  heaven,  a  more 
hardened  unbelief,  more  jterverse,  scornful, 
obdurate  wickedness,  more  accursed  mad- 
ness, more  execrated  ungodliness,  or  a  worse 
state  of  things  than  that  which  is  related. 

If  there  is  a  report  of  war  and  warriors, 
the  whole  land  is  in  dismay,  great  and 


small,  citizens  and  peasants;  defensive  arm- 
or is  provided;  they  watch  and  make  ready 
for  defcMise  as  much  as  possible.  Or  if  they 
hear  of  famine  or  pestilence,  then  all  trem- 
ble, who  have  come  to  years  of  understand- 
ing. And,  if  on  the  contrary,  there  is  a  time 
of  tranqiiillity,  peace,  prosperity  and  weal, 
then  all  who  hear  it,  rejoice.  But  noio,  the 
trumpets  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Clnist  are  blow- 
ing, and  the  drums  are  beating;  v/arning 
us  to  tender  love,  through  all  his  apostles 
and  prophets,  to  shun  the  crafty  wiles  and 
subtle  assaults  of  sata,n,  and  that  all  who 
follow  and  are  obedient  to  him,  must  die. 
However,  biit  few  are  to  be  found  who  put 
on  the  armor  of  God;  but  few  who  are  guard- 
ing against  the  secret  encroachments  of  sa- 
tan,  and  preparing  to  resist  him.  Both 
men  and  women,  voluntarily  run  into  liis 
hands  and  eagerly  do  the  tilings  which  de- 
light him;  and  those  who  do  not,  have  to 
await  great  tribxilation  and  much  misery. 

Besides,  it  is  manifest  that  the  abomin- 
able pestilence  of  false  doctrine  will  de- 
sivoj  the  whole  world.  The  bread  of  life, 
which  is  provided  for  all  the  spiritual  hun- 
gry, is  very  scarce,  in  consequence  of  the 
envious  cry  and  false  writings  of  the  ser- 
pent-like preachers;  and  alas,  there  are  few 
who  v/eep  and  sigh  on  this  account. 

The  eternal  grace,  mercy,  favor,  glory, 
kingdom  and  joy  of  Christ  are  offered  unto 
us.  But  our  ears  have  wa,xed  dull,  our 
hearts  become  hardened,  and  our  perverted 
wickedness,  desire  them  not.  But  this  pi- 
ous woman  did  not  so;  she  heard,  believed, 
saw  his  miracles  and  confessed  liis  power ; 
and  therefore,  prayed  with  confidence  and 
obtained  what  she  desired,  for  she  believed 
Christ  with  all  her  heart  and  doubted  not 
his  grace. 

In  the  second  place,  she  admonishes  all 
pious  parents,  that  they  should  be  solicit- 
ous for  the  salvation  of  their  children,  be- 
cause she  so  faithfully  entreated  for  her  de- 
moniac daughter,  not  desisting  till  she  was 
heard.  For  it  cannot  be  othei'v\'ise,  that  if 
I  am  a  true  christian,  all  my  work  before 
God  and  my  neighbor,  are  works  of  love, 
for  God  (by  whose  word  a  christian  is  born), 
says  John,  is  love.  That  the  Father  and 
those  who  are  born  of  him,  are  alike,  of  one 
mind  and  heart,  is  as  clear  as  day-light. 


FAITH. 


IBl 


If  I  seek  the  praise  of  the  Lord  with  all 
my  heart,  and  desire  the  salvation  of  my 
neighbors,  many  of  whom  I  have  never 
seen;  how  much  more  should  I  desire  the 
salvation  of  my  children,  whom  God  gave 
me,  who  are  out  of  my  loins,  and  are  natural- 
ly my  flesh  and  blood  ?  So  that  the  mighty 
Lord  may  be  praised  and  be  eternally  hon- 
ored by  them. 

^-^Tiat  I  write,  I  consider  unquestionably 
true;  I  write  it  from  a  tnie  testimony  of  my 
own  conscience,  as  before  Almighty  God, 
before  whom  I  am,  that  all  true,  believing 
parents  are  thus  minded  towards  their  chil- 
dren, that  they  would  far  sooner  see  them 
set  in  a  dungeon  for  the  sake  of  tlie  word  of 
the  Lord  and  his  testimony,  than  be  Avith 
the  deceiving  priests,  in  their  idolatrous 
churches,  or  with  drunken,  erroneous  inter- 
preters in  taverns,  or  in  company  with  scorn- 
ers,  who  despise  the  name  of  the  Lord,  and 
hate  his  holy  word. 

Sooner  far  would  they  see  them,  for  the 
sake  of  the  truth  of  the  Lord,  bound  hands 
and  feet,  and  dragged  before  lords  and  prin- 
ces, than  to  see  them  marry  rich  persons, 
who  fear  not  God,  neither  walk  in  the  ways 
of  the  Lord,  but  pass  away  time  in  splendor, 
with  music,  in  excessive  drinking,  dancing 
and  singing;  sooner  far  would  they  see  them 
scourged  from  head  to  feet,  for  the  sake  of 
the  glory  and  holy  name  of  the  Lord,  than 
to  see  them  adorn  themselves  with  silks, 
velvets,  gold,  silver,  costly,  sh-iped  and 
fasliionable  clothes,  and  the  like  vanity, 
pomp  and  haughtiness.  Yea,  far  sooner 
would  they  see  them  exiled,  burned  at  the 
stake,  drowned,  or  placed  on  the  wheel,  for 
righteousness'  sake,  than  see  them  live  out 
of  God,  in  all  earthly  and  carnal  lusts, 
than  to  be  emperors  and  kings,  and  then  be 
damned. 

Woe  to  all,  yea  woe  to  all  those  who  are 
not  solicitous  for  the  salvation  of  their  chil- 
dren. If  I  so  love  their  bodies  that  I  over- 
look their  sins ;  if  I  do  not  punish  the  trans- 
gressions of  the  young  with  the  rod,  and 
reprove  the  aged  with  words;  if  I  do  not 
teach  them  the  ways  of  the  Lord;  if  I  do 
not  set  them  an  unblamable  example;  if  I 
do  not  direct  them  at  all  times  to  Christ  and 
his  word,  ordinances,  commands  and  ex- 
ample, and  do  not  seek  their  salvation  with 


all  my  heart  and  soul,  then  I  will  not  escape 
my  punishment,  for  in  the  day  of  the  Lord, 
their  souls,  blood,  damnation  and  death 
will  be  required  at  my  hands,  as  a  dumb 
and  blind  watchman. 

Christianity  plainly  teaches  us  that  all 
clu'istian  parents  should  be  as  shai-p,  satu- 
rating salt,  a  shining  light,  and  as  unblam- 
able, faithful  teachers  in  their  houses.  The 
high  priest,  Eli,  was  punished  because  he 
did  not  zealously  reprove  his  children. 

If  I  see  my  neighbor's  ox  or  ass  go  astray, 
I  must  bring  him  to  tlie  ov,-ner,  or  keep  him 
safe,  as  Moses  teaches.  If  it  becomes  ifte 
thus  to  do  with  another's  animal,  how  much 
more  solicitous  should  I  be  for  tiie  souls  of 
my  children,  who  are  so  readily  misled  by 
the  youthful  flesh,  in  which  no  good  dwells. 

If  I  see  my  neighbor's  ox  or  ass,  fallen  in 
a  pit,  or  meet  him  on  the  way  lying  under 
the  weight  of  a  burden,  I  must  not  leave 
him  till  he  is  extricated,  how  much  more 
should  I  be  solicitous  for  my  children,  whom 
I  have  before  me,  that  they  lie  not  under  the 
burden  of  their  sins;  and  if  they  are  not 
earnestly  reproved  and  instructed  in  grace, 
they  will  fall  into  the  infernal  abyss  of  eter- 
nal death. 

Again,  if  I  see  my  neighbor's  house  on 
fire,  and  his  goods  perishing,  it  is  reason- 
able that  I  should  exert  myself  to  put  out 
the  fire,  and  if  jsossible,  to  save  the  goods; 
but  it  is  much  more  reasonable,  that  I  ex- 
tinguish the  fire  of  base  desires  in  my  child, 
with  the  water  oft  he  divine  word,  and  pre- 
serve, as  much  as  is  in  my  power,  the  heav- 
enly goods. 

The  Holy  Scriptures  teach,  that  God  puri- 
fies the  heart  by  faith ;  that  faith  comes  by 
hearing ;  and  by  faith  we  are  justified. 
Therefore,  let  everj^  one  take  heed,  who 
truly  loves  his  children,  that  he  rightly  and 
purely  instruct  them,  as  soon  as  they  can 
hear  and  understand  the  word  of  tlie  Lord: 
that  he  lead  them  in  the  ways  of  truth,  and 
that  he  zealously  watch  over  all  their  do- 
ings, that  they  ma}^  from  youth,  learn  to 
know  the  Lord,  their  God,  fear,  love,  honor, 
thank  and  serve  him  ;  so  that  the  inborn 
nature  of  sin  may  not  rule  in  them  nor  con- 
quer them,  to  the  everlasting  shame  of  their 
poor  souls. 

Moses  tatight  Israel  saying,  "These  words, 


M 


FAITH. 


which  I  command  thee  this  day,  shall  be 
in  thine  lieart,  and  thou  shalt  teach  them 
diligently  nnto  thy  children,  and  shalt  talk 
of  them  when  thoii  sittest  in  thine  house, 
and  when  thou  walkest  by  the  way,  and 
when  thou  liest  down,  and  when  thou  risest 
up,  and  thou  shalt  bind  them  for  a  sign  up- 
on thine  hand,  and  they  shall  be  as  front- 
lets between  thine  eyes,  and  tlioii  shalt  wi-ite 
them  upon  the  posts  of  thy  house  and  on 
thy  gates;"  "that  your  days  may  be  multi- 
plied, and  the  days  of  your  children,  in  the 
land  which  the  Lord  sware  unto  jour  fa- 
thers to  give  them,  as  the  days  of  heaven 
upon  the  earth,"  Deut.  6:  6—9;  11:  21. 

In  another  place  he  says,  "And  it  shall 
be  when  thy  son  asketli  thee  in  time  to  come, 
saying,  what  is  this?  Tliat  thou  shalt  say 
unto  him,  By  strength  of  hand,  the  Lokd 
brought  us  out  from  Egypt,  from  the  house 
of  bondage,"  Exod.  i:V:  14. 

Joshua  commanded  lorael,  according  to 
the  command  of  the  Lord,  and  said  unto 
the  twelve  men,  "Pass  over  before  the  ark 
of  the  LoED  j^our  God  into  the  midst  of 
Jordan,  and  take  you  up  every  man  of  you 
a  stone  upon  his  shoulder,  according  unto 
the  number  of  the  tribes  of  tlie  children  of 
Israel,  that  this  may  be  a  sign  among  you, 
that  when  jonr  children  ask  their  fathers 
in  time  to  come,  saying.  What  mean  ye  by 
these  stones?  Then,  ye  shall  answer  them. 
That  the  waters  of  Jordan  were  cut  oif  be- 
fore the  ark  of  the  covenant  of  the  Lord; 
when  it  passed  over  Jordan,  the  waters  of 
Jordan  were  cut  off;  and  these  stones  shall 
l)e  for  a  memorial  imto  the  children  of  Israel 
forever,"  Joshiia  4:  5 — 7. 

Behold,  dear  reader,  thus  the  Israelites 
were  obliged  to  teach  their  children  from 
youth,  and  to  acquaint  them  with  all  the 
blessings  and  miracles  of  the  Lord,  which 
had  been  bestowed  on  them  and  their  fa- 
thers, so  that  Wiey  might  fear,  love  and 
serve  the  Lord  all  their  days,  and  thus  re- 
ceive the  blessing,  and  escape  the  curse 
which  was  included  in  the  law. 

In  like  manner  with  us,  if  we  rightly  con- 
fess Clirist,  we  believe  his  word,  and  we 
and  owY  children  desire  to  obtain  the  hap- 
py fields  and  pleasant  land,  and  eternally 
inherit  the  grace  which  he  has  promised  his 
children;  therefore,  let  us  not  neglect  it.  Init 


lay  it  well  to  heart,  that  we  teach  our  chil- 
dren rightl}"  in  the  word,  and  instruct  them 
in  relation  to  his  righteous  judgments,  so 
that  they  will  learn  to  fear  the  Lord  with 
all  their  heart,  and  turn  from  evil. 

Let  us  also  keep  before  them  God's  un- 
bounded merely,  love,  and  services  of  his 
.grace,  so  that  they  may  love  him  and  walk 
in  his  statutes.  Let  us  imprint  on  their 
hearts,  Jesus  Christ,  our  onlj'  and  eternal 
Savior,  with  his  Holy  Spirit,  word  and  ex- 
ample, so  that  they  may  rightly  know  him 
and  follow  in  his  footsteps;  and  let  us  set 
them  an  example  in  all  wisdom,  righteous- 
ness and  truth ;  with  a  pious  and  virtuous 
life,  so  that  the.y  maj^,  through  such  dis- 
creet admonition  and  unblamable  example 
of  their  pious  parents,  be  instructed  in  the 
kingdom  of  God  and  trained  to  all  manner 
of  good. 

For  all  Avho  have  such  a  faith  as  this 
woman  had,  and  see  that  the  end  of  sin  is 
death,  will  not  cease  to  sigh  and  lament  to 
God,  that  he  would,  in  merc^^,  assist  their 
poor  children  to  so  resist  the  impure  spirit 
of  the  devil  that  he  vaay  not  lead  them  cap- 
tive at  his  evil  will,  to  the  eternal  shame 
and  disgrace  of  their  poor  souls. 

But  that  they  may,  from  their  youth, 
rightly  learn  to  know  the  immortal,  eternal 
God  and  Father,  through  Jesus  Clu'ist  his 
beloved  Son,  and  in  truth  serve  and  submit 
to  his  cross  ;  and  recount  all  the  mighty 
works  and  miracles  of  the  Lord  our  God, 
the  great  mercy,  grace,  favor  and  love  of 
the  Almighty  Father,  his  blessed  word,  will, 
ordinance  and  life,  with  all  the  merits,  pow- 
er and  fruit  of  the  death  and  blood  of  Christ 
his  blessed  Son;  also  the  munificence,  wis- 
dom, truth  and  the  gifts  of  his  eternal  and 
Holy  Spirit,  this  to  their  children,  and  chil- 
dren's children,  and  all  their  descendants, 
till  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  appear  in  the  glo- 
rious majesty  of  his  heavenl}^  Father  in  the 
clouds  of  heaven,  to  the  final  judging,  and 
where  every  one  will  be  rewarded  according 
to  his  works,  be  they  good  or  evil,  2  Cor. 
5  :  10. 

Behold,  worthy  reader,  thus  it  behooves 
true  christians  to  teach,  admonish,  rejjrove, 
and  correct  their  children,  to  set  them  an  ex- 
ample in  all  righteousness,  raise  them  in 
the  fear  of  the  Lord,  be  solicitous  for  their 


FAITH. 


163 


poor  souls,  lest  tliey  through  their  negli- 
gence, depart  from  the  true  path,  die  in  their 
sins  and  finally  perish  in  their  imbelief. 

The  Lord  spoke  of  Abraham  and  said, 
"Shall  I  hide  from  Abraham  that  thing 
which  I  do ;  seeing  that  Abraham  shall  sure- 
ly become  a  great  and  mighty  nation,  and 
all  the  nations  of  the  earth  shall  be  blessed 
in  him?  For  I  know  him,  that  he  will  com- 
mand his  children  and  his  household  after 
him,  and  they  shall  keep  the  way  of  the 
Lord  to  do  justice  and  judgment,"  Gen.  18: 
17—19. 

Pious  Tobit  taught  his  son  and  said.  My 
son,  obey  thy  father,  serve  the  Lord  in  truth 
and  be  just,  and  this  teach  to  thy  children, 
that  they  give  alms,  always  fear  God,  love 
him,  and  confide  in  him  with  all  their  heart. 

And  when  they  attain  the  age  of  matu- 
rity, and  have  not  the  power  to  refrain  (but 
he  that  has,  him  I  would  advise  with  Paul, 
that  he  use  it  to  the  Lord),  let  them  not  mar- 
ry to  those  out  of  Clirist  and  his  church,  be 
they  noble,  rich,  or  handsome,  as  do  the 
proud,  avaricious  and  unchaste  of  this  world ; 
but  let  them  marry  those  who  fear,  love, 
seek,  honor,  follow  and  serve  the  Lord  with 
the  whole  heart;  be  they  noble  or  ignoble, 
rich  or  poor,  comely  or  uncomely,  for  they 
are  holy  and  children  of  saints,  and  there- 
fore, it  is  of  the  Lord,  and  must  be  done  in 
his  name. 

Let  every  one  beware  and  do  right,  lest 
the  wTath  and  fearful  judgments  of  God  be 
inflicted  upon  him  on  account  of  his  lewd- 
ness and  evil  desires,  even  as  the  judgments,  i 
in  the  days  of  Noah  and  Lot,  were  inflicted,  ; 
Gen.  6. 

But,  alas!  how  few  there  are  who  take 
this  to  heart,  and  sincerely  seek  the  salva- 
tion of  their  children.  If  they  can  but  pro- 
vide for  them  temporally,  then  their  desires 
are  gratified.  The  priests'  ordinances,  and 
church  services  alone  are  their  faith,  hope, 
and  the  foundation  of  their  salvation ;  they 
neither  know  nor  seek  any  other. 

Their  whole  life  from  beginning  to  end  is 
contrary  to  the  word  of  Christ.  For  as  soon 
as  they  are  born  they  are  earned  to  the 
idolatrous,  false  bath  (baptism);  the  holy 
name  of  the  Lord  is  mispronounced  over 
them ;  they  are  raised  in  all  vanity  and 
blindness,  in  pomp  and  splendor,  in  open 
20 


idolatry  and  false  worship,  and  in  the  ig- 
norant, unrestrained  life  of  the  world. 

In  and  out  of  their  houses  they  hear  and 
see  nothing  but  unrighteousness,  malice,  ly- 
ing, defrauding,  cursing,  swearing,  infidel- 
ity, avarice,  quarreling,  fighting,  intoxica- 
tion, whoring,  and  all  manner  of  disgrace. 
They  never  learn  to  know  Christ  and  his 
word,  but  they  hate  the  truth  and  persecute 
righteousness.  In  short,  they  show  by  their 
actions  that  they  are  full  of  the  evil,  un- 
clean spirit,  and  are  led  by  his  will,  as  may 
be  seen. 

For  as  your  spirit  is,  so  must  also  your 
fruits  be.  Is  the  Spirit  of  Christ  in  you, 
which  is  holy  and  pure,  then  are  also  your 
whole  life  and  fruit  pure  and  holy.  Again, 
if  the  spirit  of  the  evil  one  is  in  you,  then 
all  yom-  ways  and  fruits  will  be  evil  and 
impure.    This  is  incontrovertible. 

Therefore,  says  Paul,  "As  many  as  are 
led  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  they  are  the  sons 
of  God."  Again,  those  who  are  led  by  the 
spirit  of  the  evil  one,  are  the  sons  of  the 
devil.  Dear  reader,  reflect  well  upon  this. 
Yea,  if  these  poor  people  had  but  a  spark 
of  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord,  they  would  a  thou- 
sand times  sooner  be  seethed  in  boiling  oil, 
and  burned  with  fire,  then  hear  and  see  such 
foolishness,  imgodliness  and  wantonness  in 
their  cliildi'en,  much  less  would  they  teach 
them  or  set  them  an  example  in  such  things. 
For  it  is  incontrovertible,  according  to  the 
power  of  the  Scriptures,  if  they  do  not  be 
partakers  of  Christ,  that  their  end  will  be 
eternal  death. 

Therefore,  all  you  who  fear  the  Lord,  love 
yom-  children  with  divine  love,  seek  their 
salvation  with  all  your  hearts,  even  as  Abra- 
ham, Tobit,  and  the  Maccabean  mother  did. 
If  they  transgress,  reprove  them  sharply;  if 
they  err,  exhort  them  parentally;  if  they 
are  child-like,  bear  them  patiently ;  if  they 
are  of  good  tmderstanding,  instruct  them 
christian-like ;  dedicate  them  to  the  Lord 
from  youth;  watch  over  their  souls  as  long 
as  they  are  under  youi-  care;  so  that  you 
win  not  lose  your  salvation  on  their  account; 
pray  without  ceasing,  like  this  pious  woman 
did,  that  the  Lord  may  grant  them  his  giace, 
that  they  may  resist  the  devil,  subdue  their 
natural  depravity  by  the  Spirit  and  help  of 
the  Lord,  and  walk  from  their  youth  xip  be- 


154 


FAITH. 


fore  God  and  his  olmrcli,  in  all  rigliteons- 
ness,  truth  and  wisdom,  in  a  firm  and  sm-e 
faith,  in  unfeigned  love  and  living  hope,  in 
an  honorable  and  holy  life,  \inblamable  and 
without  offence,  al)oand  in  the  fruits  of  faith, 
unto  eternal  life.  Amen. 

In  addition  to  all  the  aforementioned  ex- 
amples, the  diligent  reader  maj^  also,  with 
a  pious  and  good  conscience  (mind)  serious- 
ly reflect  upon  the  faith  of  the  immaculate, 
glorious  mother  Mary,  of  Matthew,  of  the  ; 
aged  Simeon  and  Hannah;  also  of  the  blind 
man  (Luke  1 ;  Matt.  9 ;  Luke  2 :  1.5, 18 ;  Mark  | 
10),  and  such  like  more ;  and  I  tmst  that ' 
he  will,  by  the  help  and  grace  of  God,  fully 
understand  how  simple,  plain,  unfeigned, 
pious,  righteous,  forbearing,  ardent,  peace- 
able, joyous,  merciful,  amiable,  ameliorat- 
ing, modest,  moral,  humble,  zealous,  un- 
blamable and  pious  a  true,  regenerating, 
christian  faith  is  inwardly  in  power,  before 
God,  and  outwardly  in  fruits,  before  one's  i 
neighbor. 

Yea,  even  as  a  good,  fruitful  tree,  of  its 
own  accord,  without  any  compulsion,  al- 
ways brings  forth  its  own  good  fruits,  so 
also  a  true  christian  faith  must  bring  forth 
its  own  good  fruits.  For  it  is  infallible,  the 
righteous  must  live  by  faith. 

If  Abraham,  Isaac,  Jacob,  Moses,  Joshua 
and  Samuel,  with  all  the  patriarchs  and 
prophets  believed  the  word  of  the  Lord, 
which  was  declared  to  them  by  angels,  or 
were  found  so  faithful  therein,  how  much 
more  should  we  believe  and  be  faithful  to 
that  word  which  the  Prince  of  angels,  God's 
only  begotten  Son,  the  true  witness  and 
Teacher  of  righteousness,  Christ  Jesus,  who 
came  from  the  high  heavens,  from  his  Fa- 
ther's bosom,  brought  down  and  taught  on 
earth. 

It  will  not  suffice  to  say,  That  Jesus  Christ 
is  the  Son  of  God,  that  he  fulfilled  the  law 
for  us,  that  he  paid  for  oiu-  sins  with  his 
blood,  and  made  reconciliation  with  the 
Father,  by  his  offering  and  death;  neither 
will  it  suffice  to  only  believe  that  his  gospel 
is  true,  his  word  is  right,  the  wages  of  sin 
is  death,  and  that  grace  is  eternal  life;  but 
the  heart  must  rightly  comprehend  it,  and 
the  mind  must  be  resolved  upon  it,  other- 
wise it  will  not  justif}''.     Paul  says,  "With 


the   heart  man   believeth  unto  righteous- 
ness," Rom.  10:  10. 

All  who  believe  with  their  whole  hearts, 
that  Christ  Jesus  is  the  righteous  Branch  of 
David,  the  righteous,  wise  King ;  the  true, 
promised  Prophet ;  the  right  Way  and 
Truth,  and  our  onlj^  Propitiator.  Interces- 
sor, Mediator  and  High  Priest,  Jer.  22:  r>. 
also  believe  that  all  his  words  are  immu- 
table and  true ;  and  his  offering  sufficient 
and  perfect;  they,  therefore,  obey  his  word, 
walk  in  his  commands,  bow  to  his  sceptre 
and  pacifj'^  their  consciences  by  his  grace, 
reconciliation,  merits,  offering,  promises, 
death  and  blood.  They  believe  and  ac- 
knowledge, if  they  neglect  his  word  and 
will,  and  presumptuously  transgress  his 
commands,  and  live  according  to  the  flesh, 
that  God  will  require  it  at  their  hands  and 
pimish  them  eternally,  with  the  fire  of  his 
wrath,  through  his  righteous  judgment.  For 
if  those  who  wilfully  transgressed  the  Mo- 
saic law,  were  to  die  without  mercy,  upon 
the  testimony  of  two  or  three  witnesses,  how 
much  sorer  then  will  those  be  punished, 
who  trample  under  foot  the  Son  of  God; 
who  esteem  the  pure  blood  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment as  impure,  and  profane  the  Holy  Spirit 
of  grace?  Heb.  10:28. 

Yes,  kind  reader,  if  we  truly  believed,  and 
acknowledged  it  from  the  inmost  of  our 
souls,  it  would  so  move  our  hearts,  and  en- 
kindle them  with  the  fear  and  love  of  the 
Lord,  that  although  all  the  tyrants  that 
ever  were,  would  rise  in  all  their  dread  tor- 
ture, and  blood  shedding,  and  stand  before 
us,  they  would  not  in  the  least  deter  or  hin- 
der us  from  the  word  and  way  of  the  Lord. 
Besides,  all  our  impm-e,  carnal  thoughts, 
unseasoned  words,  and  useless,  ungodly 
works  would  soon  die,  as  Sirach  says,  "The 
fear  of  the  Lord  di'iveth  away  sins,"  Eccl.  1 : 
21 ;  and  it  is  impossible,  without  the  fear  of 
the  Lord,  to  become  right. 

Seeing  then,  it  is  very  evident,  that  a  sin- 
cere, christian  faith  acknowledges  God  in 
his  righteousness,  and  therefore  fears  his 
judgment,  and  thus  through  fear  buries  sin 
and  dies  to  it,  as  more  than  once  related, 
and  that  nevertheless,  you  live  in  all  ava- 
rice, unchastity,  drunkenness,  wi-ath,  lewd- 
ness, blindness,  idolatry,  and  all  manner 
of  wickedness,  tell  us,  beloved,  where  is  then 


FAITH. 


155 


yoiir  faith  and  word  of  God  of  whicli  yoii 
boast  so  much  ?  Do  you  not  know  that  it  is 
written,  "If  ye  live  after  the  flesh  ye  shall 
die?"  Or  do  you  think  that  you  can  trifle 
with  God  as  with  a  man  i  Be  not  deceived, 
says  Paul,  God  will  not  be  mocked. 

Ah  !  reader,  take  heed,  I  tell  you  the  truth 
in  Christ,  Beware!  if  you  do  not  repent  with 
all  yom-  heart  and  seek  God,  throiigh  Christ, 
do  not  hear,  believe  and  fear  him,  but  re- 
main earthly  and  carnal,  and  walk  after  the 
lusts  of  your  flesh,  your  sentence  already 
pronounced,  will  be  death.  As  Christ  him- 
self says,  I  judge  no  man,  but  the  word  that 
I  have  spoken,  the  same  shall  judge  him  in 
the  last  day. 

I,  therefore,  faithfully  admonish  you,  as 
before  God,  even  as  I  do  mine  own  soul,  di- 
vest yoirrselves  immediately  of  false  doc-  ' 
trine,  of  all  unbelief,  idolatry  and  earthly,  ! 
disgraceful  lives,  in  which,  alas !  you  have 
hitherto  walked,  lest  the  wrath  of  God  over- ; 
take  you  in  the  sleep  of  your  sins.  i 

Awaken !  He  is  still  merciful,  seek  and  ] 
receive  the  true  doctrine,  true  faith,  true  sac- 1 
raments,  the  true  service,  and  lead  a  godly  I 
life,  as  the  Scriptui-es  teach,  "Then  shall  thy  ! 
light  break  forth  as  the  morning,  and  thine 
health  shaU  spring  forth  speedily,  and  thy  [ 
righteousness  shall  go  before  thee;  the  glory 
of  the  Lord  shall  be  th}^  reward,"  Isa.  58:  8. 

Further,  I  say,  If  you  truly  believed  and 
rightly  understood  that  you  became,  through  ' 
Adam's  disobedience,  children  of  the  devil, 
of  wi'ath,  and  of  eternal  death,  sulijected  to  ] 
the  righteous  curse  and  judgment  of  God,  | 
and  that  now  all  obstacles  and  all  yoiu'  sins  I 
are  taken  away  and  reconciled  through  the  j 
precious  blood  of  Christ;   so  that  you  are 
called  from  wrath  into  grace,  from  cursings  , 
to  blessings,  and  out  of  death  to  life  (not  to  i 
mention  the  favors  which  are  daily  shown 
you),  then  your  hearts  would  sprout  forth 
as  the  sweet-scented,  blooming  violet,  full 
of  pure  love ;  yea,  flow  as  the  living  foun- 
tain, from  which  flow  forth  the  refreshing- 
sweet   waters   of   righteousness,    and    you 
would,  with  holy  Paul,  say,  from  the  bot-  : 
torn  of  your  soul,  AVlio  shall  separate  us 
from  the  love  of  Christ  ?  Since  it  can  never 
be,  if  I  am  in  the  bonds  of  perfection  with 
Mm,  and  love  him  with  a  pure  heart,  a  good  ' 
conscience  andxinfeignedfaith,  that  anything 


then  can  turn  me  away  or  separate  me  from 
him.  For  it  is  my  own  desire  and  highest 
joy,  that  I  hear  and  speak  of  his  word,  and 
in  my  weakness,  walk  as  he  commanded 
and  taught  through  his  Son,  should  it  even 
cost  money  and  possessions,  flesh  or  blood, 
his  will  be  done. 

Behold,  dear  reader,  since  then  it  is  mani- 
fest in  the  Holy  Scriptures,  that  the  true 
Christian  faith  through  the  fear  of  God,  dies 
to  sin,  and  through  love  does  the  things  of 
righteousness,  though  in  weakness,  I  there- 
fore let  you  judge  whether  those  believe  from 
the  heart,  who  with  the  mouth  say,  that  the 
blood  of  Christ  is  the  propitiatory  sacrifice 
of  their  sin,  and  nevertheless  seek  and  fol- 
low up  all  kinds  of  idolatry,  such  as  infant 
baptism,  holy  water,  absolution,  auricular 
confession,  masses,  gold,  silver,  and  wooden 
images,  wafers,  stone  churches,  and  the 
drunken  adultery  of  the  priests.  Ahl  how 
well  it  would  be  for  them  to  reflect. 

I  say.  As  true  as  the  Lord  lives,  there  will 
eternally  be  found  no  other  remedy  for  our 
sins,  whether  in  heaven  or  upon  earth;  nei- 
ther works,  merits  nor  sacraments,  even 
though  they  are  used  according  to  the  Script 
ures;  neither  cross,  tribulation,  angels,  men, 
nor  any  other  means  will  avail,  but  alone 
the  immaculate,  crimson  blood  of  the  Lamb 
(Cluist),  which  was,  out  of  pure  grace,  mercy 
and  love,  shed  for  the  remission  of  our  sins, 
Mark  14:  24. 

Hence,  it  is  incontrovertible,  that  all  those 
who  use  such  strange,  idolatrous  means  for 
sin,  belong  not  to  the  believing,  gxatefid 
church  of  Christ.  Therefore,  I  will  present 
you  with  a  few  passages  from  the  gospel 
and  writings  of  the  apostles,  and  set  them 
before  your  eyes  as  a  clear  mirror,  in  which 
you  may  view  youi'selves,  and  see  whether 
you  are  believing  Christians. 

Thus  teaches  the  word  of  the  Lord,  "Veri- 
ly, verily,  I  say  unto  thee.  Except  a  man  be 
born  again,  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of 
God."  And  again,  "Verily  I  say  unto  you, 
Except  ye  be  converted,  and  become  as  little 
children,  ye  shall  not  enter  into  the  king- 
dom of  heaven." 

Prove  yom'selves  with  this;  if  you  are 
born  of  the  pure  seed  of  the  holy  word,  then 
the  nature  of  the  seed  must  be  in  you;  and 
if  you  have  become  like  little  children,  then 


156 


FAITH. 


there  are  no  more  pride,  uncliastity,  ava- 
rice, hatred  and  envy  in  you;  for  the  inno- 
cent childi'en  know  nothing  of  such  sins. 
But  if  you  continue  to  live  in  old  Adam, 
and  not  in  Christ,  and  walk  after  the  base, 
impure  desires  of  your  ilesh,  then  you  prac- 
tically prove  that  you  are  not  born  of  God, 
and  have  not  his  faith. 

The  word  of  the  Lord  teaches  again,  "Go 
into  all  the  world  and  preach  the  gospel  to 
every  creature;  he  that  believeth  and  is  bap- 
tized shall  be  saved."  Here,  prove  your- 
selves again,  He  that  believes  and  is  right- 
ly baptized,  truly  repents,  circumcises  his 
heart,  dies  to  sin,  rises  in  Christ  to  a  new 
life,  &c.  But  if  you  remain  impenitent,  your 
hearts  uncii-cumcised,  not  dead  to  sin,  but 
live  out  of  Christ  and  his  word,  then  is  the 
deed  your  witness,  that  you  are  disbelievers 
and  have  not  the  baptism  of  Christ.  Again 
does  the  word  of  the  Lord  teach,  "If  thou 
wilt  enter  life  keep  the  commandments." 
For  in  Christ,  says  Paul,  neither  circumci- 
sion nor  uncircumcision  availeth,  but  the 
keeping  of  the  commands  of  God.  And  this 
is  his  command,  "Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord 
thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy 
soul,  and  with  all  thy  mind,  and  with  all 
thy  strength,  and  thou  shalt  love  thy  neigh- 
bor as  thyself,"  Mark  12:  30. 

Hereby,  prove  yourselves  again.  If  you 
love  God,  you  will  keep  his  commandments, 
you  will  do  to  your  neighbor  as  you  would 
have  him  do  to  you;  but  if  you  clespise  his 
word,  do  not  follow  his  ordinances  in  doc- 
trine, baptism.  Holy  Supper,  and  separa- 
tion, and  if  you  do  not  walk  according  to 
his  holy,  godly  commands ;  also  belie,  cheat 
and  betray  your  neighbor ;  if  you  take  j^our  ! 
neighbor's  life,  disgrace  his  wife,  daughters  \ 
or  servants,  and  treat  him  perfidiously;  if  [ 
you  mislead  the  poor,  blind  souls  from  the  { 
true  way  and  obedience  of  the  Lord,  be  it ; 
through  persecution  or  false  doctrine,  and  [ 
thus  bereave  them  of  the  eternal  kingdom,  | 
and  lead  them  to  hell,  then  it  is  more  than 
clear,  that  you  hate  the  command  of  the 
Lord  and  have  not  his  faith. 

Again,  the  word  of  the  Lord  teaches,  "En- 
ter ye  in  at  the  strait  gate;  for  wide  is  the 
gate,  and  broad  is  the  way,  that  leadeth  to 
destruction,  and  many  there  be  which  go  in 
thereat;  because  strait  is  the  gate,  and  nar- 


row is  the  way,  which  leadeth  imto  life;  and 
few  there  be  that  find  it,"  Matt.  7:  13.  At 
another  place  it  is  written,  "  If  any  man  will 
come  after  me,  let  him  deny  himself,  and 
take  up  his  cross  and  follow  me."  He  that 
loves  father  and  mother,  man  or  wife,  son 
or  daughter,  more  than  me,  is  not  worthy 
of  me. 

Here  prove  yourselves  again.  Have  yoti 
such  a  spirit,  such  frankness  and  faith,  that 
you,  in  time  of  need,  are  ready  to  forsake 
father,  mother  and  your  all,  for  the  sake  of 
God's  word  and  his  testimony;  to  take  upon 
yourself  the  cross  of  Christ;  to  deny  your- 
self in  all  things ;  to  enter,  with  Christ,  upon 
the  way  of  suffering,  and  thus  enter,  with  the 
poor  small  flock,  at  the  narrow,  strait  gate; 
then  may  the  Lord  strengthen  you.  But  if 
you  live  unto  yourselves,  reject  the  cross  of 
Christ,  and  love  father,  mother,  wife,  chil- 
di'en,  property  or  life  more  than  Christ ; 
walk  on  the  broad  way  with  the  multitude 
and  enter  the  wide  gate,  then  the  mouth  of 
the  Lord  gives  testimony  that  you  are  dis- 
believers and  that  your  end  is  damnation. 

Again,  says  the  word  of  the  Lord,  "And 
they  that  are  Christ's  have  crucified  the  flesh 
with  the  affections  and  lusts,"  Gal.  5 :  24. 
For  those  who  live  after  the  flesh,  such  as 
adulterers,  whoremongers,  incontinent,  ava- 
ricious, di-unliards,  gamblers,  thieves,  hate- 
ful, haughty,  defamers,  blood-thirsty,  idola- 
ters, shall  die. 

Prove  yoiu'selves  again,  If  your  lusts  do 
not  reign  in  you,  if  you  do  not  walk  in  any 
of  these  and  such  like  carnal  ways,  which 
have  been  mentioned,  but  if  you  can  smother 
them  and  trample  them  under  foot,  through 
faith,  then  thank  God,  fight  piously,  watch 
and  pray.  But  if  3^ou  satiate  your  lusts, 
and  walk  in  the  impure  ways  of  your  flesh, 
then  reform  yourselves ;  for  then  it  is  evident 
that  you  are  not,  penitent,  believing  chris- 
tians, but  impenitent,  carnal  heathens. 

Again,  The  word  of  the  Lord  teaches, 
"Therefore,  take  no  thought,  saying.  What 
shall  we  eat?  or  what  shall  we  drink?  or, 
wherewithal  shall  we  be  clothed  ?  For  after 
all  these  things  do  the  gentiles  seek ;  but 
seek  3^e  first  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  his 
righteousness ;  and  all  these  things  shall  be 
added  unto  you,"  Matt.  6:  31. 

Here  prove  yourselves  again,  If  you  believe 


FAITH. 


157 


that  the  strong  and  mighty  God,  who  nonr- 1 
ished  Israel  forty  years  with  bread  from  \ 
heaven  and  with  water  from  the  rod?,  and  ! 
kept  their  clothes  from  being  worn  out,  and 
fed  Elias  by  a  raven,  will  not  forsake  you 
in  your  distress,  but  will  provide  for  you 
by  his  grace ;  this  is  a  true  evidence  that 
you  have  the  word  of  the  Lord.  But  if, 
through  your  cares,  you  are  induced  or  con- 
strained, that  you  neglect  the  kingdom  of 
Grod  and  his  righteousness,  seek  temporal, 
more  than  eternal  things,  and  are  so  much 
concerned  as  if  God  had  more  concern  for 
the  flowers  and  fowls  than  for  you  and  your 
children,  boast  not  that  you  believe  the  pro- 
mise and  word  of  the  Lord. 

Again,  the  word  of  the  Lord  teaches,  "For 
God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his 
only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth 
in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlast- 
ing life.  For  God  sent  not  his  Son  into  the 
world  to  condemn  the  world,  but  that  the 
world  through  him  might  be  saved.  He  that 
believeth  on  him  is  not  condemned;  but  he 
that  believeth  not  is  condemned  already, 
because  he  hath  not  believed  in  the  name 
of  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God,"  John  3: 
16—18. 

Here  prove  yourselves  the  seventh  time. 
If  you  sincerely  believe  these  words  of  Christ 
with  the  wiiole  heart,  that  the  Almighty, 
Eternal  Father  so  loved  you  and  the  whole 
Imman  famil}^,  that  he  sent  his  incompre- 
hensible, Almighty,  eternal  Word,  Wisdom, 
Truth  and  Son,  by  whom  he  created  the 
heavens,  earth,  the  sea  and  the  fulness  there- 
of, and  his  eternal  glorj^,  into  this  vale  of  i 
misery ;   that  he  let  him  become  a  poor, 
grieved,  miserable  man;  that  he  let  him,  for 
the  sake  of  all  our  sins,  suffer  hunger  and  j 
thirst;  permitted  him  to  be  slandered,  ap-  i 
prehended,  crowned  with  thorns,  scourged, 
crucified  and  killed;  then  it  cannot  fail  that ; 
your  old  carnal  mind  must  become  a  regen- 1 
erated,  spiritual  mind;  yoiu-  thoughts  must ! 
become  chaste  and  pure;  your  words  must 
become  discreet  and  well  seasoned  and  your 
whole  life  pious  and  unblamable. 

Instantly  you  should  awaken,  walk  in  the 
right  wajr,  keep  aloof  from  all  abomination 
and  idolatry,  forsake  false  prophets,  preach- 
ers and  priests;  and  seek  the  true  teachers, 
sacraments  and  divine  sei'vice;  for  a  true, 


sincere.  Christian  faith  cannot  be  idle;  but 
it  changes,  renews,  purifies,  sanctifies  and 
justifies  more  and  more;  it  makes  joyous 
and  glad,  for  by  faith  it  knows  that  hell, 
devil,  sin  and  death,  are  conquered  through 
Christ,  and  that  grace,  mercy,  and  redemp- 
tion from  sin,  and  eternal  life,  are  acquired 
through  him.  In  full  confidence,  the  pos- 
sessor of  tnie  christian  faith  approaches 
the  Father,  in  the  name  of  Christ,  receives 
the  Holy  Ghost,  becomes  partaker  of  the 
divine  nature,  and  is  renewed  after  the  im- 
age of  him,  who  created  him,  lives  by  the 
virtue  of  Christ,  which  is  in  him;  all  his 
ways  are  righteousness,  godliness,  honesty, 
chastity,  truth,  wisdom,  goodness,  benevo- 
lence, light,  love  and  joy. 

He  sanctifies  his  body  and  heart  as  a  hab- 
itation and  temple  of  Christ  and  the  Holy 
Ghost;  hates  all  that  is  against  God  and 
his  word;  honors,  praises  and  thanks  God 
with  a  sincere  heart;  and  there  is  nothing 
to  deter  him,  neither  judgment,  -m-ath,  hell, 
devil,  sin  nor  eternal  death.  For  he  knows 
that  Christ  is  his  Intercessor,  Mediator  and 
Propitiator.  He  acknowledges  with  holy 
Paul,  that  "  There  is,  therefore,  now  no  con- 
demnation to  them  which  are  in  Chi-ist 
Jesus,  who  walk  not  after  the  flesh,  but 
after  the  Spirit,"  Rom.  8:  1.  The  Spirit  of 
the  Lord  assures  him  that  he  is  a  child  of 
God,  and  a  joint  heir  of  Christ;  he,  there- 
fore, wholly  dedicates  himself  to  his  Lord 
and  Savior,  Jesus  Christ,  who  called  him 
through  grace,  drew  him  by  his  Spirit,  en- 
lightened him  hy  liis  word,  and  purchased 
him  with  his  blood. 

Behold,  this  is  the  nature  of  living  faith, 
which  has  such  an  urgent,  cogent  power, 
spirit,  fear,  energy  and  life ;  which  avails 
with  God  and  has  the  promise  in  the  Script- 
ures. Happy  he  who  has  such  a  faith  and 
will  salutarily  retain  it  to  the  end.  I  repeat 
it,  prove  yourselves,  whether  you  are  in  the 
faith;  in  Christ  or  out  of  Christ;  penitent  or 
impenitent.  For  in  the  mirror  presented, 
you  may  view  the  whole  face  of  your  con- 
science and  life,  if  you  but  believe  that  the 
word  of  the  Lord  is  true  and  right.  Here 
notice  how  the  true,  christian  faith,  through 
grace,  is  the  only  living  fountain,  whence 
flows,  not  only  the  penitent,  new  life,  but 
also  obedience  to  the  evangelical  ceremo- 


158 


FAITH. 


nies,  such  as  baptism  and  the  Lord's  Sup- ' 
per  will  liave  to  come  and  follow,  not  as 
those  compelled  tlirough  the  law,  for  the  rod 
of  the  oppressor  is  broken,  bnt  voluntarily, 
through  the  free  will  and  submissive  spirit 
of  love,  which  is  of  a  christian  nature,  and 
is  ready  to  all  good  works  and  obedience  of 
the  holy  divine  word. 

For  all  the  truly  regenerated  and  spirit- 
ual conform  in  all  things  to  the  word  and 
ordinances  of  the  Lord  ;   not  because  they  : 
think  to  merit  the  x)ropitiation  of  their  sins 
and  eternal  life;  by  no  means;  in  this  mat-  j 
ter  they  depend  upon  nothing  except  the 
tnie  promise  of  the  merciful  Father,  graci- 
ously given  to  all  believers,  through  the  < 
blood  and  merits  of  Clirist,  which  blood  is,  ! 
and  ever  will  be  the  only  eternal  medium  of 
our  reconciliation,  and  not  works,  baptism  , 
or  Lord's  supper,  as  said  above.  | 

For  if  our  reconciliation  depended  upon  j 
works  and  ceremonies,  then  it  would  not  be  j 
gi-ace,  and  the  merits  and  fruits  of  the  blood  | 
of  Christ  would  be  void.  O  no!  it  is  grace, 
and  will  be  grace  to  all  eternity;  all  that  the 
merciful  father  is  doing  or  has  done  for  us 
grievous  sinners,  tlirough  his  beloved  Son 
and  Holy  Spirit,  is  grace.  Hence  it  is  that 
they  hear  the  voice  of  the  Lord,  believe  his 
word,  and  therefore  they  shoiild  willingly 
observe  and  perform  (although  in  weak- 
ness), the  representation  of  both  signs,  un- 
der water,  and  bread  and  wine,  set  forth  in 
obedience.  For  a  truly  believing  christian 
is  thus  minded,  that  he  will  not  do  other- 
wise than  that  which  the  word  of  the  Lord 
enjoins  and  teaches;  for  he  knows,  that  all 
presumption  and  disobedience,  are  like  sins 
of  witchcraft,  and  the  end  thereof  is  death. 

Yes,  good  reader,  the  true  christian  belief, 
as  the  Scriptures  require,  is  so  lively,  ac- 
tive and  powerful  Math  all  those,  who  have 
rightly  received  it  through  the  gi-ace  of  the 
Lord,  that  they  do  not  fear  to  forsake  fa- 
ther, mother,  wile,'  children,  money  and  pos- 
sessions for  the  word  and  testimony  of  the 
Lord;  to  suffer  all  manner  of  scorn,  disgrace, 
fatigue,  hardship  and  prison,  and  finally  to 
have  their  poor,  weak  bodies,  which  are  so 
fearful  of  suffering,  burned  at  the  stake,  as 
may  be  fi-equently  seen  in  the  pious  chil- 
dren and  witnesses  of  Christ  Jesus,  especi- 
ally in  these  our  Netherlands. 


Alas!  how  many  did  I  know  before,  and 
know  the  greater  part  of  them  now,  both 
men  and  women,  men  and  maid-servants 
(would  to  God  that  the}'-  be  increased  to 
many  hundi-ed  thousands),  who,  from  the 
inmost  of  their  souls,  seek  Christ  and  his 
word,  and  lead,  in  all  meekness,  a  pious, 
unblamable  life  before  God  and  man;  sin- 
cere and  holy  in  doctrine,  full  of  the  fear 
and  love  of  God,  ready  to  help  one  another, 
merciful,  compassionate,meek,  sober,  chaste, 
neither  refractory  nor  seditious;  birt  quiet 
and  peaceable,  obedient  to  the  magistracy 
in  all  things  not  contrary  to  God ;  and  who 
have,  nevertheless,  for  a  number  of  years, 
not  slept  in  their  beds,  and  even  do  not  now ; 
for  they  are  so  much  hated  by  the  world, 
that  they  have  been  persecuted,  betrayed, 
taken,  exiled  and  slain  like  highwaymen, 
thieves  and  murderers,  and  that  without 
mercy;  and  for  no  other  reason,  than  that 
they,  out  of  true  fear  of  God,  dare  not  take 
part  in  the  abominable,  carnal  life,  and  with 
the  accursed,  disgraceful  idolatry  of  this 
blind  world ;  neither  dare  they  hear  nor  ac- 
knowledge the  unchaste,  drunken,  lecherous 
Xwiests  and  deceiving  blind  preachers,  as  the 
true  apostles  and  teachers  of  God ;  the}''  dare 
not  receive  the  bread  with  the  avaricious, 
envious,  proud,  drunkards,  whores  and  ro- 
gues, from  their  hands,  nor  carry  their  chil- 
dren to  the  anti-christian  washing  and  baj)- 
tism,  but  seek  such  preachers  and  teachers, 
and  also  such  a  baptism,  supper,  chiirch  and 
life,  which  are  in  accordance  with  the  Scrijit- 
ures,  and  may  stand  according  to  the  word 
of  the  Lord. 

Behold,  before  God,  I  write  the  truth,  in- 
deed they  are  such  a  people,  if  I  otherwise 
know  them  rightly,  hypocrites  excepted, 
who,  in  the  flesh,  weep  more  than  they 
laugh,  mourn  more  than  they  are  joyful, 
rather  give  than  receive;  who  are  ready  not 
only  to  sacrifice  possessions,  and  their  all, 
but  also  body  and  life  for  the  praise  of  the 
Lord,  and  to  the  necessary  service  of  their 
neighbor,  according  to  the  command  of  the 
Scripture,  as  much  as  in  them  is.  No  matter 
how  much  the  poor  children  are  harassed, 
they  are  still  so  muclx  strengthened  in  God, 
that  they  can  neither  h^■  moved  nor  deterred. 
They  possess  their  souls  with  patience,  wait- 
ing for  the  joy  which  is  promised.     Truly 


FAITH. 


159 


said  Christ,  "Ye  will  be  hated  of  all  men 
for  my  name's  sake,"  Matt.  24:  9. 

Since  tlien  it  is  evident  from  all  this,  that 
the  tnie  evangelical  faith  is  of  such  a  nature, 
as  said,  and  is  the  onlj''  means  and  tree, 
which,  through  tlse  gi"ace  of  God,  bears  and 
propagates  all  manner  of  good  fruit;  there- 
fore, it  is  considered,  in  Scripture,  tlie  most 
precious,  and  greatest  work,  and  all  things 
are  ascribed  to  faith,  such  as  miracles,  and 
the  power  to  become  the  children  of  God, 
and  be  justified;  be  blessed  and  saved;  pu- 
rified and  sanctified;  and  have  eternal  life, 
as  we  have  related  wlien  treating  of  the  Ma- 
lefactor's faith. 

Not,  dear  reader,  that  we  believe  that  faith 
merits  this  on  account  of  its  worth;  by  no 
means;  but  because  the  pleasure  of  God, 
through  his  word,  has  given  his  promise 
tlirough  true  faith ;  then  it  must  also  by  vir- 
tue of  that  word  follow  faith.  For  the  Script- 
ures plainly  teach,  that  all  things,  visible 
and  invisible,  must  hear,  yield,  serve  and 
follow  the  powerful  word  of  God,  as  wLen 
he  said,  Let  there  be  heaven  and  earth. 
Heaven  and  earth  sprang  into  existence  at 
these  words.  For  God's  word,  says  Esdras, 
is  his  perfect  work.  God  also  saj^s  to  Israel, 
If  thou  shalt  hearken  diligently  unto  the 
voice  of  the  Loed  thy  God,  all  these  bless- 
ings shall  come  upon  thee ;  but  if  thou  wilt  not 
hearken,  the  curse  shall  be  upon  thee;  and 
it  also  happened,  as  it  was  told  Israel,  "For 
God,"  says  Balaam,  "is  not  a  man  that  he 
should  Ue;  neither  the  son  of  man,  that  he 
should  repent."  For  tliese  reasons  the  prom- 
ise must  follow  true  faith,  or  else  it  cannot  be 
denied  that  God,  who  is  a  God  of  truth,  must 
be  untrue  and  faithless.  O  no!  all  that  he 
wills  must  be  done;  what  he  promises  must 
be  fulfilled,  and  not  otherwise  than  he  has 
promised,  for  he  alone  is  true,  and  we  are 
all  liars,"  Rom.  3.  Paul  says,  "If  we  be- 
lieve not,  yet  he  abideth  faithful ;  he  cannot 
deny  himself." 

Since  then  faith  so  firmlj^  acknowledges 
that  God  cannot  break  his  promise,  but 
must  keep  it,  because  he  is  the  truth  and 
cannot  lie,  therefore,  does  he  make  his  chil- 
dren free,  joyful,  and  glad  in  spirit;  though 
they  are  confined  in  prisons  and  bonds, 
have  to  stiffer  by  water  and  fire,  in  chains 
and  at  the  stake;  for  they  are  assured  in 


'  the  spirit,  through  faith,  that  God  will  not 
j  ^vithdraw  his  promise,  but  will  fultill  it  in 
,  due  time ;    for  they  believe  on   Christ  in 
whom  the  promises  are  sealed,  and  througli 
,  him  also  acknowledge  his  grace,  vrord  and 
iwill;  notwithstanding  that  they,  in  former 
times,  lived  so   ungodly,  and  walked  ac- 
cording to  the  flesl). 

They  hope  with  faitliful  Abraham,  where 
nothing  is  to  be  hoped,  and  wait  for  things 
invisible,  as  thougli  they  saw  them,   and 
'  with  full  confidence  adhere  to  the  assurance, 
truth,  faithfulness  and  power  of  the  heaven- 
ly promise,  which  is  made  to  us  by  the  in- 
fallible, true  moutli  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
the  Son  of  God,  without  any  previous  work 
:  or  inerit,  tlu-ougli  the  gracious  choice  and 
;  will  of  his  merciful  Father  in  his  true  word. 
And  this  regenerating,  justifying,  convert- 
ing,  penitent,    active   and  confident  faith, 
which  comes  from  the  Father  of  light,  by 
hearing  his  holy  word,  is  the  only  faith  that 
avails  with  God,  and  which  has  the  assur- 
ance of  tjie  promise  of  grace  in  the  word, 
i  through  the  Holy  Ghost ;  besides  this,  the 
j  Holy  Scriptures  know  of  no  other  faith. 

Before  now,  I  have  read  in  some  books, 
which  they  have  written,  that  there  is  but 
one  good  work  which  saves  us,  namely, 
F.UTH,  and  but  one  sin  which  will  damn  us, 
namely,  UNUELrEF.  This  I  will  leaA-e  as  it 
is,  and  not  find  fault  with  it;  for  where  there 
is  a  sincere,  irne  faifJ/ ,  there  are  also  all  man- 
ner of  sincere,  good  fruits.  On  the  other 
hand,  where  there  is  unbelief,  there  are  also 
all  manner  of  evil  fruits ;  therefore,  is  salva- 
tion properly  ascribed  to  faitli,  and  damna- 
tion to  unbelief. 

Faithful  reader,  pay  attention.  Since  we 
plainly  perceive  tliat  the  whole  world.  Pa- 
pists, Lutherans,  Zuinglians,  Davidists,  li- 
bertines, (Src,  walk  the  broad  road  of  sin, 
and  lead  a  carnal,  vain  life,  and  do  not 
abide  by  the  pure,  salutary,  perfect,  doc- 
trine, sacrament  and  i;nblamable,  pure  ex- 
ample of  Christ;  therefore  they  are  them- 
selves witnesses,  that  they  reject  the  corner 
stone,  Jesus  Christ,  and  believe  not  his  word 
and  truth,  though  a  few  of  them  write  much 
of  faith  and  speak  of  the  Scriptures.  Say. 
beloved,  did  you  ever  read  in  the  Scriptures, 
or  did  you  ever  hear,  that  a  truly  believing, 
regenerated  christian,  after  repentance  and 


160 


FAITH. 


conversion,  remained  proud,  avaricious,  un- 
chaste, greedy,  hateful,  tyrannical  and  idol- 
atrous, and  continued  to  live  after  the  base 
desires  of  the  flesh?  You  must  say,  no!  If 
you  speak  of  Peter  and  David,  yoii  must 
observe  how  short  or  how  long  a  time  their 
fall  lasted,  and  what  penance  they  did.  Turn 
yoiu'selves  to  the  east  or  west,  south  or  north, 
and  you  will  find  ungodly,  vain,  pompous, 
foolisli  actions  and  conduct,  with  all  those 
who  boast  of  faith,  so  that  we  shall  have 
to  sa}^  with  Christ  and  John,  They  are, 
with  few  exceptions,  of  the  devil  and  not  of 
God.  For  the  devil,  from  the  beginning, 
was  proiTd  and  haught}^,  so  are  they;  he 
was  a  liar,  so  are  they;  he  was  a  falsifier  of 
the  word  of  the  Lord,  so  are  they;  he  was 
disputatious  against  God,  so  are  they;  in 
short,  he  is  a  revengeful  murderer,  an  abom- 
inable, blood-thirsty  tyrant,  so  are  many 
of  them.  The  way  in  which  they  use  those 
w^ho  seek  Christ  sincerely  and  believe,  fear, 
follow,  serve  and  call  on  him,  has  been  more 
than  once  fully  related. 

Yea,  alas,  they  are  so  wrathful  and  en- 
raged at  them,  that  they  will  scarcely  call 
them  by  their  right  names,  but  they  call 
them  anabaptists,  fanatics,  rioters,  faction- 
ists,  hedge  preachers,  deceivers,  heretics, 
new  monks,  knaves  and  miscreants,  al- 
though they  seek  the  kingdom  of  God  and 
his  righteousness  with  all  their  hearts,  which 
God  knows,  who  tries  the  reins  and  hearts 
of  men,  and  wisli  no  evil  to  any  one  upon 
earth. 

This  they  all  do  through  the  ignorant,  de- 
faming of  the  envious,  inhuman,  lying,  cry- 
ing and  writing  of  their  learned  priests  and 
preachers,  who  ever  since  the  blasphemous 
beast  of  anti-christ  ascended  his  kingdom 
and  glory,  have  always  been  the  triie  cause 
of  the  tyrannical  shedding  of  innocent  blood 
in  the  past  and  present;  for  they  are  those 
who  instigate  the  magistracy  to  murder,  and 
the  thoughtless,  reckless  people  to  defame 
and  blaspheme,  and,  I  fear,  that  they  will 
continue  to  be  the  cause  till  the  end. 

Nevertheless,  the  chosen  are  to  awaken, 
repent  and  obey  the  voice  of  the  Lord;  for 
idolatrous,  blood-thirsty,  confused  Babel 
shall  sink,  and  be  desolated;  and  fair  Je- 
rusalem, the  city  of  peace,  shall  increase, 
and  through  the  power  of  Almighty  God 


must  be  built  up  in  glory.  Of  this  all  re- 
joice, who  are  called  to  the  marriage  of  the 
Lamb,  and  whose  names  are  va-itten  in  the 
BOOK  of  LIKE  with  God.  Here  is  the  under- 
standing, wisdom,  faith  and  patience  of  the 
saints;  let  him  that  has  understanding,  ob- 
serve, that  the  Avord  of  the  Lord  is  true. 
Blessed  are  they  who  are  ready  to  meet  the 
coming  of  the  Lamb. 

Behold,  such  a  faithless,  impenitent,  tyr- 
annical, idolatrous,  refractory,  disobedient, 
blind,  carnal  people  they  are,  who  imagine 
that  they  are  the  believing  church,  and  the 
lawful  bride  of  Christ.  These  poor  children 
do  not  observe  that  all  under  heaven  is 
spoiled,  even  as  the  prophet  complains  that 
"there  is  no  truth,  nor  mercy,  nor  knowl- 
edge of  God  in  the  land;  by  swearing,  and 
lying,  and  killing,  and  stealing,  and  com- 
mitting adultery,  they  break  out,  and  blood 
touchetli  blood,"  Hos.  4:  1,  2.  The  world, 
saj-s  John,  lietli  in  wickedness.  If  we  come 
to  the  lords  and  princes,  there  we  find  such 
pride,  arrogance,  pomp  and  wantonness, 
such  banqueting,  eating  and  drinking  to 
excess,  with  some,  such  adultery  and  whore- 
dom, and  such  iinreasonable,  blind  idola- 
try, and  with  many,  such  unmerciful,  raging- 
tyranny  that  they  are  in  truth  more  like 
proud  Nebiichadnezzar,  drunken  Belshaz- 
zar,  and  Nabal,  and  blood  thirsty,  vain  An- 
tioch,  Nero,  and  Maximinus,  than  chris- 
tian, believing  lords  and  kind  princes.  If 
we  come  to  the  judges  and  rulers,  to  each  in 
his  station,  with  some  we  find  only  violence 
and  injustice,  with  some  nothing  but  ava- 
rice, astonishing  practices;  they  steal  hon- 
estly and  rob  honorably;  pass  sentence  for 
gain  and  gifts;  honor  the  high  and  despise 
the  poor,  do  not  justice  to  the  poor  widow, 
orphan  and  the  oppressed  stranger,  execute 
their  office  and  power  with  rigor,  and  not 
fraternally;  serve  princes  and  not  God,  as 
the  prophet  Micah  laments.  What  tlie  prince 
desires,  the  judge  does,  so  that  he  will  again 
reward  him.  Alas  I  where  shall  we  find  one, 
who  loves  God  with  all  the  heart,  hates  ava- 
rice, seeks  the  truth,  who  will  defend  the 
godfearing,  and  do  him  justice? 

If  we  come  to  the  priests  or  monks,  there 
we  find  such  insatiable  avarice,  that  they 
offer  and  sell  prayers,  psalms,  matins,  ves- 
pers, masses,  sermons,  baptism,  Lord's  Sup- 


FAITH. 


161 


per,  absolution,  and  all  their  chiircli  serv- 
ices, together  with  their  own  souls ;  take 
rents  and  gold  ft-om  the  deceased,  will  go 
six  or  ten  miles,  from  one  place  to  another 
for  a  guilder;  where  they  find  the  most  milk, 
wool  and  meat,  there  they  prefer  to  be  among 
the  sheep ;  like  to  be  flattered  and  honored 
by  the  world;  suffer  themselves  to  be  called 
doctors,  lords,  masters,  abbots,  provosts, 
priors,  fathers,  guardians,  commanders  and 
presidents;  like  to  wear  long  garments ;  seek 
to  be  greeted  at  the  market,  and  take  the 
first  seats  at  the  table  and  in  the  church,  as 
Chi'ist  said  of  the  scribes  and  pharisees, 
Mark  12:  39.  Besides,  the  greater  part  of 
them  live  in  such  whoredom  and  sodomy 
that  the  angels  are  astonished  and  blush; 
they  defile  one  woman  after  another,  also 
one  virgin  after  another ;  they  defraud  and 
coiTupt  the  whole  world,  both  temporally 
and  spiritually;  they  have  all  their  joy  in 
a  temporal,  carnal  life;  study  by  day  and 
by  night,  how  they  may  pamper  their  proud, 
idle,  lazy  flesh;  eat  and  drink,  saying,  as 
it  is  written,  "Come  ye,  say  they,  I  will 
fetch  wine,  and  we  will  fill  ourselves  with 
strong  drink ;  and  to-morrow  shall  be  as 
this  day,  and  much  more  abundant,"  Isa. 
56 :  13.  They  betray  the  faithful,  pious 
hearts,  who  with  all  their  powers  seek  Christ 
and  eternal  life ;  they  warn  every  one  of  the 
truth  and  its  followers,  and  cry.  Hear  us, 
we  are  your  teachers  and  pastors,  we  will 
pledge  our  souls  for  you  in  the  judgment  of 
God;  and  thus  encourage  the  malicious,  lest 
they  be  converted  from  their  wickedness. 
Promising  liberty  to  others,  and  are  them- 
selves servants  of  corruption.  I  do  not  know 
how  they  coiild  make  it  worse;  nevertheless, 
those  unblushing,  abominable  men,  who  ac- 
cording to  the  law  of  Moses,  woiild  have  been 
stoned,  and  who  according  to  the  Scriptures 
must  be  eternally  cursed  and  condemned, 
unless  they  repent,  alas,  are  called  the  pas- 
tors and  teachers  of  this  poor,  rude  people. 
Behold,  thus  the  world  is  corrupted. 

If  we  come  to  the  preachers,  who  boast  of 
the  word,  we  will  find,  that  some  are  open 
liars,  others  drunken  sots,  some  usurers, 
some  wanton  and  gay,  some  defamers  and 
slanderers,  others  persecutors  and  betrayers 
of  the  innocent;  how  some  of  them  live,  how 
they  came  to  get  their  wives,  and  what  kind 
21 


of  wives  they  have,  this  I  will  commit  to  the 
Lord  and  to  themselves.  They  teach  secret- 
ly that  there  are  two  sons  in  Christ,  the  Son 
of  God,  and  the  son  of  Mary,  and  that  he 
who  died  for  our  sins,  was  not  the  Son  of 
God;  they  also  teach  and  practice  a  bap- 
tism which  is  not  commanded  in  the  Script- 
ures, and  a  supper,  in  which  they  consider 
the  bread  the  hodi/,  and  the  wine  the  hlood 
of  Christ ;  they  have,  and  hold  no  other 
BAN,  than  the  gallows,  and  the  wheel ; 
lead  an  unconcerned,  easy  life;  they  live  of 
mere  flattery,  deceit  and  the  booty  of  anti- 
christ, and  preach  just  as  much  as  the  world- 
ly, carnal  magistracy  desire  to  hear;  prom- 
ise peace  to  the  poor  impenitent,  althougli 
there  is  no  peace. 

If  we  come  to  the  common  people,  we  find 
such  an  unbecoming,  carnal,  blind,  uncir- 
cumcised  horde,  that  we  are  astonished ; 
they  know  neither  God  nor  his  word.  If 
nature  teaches  anything  reasonable,  that 
is  all  their  piety;  but  of  the  Spirit,  word, 
ordinances,  will  and  life  they  indeed  know 
but  very  little.  In  short,  it  has  come  so 
far  in  the  world,  that  we  may  lament  and 
say  with  the  holy  prophet,  "Eun  ye  to  and 
fro  through  the  streets  of  Jerusalem,  and 
see  now,  and  know,  and  seek  in  the  broad 
places  thereof,  if  ye  can  find  a  man,  if  there 
be  any  that  executeth  jiidgment,  that  seek- 
eththetruth,"  Jer.  5:  ]'. 

Not  one  stone  has  remained  upon  anoth- 
er; all  is  desolated  which  Christ  and  Ms 
faithful  messengers  taught  us  of  faith,  love, 
baptism,  Supper,  reconciliation,  sin,  repent- 
ance, regeneration,  separation,  teachers,  dea- 
cons and  of  true,  divine  service,  nevertheless, 
they  are  called  the  cluirch  of  Christ  by  their 
blind  priests  and  preachers,  even  as  if  Christ 
and  the  Father  were  to  be  satisfied  with 
names,  bread,  wine  and  water.  Ono!  the 
chosen  of  God  are  the  church  of  Christ,  his 
saints  and  beloved,  who  washed  their  clothes 
in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  who  are  born  of 
God,  influenced  by  the  Spirit  of  Christ;  who 
are  in  Christ  and  he  in  tliem,  who  hear  and 
believe  his  word,  who  follow  him  in  their 
weakness,  in  his  commandments,  walk  in 
his  footsteps  with  all  patience  and  humil- 
it}^,  hate  the  evil,  and  love  the  good,  earn- 
estly desiring  to  apprehend  Christ  as  they 
are  apprehended  of  him,  for  all  who  are  in 


163 


FAITH. 


Clu'ist,  are  new  creatures,  flesli  of  liis  flesh, 
bone  of  liis  bone,  and  members  of  his  body. 
How  3^ou  and  the  rest  of  mankind  conform 
to  this,  I  will  leave  yon  and  all  reasonable 
readers  to  reflect  npon,  in  the  fear  of  God, 
both  according  to  yom-  understanding,  and 
according  to  the  Scriptures. 

Since,  then,  all  things  aredesolated  through 
the  righteous  wrath  and  judgment  of  God, 
because  (as  Paul  says)  they  delighted  in 
unrighteousness  and  lies,  by  the  false  proph- 
ets and  ravening  wolves,  so  that  nothing 
salutary  has  remained  according  to  the  ti'ue 
sense  and  ground  of  Clmst  and  his  holy 
apostles,  and  since  we  find  nothing  in  the 
whole  world,  among  all  the  great  sects,  only 
vain  boastings,  mere  names,  false  doctrine, 
false  sacraments,  vain  unbelief  and  an  im- 
penitent, carnal  life,  and  this  under  the 
name  and  semblance  of  Christ  and  his  holy 
church,  therefore,  I  am  constrained,  by  true, 
christian  love,  to  make  known  the  power 
and  ground  of  the  holy  Scriptures,  accord- 
ing to  my  small  gift,  given  me  of  God,  and 
through  this  to  show  which  is  the  trite,  chris- 
tian faith,  having  the  promise;  namely,  the 
faith  which  changes  man  from  evil  into  good, 
to  a  divine  nature,  both  inwardly  and  out- 
wardly, and  makes  him,  as  said,  holy, 
righteous,  obedient,  new,  pious,  peaceable 
and  joyful;  in  order  that  all  good,  pious 
hearts,  who  desire  to  walk  in  the  right  way, 
but  who  are  hindered  therefrom  by  their 
blind  priests  and  preachers,  may  read  or 
hear  this  my  faithful  exposition  and  in- 
struction, and  that  they  may  thereby  be 
instructed  in  the  truth ;  that  the  indifi"erent 
and  drowsy  may  be  awakened,  and  that  all 
hypocrites  may  be  ashamed,  and  reform; 
and  that  all  those  who  love  God  sincerely, 
may  be  more  instracted  and  taught  in  the 
faith,  if  they  do  by  any  means  acknowl- 
edge this  as  the  sure  foundation  of  God, 
as  it  is,  and  will  be,  for  ever.  Lord,  grant 
that  many  may  read  and  understand  it,  and 
thus  receive  and  obey  it,  that  they  may  sin- 
cerely repent  and  be  saved.  Amen. 

And  since  I  do  it  out  of  a  sincere  heart, 
and  labor  not  with  any  other  view,  of  which 
the  great  God,  the  Searcher  of  the  hearts 
and  reins  of  men  is  my  witness,  than  that  I 
may  teach  repentance  to  the  ignorant,  rude 
world,  which  knows  not  Christ,  lead  them 


to  Christ  and  his  docti'ine,  sacraments  and 
example,  that  many  might  be  saved;  and 
as  we  plainly  see  there  are  many  profligates 
who  have  reformed  theii-  sinful,  carnal  lives, 
and  commenced  an  upright,  penitent,  pious 
life  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord;  then  it  is  gross 
ingratitude,  yea,  hardened,  ungodly  tyran- 
ny, to  hate  me  and  my  faithful  co-workers 
so  enviously,  and  recompense  us  so  shame- 
fully, who  manifest  such  great  fidelity  and 
love  towards  them  in  oiu'  manifold  suffer- 
ings and  trials. 

But  thus  they  treated  all  the  prophets 
and  faithful  servants  of  God  from  the  be- 
ginning, who  preached  to  them  the  word 
and  will  of  the  Lord  with  great  fidelity,  re- 
proved their  sins,  sought  their  salvation  till 
death,  with  all  their  powers,  with  many 
tears,  watchings,  prayers,  labors,  cares  and 
soiTOws;  therefore,  it  is  not  strange,  and  no 
wonder,  that  they  will  treat  us  so ;  for  Christ 
says,  "  For  so  persecuted  they  the  prophets, 
which  were  before  you,"  Matt.  5:  12. 

I  hereby  entreat  and  desire,  thi'ough  the 
mercy  of  oiir  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  all  my  read- 
ers and  hearers  in  general,  of  whatever  name, 
office,  station  and  condition,  that  you  be 
pleased  neither  to  defame  nor  to  reject  my 
labor,  as  long  as  you  have  not  read  it  im- 
partially, heard  it  rightly  and  understood 
it.  Therefore,  separate  the  doctrine,  sacra- 
ments and  life  of  Christ,  from  the  doctrine, 
sacraments  andlife  of  the  priests  and  preach- 
ers; separate  faith  and  unbelief,  spirit  and 
flesh,  righteousness  and  umighteousness. 
Seek  after  the  truth,  strive  zealously  for 
your  salvation,  believe  that  God  is  true, 
that  he  will  reward  the  good  and  punish 
the  evil,  that  his  word  is,  and  will  for  ever 
remain  ti-uth.  Fear  his  judgment,  love  his 
j  bounties;  then  you  shall  know,  by  the  grace 
I  of  the  Lord,  that  the  aforementioned  is  the 
true  Christian  faith,  which  avails  liefore 
I  God,  and  has  the  promise  in  the  Scriptures, 
!  as  we  have  so  abundantly  testified  and 
j  shown  to  you  by  the  word  of  God,  and  with 
j  such  strong  and  incontrovertible  reasons, 


examples,  without 
it  were   before,   in 


deceit 
Christ 


Scriptures  and 
and  fraud,  as 
Jesus. 

May  the  Almighty,  eternal,  merciful  God 
and  Father,  through  his  beloved  Son,  Jesus 
Christ,  lead  you  all,  one  with  another,  into 


FAITH. 


163 


his  holy,  divine  knowledge  and  evangelical 
truth,  and  make  your  faith  so  fruitful  and 
active,  that  you  may,  with  sincere,  new 
hearts,  patiently  submit  to  his  cross  in 
every  trial  and  afliiction,  and  that  you  may 
walk,  vdth  unfeigned  love,  he  peaceable  and 


joyful  in  spirit,  as  the  lanblamable,  pious 
children  of  God,  before  the  Lord  and  his 
church  all  the  days  of  your  lives,  and  ulti- 
mately obtain  the  promise  of  grace,  the  end 
of  your  faith,  and  the  salvation  of  your 
souls,  Amen. 


TO  THE  CHRISTIAI  READER. 


CONCLUSION. 


Beloved  reader,  here  you  liave  my  founda- 
tion AND  DOCTRINE  OF  FaITH,  with  its  J7TOJ9- 

erties,  power,  operation  and  fruits.  I  there- 
fore entreat  you  all,  if  you  appreciate  Christ 
and  your  own  salvation,  suppress  your  per- 
verted minds, be  not  enraged  and  embittered, 
should  you  find  any  thing  contrary  to  the 
usages  of  oiu-  forefathers,  standing  usages, 
or  philosophic  wi-itings  and  the  cry  of  the 
learned;  but  fii'st  prove  it  rightly,  and  scru- 
tinize it  well  with  Christ  and  the  word,  spirit, 
life  and  example,  of  his  holy  apostles,  wheth- 
er it  is  not  the  true  content,  meaning,  doctrine 
and  sense  of  the  whole  Scriptures ;  if  so,  you 
will  have  to  give  up  the  unscriptiu'al  usage, 
and  the  deceptive  cry  of  the  learned,  and 
hold  only  to  the  word  of  the  Lord,  if  you 
would  be  saved.  Let,  therefore,  your  heart 
be  impartial,  and  your  judgment  sincere 
after  truth;  for  the  Almighty  God  and  Lord, 
before  whom  every  knee  shall  bow  and  every 
tongue  confess,  will  not  and  cannot  yield  to 
any  of  the  learned,  or  to  long-standing 
usages  or  customs;  for  he  is  Lord,  and  we 
are  his  servants.  We  must  follow  7«'m,  and 
not  he  follow  us.   Reader,  lay  it  to  heart. 

Likewise,  if  you  find  that  we  preach  our 
doctrine  rightly,  respect  not  the  dignity  of 
any  man,  fear  no  man's  tyranny,  nor  yield 
to  the  learned,  but  that  we  in  true,  sincere 
love,  faithfully  teach,  admonish  and  reprove 
all  who  do  amiss,  without  respect  of  persons, 
with  the  Holy  Spirit,  word,  example  and  or- 
dinance of  the  Lord,  in  all  things  not  right; 
then,  I  entreat  you  again,  that  you  would 
be  pleased  not  to  attribute  this  to  spiritual 
pride,  but  to  well-meant  frankness  and  chi'is- 
tian  simplicity.  I  desire  that  you  would  all 
walk,  rightly,  so  that  you  may  be  saved,  on 


account  of  which  I  have  to  endure  not  a  little 
tribulation.  I  refuse  not  to  become  as  a  fool 
before  all  the  world,  so  that  I  may  make 
many  wise  in  Christ,  and  with  the  Holy 
Spii'it  and  powerful  word  of  the  Lord,  lead 
them  to  wisdom  and  to  the  saints;  and  I 
well  know  that  Christ  and  his  apostles,  and 
the  prophets,  were  guilty  of  the  same  fool- 
ishness, and  were  of  the  same  mind  with  me 
in  this  matter. 

If  I  reprove,  they  reprove  more ;  If  I  threat- 
en with  the  wrath  of  the  Lord,  they  do  so 
much  more.  Were  they  on  that  account  car- 
nal and  proud  ?  Far  from  it.  Yes,  my  read- 
er, had  not  the  dark  smoke  of  men-pleasing- 
preachers,  the  acciu'sed,  false  doctrine  of 
the  dreadful,  abominable  locusts  out  of  the 
abyss,  risen  up;  but  had  sincere  reproving, 
the  true,  pure  doctrine,  the  scriptural  usage 
of  the  holy  sacraments,  and  the  separating 
of  the  impenitent,  without  respect  to  person, 
continued  in  the  world,  never  would  the 
pleasing  sun  have  lost  his  splendor,  nor 
would  the  church  have  lapsed  into  such  a 
grieved  and  deadly  condition;  therefore,  I 
esteem  it  with  Paul,  to  be  tmimportant,  to 
be  judged  of  men  in  this  matter.  For  I  know 
that  I  mean  it  well,  do  right  and  reprove 
only  with  the  truth,  so  that  they  may  be 
converted. 

May  the  true  heavenly  Light,  Jesus  Christ, 
be  eternally  blessed,  and  enlighten  all  dark, 
benighted  hearts  with  the  clear  and  lucid 
ray  of  his  Holy  Ghost  and  eternal  truth, 
that  they  may  view,  in  unfeigned,  pure  faith, 
the  eternal  brightness  of  Christ,  to  the  praise 
and  honor  of  his  great  name,  and  to  the  sal- 
vation of  many  souls.  Amen. 


A 


Fundamental  Doctrine 


FKOM    THE 


mW  OF  THE  LORD, 


EXHOKTING  ALL,  WHO  ARE  CALLED  AFTER  THE  NAME  OF  CHRIST,  TO  THE  HEAV- 
ENLY BIRTH  AND  THE  NEW  CREATURE,  WITHOUT  WHICH,  NONE  WHO 
HAVE  COME  TO  THE  YEARS  OF  UNDERSTANDING,  ARE  OR 
"N^  CAN  BE  A  TRUE  CHRISTIAN. 


DILIGENTLY  REVISED  AND  ENLARGED 


BY 


MENNO     SIMON. 

A.  D.,  1556. 


"In  Christ  Jesus  neither  circumcision  availeth  anything,  nor  uncircumdsion,  but 
a  new  creature,"  Gal.  6:  15. 

'•  For  other  foundation  can  no  man  lay  than  that  is  laid,  which  is  Jesus  Christ," 
1  Cor.  3 :  11. 


ELKHART,  Si^lDIANA: 

PUBLISHED  BY  JOHN  F.   FUNK  AND  BROTHER. 

1  8  7  L 


A  FUNDAMENTAL  DOCTRINE 


FROM    THE 


WORD  OF  THE  LORD,  OF  THE  NEW  BIRTH. 


Hear  my  words,  all  people,  and  under- 
stand them,  all  you  who  imagine  that  yon 
are  Christians,  and  presumptuously  boast 
of  the  grace,  merits,  flesh,  blood,  cross,  king- 
dom and  death  of  the  Lord,  notwithstand- 
ing we  find  among  you  neither  Christian 
faith,  brotherly  love,  repentance,  the  right 
use  of  the  sacraments  of  Christ,  the  pure 
doctrine,  nor  the  unblamable,  godly  life, 
which  is  out  of  God,  to  which  the  Scriptures 
admonish  us ;  neither  the  true,  divine  serv- 
ice, evangelical  disposition,  nor  obedience; 
but  throughout,  nothing  else  than  abomin- 
able, dark  unbelief,  a  lewd,  carnal  life,  false 
doctrine,  false,  self-devised  sacraments,  a 
devilish  heart  and  mind,  an  accursed,  heath- 
enish idolatry  imder  the  name  of  Christ, 
blind,  blood-thii'sty  tyranny,  envious  and 
furious  revengefulness  against  all  the  chil- 
dren of  God;  yea,  open  obstinacy,  disobe- 
dience and  rejection  of  the  words  of  Christ 
and  of  his  Holy  Ghost,  as  may  be  very 
plainly  perceived  and  seen  throughout  the 
world. 

In  order  that  you  may  comfort  yourselves 
no  longer  with  lying  and  vain  hopes,  con- 
trary to  all  Scriptures,  to  your  eternal  dam- 
nation, and  not  glory  in  vain,  in  the  afore- 
mentioned riches  and  glorj^  of  the  children 
of  God,  namely  of  the  kingdom,  grace,  mer- 
its, flesh,  blood,  cross,  death  and  promises 
of  Christ,  &c.,  which  do  not  yet  pertain  to 
you,  because  you  are  yet  altogether  earth- 
ly, carnally  and  devilishly  minded,  reject 
Christ,  and  do  not  keep  to  his  Spirit,  word 
and  example,  without  which  no  one  can  be 
a  christian ;   therefore  I  have  undertaken 


through  the  merciful  grace  of  the  Lord,  as 
much  as  is  in  my  power,  to  inform  you, 
briefly,  by  the  infallible,  powerful,  saving 
word  of  the  holy  gospel  of  Christ,  and  out 
of  the  pure  doctrine  of  his  holy  apostles,  in 
this  my  epistle,  who  they  are,  or  who  they 
are  not,  that  are  endowed  through  the  grace 
of  God,  and  to  whom  pertain  the  aforemen- 
tioned gifts,  merits  and  promises  of  Christ. 

Tell  me,  most  beloved,  where  or  when  did 
you  read  in  the  Scriptures,  which  is  the  true 
witness  of  the  Holy  Ghost  and  the  plummet 
of  our  consciences,  that  the  unbelieving,  dis- 
obedient, carnal  adulterer,  whoremonger, 
drunkard,  avaricious,  idolatrous  or  pomp- 
ous had  a  single  promise  of  the  kingdom  of 
Christ  and  his  church,  yea,  part  or  com- 
munion in  his  merits,  death  and  blood  ?  I 
tell  you  the  truth,  nowhere  do  we  read  it  in 
the  Scriptures,  nor  ever  will  we;  but  thus  it 
is  written  by  Paul,  "For  if  ye  live  after  the 
flesh  ye  shall  die."  Adulterers,  whoremon- 
gers, buggerers,  effeminate,  unclean,  idola- 
tors,  drunkards,  proud,  avaricious,  betray- 
ers of  the  innocent,  and  bloodshedders, 
thieves,  murderers,  backbiteijs,  perjurers, 
sorcerers,  liars,  unmerciful,  the  disobedient 
to  God  and  Christ  (if  they  repent  not)  will 
not  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God,  yea,  their 
portion  will  be  in  the  fiery  lake  which  burng 
with  fire  and  brimstone,  which  is  the  second 
death,  Kom.  8:  13;  1  Cor.  6:  10;   Eph.  5:  5. 

Behold,  worthy  reader,  this  is  God's  ir- 
revocable sentence  and  judgment  upon  all 
who  live  after  the  flesh,  whoever  they  be, 
emperor  or  king,  duke  or  earl,  knight  or 
squire,  noble  or  ignoble,  priest  or  monk, 


168 


THE  NEW  BIRTH. 


learned  or  unlearned,  rich  or  poor,  male  or 
female,  bond  or  free.  All,  who  live  after  the 
flesh,  nmst  forever  remain  under  the  just 
sentence  and  eternal  wi-atli  of  God,  other- 
vrise  the  whole  Scriptures  are  untrue. 

Therefore,  are  the  poor,  ignorant  people 
comforted  in  vain  with  masses,  matins,  ves- 
pers, confessions,  pilgrimages  and  holy  wa- 
ter, and  what  is  more,  with  Christ's  grace, 
death  and  blood.  The  word  stands  firm,  "For 
ifye  live  after  the  flesh  yesliall  die;  for  to  be 
carnally  minded  is  death."  Therefore,  I  ad- 
vise and  entreat  you  all  in  general,  to  hear 
Chi'ist  Jesus,  who  is  sent  to  us  as  a  witness 
of  the  truth  from  heaven;  for  thus  says  he, 
"Verily  I  sa3'  unto  you.  Except  ye  be  con- 
verted and  become  as  little  children,  ye  shall 
not  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven."'  At 
another  place,  "Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto 
thee,  Except  a  man  be  born  again,  he  can- 
not see  the  kingdom  of  God."  Again, "  Veri- 
ly, verily,  I  say  unto  thee.  Except  a  man  be 
born  of  water  and  of  the  Spirit,  he  cannot 
enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God."' 

Faithful  reader,  take  heed;  these  words 
are  not  invented  or  instituted  of  man,  nor 
are  they  the  resolution  of  any  council ;  but ' 
they  are  the  infallible,  precious  words,  which 
the  Son  of  God,  Christ  Jesus,  brought  to  us 
from  the  mouth  of  his  Father,  and  declared  : 
unto  pious  Nicodemus,  the  scribe,  with  a 
double  affirmation.     That  word  is  powerful  I 
and  clear,  and  has  not  only  reference  to  Nic- 
odemus, but  to  all  the  children  of  Adam, 
who  have  come  to  the  years  of  maturity,  j 
But  alas,  it  is  so  obscured  by  the  offensive,  ', 
leavenous  mire  of  human  commands,  stat- 
utes and  glossaries,  that  scarcely  one  or  i 
two  is  found  in  a  thousand,  who  have  the  ; 
true  sense  and  imderstanding  of  the  heaven- 
ly birth,  much  less  have  they  the  active  nat-  j 
ure,  power,  properties  and  fruits  of  it.  Yea,  ] 
they  have  brought  it  so  far,  through  their 
philosophy,  wisdom  and  self-chosen  holi- 1 
ness,  that  the  eternal  Wisdom  of  God,  Christ 
Jesus,  eternally  blessed,  is  banished  as  a  t 
poor,  senseless  fool,  out  of  the  house  of  his 
honor,  which  is  his  church,  with  his  Holy  , 
Ghost,  word,  bajotism,  Supper,  divine  wor- 
ship, separation  and  unblamable  example; 
and  the  man  of  sin,  the  son  of  perdition,  is 
placed  in  his  stead,  with  his  abominable  ! 
doctrine,  idolatrous  infant  baptism  and  sup- 


]  per,  with  his  imclean  purifications  andprom- 
I  ises,  with  his  churches,  convents,  priests, 
;  monks,  masses,  matins,  vespers,  holy  wa- 
:  ter,  images,  pilgrimages,  purgatory,  vigils, 
!  confessions,  absoh^tions,  &c. ;  all  of  which  in 
j  short,  are  nothing  but  the  doctrines  and 
commands  of  men,  raised  up  contrary  to 
the  Scriptures,   an  accursed  idolatry  and 
abomination,  an  open  denial  of  the  Lord's 
death  and  offering,  a  despising  of  the  New 
Testament,  or  of  the  covenant  which  was 
sealed  by  the  innocent  blood  of  the  Lamb, 
a  destroying  and  desolation  of  the  saving 
!  ordinances  of  Christ,  of  doctrine,  baptism, 
I  Supper,   life  and   separation,   abundantly 
testified  in  the  Scriptures,  which  ordinance 
:  he  taught  in  this  world  with  incontrovertible 
clearness  and  power  according  to  the  com- 
mand of  his  Father,  and  left  it  to  his  chil- 
!  dren  in  his  word,  and  none  other  can  be 
\  established  eternally  that  will  stand  before 
him. 

I     In  short,  writers  and  the  learned  have  cor- 
:  rupted  every  thing  so  much  through  their 
\  councils,  decrees  and  statutes,  with  all  the 
j  tyranny  and  violence  of  the  great,  that  there 
I  is  scarcely  an  article  entire,  of  all  that  Christ 
and  his  holy  apostles  taught.  All  the  afore- 
mentioned abominations,  together  with  the 
:  ungodly,  carnal  life  of  the  whole  world,  I 
,  call  on  as  witnesses,  nevertheless  they  would 
be  called  the  holy  christian  church;  and  he 
that  admonishes  them  in  sincere,  pure  love, 
with  the  Spirit  and  word  of  the  Lord,  must 
be  an  accursed  anabaptist  and  heretic.     I 
tell  you  again,  They  want  to  be  the  chris- 
tian church,  and  it  is  evident  from  all  their 
actions,  that  they  are  not  christians;   but 
carnal,  proud,  avaricious,  lascivious,  lewd, 
drunken,  idolatrous,  blind  heathens;   and 
what  is  worse,  some  of  them  are  unmercifnl , 
murderous,  ferocious,  revengeful  and  blood- 
thirsty fiends ;  many  of  their  works  are  done 
according  to  the  will  of  the  devil.    We  may 
with  propriety  complain  of  this  matter;  for 
the  righteous  judgment  is  come  upon  them, 
that  tliey  are  unconvertible  and  that  little  of 
a  salutary  kind  remains  with  them. 

O !  how  miserably  is  the  fair  vineyard  de- 
solated, and  how  lamentablj^  are  its  branches 
withered,  its  walls  are  broken  down,  the  de- 
stroying foxes  have  destroyed  the  grapes, 
the  clouds  are  dry  and  give  no  rain;  there 


THE  NEW  BIRTH. 


169 


w 


is  neither  pruner  nor  knife  at  hand;  and  if 
there  is  one  he  must  be  devoui'ed  by  the 
dragon,  or  slain  by  the  apocalyptical  wom- 
an, drunk  with  blood.  O  merciful,  gracious 
Father,  how  long  will  this  great  misery  en- 
dure? Our  rulers  are  like  voracious  lions 
and  bears.  Our  fathers  are  our  betrayers. 
Our  leaders,  our  deceivers.  And  those  who 
feign  to  be  our  pastors,  are  thieves  and  mui'- 
derers  of  our  souls.  Well  may  we  sigh  and 
lament  from  the  inmost  of  oui-  hearts;  for 
our  house  is  left  unto  us  desolate.  For  that 
which  was  heretofore  the  church  and  kingdom 
of  Christ,  is  now,  alas !  the  churcli  and  king- 
dom of  anti-christ,  and  for  no  other  reason 
than  because  they  ungratefully  rejected  the 
word  of  grace,  and  will  not  have  the  riding- 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to  rule  over  them  with 
the  righteous  sceptre  of  his  holy  word  and 
Spirit;  nevertheless,  this  poor,  blind  people 
hope  to  obtain  the  grace  and  promises  of 
God  through  their  infant  baptism,  masses, 
confession  and  the  like  superstitious  cere- 
monies and  idolatries,  which  they  call  the 
true,  divine  service,  and  use  it  as  a  remedy 
for  their  sins.  Ah!  no,  most  beloved,  no; 
for,  says  Solomon,  "The  hope  of  the  ungod- 
ly is  like  dust,  that  is  blown  away  with  the 
wind."  I  have  said  it  once,  and  repeat  it, 
and  that  from  the  mouth  of  the  Lord,  who 
can  neither  lie  nor  deceive,  "Except  ye  be 
converted,  and  become  as  little  children,  ye 
shall  not  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven." 
And  "  Except  a  man  be  born  again,  he  can- 
not see  the  kingdom  of  God,"  Matt.  18:  3; 
John  3 :  3. 

My  beloved  reader,  take  heed  to  the  word 
of  the  Lord,  and  once  learn  to  know  the 
true  God.  I  warn  you  faithfully  to  take 
heed ;  he  will  not  save  you,  nor  pardon  your 
sins,  nor  show  you  his  mercy  and  grace, 
except  according  to  his  word,  namely,  If 
you  repent,  if  you  believe,  if  you  are  born 
of  him,  if  you  do  what  he  has  commanded, 
and  walk  even  as  he  walked.  For  if  he 
could  save  unjustified,  carnal  man,  without 
regeneration,  faith  and  repentance,  he  did 
not  teach  us  the  truth;  but  he  is  the  truth, 
and  there  is  no  lie  in  him.  Therefore,  I  tell 
you  again,  that  you  cannot  be  reconciled 
with  all  your  masses,  matins,  vespers,  cere- 
monies, sacraments,  councils,  statutes  and 
commands  tinder  the  whole  heavens,  togeth- 
22 


er  with  all  the  popes  and  their  adherents 
from  the  beginning;  for  I  warn  you,  they 
are  abominations  and  not  reconciliations. 
Christ  says,  "In  vain  do  they  honor  me," be- 
cause they  teach  commandments  of  men. 
But  if  you,  by  any  means,  wish  to  be  saved, 
your  earthly,  carnal,  ungodly  life,  must  be 
reformed;  for  the  Scriptures  teach  nothing 
but  tiTie  repentance  and  reformation,  and 
present  to  us  admonitions,  threatenings, 
reprovings,  miracles,  examples,  ceremonies 
and  sacraments;  and  if  you  do  not  repent, 
there  is  nothing  in  lieaven  or  on  earth  that 
can  save  you;  for  without  true  repentance, 
we  are  comforted  in  vain.  The  xirojjhet  says, 
"O  my  people,  they  which  lead  thee  cause 
thee  to  err,  and  destroy  the  way  of  thy 
paths,"  Isa.  3:  12.  AYe  must  be  born  from 
above,  must  be  changed  and  renewed  in  our 
hearts,  transplanted  from  the  unrighteous 
and  evil  nature  of  Adam,  into  the  true  and 
good  nature  of  Christ,  or  we  can  never  be 
saved  by  any  means,  whether  human  or  di- 
vine. Wlierever  true  repentance  and  the 
new  creature  are  not  (I  speak  of  adults), 
man  must  be  eternally  lost;  this  is  incon- 
trovertibly  clear.  Upon  this  every  one  may 
confidently  rely,  who  does  not  wish  to  de- 
ceive his  soul. 

That  regeneration  of  which  we  %viite,  from 
which  comes  the  penitent,  pious  life  having 
the  jDromise,  comes  alone  from  the  word  of 
the  Lord,  if  it  be  rightly  taught,  and  if 
rightly  understood  and  received  in  the  heart 
by  faith  tlu-ough  the  Holy  Ghost.  /  The  fii'st 
birth  of  man,  is  out  of  the  first,  earthly 
Adam,  and  therefore  its  nature  is  earthly 
and  Adamic,  that  is,  carnal-minded,  unbe- 
lieving, disobedient  and  blind  in  divine 
things,  deaf  and  foolish,  whose  end,  if  not 
renewed  by  the  word,  will  be  damnation 
and  eternal  death.  Would  you,  therefore, 
have  your  inbred,  evil  nature  reformed,  and 
be  free  from  eternal  death  and  damnation, 
so  that  you  may  obtain,  with  ail  true  chris- 
tians, what  is  promised  them,  you  must  be 
born  again.  For  the  regenerated  are  in 
grace,  and  have  the  promise,  as  you  have 
heard.  They,  therefore,  lead  a  penitent  and 
new  life,  for  they  are  renewed  in  Christ,  and 
have  received  a  new  heart  and  spirit.  Be- 
fore, they  were  earthly,  carnally  minded, 
but  now,  heavenly,  spiritually ;  before,  un- 


170 


THE  NEW  BIETH. 


righteous,  now  righteous ;  before,  evil,  now 
good.  And  live  no  longer  after  the  old,  de- 
praved nature  of  the  first,  earthly  Adam, 
but  after  the  new,  sincere  natui-e  of  the  new 
and  heavenly  Adam,  Christ  Jesus;  as  Paul 
says,  "Nevertheless,  I  live;  yet  not  I,  but 
Christ  liveth  in  me."  Their  poor,  weak  life 
they  renew  daily,  more  and  more,  and  that 
after  the  image  of  him  who  created  them; 
their  minds  are  after  the  mind  of  Christ, 
they  gladly  walk  as  he  walked ;  crucify  and 
mortify  their  flesh  with  its  evil  lusts ;  bury 
their  sin  with  baptism  in  the  Lord's  death, 
and  rise  with  him  to  a  new  life;  circumcise 
their  hearts  with  the  word  of  the  Lord,  and 
are  baptized  with  the  Hol}^  Ghost  in  the 
spotless,  holy  body  of  Clixist,  as  obedient 
members  and  fellow-heirs  of  his  church,  ac- 
cording to  the  true  ordinance  and  word  of 
the  Lord.  They  put  on  Christ  and  mani- 
fest his  Spirit,  nature  and  power  in  all  their 
fruits;  fear  God  with  all  the  lieart,  and  seek, 
in  all  their  thoughts,  words  and  works,  noth- 
ing but  the  praise  of  God  and  the  salvation 
of  their  beloved  brethren.  They  know  not 
hatred  and  vengeance,  for  they  love  those 
who  hate  them;  do  good  to  those  who  de- 
spitefully  use  them,  and  pray  for  those  who 
persecute  them;  hate  and  resist  avarice, 
pride,  rmchastity,  jDomp,  drunkenness,  for- 
nication, adultery,  hatred,  envy,  backbit- 
ing, lying,  defi'auding,  quarreling,  blood- 
shedding  and  idolatrj',  all  impure,  carnal 
works,  and  forsake  the  world  with  all  its 
lusts;  meditate  upon  the  law  of  the  Lord  by 
day  and  by  night;  rejoice  at  the  good,  and 
are  grieved  at  the  evil ;  evil  they  do  not  re- 
pay with  evil,  but  with  good;  they  seek  not 
self,  nor  their  own  good,  but  what  is  good 
for  their  neighbors,  both  as  to  body  and 
soul;  feed  the  hungry,  and  give  drink  to  the 
thirsty;  entertain  the  needy,  release  prison- 
ers, visit  the  sick,  comfort  the  faint-hearted, 
admonish  the  erring,  and  are  ready  after 
their  master's  example,  to  give  their  lives 
for  their  brethren.  Again,  their  thoughts 
are  pure  and  chaste,  their  words  are  true 
and  seasoned  with  salt;  with  them  yea  is 
yea,  and  nay  is  nay,  and  their  works  are 
done  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord;  their  hearts 
are  heavenly  and  new;  their  minds,  peace- 
ful and  joyful ;  they  seek  righteousness 
with  all  their  powers.    In  short,  they  are 


so  assured  in  their  faith  through  the  Spirit 
and  word  of  God,  that  they  will  valiantly 
overcome,  by  virtue  of  their  faith,  all  blood- 
thirsty, cruel  tyrants,  with  all  their  tortui-es, 

:  punishment,  exiling,  plunder,  stocks,  stakes, 
executioners,  tormentors  and  counsel;  and 
out  of  a  pure  zeal,  with  an  innocent,  pure, 
simple  yea  and  nay  are  willing  to  die.  The 
glory  of  Christ,  the  sweetness  of  the  word, 
and  the  salvation  of  souls  are  dearer  to 
them  than  any  thing  under  heaven. 

i  Behold,  worthy  reader,  all  those  who  are 
born  of  God  with  Christ,  who  thus  conform 

1  their  weak  life  to  the  gospel,  are  thus  con- 
verted, and  follow  the  example  of  Christ, 
hear  and  believe  his  holy  word,  follow  his 
commands,  which  he,  in  plain  words  com- 
manded us  in  the  holy  Scriptures,  form  the 

J  holy,  christian  chui-ch  which  has  the  prom- 

j  ise;  the  true  children  of  God,  brothers  and 

I  sisters  of  Christ;  for  they  are  born  with  him 
of  one  Father,  and  of  the  new  Eve,  the  pure, 
chaste  bride.  They  are  flesh  of  Christ's 
flesh,  and  bone  of  his  bone,  the  spiritual 
house  of  Israel,  the  spiritual  city,  Jerusa- 

j  lem,  temple  and  Mount  Zion,  the  spiritual 

j  ark  of  the  Lord,  in  Vvhich  are  hidden  the 
true  bread  of  heaven,  Christ  Jesus  and  his 
blessed  word,  the  green,  blossoming  rod  of 
faith,  and  the  spiritual  tables  of  stone,  with 

!  the  commands  of  the  Lord  written  thereon; 

'  they  are  the  spiritual  seed  of  Abraham,  chil- 
dren of  the  promise,  confederates  of  the  cov- 
enant of  God,  and  partakers  of  the  heav- 

1  enly  blessings. 

These  regenerated  have  a  spiritual  king 
over  them,  who  rules  them  by  the  unbroken 
sceptre  of  his  mouth,  namelj',  with  his  Holy 
Spirit  and  Word,  he  clothes  them  with  the 
garment  of  righteousness,  of  pure  white 
silk;  he  refreshes  them  with  the  living  wa- 
ter of  his  Holy  Spirit,  and  feeds  them  with 
the  bread  of  life.  His  name  is  Christ  Jesus. 
They  are  the  childi-en  of  peace,  wlio  have 
beaten  their  swords  into  j)lough-shares,  and 
their  spears  into  pruning  hooks,  and  know 
of  no  war;  and  give  to  Caesar  the  things 
that  are  Caesar's,  and  to  God  the  things 
that  are  God's,  Isa.  2:  4;  Matt.  22:  21. 
Their  sword  is  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  which 
they  hold  in  a  good  conscience  through  the 
Holy  Ghost.    Their  marriage  is  that  of  one 

I  man  and  one  women,  according  to  the  ordi- 


THE  NEW  BIRTH. 


171 


nance  of  God.     Their  kingdom  is  the  king- ' 
dom  of  grace,  here  in  liope,  and  after  this 
in  eternal  life,  Eph.  6: 17;  Matt.  19:  5;  25: 1. 

Their  citizenship  is  in  heaven;  and  they 
use  the  creatures  below,  such  as  eating, 
drinking,  clothing  and  dwelling  with  thanks- 
giving, and  that  to  the  necessary  wants  of 
their  own  lives,  and  to  the  free  service  of ; 
their  neighbor,  according  to  the  word  of  the  ' 
Lord,  Isa.  58:  7.  Their  doctrine  is  the  un- 
adulterated word  of  God,  testiiled  through  i 
Moses  and  the  prophets,  through  Christ  and 
the  apostles,  upon  which  they  build  their 
faith,  and  save  their  souls ;  and  every  thing 
that  is  contrary  thereto,  they  consider  ac- 
cursed. They  use  and  administer  their  bap- 
tism on  the  confession  of  their  faith,  accord- 
ing to  the  command  of  the  Lord,  and  the 
doctrines  and  usages  of  the  apostles,  Mark 
16 :  16. 

The  Lord's  Supper  they  celebrate  in  re- 
membrance of  the  favors  and  death  of  their  i 
Lord,  and  in  reminding  one  another  of  true 
and  brotherly  love. 

The  ban  extends  to  all  the  proud  scorn- : 
ers,  great  and  small,  rich  and  poor,  without 
any  respect  to  person,  who  heard  and  obeyed 
the  word  for  a  season,  but  have  fallen  off 
again,  and  in  the  house  of  the  Lord,  teach 
or  live  offensively,  till  they  again  sincerely 
repent.  | 

They  sigh  and  lament  daily  over  their 
poor,  displeasing,  evil  flesh,  over  the  mani- 
fold errors  and  faults  of  their  weak  lives. 
They  war  inwardly  and  outwardly  without 
ceasing.  They  seek  and  call  the  Most  High ; 
light  and  struggle  against  the  devil,  world 
and  flesh  during  their  lives,  press  on  to- 1 
wards  the  prize  of  the  high  calling  that  they 
may  obtain  it.  And  they  prove  by  their 
actions  that  they  believe  tlie  word  of  the 
Lord;  that  they  know  and  have  Christ  in 
power;  that  they  are  born  of  God  and  have 
him  as  their  Father. 

Behold,  worthy  reader,  as  I  said  before, 
so  I  say  again.  These  are  the  christians 
who  have  the  promise,  and  are  assured  by 
the  Spirit  of  God,  to  whom  are  given  and 
bestowed  Christ  Jesus,  with  all  his  merits, 
righteousness,  intercessions,  word,  cross, 
suffering,  flesh,  blood,  deatii,  resurrection, 
kingdom,  and  all  his  possessions,  and  this 
all  without  merit;  given  out  of  pure  grace 


from  God.  But  what  kind  of  doctrine,  faith, 
life,  regeneration,  baptism,  supper,  ban  and 
divine  service,  sectarian  churches  have,  of 
whatever  name;  and  what  kind  of  reward 
is  promised  them  in  the  Scriptures,  I  wiU 
let  the  reasonable,  meditate  upon,  with  the 
aid  of  the  Spirit  and  word  of  the  Lord. 

Here  I  would  call  on  all  the  high  and 
mighty  lords,  princes  and  rulers,  all  under 
the  canopy  of  heaven,  also  on  all  the  popes, 
cardinals,  bishops,  the  wise  and  learned, 
who  from  the  beginning  perverted  and  dark- 
ened the  Scriptures,  to  show  us  one  single 
word  in  the  whole  Bible,  I  say  in  the  Bible 
(for  we  do  not  regard  human  fables  and 
lies),  that  an  unbelieving,  refractory,  carnal 
man,  without  true  repentance  and  regenera- 
tion, ever  teas  or  ever  toill  be  saved,  simply 
because  he  boasts  of  faith  and  the  death  of 
Christ,  or  heard  the  masses  and  service  of 
the  priests,  as  the  whole  world  does;  if  so, 
they  shall  have  gained  the  point.  But  this 
never  has  been  from  the  beginning,  and 
never  will  be  to  the  end  of  time;  if  such  vile 
men  cordd  be  saved  without  repentance  and 
regeneration,  by  hearing  masses,  and  con- 
fessing, as  they,  poor  children,  without  the 
warrant  of  the  Scripture,  hope,  then  we 
might  of  a  truth  say,  that  the  aforemen- 
tioned means  were  stronger  (though  they 
are  idolatrous),  than  the  word  of  the  Lord; 
for  the  word  knows  no  mass,  but  says,  "Ex- 
cept ye  repent,  ye  shall  all  likewise  perish," 
Luke  13:  3.  Then  would  also  Moses  and 
the  prophets,  Christ  and  his  apostles,  have 
been  false  witnesses,  and  have  miserably 
deceived  us  poor  sheep,  because  they  direct- 
ed us  upon  such  a  narrow  path. 

Ah  no!  friends,  no!  Beware,  I  tell  you, 
God  will  not  deceive  you.  For  he  says 
through  the  prophet  Malachi  3:  6,  "I  am 
the  Lord,  I  change  not."  All  that  he  has 
testified  to  us  in  his  holy  word  through  his 
prophets,  through  Christ  and  his  apostles, 
is  his  eternal,  immutable  will;  on  this  we 
may  all  rely  if  we  wish  not  to  deceive  our 
souls.  In  short,  all  is  in  vain  to  counsel 
and  advise.  True  repentance  and  the  birth 
from  above,  must  take  place;  we  must  be- 
lieve Christ  and  his  word,  and  we  must 
abide  by  his  Spirit,  ordinance  and  example 
willingly,  or  eternal  misery  must  be  otir 
portion.    This  is  incontrovertible. 


172 


THE  NEW  BIRTH. 


Therefore,  I  admonish  and  entreat  you, 
as  those  whom  my  soul  loves,  repent!  re- 
pent ! !  delay  not;  "The  axe  is  laid  unto  the 
root  of  the  trees ;  therefore,  every  tree  which 
bringeth  not  forth  good  fruit  is  hewn  down, 
and  cast  into  the  tire,"  Matt.  3:  10.  Watch 
over  your  poor  eouls,  that  have  ^een  bought 
with  a  precious  price,  and  be  no  longer  com- 
forted with  open  lies,  nor  be  fed  upon  chaff; 
for  behold,  I  tell  you,  there  is  nothing  under 
heaven  that  can,  or  will  stand  before  God, 
but  the  new  creature,  "and  faith  which 
works  by  love,"  "and  the  keeping  of  the 
commandments." 

My  faithful  reader,  do  not  only  believe 
me,  but  believe  the  word,  to  which,  by  the 
grace  of  God,  I  directed  you  with  my  small 
talents;  for  as  true  as  the  Lord  liveth,  all 
who  teach  othenvise  than  we  have  shown 
from  the  word  of  the  Lord,  whosoever  they 
be,  are  prophets  who  deceive  you,  who  place 
pillows  under  your  arms,  and  cushions  un- 
. der  your  heads;  who  whitewash  the  wall 
with  delusions,  and  speak  peace  to  the 
wicked,  but  not  out  of  the  mouth  of  the 
Lord.  For  as  certain  as  it  is  that  the  peni- 
tent and  regenerated  are  the  true  christians, 
who  have  obtained  God's  truth,  the  true 
light,  pardon  of  their  sins,  and  the  sui-e 
promise  of  eternal  life,  so  certain  also  it  is, 
that  the  sensual  and  impenitent  are  false 
christians,  and  have  serpentine  lies,  dark- 
ness, propensity  for  sin,  and  the  certain 
promise  of  eternal  death.  That  this  is  the 
truth,  vnll  be  found  so  in  eternity  before 
Almighty  God;  of  this  his  word  is  to  me  a 
true  witness ;  and  I  am  confidently  assured 
of  it  througli  his  grace. 

Now,  perhaps,  some  may  answer  :  Om- 
belief  is,  that  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God,  that 
his  word  is  truth,  and  that  he  purchased  us 
with  his  death  and  blood,  and  that  we  were 
regenerated  in  baptism,  and  received  the 
Holy  Ghost,  therefore,  we  are  the  true 
church  and  congregation  of  Christ. 

We  reply:  If  your  faith  is  as  you  say, 
why  do  you  not  do  the  things  which  he  has 
commanded  j^ou  in  his  word?  His  command 
is,  Refokm.  Be  ye  cox\T5iiTED.  Keep  Tira 
coMMAND^rENTS.  Nov/  it  is  evident  that  you 
are  becoming  worse  daily ;  that  vnru/M- 
eousness  is  your  father,  and  wickedness^  your 
mother,  and  the  express  command  of  the 


[  Lord  is  foolishness  and  derision  to  you. 
Since  you  will  not  do  as  he  commands,  or 
would  have  you  do,  but  act  as  you  choose, 
it  proves  sufQciently  that  you  do  not  believe 
that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God,  although 
you  say  so.  Nor  do  you  believe  that  his 
word  is  truth;  for  faith  and  its  fruits  are 
inseparable,  this  you  will  all  have  to  con- 
fess by  the  gi-ace  of  God.  O,  you  poor, 
blind  men!  be  silent  and  blush,  let  Christ 
Jesus  Avith  his  Spirit  and  word  be  your 
teacher  and  example,  youi-  way  and  your 
mirror.  Do  you  think  it  will  do  only  to  ac- 
knowledge Chi'ist  according  to  the  flesh?  Or 
if  you  but  say  that  you  believe  on  him  and 
are  baptized;  that  you  are  christians,  and 
that  you  are  purchased  with  the  blood  and 
death  of -Christ?  Ah  no!  I  have  told  you 
often,  and  tell  you  again,  you  must  be  born 
of  God;  in  your  life  you  must  be  so  convert- 
ed and  changed  that  you  become  new  creat- 
ures in  Clu'ist,  that  Christ  be  in  you,  and 
you  in  Christ,  or  you  can  never  be  chris- 
tians, for,  "If  any  man  be  in  Christ  he  is  a 
new  creature,"  2  Cor.  5 :  17. 

If  you  believe  rightly  in  Christ,  as  you 
boast,  then  manifest  it  by  your  lives  that 
you  believe;  for  "The  just  shall  live  by 
faith,"  as  the  Scriptiu-es  say.  That  this  is 
all  true  has  been  fully  testified  and  shown 
by  the  works  of  Abel,  Enoch,  Noah,  Abra- 
ham, Isaac,  Jacob,  Joseph,  Moses,  Joshua, 
Caleb,  Samuel,  David,  Matthias,  Zaccheus, 
Magdalene,, Paul,  and  all  the  pious  children 
of  God,  who  were  from  the  beginning  and 
to  this  day.  But  how  you  conduct  your- 
selves in  your  faith,  and  how  you  are  mind- 
ed, may  be  plainly  seen  hj  your  excessive 
lies,  fraud,  avarice,  lioaf  ding,  cursing,  swear- 
ing, pride  and  wantonness;  for  jowc  hearts 
burn  in  unrighteousness ;  you  fear  neither 
God  nor  his  word;  nevertheless,  you  boast 
that  you  believe  on  Christ,  have  his  word, 
and  that  you  are  chi-istians,  &c.  I  repeat 
it ;  Reform,  or  hold  your  peace  and  be 
ashamed. 

Further,  you  imagine  that  you  were  re- 
generated in  yoTir  baptism  and  received  the 
Holy  Ghost.  Faithful  reader,  remember, 
that  if  it  even  had  been  so  unto  you  as  you 
say,  you  will  have  to  acknowledge  that 
your  regeneration  then  took  place  without 
hearing  the  word,  wdthout  the  faith  and 


THE  NEW  BIRTH. 


173 


"knowledge  of  Christ,  and  without  all  knowl- 
edge and  understanding;  and  besides,  that 
the  aforementioned  birth  and  the  received 
Spirit  are  altogether  without  operation,  wis- 
dom, power  and  frxiit;  yea,  arevain  and  dead 
in  you.  That  you  live  neither  after  the 
Spirit  nor  in  the  power  of  the  new  birth,  is 
evident  from  your  gross  avarice,  drunken- 
ness, pride,  and  idolati'ous,  carnal  lives ; 
of  which  all  those  baptized  among  you  are 
my  witnesses.  Yea,  my  friends,  if  you  were 
born  of  God  in  your  baptism,  and  had  re- 
ceived the  Holy  Ghost,  as  your  comforters 
persxiade  and  assure  you,  then  it  could  not 
be  otherwise  than  that  the  new,  spiritual 
life  and  its  fruits  would  also  be  manifest, 
as  it  was  the  case  with  the  saints  from  the 
beginning,  and  is  yet;  for  it  is  clear,  that 
the  regenerated  do  not  presumptuously  live 
in  sin,  but  through  faith,  in  true  repentance, 
by  baptism,  are  buried  into  the  death  of 
Christ,  and  also  arise  with  him  to  a  new 
life,  and  those  who  have  the  Spirit  of  the 
Lord,  bring  forth  also  the  fruits  of  the  Spir- 
it. That  you  do  not  bury  your  sins,  but 
serve  them  in  full  power,  and  also  bring  not 
forth  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit,  is  daily  testi- 
fied by  your  vain,  carnal  and  abominable 
lives.  My  friends,  out  of  true  love  I  warn, 
admonish  and  entreat  you,  to  awaken  and 
observe  what  the  word  of  the  Lord  teaches; 
for  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  will  not  dwell  in  a 
wicked  soul,  nor  in  a  body  subjected  to  sin. 

In  the  second  place,  I  say.  If  you  are 
rightly  baptized  according  to  the  word  of 
the  Lord,  as  you  imagine,  then  you  have 
put  on  Christ,  and  live  no  longer  after 
Adam's  inbred,  evil  nature,  but  after  the 
regenerated,  good  nature  of  Christ.  But 
since  this  is  not  the  case  with  you,  and  you 
are  yet  altogether  carnal  and  earthly,  as  is 
evident  from  all  your  fruits,  therefore  it  is 
clear  that  jow  are  not  regenerated,  baptized 
christians,  but  impenitent,  carnal  pagans, 
for  your  vrorks  are  chiefly  done  after  a 
heathen  will,  as  we  may  see  and  hear.  Once 
more,  I  say,  awaken  and  hear  what  the 
word  of  the  Lord  says,  "If  Christ  be  in  you, 
the  body  is  dead  because  of  sin;  but  the 
Spirit  is  life  because  of  righteousness," 
Rom.  8:  10. 

In  the  third  place,  I  tell  you,  if  you  are 
rightly  baptized  according  to  the  word  of 


the  Lord,  then  you  are  members  and  joint 
heirs  of  the  body  of  Christ,  and  have  the 
evidence  of  a  good  conscience  before  God. 
Inasmuch  as  a  body  is  never  divided  in  it- 
self, nor  hates  its  members,  or  does  them 
harm,  but  one  member  serves  and  assists 
another;  and  since  it  is  evident,  and  is  in- 
deed found  to  be  so  with  you,  that  you  un- 
mercifully persecute,  murder  and  extermin- 
ate the  chosen  members  of  Christ,  who  are 
of  your  own  ilesh  and  blood,  whom  he  pur- 
chased by  his  death,  regenerated  by  his 
word,  endued  with  his  Spirit,  and  has 
chosen  as  his  own  peculiar  people;  and  be- 
sides a  regenerated,  new  and  good  con- 
science, seek  no  help  nor  comfort  of  human 
institutions,  but  solely  adhere  with  a  pure 
faith  to  the  grace,  righteousness,  prayer, 
merits,  death  and  blood  of  the  Lord;  and 
you  depend  upon,  and  comfort  yoiu-selves 
with,  the  masses,  confession,  absolution, 
holy  water,  bread,  wine,  oil  and  vigils  of 
the  priests  and  monks;  so  the  works  them- 
selves testify  that  you  are  not  serviceable 
members  of  the  beforementioned  body,  but 
are  much  more  destroyers  and  defilers;  that 
you  have  not  a  firm,  joyful,  peaceable  and 
good  conscience,  but  a  wavering,  damning, 
restless  and  evil  conscience  before  God.  For 
we  see  that  all  these  above-named  supersti- 
tions and  false  worship,  which  all  regener- 
ated, pious  and  good  consciences  esteem  as 
mere  abominations,  are  your  chief  support 
and  comfort,  because  you  neither  have  Christ 
nor  know  him.  My  friends,  beware,  you 
are  miserably  deceived  by  your  comforters. 
The  spirit  of  prophesy  says,  "And  unto  the 
angel  of  the  church  in  Smyrna  write;  These 
things,  saith  the  first  and  the  last,  which 
was  dead  and  is  alive;  I  know  the  blas- 
phemy of  them  which  say  they  are  Jews, 
and  are  not ;  but  are  the  synagogue  of  sa- 
tan,"  Rev.  2:  8,  9.  Well  may  it  be  said  at 
the  present  time  to  all  the  great  and  spe- 
cious sects ;  I  know  the  great  defamations, 
and  see  the  wicked  lives  of  those  v/ho  say 
they  are  regenerated,  baptized  chidstians, 
and  are  not,  but  are  satan's  synagogue;  for 
I  see  not  how  they  could  do  worse. 

But  if  we  com^e  to  the  nilers  and  potent- 
ates, there  we  find  nothing  but  haughtiness 
and  pride,  splendor,  dancing,whoring,  pleas- 
ure riding,  sporting,  stabbing,  killing,  war- 


174 


THE  NEW  BIRTH. 


ring,  destroying  cities  and  countries,  and 
living  according  to  tlie  lusts  of  the  liesli. 

If  we  come  to  the  subordinate  officers,  and 
judges,  there  we  find  insatiable  avarice, 
treachery  and  roguery ,  cunning  devices  to  de- 
fraud the  helpless  and  God-fearing  (the  good 
and  pious  I  do  not  mean);  they  seek  gifts 
and  presents;  the  right  of  tlie  righteous  they 
perv'ert,  and  willingly  accept  of  gifts  to  shed 
innocent  blood;  they  persecute  the  truth; 
they  reject  what  is  riglit  and  good;  the  fear 
of  God  is  not  before  their  eyes. 

If  we  come  to  the  divines  whether  preach- 
ers, priests  or  monks,  there  we  find  such  an 
idle,  lazy,  wanton  and  carnal  life,  such  a 
corrupted,  anti-christian  doctrine  and  un- 
derstanding of  the  Scriptures ;  such  hatred, 
envy,  defaming,  betraying,  lying  and  up- 
roar against  all  the  pious,  that  I  would  be 
ashamed  to  mention  it  before  the  virtuous 
and  honest.  The  common  people  run,  as  a 
frantic  heifer,  as  the  prophet  laments,  Hos. 
4.  They  lie,  cheat,  cui'se  and  swear  by  the 
wounds  and  sacraments  of  the  Lord,  by  his 
judgment,  hand,  power,  suffering,  death  and 
blood.  I  am  ashamed  that  I  have  to  think 
of  these  scandalous  abominations.  They 
gamble,  drink  and  quarrel.  In  short,  nei- 
ther their  superfluous,  wicked  lives,  nor 
their  great  folly  can  be  prevented;  yet  it 
must  be  said,  that  the  mentioned  lords, 
judges,  learned  and  common  people,  are 
the  truly  regenerated  churcli  and  baptized 
congregation  of  Christ.  May  the  merciful 
Lord  gi-aciously  preserve  all  his  chosen 
children  from  such  a  regeneration,  baptism 
and  church,  in  all  eternity. 

I  testify  to  you  the  tnitli  in  Christ  Jesus, 
take  heed,  if  you  will;  Jesus  Christ  did  not 
endure  from  the  beginning  such  openly  im- 
penitent, carnal  sinners  in  his  holy  city, 
kingdom  and  chiu-ch,  and  he  will  never  en- 
dure them,  this  you  may  believe. 

O  Almighty  God  and  Lord,  how  misera- 
bly thy  holy  and  paternal  will,  and  thy 
adorably  great  name  are  derided,  and  how 
little  is  thy  saving,  precious  word  esteemed; 
j^ea,  what  an  abominable,  idolatrous,  car- 
nal, revengeful  and  blood-thirsty  devil  is 
made  of  thy  beloved  Son;  for  they  cover  all 
their  abominations,  sins  and  disgraces  with 
his  blessed,  holy  name,  word,  death  and 
blood. 


Be  ashamed,  O  you  heedless,  perverted 
men,  be  ashamed,  I  say,  before  God  and 
his  angels  that  you  are  so  rebellious  and 
refractory ;  that  you  live  so  rudely,  and 
yet  dare  say  that  you  are  the  rightly  regen- 
erated congregation  and  baptized  church  of 
Christ.  Oft  have  I  told  you,  and  tell  you 
again,  that  all  who  are  born  of  God,  rightly 
baptized  with  the  Spirit,  fire  and  water,  as 
the  Scriptures  teach,  are  of  a  heavenly  and 
divine  mind;  their  sins  they  bury,  lead  a 
penitent,  pious,  A^irtuous  life  according  to 
the  word  of  the  Lord.  They  show  the  nat- 
ure and  power  of  Christ  which  dwells  in 
them  by  word  and  work ;  they  bring  forth 
the  fruits  of  the  Spirit,  and  subdue  the 
works  of  the  flesh;  they  are  useful  mem- 
bers of  the  body  of  Christ,  and  labor  ac- 
cording to  the  gift  received.  In  short,  they 
are  fruitful  branches  of  the  true  vine,  and 
their  fruits  abide  to  eternal  life,  John  15. 

But  since  it  is  manifest  in  you,  that  you 
show  the  reverse  in  all  your  fruits,  and  we 
do  see  in  your  whole  lives,  that  it  is  but 
world  and  flesh  with  you,  therefore,  it  is 
clear,  that  your  boasting  of  the  new  birth, 
spirit,  baptism,  congregation  and  chm-ch  is 
not  the  truth;  but  vanity,  lies  and  false- 
hood. 

The  holy  Scriptures  and  our  common  be- 
lief, teach  us  that  the  holy,  christian  church 
is  an  assembly  of  the  righteous,  and  a  con- 
gregation of  saints;  and  he  that  can  see  but 
partially  into  the  Scriptures,  must  confess 
that  your  church  and  assembly  are  a  church 
and  assembly  of  theum-ighteous,  lascivioiis, 
impenitent,  sensual  and  sodomites;  yea,  of 
the  blood-thirsty  wolves,  lions,  bears,  basa- 
lisks,  serpents,  and  fierj^,  flying  dragons. 

Ah,  friends,  lift  yoiu"  heads,  and  open 
your  eyes!  0  ye  beAvitched!  look  over  the 
whole  world,  what  life  they  lead  who  have 
received  the  same  baptism  vdth  you;  who 
practice  the  same  sacraments  and  worship, 
who  indulge  in  the  same  boasting  of  the 
death  and  blood  of  the  Lord,  and  say  that 
they  are  the  church  and  people  of  Chiist. 
For  ii  is  clearer  than  mid-day,  that  many 
of  you  are  so  insane,  so  influenced  by  the 
spirit  of  the  devil,  that  jou  hate,  emy,  bite 
and  devour  one  another ;  so  that  you  wholly 
destroy  principalities,  cities,  castles  and  cit- 
adels with  your  accursed  fightings  and  up- 


THE  NEW  BIRTH. 


175 


roar;  human  blood  you  shed  like  water;  de- 
prive the  poor  citizen  and  peasant  (those  of 
your  own  faith)  of  body  and  possessions 
by  burning,  robbing,  plundering,  catching, 
imposition,  torturing,  nay  even  those  who 
have  never  harmed  you,  or  given  you  a  rash 
word.  In  truth,  I  know  not,  how  the  infer- 
nal Behemoth  could  be  more  devilish  and 
cruel  than  you  or  your  members,  who  im- 
agine that  they  are  the  church  of  Christ. 
God  preserve  us!  You  disgrace  families, 
you  persecute  the  pious  and  god-fearing; 
you  encourage  open  brothels,  tippling 
houses,  boxing  schools,  gaming  boards, 
and  the  like  disgraces,  idolatrous  hoiises 
and  images,  with  all  false  service  and  the 
like,  without  measure  and  bounds.  I  will 
not  touch  upon  your  intolerable,  blasphe- 
mous cursing  and  swearing,  lying,  defraud- 
ing, drunkenness,  whoring,  pomp,  splendor, 
&c.  What  more  shall  I  say,  I  will  forbear; 
for  it  strikes  me  that  none  can  be  found  un- 
der the  broad  canopy  of  heaven,  who  can 
minutely  relate  the  gross  abominations, 
wicked  acts,  abuses  and  scandals  of  your 
fellow-believers  in  infant  baptism;  a  right- 
eous person  must  be  astounded  at  those 
great  sins.  O  dear  Lord,  strengthen  us  I 
Yea,  whosoever  does  not  rightly  understand 
that  jon  are  not  born  from  above,  but  are 
baptized  contrary  to  all  Scripture,  and  that 
all  your  boasting  of  the  forgiveness  of  sins, 
of  the  mercy,  grace,  merits,  flesh,  blood, 
cross,  death,  chui-ch,  kingdom  and  eternal 
promise  of  God  is  vain,  and  without  the 
Scriptures,  and  must  be,  we  may  say,  an  ir- 
rational man. 

Ah,  readers!  How  little  j^ou  think  upon 
the  word  of  the  Lord,  which  is  so  highly  rec- 
ommended to  you ;  and  how  little  you  re- 
gard your  poor  souls,  which  are  bought 
with  such  a  precious  price,  and  are  eternal- 
ly to  live  with  God  in  heaven,  or  to  be  dy- 
ing forever  with  the  devil  in  hell.  Think 
you,  my  friends,  that  the  Lord  is  a  dreamer, 
or  his  word  a  fable?  Ah,  no !  not  a  letter  will 
fall  to  the  ground  of  all  that  he  spoke.  It  is 
high  time  that  you  would  reflect  that  God's 
promise  of  grace  is  not  given  to  the  unre- 
generated  and  impenitent,  but  to  the  regen- 
erated and  penitent.  Let  every  one  take 
warning  and  trust  no  longer  in  lies,  believ- 
ing that  he  is  baptized  and  regenerated,  nor 


!  trust  to  long  standing  usages,  nor  upon  pa- 
!  pistic  decretals,  nor  imperial  mandates,  nor 
!  upon  the  wisdom  and   glossaries  of  the 
'  learned,  nor  upon  the  good  opinion  of  any 
man,  council,  institution  or  wisdom.     God 
'  says  through  the  prophet,  "My  counsel  shall 
j  stand,  and  I  will  do  all  my  pleasure."  The 
;  word  of  God  is  eternal.  Neither  princes,  nor 
power,  nor  the  commands  of  men  with  all 
their  imperial  edicts  are  to  constitute  faith, 
,  neither  can  a  soul  be  saved  by  them.    Only 
:  the  heavenly  counsel  we  must  hear  and  fol- 
low, that  which  Jesus  Christ,  God's  first  and 
only  begotten  Son  himself  brought  from 
heaven,  and  taught  from  the  mouth  of  his 
Father,  and  confirmed  by  signs  and  won- 
ders, and  finally  sealed  it  with  his  crimson 
blood.    This  counsel  stands,  and  can  never 
be  changed  or  prevailed  against  by  the  gates 
of  hell.  By  this  counsel  we  are,  in  common, 
taught  that  we  nnist  hear  Christ,  believe  in 
him,  follow  his  footsteps,  repent,  be  born 
from  above,  become  as  little  children,  not 
in  understanding,  but  in  malice,  be  of  the 
same  mind  with  Christ,  walk  as  he  did,  de- 
ny ourselves,  take  up  his  cross  and  follow 
him;  and  that  if  we  love  father,  mother, 
children  or  life  more  than  him,  we  are  not 
worthy  of  him,  nor  are  we  his  disciples. 
Again,  that  adulterers,  whoremongers,  mur- 
derers, drunkards,  idolaters  and  the  like 
sinners  shall  not  inherit  the  kingdom  of 
God.    That  we  love  not  the  world  and  the 
things  therein,  nor  conform  to  the  world; 
that  we,  thi'ough  faith,  are  to  die  unto  our 
'  evil  flesh,  and  conquer  the  devil;  that  we 
,  are  to  lead  an  upright,  unblamable,  pious 
life  through  faith  in  all  things,  act  accord- 
ing to  the  will  of  the  Lord.    Again,  that  we 
are  to  baptize  upon  faith  and  not  without 
I  it,  celebrate  the  Lord's  Holy  Supper  in  a 
:  sincerely,  penitent  communion,  I  mean  so 
far  as  man  can  judge.   That  we  practice  ex- 
clusion or  the  ban  according  to  the  Script- 
ures.   That  we  are  to  fear,  serve  and  love 
the  Lord  with  all  the  heart,  and  walk  in  his 
commands,  and  that  we  are  to  assist,  com- 
fort and  serve  our  neighbor  as  much  as  in 
us  is,  and  the  like  doctrine  and  instruction. 
Behold,  worthy  reader,  here  you  have  in 
part  the  immutable,  eternal  counsel  of  God, 
[  which  was  sealed  in  the  councils  of  his  Maj- 
i  esty,  and  besides  this,  he  recognizes  no 


176 


AN  EXHORTATION  TO  THE  DISPERSED 


other.  Blessed  are  tliey  who  receive  this 
with  a  firm  faith,  and  conform  thereto  ac- 
cording to  their  abilities,  in  all  weakness; 
that  is,  live  according  to  the  Spirit,  word, 
ordinance,  command,  prohibition  and  un- 
blamable example  of  Christ.  On  the  con- 
trary, cursed  are  they  who  despise,  reject, 
curse,  hate,  defame,  mock,  persecute,  de- 
stroy, and  cast  it  from  them,  and  comfort 
themselves  with  human  power,  institutions 
and  fables.  For  they  deny  the  Lord  who 
bought  them,  and  reject  the  gospel  of  peace; 
believe  not  that  Jesus  Christ  is  their  Mes- 
siah, Savior,  High  Priest  and  Propliet.  Ah  I 
how  well  for  them  if  they  had  never  been 
born.  May  the  Lord  mercifull}^  gTant  them 
converted  and  renewed  hearts,  that  they  j 
may  repent  and  be  eternally  saved,  if  it  be 
possible.  I 

I  will  now  close  the  matter  and  direct  the  : 
well-meaning  reader  to  the  Scriptures ;  since 
the  whole  word,  with  few  exceptions,  is  built 
upon  human  doctrine,  lies,  invented  fables, 
perverted  glossaries,  vain  idolatry  and  false 
service,  by  which  the  people  of  tlie  world 
comfort  themselves  and  boast  of  what  they 
neither  have  nor  are;  therefore  have  I  brief- 


ly, according  to  my  few  talents,  in  sincere, 
faithful  love,  shown  you  in  this  epistle,  who, 
according  to  the  unadulterated  word,  are 
the  truly  regenerated  and  baptized  chris- 
tians that  have  the  promise,  or  who  are  not 
such ;  so  that  all  who  truly  hunger  and  tliirst, 
and  who  are  zealous  for  God,  may  be 
rightly  satisfied  with  the  truth  unto  eternal 
salvation;  and  no  longer  follow  deceit  to 
their  eternal  condemnation.  Yea,  that  all 
who  stand  before  the  eyes  of  the  Lord,  with 
their  poor,  miserable  souls,  may  be  benefit- 
ed, become  whole  and  be  saved.  The  Lord 
strengthen  you,  believe  God's  infallible 
word,  reform  yonv  sinful  lives,  pray  with 
confidence  and  be  obedient  to  the  gospel  of 
Christ,  that  you  may  receive  the  eternal 
promise  to  your  eternal  joy  and  salvation 
with  all  the  saints,  which  God  the  merciful 
Father  has  promised  to  all  his  beloved  chil- 
dren tlu-ough  Christ  Jesus.  Grace  be  with 
all  who  seek  Clu-ist  and  eternal  life  with  all 
the  heart.  Amen.  If  you  will  sufier  Jesus 
Christ,  with  his  eternal  Spirit  and  word  to 
be  judge,  then  you  will  learn  that  the  sure 
Foundation  of  truth  has  been  shown. 


M  EXHORTATION 

TO     TIIE 

DISPERSED  AND  UNKNOWN  CHILDREN  OF  GOD. 


To  all  tlie  cTiosen  children  of  God,  disj)ersed  here  and  tlierc,  to  Hie  sanctified  in 
Christ  Jesus,  unknown  to  me  in  the  flesh,  my  heloved  brethren  arid  felloio  helievers  in 
the  faith,  to  yon  he  tlie  Tiingdom  and  portion  of  the  grace  and  peace  of  Christ. 


Sincerely  beloved  brethren  and  sisters  in 
Christ  Jesus,  I  inform  you  with  great  joy, 
that  some  praiseworthy  brethren  have  writ- 
ten and  informed  me  that  the  merciful,  faith- 
ful Father  has  endued  you  with  the  lieavenly 
gift  of  his  divine  knowledge,  and  enlighten- 
ed you  with  his  Holy  Spirit,  that  your  faith 
works  by  love,  your  hope  is  lively,  and  your 
union  among  each  other,  is  christian-like, 


that  yom-  peace  is  pleasant,  and  that  the 
church  of  the  Lord  is  increased  and  ex- 
tended daily  in  great  power  and  glor}-, 
through  the  grace  of  God.  For  which  I 
thank  his  paternal  kindness  with  joyful 
heart,  and  I  pray  his  grace  inasmuch  as  he 
has  called  you  to  the  fellowship  of  his  be- 
loved Son,  and  to  the  imperishable,  eternal 
kingdom  of  his  glory  through  his  holy  gos- 


AND  UNKNOWN  CHILDREN  OP  GOD. 


177 


pel  that  he  may  now  and  henceforth  pre- 
serve you  with  the  great  power  of  his  divine 
arm,  in  your  faith,  love,  doctrine,  truth  and 
life,  without  any  offence  till  the  end.  Faith- 
ful is  he  who  has  called  you,  and  he  will 
undoubtedly  do  it,  if  you  only  continue  to 
be  ardent  in  prayer,  and  unwavering  in 
your  undertaking,  never  become  sleepy  nor 
slothful,  nor  at  last  return  again,  as  did  re- 
fractory, disobedient  Israel  to  the  flesh  pots 
of  Egypt.  May  the  Lord  eternally  and  gra- 
ciously preserve  lis.  Since,  then  you  are 
called  to  such  a  high  and  glorious  grace,  as 
related,  and  we  undoubtedly  know  our 
weak,  vile  flesh,  and  the  sinful  natiu-e  which 
we  possess  from  Adam  which  makes  oiu* 
whole  heart  and  life  unclean,  and  besides 
we  learn  from  the  Scriptures,  that  our  op- 
ponent, the  devil,  goes  about  like  a  roaring 
lion,  having  rest  neither  day  nor  night,  but 
always  seeking  that  he  might  devour  us; 
therefore  I  exhort  you  as  my  fellow-combat- 
ants, against  the  evil  flesh,  and  the  tents  of 
death,  that  you  may  strictly  watch  inward- 
ly and  outwardly  over  yourselves,  that  you 
circumcise,  teach,  purify  and  sanctify  your 
hearts  with  the  Spii-it  of  God;  exhort  and 
reprove  one  another;  ciu-b  j^our  thoughts; 
subdue  and  extinguish  your  impure  evil 
lusts,  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord;  for  blessed 
are  the  pure  in  heart;  walk  worthy  of  the 
Lord  and  his  gospel  to  which  you  have 
come.  Whatever  God  has  commanded,  do 
it  without  murmuring;  act  so  that  none  may 
truthfully  complain  of  you;  be  sincere  chil- 
dren of  God,  unblamable  in  this  crooked 
and  perverse  generation,  and  shine  as  beau- 
tiful, clear,  torch-lights  in  the  midst  of  a 
dark  night  in  this  evil  world. 

Take  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  an  exam- 
ple, and  follow  his  footsteps ;  walk  as  he 
walked,  for  therefore  did  Moses  and  all  the 
prophets  preach ;  to  that  end  did  the  Son  of 
God  come  down  from  heaven ;  lie  sent  out  the 
holy  apostles,  and  instituted  baptism  and 
the  Lord's  Supper  as  the  mouth  of  the  Lord 
commanded,  that  we  may  thereby  be  ad- 
monished to  awaken,  to  repent  and  lead  an 
unblamable,  pious  life  in  all  righteousness. 
"  Be  ye  holy ;  for  I  am  holy,"  says  the  Lord ; 
Peter  says,  "But  ye  are  a  chosen  generation, 
a  royal  priesthood,  a  holy  nation,  a  pecul- 
iar people;  that  ye  should  show  forth  the 
23 


I  praises  of  him  who  hath  called  you  out  of 
darkness  into  his  marvelous  light,"  1  Peter 
1:  16;  2:9.  You  are  guests  called  to  the 
table  of  the  Lord,  and  have  come  to  the 
marriage  of  the  Lamb ;  ye  are  his  chosen 
friends  and  bride,  therefore,  hear  his  voice 
willingly,  and  whatever  is  pleasing  to  him, 
do  cheerfuUy.Adornyoui-selves  with  the  shin- 
ing garment  of  white  linen ;  be  faithful  unto 
death,  and  beware  of  all  strange  gods;  ded- 
icate yourselves  wholly  unto  the  Lord,  that 
he  may  be  your  Lord  and  bridegroom,  and 
teach,  reprove,  govern  and  lead  you  with 
his  Holy  Spirit  and  word,  and  have  his  jjer- 
fect  work  in  you ;  for  you  are  in  his  grace, 
and  through  his  grace  you  are  accepted  of 
him;  espoused  unto  him,  bought  with  his 
precious  blood,  reconciled  to  the  Father, 
sanctified  as  priests  and  kings,  and  made 
heirs  of  his  eternal  kingdom.  Therefore  it 
is  proper  and  right  that  we  should  be  grate- 
ful to  such  a  kind  Lord,  for  such  gifts ;  hear 
him,  lay  his  word  to  heart  and  do  what  is 
well  pleasing  to  him. 

Beloved  childi-en;  fear  not,  but  be  com- 
forted in  the  Lord;  for  he  is  such  a  faithful, 
pious  King,  to  whom  you  have  sworn  and 
bowed  your  knees,  that  not  the  least  of  his 
promises  shall  fail  you;  he  will  be  our 
shield  and  great  reward,  therefore,  doubt 
nor  stagger  not;  for  it  is  but  a  small  thing 
that  we  endure  the  heat  of  the  sun,  tribula- 
tion, fear,  sorrow,  temptation,  robbing,  per- 
secution, prison  and  death  for  a  short  time. 
The  messenger  is  now  at  the  door,  who  shall 
say  to  us,  "Come  ye  blessed  of  my  Father, 
inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  j'ou;" 
thus  will  our  mourning  and  temporary  pain 
be  changed  into  ceaseless  joy ;  these  tyrants, 
with  their  bloody  mandates,  will  come  to  an 
end,  and  all  our  persecutors,  avengers,  exe- 
cutioners and  torturers  will  cease ;  we  will 
follow  the  Lamb,  adorned  in  white  gar- 
ments, with  palms  in  our  hands  and  crowns 
upon  our  heads ;  neither  torment  nor  pain, 
nor  pangs  of  death  will  harm  us;  but  we 
will  forever  exalt,  praise  and  thank,  in  in- 
expressible joy  and  glory,  the  Lamb  who 
sits  upon  the  throne. 

Behold,  my  children,  all  the  truly  believ- 
ing, pious  hearts  comfort  themselves  with 
this  approaching  change,  whereby  they  pos- 
sess their  souls  with  patience;  well  know- 


178 


AN  EXHORTATION  TO  THE  DISPERSED,  &c. 


ing  that  great  is  their  reward  in  heaven,  and 
that  on  the  other  hand,  all  the  ungodly 
shall  have  their  portion  in  the  eternal,  un- 
quenchable fire,  under  the  intolerable,  dread- 
ful sentence  of  God,  in  the  abyss  of  hell,  if 
they  do  not  be  converted  and  repent  vrith 
all  their  hearts.  Woe!  woe!  to  these vn-etch- 
ed  people,  for  it  was  an  evil  day  in  which 
they  were  born  ! ! — My  children  be  cheerful 
in  Christ,  and  despair  not,  for  so  long  as 
we  desire  God  sincerely,  seek,  fear,  love, 
honor  and  serve  him,  and  with  an  upright, 
piu"e  zeal  walk  in  the  truth,  neitlier  world, 
flesh,  tyranny,  devil,  sin,  hell,  nor  death 
shall  hinder  us;  but  the  victory,  which  is 
gained  by  a  firm  faith  in  the  blood  of  Christ, 
will,  tlrrough  the  grace  of  God,  be  on  our 
side,  and  this  through  the  Spirit  of  Christ 
which  abides  in  us.  David  says,  "By  my 
God  I  have  leaped  over  a  wall,"  Ps.  IS:  29. 
Paul  says,  "I  can  do  all  things  through 
Christ,  which  strengtheneth  me."  Christ 
says,  "Be  of  good  cheer  I  have  overcome 
the  world;"  and  thus  will  they  overcome, 
who  will  abide  in  Christ,  as  we  may  not 
only  see  in  the  prophets  and  apostles,  but 
also  in  many  pious  hearts  at  the  present 
day,  in  great  power  and  clearness. 

I  have  nothing  particular  any  more  to 
write;  therefore,  beware  that  you  walk  wise- 
ly and  circumspectly;  preserve  your  wed- 
ding garment;  have  oil  at  all  times  in  your 
lamps,  lest  the  Lord  meet  you  in  an  undue 
time,  find  you  unprepared  and  in  midity, 
and  close  the  door  on  yoti,  or  cast  you  into 
outer  darkness. 

With  unfeigned,  true,  brotherly  love,  and 
out  of  a  pure  heart,  love  each  other  sincere- 
ly, as  those  who  are  regenerated  not  of  cor- 
rupt biit  of  incorruptible  seed,  out  of  the 
word  of  the  living  God,  which  will  abide 
forever;  for  love  is  of  God  and  of  a  divine 


nature,  and  does  right  before  God  and  man, 
is  long-suffering,  compassionate,  peaceable, 
and  gives  offence  to  none.  In  short,  it  is 
unblamable  and  brings  forth  christian  fruit; 
it  is  the  spiritual  girdle  of  Aaron  and  his 
sons;  the  girdle  of  perfection  and  the  fair 
bond  of  peace.  O  how  completely  happy 
is  he,  who  is  girded  with  this  bond,  for  he 
is  born  of  God,  he  is  in  God  and  God  is  in 
him;  yea,  where  this  love  is,  there  we  find 
the  true,  sincere  and  pious  christian.  There- 
fore, take  care  of  this  bond,  for  if  you  lose 
it.  von  vnM  lose  Christ  Jesus  and  eternal 
:  life! 

Beware  of  false  doctrine,  of  all  discord, 
;  strife  and  dissention,  and  without  wavering, 
i  adhere  to  the  Spirit,  word  and  example  of 
Christ  if  you  would  not  be  deceived ;  for 
every  spirit  which  is  not  satisfied  with  the 
Spirit,  word  and  example  of  Christ,  and  will 
not  conform  thereto,  in  his  weakness,  he 
is  not  of  God,  but  is  the  spirit  of  anti- 
christ, which  would  rob  you  again  and  all 
the  pious  of  the  precious  light  of  revealed 
truth,  which  gi-aciously  appeared  to  us,  poor 
children,  in  these  abominable  days,  and 
would  again  lead  you  on  the  crooked  paths 
of  death,  under  the  semblance  of  the  Script- 
ures. 

My  children  in  Christ,  be  you  warned. 
Out  of  true  brotherly  love,  I  wiite  to  you. 
The  merciful,  gracious  God  grant  that  you 
may  read,  hear,  and  understand  it,  with 
such  hearts,  that  it  may  bring  much  fruit 
among  you,  and  that  your  fruits  may  abide 
in  eternal  life.  Pray  for  your  poor,  un- 
known brother,  who  loves  you,  in  truth.  He 
that  continues  to  be  perfect  to  the  end,  shall 
be  saved.  The  saving  power  and  fruits  of 
the  crimson  blood  of  Christ,  be  with  you, 
and  with  all  my  chosen  brothers  and  sisters 
to  eternity.  Amen. 


A 


Consoling  Admonition 


OONCEEIWNG    THB 


SUFFERINGS,  OPPRESSIONS 


AKD 


Persecutions  of  the  Saints, 


FOE    THB 


WORD  OF  GOD  AND  HIS  TESTIMONY. 


BT 


MENNO     SIMON. 


"  Blessed  are  ye  when  men  sliall  revile  you,  and  persecute  you,  and  shall  say  all 
manner  of  evil  against  you,  falsely,  for  my  sake.  Rejoice  and  be  exceeding 
glad,  for  great  is  your  reward  in  heaven ;  for  so  persecuted  they  the  prophets 
which  were  before  you,"  Matt.  5 :  15. 

"For  other  foundation  can  no  man  lay  than  that  is  laid,  which  is  Jesus  Christ," 
1  Cor.  8:  11.  ' 


ELKHART,  INDIANA: 

PUBLISHED  BY  JOHN  F.   FUNK  AND  BROTHER. 

1  8  7L 


PREFACE. 


I,  Menno  Simon,  sincerely  desire  that  all 
the  true  children  of  God  may  obtain  grace 
and  peace,  a  perfect  understanding  of  the 
Lord,  a  fii-m  mind  in  all  temptations,  from 
God  our  heavenly  Father,  through  his  Son, 
Jesus  Clirist  our  Lord,  in  the  power  of  his 
Holy  Spirit,  to  our  edification  and  salvation. 
Amen. 

Beloved  brethren  and  sisters  in  the  Lord, 
since  the  all-merciful  God  and  Father, 
through  his  boundless  grace  and  goodness, 
has  again,  in  these  last  times  of  unbelief, 
abominations  and  idolatry,  in  this  terrible, 
wanton,  ruthless,  perverted  and  blood- 
tliirsty  wca-ld,  revealed  before  the  eyes  of 
the  consciences  of  some,  his  blessed,  only, 
and  eternal  Son,  Jesus  Chi'ist,  who  was  un- 
known for  so  many  centuries;  since  he  has 
again  opened  the  book  of  the  divine  decla- 
rations and  eternal  truth,  which  had  been 
closed  for  many  centui'ies;  since  some  of 
those  who  lay  dead,  not  for  fonr  days  only, 
as  Lazarus  did,  according  to  the  flesh,  but 
for  twenty  or  thirty  years,  yea,  who  all 
their  lives  slumbered  in  the  spiritual  death 
of  sin  and  all  ungodliness,  have  awakened 
from  the  foul  grave  of  unbelief  and  unright- 
eousness, and  have  been  called  to  a  new, 
unblamable  life ;  and  since  through  the 
preaching  of  his  word,  in  the  power  of  his 
Holy  Spirit,  he  continues  to  call  the  poor, 
miserable,  starving  sheep  out  of  the  hands 
of  the  faithless  shepherds,  and  out  of  the 
clutches  of  the  ravening  wolves ;  since  he 
leads  them  out  of  the  diy,  unfruitful  past- 
ures of  man's  doctrine  and  commands,  to 
the  green,  fat  pastures  upon  the  mount  of 
Israel,  and  places  them  under  the  power  ! 
and  protection  of  their  only  and  eternal 
shepherd,  Jesus  Chiist,  who,  through  his 
precious,  crimson  blood  has  purified  and 
purchased  them  for  his  own;  therefore,  the 
gates  of  hell  foam  and  rage.    Herod  with 


i  the  whole  city  is  above  measure  frightened 
and  enraged,  because  he  has  heard  of  the. 
!  wise  men,  who    are  taught   of  God,  that 
:  the  King  of  the  Jews  is  born.    The  great 
I  dragon,  the  old,  crooked  serpent,  who  was 
I  cast  from  heaven,  whose  head  and  power 
has  been  bruised  and  broken  by  the  prom- 
ised seed  of  the  woman,  is  overcome  by  the 
blood  of  the  Lamb,  and,  on  account  of  the 
]  word  of  his  testimony,  burns  with  anger. 
!  He  knows  well  that  his  time  is  short,  and 
'  therefore  he  carries  on  his  works  and  tyr- 
anny, through  his  children  and  servants, 
I  the  unbelievers,  with  great  wrath  and  fierce- 
ness, against  those  who  have  been  sprinkled 
with  the  blood  of  the  Lamb.    Annas  and 
I  Caiaphas,  with  all  the  scribes,  counsel  to 
'  slay  Christ.    Judas  and  all  false  apostles 
and  teachers  betray  and  deliver  him  up. 
Herod,  with  all  his  lords  and  princes,  scorn 
and  mock  him.    The  people  cry  out,  crucify 
him !  crucify  him ! !  Pilate,  and  all  those  who 
bear  the  sword,  sentence  him  to  stocks,  fire, 
!  sword  and  water.     The  servants  seize,  spit 
upon,  scourge,  crown  and  crucify  him.   The 
centurion  pierces  his  side,  the  otliers  mock, 
,  blaspheme  and  upbraid  him.  Who  is  there 
that  does  not  persecute,  crucify  and  dis- 
honor with  heart,  word  or  deed,  the  poor, 
'  innocent,  peaceful,  defenceless  Lamb?  Yea, 
in  the  ungodly  Cain,  has  the  bloody,  mur- 
derous tyi-anny  taken  its  origin,  and  has 
,  fully  shown  its  artfulness,  properties,  fruit 
and  nature  to  the  pious,  godly  Abel. 

Inasmuch,  then,  as  the  Lamb  and  its 
chosen  members,  from  the  beginning,  have 
been  persecuted  and  slain  by  the  malice  of 
the  creatures  of  the  conquered  serpent,  and 
inasmuch  (according  to  Scriptures)  as  this 
persecution  will  not  cease  so  long  as  there 
are  righteous  and  unrighteous  people  on 
earth;  and  as  in  oui"  days,  especially,  tlie 
cross  of  Christ,  on  every  hand  (as  it  was  in 


182 


PREFACE. 


the  days  of  our  ancestors),  is  laid  upon  all 
God-fearing  children,  who  are  inwardly  born 
again  from  the  powerful  seed  of  the  holy 
word ;  therefore  I  cannot  neglect  to  admon- 
ish my  beloved  brethren  and  sisters,  fellow- 
believers  and  fellow-sufferers  with  the  word 
of  the  Lord,  concerning  the  suffering,  cross 
and  persecution  of  the  saints,  which  is  abun- 
dantly related  in  the  Scriptures,  and  was 
abimdantly  visited  upon  our  fathers,  both 
of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments,  and  also 
upon   many  pious  witnesses  of  our  own 


days;  that  they  may,  according  to  the  ex- 
ample of  our  fathers,  fearlessly  and  valiant- 
ly continue  the  undertaken  contest,  in  all 
constancy,  patience,  strength,  courage  and 
valor,  through  the  power  of  their  faith  in 
Christ  Jesus;  and  that  they  may  thus  re- 
ceive the  promised  crovra.  For  this  pui-pose 
may  the  Father  of  every  good  and  perfect 
gift,  through  his  beloved  Son  Jesus  Christ, 
oui-  Lord,  grant  us  the  riches  of  his  grace, 
in  the  power  of  his  Holy  Spirit,  Amen. 


THE  CROSS  OF  CHRIST. 


"Blessed  are  they  (said  Christ)  which  are  ' 
persecuted  for  righteousness' sake;  fortlieirs 
is  the  kingdom  of  heaven." 

I  know  well,  worthy  brethren  and  sisters 
in  the  Lord,  that  the  true  laborers  and  serv- 
ants of  the  Lord,  have  each  one  planted  and 
watered  according  to  the  gifts  which  they 
have  received;  they  have  caused  you  to  be 
born  again  of  the  living  word  of  the  holy  ; 
gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  that  they  have 
built  in  a  godly  manner  upon  Christ,  the  ] 
firm   and  immoveable  corner  stone;   have  j 
taught  you  the  word,  will  and  ordinances 
of  God  according  to  his  good  pleasure;  have 
united  you  in  love  as  a  willing,  obedient,  ; 
pure  bride  to  your  bridegroom,  Christ  Jesus. 
That  they  have  in  full  earnestness,  shown 
you  the  narrow,  scornful  way ;  have  preach- 
ed the  cross,  and  have  pointed  out  and  ad- 
monished you  in  regard  to  the  pains  and 
costs  of  this  godly  biiildipg,  for  it  can  never 
be  otherwise,  as  you  well  know,  than  that 
all  who  would  hear,  follow  and  enter  through  ! 
the  right  door,  Christ  Jesus,  and  would  walk  j 
upon  the  highwaj^  to  eternal  life  in  the  light  i 
of  Christ,  must  iirst  deny  themselves,  and 
all  they  are,  with  the  whole  heart.    They 
miist,  in  all  misery,  ignominy  and  trouble, 
take  upon  themselves  the  pressing  cross, 
and  must  follow  the  rejected,  outcast,  bleed- ' 
ing  and  crucified  Christ,  as  he  himself  said,  ] 
"If  any  man  will  come  after  me,  let  him  ■ 
deny  himself,  and  take  up  his  cross  and  '. 
follow  me."    Yes  all  who  do  not  stand  pre- ; 
pared  to  take  up  this  grievous  life  of  the  I 
cross  and  trouble,  and  hate  not  father  and  | 
mother,  son,  daughter,  husband  and  wife, 
houses,  land,  money,  goods  and  life,  cannot ! 
be  Christ's  disciples.  i 

My  faithful  brethren  this  is  a  true  and  | 
sure  word;  for  the  eternal  truth,  CTirist  Je- , 
BUS,  has  in  many  places  of  the  Scriptures,  | 


been  pointed  out  and  testified  in  great  clear- 
ness; "Behold,"  he  saj's,  "  I  send  you  forth 
as  sheep  in  the  midst  of  wolves ;  be  ye  there- 
fore, wise  as  serpents,  and  liarmless  as  doves. 
But  beware  of  men ;  for  they  will  deliver 
yovi  up  to  the  councils,  and  they  will  scourge 
you  in  their  synagogues,  and  ye  shall  be 
brought  before  governors  and  kings  for  my 
sake,  for  a  testimony  against  them  and  the 
gentiles,"  Matt.  10:  16—18. 

Again,  "The  brother  shall  deliver  up  the 
brother  to  death,  and  the  father  the  child; 
and  the  children  shall  rise  up  against  their 
parents,  and  shall  cause  them  to  be  put  to 
death,  and  ye  shall  be  hated  of  all  men  for 
my  name's  sake,"  Matt.  10:  21,  22. 

Again,  "The  disciple  is  not  above  his 
master,  nor  the  servant  above  his  lord.  It 
is  enough  for  the  disciple  that  he  be  as  his 
master  and  the  servant  a's  his  lord.  If  they 
have  called  the  master  of  the  house,  Beelze- 
bub, how  much  more  shall  they  call  them 
of  his  household,"  Matt.  10:  24,  25. 

Again,  "He  that  loveth  father  or  mother 
more  than  me,  is  not  worthy  of  me,  and  he 
that  loveth  son  or  daughter  more  tlian  me, 
is  not  worthy  of  me.  And  he  that  taketh 
not  his  cross  and  followeth  after  me,  is  not 
worthy  of  me.  He  that  findeth  his  life  shall 
lose  it,  and  he  that  loseth  his  life  for  mv 
sake  shall  find  it,"  Matt.  10:  37—39. 

Again,  "Then  shall  they  deliver  you  up 
to  be  afflicted,  and  shall  kill  you;  and  ye 
shall  be  hated  of  all  nations  for  my  name's 
sake,"  Matt.  24:  9. 

Again,  "They  shall  put  you  out  of  the 
synagogiaes ;  yea,  the  time  cometh  that  who- 
soever killeth  you,  will  think  that  he  doeth 
God  seiTice,"  John  16:  2. 

Again,  "We  must  through  much  tribula- 
tion enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God."  "All 
that  wiU  live  godly  in  Christ  Jesus,  shall 


184 


THE  CROSS  OF  CHRIST. 


suffer  persecution."  "If  we  be  dead  with 
him,  we  shall  also  live  with  him;  if  we  suf- 
fer, we  shall  also  reign  with  him,"  Acts  14: 
22;  2  Tim.  3:12;  2:11,  12. 

Yea,  the  whole  Scriptures  abound  with 
exhortations,  examples  and  histories  of  the 
troubles  sorrows,  miseries,  proscriptions, 
upbraidings,  reproachings,  deceivings,  im- 
prisonments,plunderings.iguominious  death 
and  crosses  of  the  saints. 

Since  then,  from  the  beginning  of  the 
world,  true  righteousness,  devotion  and  pi- 
ety, are  thus  miserably  hated,  persecuted, 
and  cast  out,  as  it  has  been  abundantly 
shown  in  the  case  of  the  piotis  fathers,  and 
as  may  be  seen  and  found  in  these  last 
times,  as  we  have  said,  I  deem  it  necessarj' 
to  show  from  the  word  of  the  Lord,  to  our 
youtliful,  weak,  and  untried  brethren  and 
sisters,  who  such  persons  are,  that  perse- 
cute us,  and  inflict  upon  us  this  trouble  and 
sorrow ;  wherefore  the}^  do  so,  wherewith 
they  maintain  their  tyranny  and  bloody 
deeds  for  right;  what  protit  we  receive  from 
the  cross,  and  what  is  promised  to  those, 
who,  through  the  power  of  faith,  overcome 
all  temptations  and  extremities,  and  main- 
tain the  conflict  through  Christ  Jesus,  in  or- 
der that  they,  through  such  counsels,  may 
be  readj^  and  prepared  for  all  trials.  That 
they  may  put  on  the  breast-plate  of  right- 
eousness, the  helmet  of  salvation,  with  the 
shield  of  faith,  and  be  girded  with  the  sharp, 
piercing  sword  of  the  Spirit  in  all  humility, 
meekness  and  patience,  with  ardent  prayers 
and  sighs  to  the  Lord,  in  order  that  when 
any  swift,  unseen  uproar,  shall  arise  against 
us,  it  shall  not  fall  upon  us  unawares,  that 
an  unexpected  storm  shall  not  cast  down 
our  house,  the  heat  of  the  sun  shall  not 
scorch  the  growing  plant,  the  heat  and  pow- 
er of  the  fire  shall  not  consume  the  erected 
works,  and  that  we  be  not  drawn  off  and 
frightened  to  a  deadly  apostasy  by  their 
thi'eats,  uproar  and  tyranny.  Therefore, 
my  beloved,  read  and  understand  in  all 
love,  for  the  Lord  knows  that  out  of  pure 
love,  I  have  written  this  for  the  benefit  of 
my  dear  brethren,  according  to  my  received 
gifts,  Eph.G;  IThess.  5. 

In  the  first  place,  dear  brethren,  1  esteem 
it  to  be  very  necessary  that  all  the  godly, 
and  strivers  under  the  cross  of  Christ,  who 


i  seek  for  encouragement  in  their  crosses  and 

sufferings,  which  they  endure  for  the  sake 

!  of  the  testimony  of  God  and  their  con- 

!  sciences,  to  consider  carefully  and  earnest- 

;  ly,  who  and  what  they  are  that  so  madly 

j  persecute,  oppress  and  afflict  them;  of  what 

■  disposition  and  nature  they  are;  upon  what 

way  they  walk,  and  of  what  fatlier,  accord- 

I  ing  to  the  Spirit,  they  are  born.    All  who 

:  carefully  observe  them,  and  try  them  by  the 

I  Scriptures,  will  find,  according  to  my  opin- 

'  ion,  that  they  are  not  Christians,  but  are  an 

I  unbelieving,  fleshly,  earthly,  wanton,  blind, 

hardened,  lying,  idolatrous,  perverted,  ma- 

i  licious,  revengeful,  unmerciful  and  miu'der- 

ous  people.   A  people,  who  b)^  their  actions 

I  and  fruits,  show  that  they  neither  know 

i  Christ   nor  his   Father,  although  they  so 

I  highly  praise  his  holy  name  with  the  mouth, 

!  and  extol  it  with  their  lips;  who  tread  in 

slippery,  crooked  and  perverted  paths ;  who 

;  display  not  Christian  love  and  i)eace;  who 

j  bathe  their  hearts  and  hands  in  blood;  their 

disposition  is  to  seize  and  kill.     They  are 

children  and  co-partners  of  him,  who  from 

the  beginning  was  a  murderer  and  a  liar, 

of  whom  the  whole  Scriptures  testify,  that 

they  shall  forever  bear,  the  intolerable  curse 

and  malediction  of  the  righteous  judgment 

of  God,  and  the  devouring  flames  of  hell, 

unless  the}^  awake  from  the  deep,  deadly 

sleep  of  their  sins,  sincerely  repent,  believe 

the  joyous  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  put 

on  Christ,  and  thus  show  hy  their  whole 

lives  and  actions,  that  they  seek  their  God 

with  all  their  might,  fear  and  love  him,  be 

I  they  emperors,  kings,  doctors,  licentiates, 

j  citizens,  peasants,  man  or  woman.  For  with 

I  God,  says  Paul,  there  is  no  respect  of  per- 

;  sons,  but  whosoever  conimitteth  sin,  he  sliall 

I  bear  it. 

"Worthy  and  faitliful  brethren  in  the  Lord, 
observe  what  a  blind,  naked,  poor,  misera- 
ble and  unwise  people,  in  divine  things  they 
are,  who  so  bitterly  persecute  and  destroy 
you  without  mercy,  on  account  of  j'our  faith. 
Therefore,  it  becomes  all  the  tiixe  and  cho- 
sen children  of  God,  however  severely  they 
may  be  dealt  with,  and  belied  by  these  peo- 
ple, not  to  be  angry  with  them,  but  sincere- 
ly to  pity  them,  and  sigh  sorely  over  their 
poor  souls,  with  all  meekness  and  ardency, 
after  the  example  of  Christ  and  Stephen,  to 


THE  CROSS  OF  CHRIST. 


185 


pray  for  their  raging,  cursed  folly  and  blind- ! 
ness,  for  tliey  know  not  what  they  do.  Who  j 
knows  but  God  may  give  them  ej-es  and 
hearts,  that  they  may  see  and  know  their  : 
blindness  and  unbelief;  see  what  an  impure  ' 
life  thej'  lead,  what  kind  of  people  they  per- 
secute, and  whom  they  have  pierced. 

O  my  beloved  brethren !  observe  and  con- 
sider well  upon  your  own  former  life;  we 
have  all,  in  former  times,  served  one  Lord, 
were  attired  in  the  same  habit,  as  has  been 
said.    But  what  we  now  are,  we  are  not  of 
ourselves,  but  of  God,  by  grace   through  , 
Christ  Jesus.     The  mighty  God,  who  lives  j 
forever,  according  to  his  great  mercy,  has 
called  us  out  of  our  accru'sed  darkness  into  i 
his  marvellous  light,  his  ears  are  not  stop-  j 
ped.  nor  his  hand  shortened ;   he  can  un-  ' 
doubtedly  hear  and  help  them  as  he  helj^ed  ; 
us.    If  they  never  repent,  but  continue  with  j 
impenitent,  perverted  hearts,  in  all  ungodli- 
ness, blood,  wantonness  and  tyrami}-,  till 
they  die,  we  know  what  the  Scriptures  tes- ; 
tify  concerning  them ;   that  they  shall  not  \ 
inherit  the  kingdom  of  heaven ;   but  their 
part  shall  be  in  the  fiery  lake  which  burns 
with  fire  and  brimstone,  and  the  fire  will  be  i 
everlasting,  Rev.  21 :  8.  ! 

Every  one,  then,  who  reflects  that  his  per-  j 
secutors  are  so  wholly  blind  and  destitute 
of  understanding,  concerning  what  the  Spirit 
directs,  as  above  said,  and  that  their  lot 
shall  be  like  that  of  the  angels  of  tlie  bot- 
tomless pit,  the  intolerable  wrath  of  God,  ' 
death  and  hell.  Avhich  shall  last  forever,  and  | 
the  suflerings  which  we  have  to  endure  from  I 
them  for  the  testimony  of  Jesus,  are  but  I 
temporary  and  momentary,   will  tlirough 
grace,  by  this  means,  preserve  his  heart  | 
pure  from  all  wrath,  malice  and  retaliation 
towards  them,  and  will  ardently  pray  for  ] 
them;  he  Avill  commend  his  affairs  to  God  \ 
in  all  humility,  long-suffering,  and  peace,  ! 
will  preserve  his  spirit  unbroken,  amid  pris-  \ 
ons,  lire  and  water. 

Again,  I  deem  it  a  soft  and  mild  salve,  ' 
and  a  cooling  to  our  miseries  and  grief,  if 
we  but  reflect  upon  the  reason  why  our  per- , 
secutors  so  malevolently  hate  us,  and  so  re-  j 
lentlessly  destroy  our  name,  property,  rep- ' 
utation,  welfare  and  lives,  which  is,  because  : 
tlie  grace  of  God,  through  Christ,  has  en- , 
lightened  us ;  because  we  have  believed  the  i 
24 


preached  Gospel,  and  have  ceased  from  our 
blind,  rutloless  life  and  deadly  works;  be- 
cause we  desire,  in  our  weakness,  to  follow  in 
the  fear  and  love  of  God,  after  the  righteous- 
ness of  faith  which  is  required  of  God,  and 
in  obedience  to  the  lioly  word;  because  we 
acknowledge  the  ever  blessed  Jesus  alone 
for  our  Redeemer,Mediator,Intercessor,  spir- 
itual King,  Example,  Shepherd,  infallible 
Teacher  and  Master;  liecause  we  judge  and 
prove  all  spirits,  doctrines,  councils,  ordi- 
nances, statutes  and  ceremonies  as  far  as 
regards  spirit  and  faith,  with  the  Spirit,  doc- 
trine, ordinances,  commands  and  ceremo- 
nies of  Christ,  and  thus  esteem  the  com- 
mands and  ceremonies  of  men,  which  are 
contrary  to  the  commands  and  ceremonies 
of  God,  not  only  as  vain  and  useless,  but 
also  as  accui'sed  and  idolatrous,  according 
to  the  Scriptures;  because  we  regard  and 
honor  God  more  than  man,  we  hold  in  ex- 
altation his  high,  lioly,  true  and  precious 
word;  because  we,  according  to  the  Script- 
ures, listen  not  to  the  unclean,  unsound, 
idolatrous,  deceiving  and  blood-thirsty 
preachers ;  because  we  admonish  and  set 
an  example  in  all  love,  as  far  as  we  are 
able,  to  the  whole  world,  with  the  word  and 
sacraments  of  God,  and  with  humble,  meek 
lives,  though  in  weakness,  according  to  our 
abilities ;  and  we  rebuke  and  shame  (though 
always  for  their  good),  their  deceiving  doc- 
trine, idolatrous  sacrament  and  their  wan- 
ton, earthl}-,  fleshly  life.  In  short,  because 
we,  in  good  faith,  point  them  to  the  sure 
and  infallible  truth  of  God,  to  the  true  light 
and  to  the  higli-way  of  eterhal  life,  and  thus 
warn  and  alarm  them,  as  much  as  we  can, 
with  doctrine  and  life,  against  eternal  death, 
in  hell  and  the  wrath  of  God. 

Behold,  my  faithful  brethren,  it  is  for  the 
reasons  here  enumerated,  that  the  world  lies, 
writes,  calls,  preaches,  and  is  so  malicious 
towards  all  the  pious;  they  burn  with  sucli 
inhuman  rage,  as  may  be  seen,  that  the  rav- 
ening, fierce  wolves  and  roaring  lions,  when 
compared  with  them,  cease  to  be  wolves  and 
lions,  but  seem  to  be  like  tame  deer,  or  inno- 
cent lambs.  They  are  so  moved  by  the  in- 
flamed, blood-thirsty  spirit  of  their  father, 
that  they  regard  neither  the  law  of  God  and 
Christ,  which  is  love,  nor  reason  and  discre- 
tion, nor  the  inwardly  written  law  of  nature, 


18fi 


THE  CROSS  OF  CHRIST. 


by  wliicli  one  honest  man  should  reasonably, 
according  to  the  good  pleasiu-e  of  God,  meet, 
bear,  admonish  and  serve  auotlier  in  all  love. 
Yea,  oft  times  the  natural  fatlier  delivers 
the  son  up  to  death,  and  the  son  his  father; 
the  mother  the  daughter,  and  tlie  daughter 
her  mother;  and  one  brother  delivers  an- 
other on  account  of  his  faith,  as  said. 

Behold,  thus  hauglitil}^  and  maliciously, 
they  assume,  without  any  awe  or  fear,  the 
umpire  of  God  and  the  office  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  They  banish  Christ  Jesus,  the  head 
of  all  princes  and  powei's,  wlio  has  all  miglit 
in  heaven  and  upon  earth,  from  the  throne 
of  his  divine  majesty;  and  judge  also  with 
their  iron  sword,  after  their  own,  blind  ojpin- 
ions,  and  carnal  desires,  the  chosen,  god- 
fearing, pious  hearts,  enlightened  in  God, 
through  .Jesus  Christ,  over  whom  no  literal 
sword  may  ever  judge,  for  they  are  spirit- 
ual, and  from  their  inmost  soul  are  zealous 
for  God  and  his  holy  word,  even  till  death. 

Behold,  so  malicious  and  haughty  is  hu- 
man reason,  and  so  revengeful  and  envious 
is  Satanic  hatred,  that  tliey  do  not  fear  to 
strive  against  the  Most  High,  and  pierce 
Christ  Jesus  with  their  murderous,  deadly 
sword,  and  persecute  with  all  tlieir  power, 
tlie  Holy  Spirit,  gifts,  word  and  truth  of 
God,  and  all  that  lie  commands  and  will 
have  us  to  do. 

O  that  God  would  grant  that  tlie  blind 
watchmen  of  this  world,  I  mean  the  preach- 
ers and  theologians,  may  sound  their  horns 
to  a  riglit  tone  and  at  a  proper  time,  or  that 
they  would  let  them  hang  on  the  walls,  in 
order  that  they -may  not  therewith,  tyran- 
nically call  out  the  dt-adly,  murder  cry,  nor 
longer  deceive  the  carnal,  blind  world,  nor 
instigate  the  rulers  and  magistracy  to  the 
destruction  and  murdering  of  the  saints,  like 
hounds  pursuing  the  roe;  that  God  would 
grant  that  the  poor,  common  people  would 
sicken  of  their  leaven  and  liusks;  3'ea,  of 
their  spiritual  stealing  and  murdering;  also 
that  all  rulers  and  magistrates  would  tear 
the  bridle  from  tlieir  mouths,  and  cast  their 
instigators  from  their  backs,  and  not  suifer 
themselves  to  be  thus  driven  like  dumb 
beasts,  and  then,  according  to  my  oi)inion, 
it  will  be  well  for  their  poor  souls  before 
God.  Still,  I  fear  that  the  lying,  murderous 
serpent,  will  continue  its  envious  bitingS ; 


'  and  the  striving  woman,  the  new  Eve  and 

her  children  must  endure,  to  the  end,  in  all 

patience  and  long-sutfering,  its  daily  bites 

and  stings  in  the  heel. 

Since  I  have  here  pointed  out  to  you,  in  a 

\  few  words,  the  spirit  and  nature  of  those 
who  destroy  you  and  seek  your  property, 
life,  and  the  principal,  urging  reasons  which 
impel  them  to  do  so;  I  will  now  present  to 
my  brethren,  some  histories  and  examples 

j  from  the  holy  Scriptures,  for  the  comfort 
and  encom-agement  of  all  miserable,  afflict- 
ed, and  troubled  hearts  v.ho  suQer  oppres- 

j  sion,  and  misery  in  the  iiesh  for  righteous- 
ness' sake,  in  which  histories  and  examples 
these  things  may  be  clearJy  found  and 
traced. 

In  the  first  place.  Eve,  the  motlier  of  us 
all,  brought  forth  her  two  sons,  Cain  and 
Abel.  Abel  was  a  keeper  of  sheep,  but  Cain 
was  a  tiller  of  the  ground.  In  process  of 
time  it  came  to  pass,  says  Moses,  That  Cain 
brought  an  offering  to  the  Lord  from  the 
fruits  of  the  field,  and  Abel  brought  one 
from  the  first  of  his  flock.  The  Lord  regard- 
ed Aliel  and  liis  sacritice  but  he  looked  not 
upon  Cain  and  his  gift,  therefore,  Cain  was 
very  wroth,  and  his  countenance  fell  through 
great  wrath,  even  as  the  ungodly  always  are 
envious  of  the  pious,  because  the  Lord  re- 
gards  the  pious  and  loves  their  sacrifices. 
Cain  spoke  deceitfully  to  his  pious,  humble 
brother  Abel,  who  knew  not  the  malicious, 
Ijloody  heart  of  his  l)rother,  saying,  Let  us 
go  out,  and  when  they  were  in  the  field, 
Cain's  hot,  envious  spirit  could  no  longer 
be  restrained,  and  his  blood-thirsty,  re- 
vengeful spirit  could  not  be  hid.  That  which 
lays  concealed  in  the  heait  must  break  out 
in  the  actions;  he  arose  against  his  innocent 
brotlier  and  in  his  fierce  wrath  slew  him. 
Why  did  he  do  this  ?  Because  Cain  was  of 
the  evil  one  and  his  works  were  evil,  and 
his  brother's  works  were  righteous. 

It  seems  to  me,  dear  brethren,  that  this  is 
a  fair  example  and  a  good  reference ;  for  the 
righteous  always  have  been  offscourings  and 
a  prey  to  the  unrighteous,  and  so  will  they 
continue  to  be  as  the  Scriptures  sufficiently 
testify,  and  as  daily  experience  plainh* 
teaches. 
Again,  God  blessed  the  patriarch  Isaac, 


and 


liim  two  sons.     The  elder  was 


THE  CROSS  OF  CHRIST. 


T87 


Esau,  and  the  younger,  Jacob.    Esau  was  a  i 
husband-man  and  liunter,  and  had  great ' 
pleasure  in  the  chase.     Once  as  he  came 
home  mucli  fatigued,  he  sold  his  birthright 
to  Jacob,  his  brother,  for  some  food.  Gen.  1 
25:  33.  ' 

After  this  it  came  to  pass,  that  Jacob, 
through  the  artifice  and  craft  of  his  mother, 
obtained  the  blessing  of  his  father  Isaac,  by 
assuming  the  name  and  appearance  of  Esau. 
This  was  the  intention  and  will  of  God,  to 
remember  the  literal  synagogue  and  tlie 
church  of  Christ,  according  to  his  word  to 
Rebecca,  while  she  was  yet  pregnant;  name- 
ly, "Two  nations  are  in  thy  womb,  and  two 
manner  of  people  shall  be  separated  from 
thy  bowels;  and  tlie  one  people  shall  be 
stronger  than  the  other  people ;  and  the 
elder  shall  serve  the  younger,"  Gen.  25:  23. 

When  Esau  was  now  aware  of  this,  he 
wept  bitterly  and  said.  Rightly  is  he  called 
Jacob,  for  he  has  supplanted  me  twice.  Esaxr 
sought  the  blessing,  but  did  not  obtain  it, 
for  God  willed  it  otherwise,  as  said  above. 

Esau  became  very  angry  with  his  brother 
Jacob,  on  account  of  the  blessing  with  which 
liis  father  had  blessed  him.  His  malicious, 
bitter  fierceness  broke  forth,  and  he  said, 
"The  days  of  mourning  for  my  father  are  at 
liand;  then  will  I  slay  my  brother."  Then 
had  the  blessed  Jacob  to  llee  from  his  dear 
father  and  mother  before  his  wrathful  broth- 
er. He  Hed  to  a  distant  country,  and  be- 
came a  servant  for  twenty  years  in  tlie 
house  of  Laban,  who  did  not  deal  with  him 
according  to  equity  and  love.  He  dared  not 
again  enter  the  land  of  his  birth,  till  the 
Lord  said  unto  him,  "Return  unto  the  land 
of  thy  fathers,  and  to  thy  kindred;  and  I 
will  be  with  thee,"  Gen.  31:  3. 

My  dear  brethren,  observe;  as  the  patri- 
aTch  Jacob,  on  account  of  his  external  birth- 
right and  blessing,  was  hated  and  persecu- 
ted by  his  carnal,  fierce  brother,  Esau,  th.us 
also  it  is  at  tlie  present  day,  with  all  those 
who,  after  the  Spirit,  are  called  after  the 
name  of  Jacob,  namely,  true  Christians, 
that  in  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  through 
the  medium  of  faith,  tread  upon  the  devil, 
world,  fiesh,  and  blood;  they  obtain  the 
birthrights  which  are  written  in  heaven,  and 
are  blessed  through  our  true  Isaac,  Christ 
Jesus,  with  spiritual  blessings  in  heavenly 


things,  to  eternal  glory.  They  are  mali- 
ciously hated  and  persecuted  to  death  by 
their  carnal  and  licentious  brethren;  must 
flee  from  one  land  to  another,  from  one  city 
to  another,  with  great  misery,  hunger  and 
distress;  in  prison,  in  bonds,  with  hunger, 
stripes,  water,  fire  and  sword,  all  the  days 
of  their  lives,  as  may  be  seen. 

Thus  tyrannizes  the  fleshly  Esau  over  the 
spiritual  Jacob,  on  account  of  the  spiritual 
birthright  and  blessing,  although  they  are 
both  born  of  the  same  father,  Adam,  from 
one  mother  Eve,  and  are  created  after  the 
image  of  God. 

Thirdly,  Saul,  the  first  king  of  Israel,  on 
accoimt  of  his  thoughts  and  disobedience, 
was  rejected  of  tlie  Lord;  and  David,  the 
son  of  Jesse,  the  Bethlehemite,  according  to 
the  command  of  God,  was  taken  from  the 
sheep,  and  anointed  by  Samuel  in  his  stead, 
yet  he  did  not  assume  the  government  dur- 
ing the  life  of  Saul.  The  Lord  was  with 
David,  and  strengtliened  his  hands.  He  did 
great  works  in  the  name  of  the  Lord ;  he  re- 
leased the  stolen  sheep  out  of  the  mouth  of 
the  lion  and  bear;  he  slew  the  terrible,  great 
Goliatli ;  he  subdued  two  hundred  of  the 
uncircumcised  Philistines.  He  acted  in 
all  things  prudently,  right  and  valiantly; 
for  the  Lord  was  with  him.  "Wlien  Saul  re- 
turned from  the  slaughter  of  the  Philistines, 
the  women  of  all  the  cities  of  Israel  came  to 
meet  the  king,  singing  and  rejoicing  with 
all  manner  of  stringed  instruments,  and 
tambours,  speaking  joyfully  one  to  anothei-, 
Saul  hath  slain  his  thousands,  but  David 
his  tens  of  thousands.  This  enraged  Saul 
sorely,  and  he  said,  They  have  given  David 
ten  thousand  and  me  but  a  thousand!  what 
else  does  he  want  but  the  kingdom.  From 
that  day  forth  David  had  no  favor  Avitli 
Saul,  for  Saul  sought  liis  life  secretly  and 
openl}^,  with  great  assiduity  and  craft ;  al- 
though Saul  well  knew  the  piety  of  David 
and  that  the  Lord  was  with  him;  yet  his 
heart  burned  with  such  ill-will,  envy,  re- 
venge and  blood-thirstiness,  that  when  David 
escaped,  tlie  good  Abimelech  and  the  priests 
of  the  Lord  were  put  to  death  and  the  whole 
city,  Nob,  was  laid  in  ruins  for  David's 
sake,  2  Sam.  22. 

He  regarded  neither  tlie  piety,  kindness, 
fidelity  nor  well-doing  of  David  towards 


188 


THE  CROSS   OP  CHRIST. 


him  and  all  Israel,  nor  the  grace,  works 
and  will  of  God,  but  became  iinmindful  and 
drunken  in  his  wrath  and  envy,  so  that  the 
enemies  and  betrayers  of  David,  as  Doeg, 
the  Edomite  and  the  Ziphites  were  highly 
regarded  and  honored  hy  him, but  the  peace- 
makers, and  those  who  advised  for  good, 
as  his  son  Jonathan,  were  hated  by  him, 
and  held  in  suspicion.  In  short,  David  must 
take  to  flight,  and  for  some  years  fly  from 
one  land  to  another,  from  one  wilderness  to 
another,  and  from  one  mountain  to  another, 
till  Saxil  was  overcome  by  the  Philistines 
upon  Mount  Gilboa,  when,  through  vain  des- 
pair and  impatience  he  thrust  the  sword, 
which  he  had  borne  against  the  righteous 
and  innocent,  into  his  heart,  and  thus  took 
his  own  life. 

Thus  the  Almighty  Lord  and  Potentate 
of  all  things,  punishes  the  haughty,  blood- 
thirsty tyrants,  each  one  in  his  time,  who 
bear  the  sword  of  their  office  against  God 
and  his  chosen,  as  may  be  seen  of  Saul,  of 
Pharaoh,  Antiochus,  Ahab,  Jezebd,  Herod 
and  others.  On  the  other  hand  he  can  guard 
his  chosen,  and  help  them  out  of  all  diffi- 
culties, how  hard  soever  they  maybe  pressed. 
This  he  has  shown  in  the  deliverance  of  Is-  j 
rael  when  he  led  them  through  the  Red  Sea, 
andinpreservingDavid,Helias,Elisha,Dan-  \ 
iel  in  the  Lion's  den,  and  the  three  3"oung  ! 
men  in  the  fiery  furnace,  and  in  many  other 
instances. 

Here  again  we  have  a  clear  example  in 
the  case  of  Saul  and  David,  how  the  iiroud, 
reckless,  self-willed  and  carnal  princes  every 
where,  although  they  wish  to  be  called  chris- 
tian princes,  and  gracious  lords,  act  and 
behave  towards  tlie  true  David,  Christ  Jesus, 
and  all  his  saints,  whom  he  has  anoint- 
ed with  the  oil  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  who 
have  power  from  above,  with  him,  in  and 
through  him  to  overcome  the  fearful,  infer- 
nal bear,  lion  and  Goliath,  hell,  sin,  death, 
devil,  malediction  and  wrath  of  God.  They 
can  have  peace  nowhere,  with  this  evil  dis- 
posed Saul,  howsoever  innocent,  godfearing, 
and  pious  they  may  be.  Neither  innocence 
nor  piety,  praying  nor  tears,  word  nor 
Christ,  avail.  As  in  the  case  of  David,  every 
thing  must  be  perverted  and  construed  for 
the  worst.  This  has  ever  been  the  case,  and 


according  to  my  opinion,  will  remain  so  to 
the  end. 

Still  my  brethren,  fear  ye  not,  for  all  your 
perseciitors  and  enemies  become  old  like  a 
garment,  how  mighty,  glorious  and  great 
they  may  be  esteemed.  "All  flesh  is  grass, 
and  all  the  goodliness  thereof  is  as  the  flower 
of  the  field."  But  ye  shall  flomish  and  in- 
crease in  God,  and  your  fruit  shall  never 
more  decay,  for  the  kingdom  of  Jerusalem 
is  given  to  you,  and  the  glorious  Lord  will 
have  honor  in  you,  though  Saul  rages,  and 
will  give  to  you  the  eternal  kingdom,  which 
he  has  prepared  and  set  apart  everlastingly 
for  you,  and  all  the  chosen,  Isa.  40:  6. 

Fourthly,  Jeremiah,  the  son  of  Hilkiah, 
a  priest  of  the  priests  of  Anathoth,  was 
sanctified  from  his  mother's  womb,  and  was 
chosen  of  God  to  be  a  prophet  and  a  seer 
from  his  youth.  He  rebuked  Judah  and 
Benjamin  on  account  of  their  disobedience, 
stubbornness,  transgressions,  false  worship, 
idolatry  and  bloodshed,  with  the  mouth  and 
law  of  God.  He  taught  repentance  and  ref- 
ormation, prophesied  of  the  promised  Mes- 
siah, whom  he  called  the  Branch  and  Root 
of  David.  He  preached  the  coming  punish- 
ment and  wrath  of  God,  namely,  the  cap- 
tivity and  destruction  of  the  lungs,  the  de- 
struction of  the  city  and  temple,  and  the 
captivity  of  the  people  for  seventy  years. 

And  these,  his  prophecies,  faithful  warn- 
ings, visions  and  rebukes  from  the  mouth  of 
the  Lord,  became  to  him  as  sharp,  piercing 
thorns-,  they  cast  his  word  and  admonitions 
aside,  and  would  not  hear  them.  The  pious 
prophet  and  triie  servant  of  God  must  be 
regarded  as  their  betrayer,  a  factionist  and 
heretic.  The  word  of  the  Lord  was  to  him 
as  a  daily  mockery.  He  was  oft-times  im- 
prisoned and  scourged,  and  thrown  into  a 
foul  pit.  They  counselled  concerning  his 
death.  He  was  so  pressed  with  the  cross, 
that  he  once  resolved  in  his  heart,  to  preach 
no  more  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  yea,  he 
cursed  the  day  of  his  birth,  and  the  man 
who  brought  the  message  to  his  father,  that 
a  man  child  was  born.  Thus  the  worthy 
man  of  God,  had  to  bear  the  heavy  cross 
for  many  j^ears,  for  the  sake  of  the  word 
and  tnith  of  the  Lord,  Jer.  30.  He  had  to  yield 
his  ear  to  all  reproaches,  and  his  back  to 
scourging,  till  the  floods  of  trouble  burst 


THE  CROSS  OF  CHRIST. 


189 


iipon  the  hardened,  rebellious,  unbelieving 
people,  but  alas!  they  saw  too  late,  that 
Jeremiah  was  a  right  messenger,  and  a  true 
prophet  of  God.  Besides  all  this  he  had  to 
close  his  life  in  Egypt,  being  stoned  to  death, 
as  a  reward  for  his  ardent  love  and  difficult, 
bitter  work. 

My  dear  brethren  in  the  Lord,  here  I  will 
end  the  narratives  from  the  Old  Testament, 
for  time  will  not  suffice  to  relate  all.  The 
pious  Joseph  was  grievously  hated  by  his 
brethren,  and  by  them  was  cast  into  a  pit 
and  again  drawn  out,  and  sold  to  the  Ish- 
maelites,  and  was  complained  against  as  a 
perfidious  adulterer,  by  the  unchaste  wife 
of  his  lord.  Though  he  was  innocent,  yet 
he  must  suffer  his  lord's  Avrath,  impris- 
onment and  bonds.  Also  the  high-re- 
nowned,,evangelical  prophet,  Isaiah,  under 
the  bloody  and  idolatrous  tyrant,  Manas- 
seh,  was  sawn  asunder,  as  the  historian  men- 
tions. The  spiritual  prophet,  Ezekiel,  was 
stoned  by  those  who  remained  of  Dan  and 
Gad.  Urijah  of  Kirjath-Jearim,  was  slain 
wdth  the  sword  by  Jehoiakim  the  king  of 
JiKlah.  Zacharias  the  son  of  Barachias, 
was  stoned  between  the  temple  and  the  altar. 
The  great,  wonder-doing  prophet  Elijah, 
must  retreat  before  the  blood-thirsty,  idob 
atrous  Jezebel;  the  three  youths,  Shadrach, 
Meshach  and  Abed-nego,  were  cast  into  the 
glowing  furnace,  and  Daniel  into  the  lion's 
den.  The  venerable,  pious,  old  Eleazar, 
and  his  worthy,  pious  wife,  with  their  seven 
sons,  were  so  inhumanly  and  barbarously 
treated  by  the  terrible  Antiochus,  were  mixr- 
dered,  martyred  and  destroyed. 

Behold  brethren,  every  christian  should 
beware  that  this  is  the  only  reward  and 
crown  of  this  world,  with  which  they  reward 
and  honor  all  true  servants  of  God,  who 
present  to  them  in  pure  love,  the  kingdom, 
word,  and  will  of  God;  who  call  to  repent- 
ance and  reformation;  who  have  rendered 
many  kindnesses,  services  and  favors;  direct 
to  salvation,  righteousness,  truth,  piety  and 
love ;  who  are  the  golden  candlesticks  in  the 
tabernacle  of  the  Lord,  and  flourish  and 
blossom  as  the  fruitful  olive  tree  in  the 
house  of  God.  All  who  reflect  on  these  and 
similar  histories  and  narratives  of  the  pious 
men  of  God,  will  undoubtedly  not  despond, 
but  in  all  their  miseries,  crosses  and  suffer- 


ings vsdll  stand,  through  the  grace  of  God, 
and  abide  unwavering  to  the  end. 

Since  I  have  now  presented  some  histo- 
ries out  of  the  holy  Scriptures,  by  which  it 
is  plainly  seen  that  true  righteousness  every 
where,  has  suffered,  and  has  been  destroyed, 
under  the  law  as  before  the  law;  therefore,  I 
will  now,  through  the  grace  of  God,  present 
some  examples  out  of  the  New  Testament, 
by  which  all  may  learn,  and  acknowledge 
with  Paul,  that,  "All  that  live  godly  in 
Christ  Jesus  shall  suffer  persecution,"  2 
Tim.  3:  12. 

First,  John  the  Baptist,  a  man  sent  of 
God,  as  the  Evangelist  testifies;  a  burning 
and  shining  light,  as  Christ  says,  and  of 
whom  Isaiah  had  prophesied  a  long  time 
before,  saying,  "  The  voice  of  one  crying  in 
the  wilderness.  Prepare  ye  the  way  of  the 
Lord,  make  his  paths  straight,"  Matt.  3:  3, 
whom  Malachi  called  the  messenger  of  the 
Lord,  whose  birth,  greatness,  holiness,  of- 
fice, doctrines  and  works  were  announced, 
by  Gabriel,  the  heavenly  messenger,  to 
Zacharias,  his  father.  John  was  filled  with 
the  Holy  Ghost  from  his  mother's  womb. 
He  preached  repentance  to  all  Judea,  point- 
ed out  Christ,  the  Savior  of  the  world,  and 
said,  "Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  which 
taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world ! "  Of  him 
the  Son  of  God  himself  gave  testimony,  that 
he  was  no  wavering  reed,  that  he  was  not 
clothed  in  soft  raiment,  that  he  was  greater 
than  a  prophet,  that  he  was  the  promised 
Elias,  that  he  came  in  the  way  of  righteous- 
ness, and  among  all  tliat  were  born  of  wom- 
en, there  had  not  arisen  a  greater  than 
he;  he  was  also  held  by  the  people  as  a 
proj5het,  yet  did  they  say,  "He  hath  a 
devil,"  yea,  Herod,  the  king,  cast  him  forth 
as  a  profligate  vagrant,  and  after  some  days, 
this  holy  man  of  God  was  beheaded  by  the 
executioner,  as  a  shameful  transgressor,  on 
account  of  his  rebuking  Herod's  incest,  and 
besides,  it  was  given  to  a  vain,  haughty, 
dancing  maid,  and  an  unchaste,  adulterous 
woman,  to  be  shown  and  presented  to  the 
drunken,  useless  and  ungodly  guests  of 
Herod,  in  a  charger,  as  a  present  and  ban- 
quet dessert. 

O  Lord!  how  lamentably  and  grievously 
the  righteous  are  destroyed  on  account  of 
their  piety,  by  this  abominable,  bloody, 


190 


THE  CROSS  OF  CHRIST. 


Tniirderons  world,  and  no  one  takes  it  to 
lieart.    Yea,  they  are  so  dealt  with,  tliat  it 
appears  before  the  eyes  of  the  unwise,  as  if 
the  godlj'  were  an  offence  and  an  abomina- 
tion, and  were  banished  and  cursed  of  God, 
and  that  they  might  neither  hope  for,  nor 
find,  to  all  eternity,  comfort  or  grace  from 
Grod.     0  no!  the  Lord  be  blessed;  although  ' 
their  lives  may  appear  to  the  foolish  Avorld 
to  be  but  idle  phrensj',  and  their  end  to  be 
without  honor,  yet  do  we  know  that  they  i 
are  the  people  and  children  of  the  Lord, 
and  the  apple  of  his  eye,  that  their  blood  , 
and  death  are  dear  to  him ;  that  after  a  little  ; 
suffering  and  trouble  they  shall  be  recom- 
pensed with  good;  that  theirs  is  the  king- 
dom of  heaven ;  tliat  they  will  not  be  touched 
with  the  pains  of  eternal  death,  Wis.  3, 
but  their  precious  souls  shall  be  in  eternal 
rest  and  peace.    Yes,  my  brethren,  every  \ 
christian  may  trust  and  rejoice  in  the  Lord  ! 
in  all  his  trials  and  in  all  his  need. 

Again,  Stephen,  the  crowned  of  God,  a  i 
man  fall  of  faith,  power  and  the  Holy  Ghost, 
Avlio  did  great  signs  and  v/onders  among  the 
people,  as  Luke  writes,  was  endued  of  God 
with  such  wisdom  and  spirit,  according  to 
the  promises  of  Christ,  that  also  his  ene- 
mies, namely,  the  Libertines,  Cyrenians. 
Alexandrians,  &c.,  were  silent,  and  stood  . 
abashed  before  him.  As  they  saw  this,  the  j 
spirit  of  their  fathers  displayed  itself  as  it 
had  done  from  the  beginning;  consuming- 
envy  must  use  its  artjlices ;  Stephen  must 
lead  the  way;  they  have  rejected  justice  and 
equity;  the  men  of  Belial  they  employed  to 
belie  the  pious  Stephen,  and  say.  We  have 
heardhim  speakblasphemous  words  against ; 
Moses  and  against  God;  and  that  Jesus  of 
Nazareth  shall  destroy  this  place,  and  shall 
change  the  customs  which  Moses  delivered 
unto  us;  thus  have  the  lies  of  the  serpent 
overcome  justice.  They  counsel  to  extermi- 
nate the  saints.  His  own  enemies  saw  his 
countenance,  as  the  countenance  of  an  angel 
of  God.  He  spake  the  word  of  the  Lord 
without  fear,  rebuked  the  false  trust  in  the 
law  and  the  temple,  and  testified  of  Jesus 
Christ  in  great  power,  of  whom  Moses  and 
all  the  prophets  prophesied.  At  length  he 
grew  very  warm  and  ardent  in  his  speech  to  ; 
the  multitude,  because  they  had  ungrateful- 
ly rejected  the  merciful'  visitation  of  God  in  | 


his  proffered  race.  O  ye  stiff-necked !  he 
said,  and  you  uncircumcised  in  heart  and 
ears,  ye  do  always  resist  the  Holy  Ghost; 
as  your  fathers  did,  so  also  do  ye.  Which 
of  the  prophets  have  not  your  fathers  per- 
secuted? They  have  slain  them  whicli  shew- 
ed before  of  the  coming  of  the  just  One,  of 
whom  you  have  been  now  the  betrayers 
and  murderers;  who  have  received  the  law 
through  the  dispositions  of  angels,  and 
have  not  kept  it;  and  when  they  heard 
these  reproving  and  sharp  words,  they  could 
no  longer  endure  it,  for  they  were  cut  to  the 
heart,  and  gnashed  their  teeth  at  him.  But 
Stephen,  being  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  look- 
ed up  steadfastly  into  heaven  and  saw  the 
glory  of  God,  and  Jesus  standing  on  the 
right  hand  of  God,  and  said,  "I  see  the 
heavens  opened  and  the  Son  of  man  stand- 
ing on  the  right  hand  of  God,"  Acts  7:  51-56. 
Then  they  called  aloud  and  stopped  their 
ears,  and  as  if  they  could  not  longer  endure 
the  blasj^hemous  words  with  wliich  the  wick- 
ed heretic  (as  they  considered  him\  boast- 
ed and  AAitli  which  he  gave  such  honor  to 
Christ;  they  rushed  upon  him  with  one  ac- 
cord and  with  gi-eat  vehemence  and  wrath, 
cast  him  out  of  the  city,  and  stoned  him, 
but  Saul  kept  the  witnesses'  clothing.  Ste- 
phen called  out,  Lord  Jesus  receive  my  spir- 
it. He  kneeled  down  and  cried  with  a  loud 
voice,  after  the  example  of  his  master  on 
tlie  cross,  "Lord  lay  not  this  sin  to  their 
charge,  for  they  know  not  what  they  do,"Acts 
7.  Thus  the  pious  martyr  fell  asleep  in  the 
Lord,  and  received  the  crown  of  life  which 
God  has  promised  to  all  those  who  fear, 
love  and  seek  him  from  the  heart,  with  all 
sincerity. 

O!  god-fearing  reader,  observe  and  learn 
to  know  by  such  examples,  that  all  those 
who  believe  the  word  of  the  Lord  with  true 
hearts,  who  become  partakers  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  who  are  clothed  with  power  from  on 
high,  out  of  whose  mouth  flow  grace  and 
wisdom,  who  shame  the  world,  rebuke  sin, 
and  with  Stephen,  must  be  cast  out  of  the 
city  and  stoned. 

Dear  brethren,  pray  ardently  and  prepare 
yourselves.  Tliroughmuch  misery  and  troub- 
le you  must  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heav- 
en. Here  is  the  patience  and  faith  of  the 
saints.    O  my  brethren,  watch. 


THE  CROSS  OP  CHRIST. 


191 


Again,  Paul,  a  servant  of  God,  and  an  | 
apostle  of  Jesus  Clirist,  a  chosen  vessel,  a  | 
champion  of  the  holy  word,  an  apostle  and  \ 
teacher  of  the  Gentiles,  who  was  not  called 
by  men,  but  of  God  himself,  from  heaven 
to  the  service  of  the  gospel,  was  powerful 
and  zealous  in  his  teaching,  and  unblam- 
able in  his  life.    He  labored  more  than  all 
the  other  apostles,  cast  out  devils  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord,  awakened  the  dead  Euty- 1 
chus  again  to  life,  restored  health  to  the 
sick,  shook  off  the  serpent  without  receiving 
injury,  as  a  true  prophet,  lie  foretold  many  ; 
things  which  were  to  come  to  pass  in  the 
last  times,  was  taken  up   into   the  third 
iieaveu  and  to  the  paradise  of  God,   and 
saw  such  vision,  of  which  no  man  might 
with  propriety  speak.   He  was  an  infallible 
leader  iu  all  righteousness,  holiness,  piety 
and  virtue,  who  sought  and  loved  not  him- 
self, but  God  and  his  neighbor  from  the 
whole  heart;  he  had  nothing  by  whicli  to  ; 
justify  himself;  he  regarded  all  gain  as  loss,  \ 
that  he  might  win  Christ  alone;  yes,  hed^re 
not  speak  of  an}'  thing,  but  what  Christ  had  ' 
^\Tought  through  him.     It  availed  not  ho v/ 
holy, unblamable,  zealous,  high  called,  pow-  j 
erful  or  how  devout  he  was;  yet  he  must, 
with  Simon,  the  Cyi'euian,  help  to  bear  the  ! 
cross  of  Christ;  for  as  soon  as  he  was  called  I 
from  heaven,  taught  and  baptized  by  Ana- 
nias,  and  had  left  off  his  tja-anuy,  and 
preached  Christ  in  Damascus,  he  was  let 
down  over  the  wall  in  a  basket  to  escape 
the  snares  of  the  blood-thirsty. 

He  was  often  imprisoned ;  thrice  scoiu-ged 
with  rods,  stoned  once,  in  E])hesus  he  was  ! 
cast  to  wild  beasts,  and  at  last,  after  incon-  j 
ceivable  and  innumerable  pains  and  jour-  j 
neys  from  one  land  to  another,  after  endur- 
ing much  from  nakedness,  cold,  heat,  thirst, 
hunger,  labor,  watehings,  dangers  and  an- 
guish, he  was  seized  by  the  Jews  at  Jerusa- 
lem, and  scourged;  they  accused  him  before 
the  judges,  swore  to  take  his  life,  secured 
him  in  Cesarea,  and  after  his  appeal  to 
Cassar,  he  arrived  with  much  danger  and 
shipwreck  at  Rome,  he  was  brought  before 
the  emperor,  and  at  last,  under  Nero,  the 
most  blood-thirst}^  of  tyrants,  was  put  to 
death  by  the  sword.  He  offered  up  his  soul 
and  surrendered  his  life. 

In  like  manner  were  the  apostles  impris- 


oned and  scourged  in  Jerusalem;  the  church 
was  dispersed  and  persecuted,  and  James 
was  put  to  death  with  the  sword  under  Her- 
od. All  who  desire  to  become  acquainted 
with  other  narratives  besides  those  here  no- 
ticed, from  the  Holy  Scriptm'es,  can  read 
the  church  history  by  Eusebius,  there  will 
they  find  similar  inhuman  abominations, 
tyi-anny,  unmercifulness  and  envious  false-' 
hoods  against  the  innocent.  Besides  they 
will  find  such  extraordinarily  strange  in-' 
ventions  to  torture,  martyr,  kill,  root  out 
and  murder  christians,  that  a  uatiual  man, 
to  say  nothing  of  a  spiritual  one,  must  in 
his  heart,  be  awe-stricken  and  sickened.* 

My  most  beloved  brethi-en  in  Christ  Jesus, 
be  of  good  cheer  and  trust  ye  in  the  Lord, 
you  who  willing]}^  submit  to  the  cross  of 
Christ.  You  may  see  and  obsen-e  from  the 
Scriptures,  in  the  above  examj^les  from  the 
Old  and  New  Testaments,  how  all  pious 
men  and  children  of  God,  the  righteous  and 
prophets,  apostles  and  true  witnesses  of 
Christ,  yea,  Christ  himself,  as  we  shall  yet 
hear,  have  gone  throiigh  this  lonesome  wil- 
derness, through  this  narrow,  ignominious 
and  bloody  wa}^  of  misery,  crosses  and  suf- 
ferings, to  the  true,  promised  land,  and  to 
eternal  glory. 

Yea,  this  is,  and  remains  the  only  narrow 
and  straight  wa}',  and  door  through  which 
we  must  all  enter,  neither  can  we  ever  desire 
in  any  other  way  to  enter  with  the  saints 

*  As  a  further  illustration  of  this  subject  the  following 
extracts  from  Eusebius  and  others,  concerning  the  hu- 
mility and  meekness  of  the  believing  Martyrs  of  that 
day  (Eus.  B.  V.  C.  3),  is  given. 

"They  followed  Christ  Jesus  in  all  humility,  although 
they  were  oft  made  martyrs. 

"However  they  did  not  call  themselves  m.\utvus  nor 
consented  that  others  should  call  them  such  ;  biit  when-' 
even  one  of  us  called  them  MAUTiits  they  reproved  usi 
severely,  saying,  That  this  name  properly  belonge4.:tgff 
Christ,  who  alone  was  the  true  and  faithful  Martyr  ajjjd 
witness  of  the  truth,  the  first  born  of  the  dead  and  the 
Restorer  of  eternal  life.    Or  that  this  name  conld  only 
ai^propriatelj'  be  given  to  those,  who  after  laying  off  a 
testimony  had  departed  this  life  anil  gone  to  God.    But 
we  (say  they),  as  humble,  poor  people,  wish  alone  to  ad- 
here undeviatiugly  to  the  confession,  and  therefore,  they 
entreated  the  other  brethren  with  tears,  that  they  would 
pray  to  God  that  they  might  obtain  tlie  witness  of  a. 
MARTYR  (full  confession),  and  they  wove  so   lmmble,> 
though  in  truth  they  were  martyrs,  still  they,  uvpided 
the  honor  of  the  nanio.     But  among  the  heathens  they,, 
acted  with  all  constancy,  .showed  great  magnanimity,- by, . 


192 


THE  CROSS  OF  CHRIST. 


into  eternal  life,  rest  and  peace,  as  Christ 
himself  said,  Whosoever  will  follow  after 
me  must  deny  himself,  take  up  his  cross, 
and  follow  me ;  therefore,  dear  brethren, 
_V0u  who  have  sought,  feared  and  loved  the 
Lord,  must  suffer  and  bear  much  from  this 
wicked  and  idolatrous  race.  Fear  not  those 
who  take  your  earthly  goods  from  you;  for 
Christ  and  heaven  they  cannot  take  from 
you,  or  those  who  kill  the  body,  for  they 
cannot  kill  your  soul,  but  fear  him  who  has 
power  to  cast  both  soul  and  body  eternally 
into  hell.  Yes,  my  brethren,  would  you  l)e 
the  jjeople  and  disciples  of  the  Lord,  you 
must  also  bear  tlie  ci-oss  of  Christ;  this  is, 
\^'ithout  doubt,  the  truth. 

Again,  we  have  set  forth  to  tlie  kind  read- 
er, several  excellent  histories  out  of  the 
Scriptures,  in  which  are  represented  the  ty- 
rannical mind,  the  envious  heart,  the  wolfish 
rage,  the  nuirdeiing  deeds  of  this  miserable, 
brutal,  murderous  and  blood-thirsty  world, 
against  the  righteous.  We  shall  now, 
through  the  grace  of  God,  notice  for  a  short 


1  time,  not  only  how  the  servants,  of  whom 
we  have  spoken,  suffered  but  also  how  the 
i  Lord  and  Prince  himself  liad  to   endure 
j  much,  to  again  enter  into  his  glory. 
I     The  apostles  abundantly  testify  that  the 
]  Lamb  of  God,  the  ever  blessed  Christ  Jesus, 
;  the  true  Head  of  all  true  believers,  had  not 
only  suffered  from  the  beginning,  as  above 
]  said,  but  that  he  must  suffer  in  tlie  flesh  in 
these  last  times,  although  he  was  the  con- 
queror of  the  serpent,  was  promised  to  Adam 
and  Eve;  a  blessing  and  benediction  to  all 
people,  the  true  Shiloh,  Messiah  and  Em- 
:  manuel,  the  true  plant  of  David,  the  Lord 
i  who  justifies  us,  the  Prince  of  Peace,  and 
I  the  true   Son  of  the  Almighty  and  living 
i  God,  whom  all  the  righteous  and  true  proph- 
I  ets  desired. 

1      When  he  had  now  become  man,  according 
I  to  the  promise  of  the  fathers,  he  preached 
:  repentance  and  regeneration  in  the  fiill  pow- 
er of  the  Spirit,  in  all  love,  righteousness, 
peace,  humility  and  obedience;  the  rigid, 
terrible  judgment  of  God  over  the  impeni- 


scorning  the  oflered  insults,  ^nd  through  patience,  suffer- 
ed. For  among  the  brethren  they  were  meek,  among 
persecutors  Ijravc,  a  terror  to  the  refractory,  suliject  to 
Christ,  opposing  the  devil  ;  they  humble  themselves  un- 
der the  mighty  hand  of  God,  by  which  they  are  now  ex- 
alted ;  they  favored  all,  they  accused  none,  relieved  all, 
bound  none  ;  prayed  for  those  who  persecuted  them,  as 
did  Stephen,  saying,  "Lord,  lay  not  this  sin  to  their 
charge."  The  devil  opposed  them  powerfully,  because 
they,  out  of  great  love  in  Christ  Je.sns,  restored  the  fal- 
len, whom  the  devil  would  fain  have  devoured.  They 
entreated  God  to  give  them  grace  and  constancy,  lest 
they  might  depart  from  the  church  and  l.iecome  a  prey 
to  the  devil. 

"  They  preferred  peace  before  every  thing  else,  and 
commanded  us  to  maintain  peace.  They  were  martyred 
without  cau-se  and  were  conscious  that  they  made  no  dis- 
cord among  the  brethren  and  no  grief  to  the  church ; 
but  they  admonished  assiduously,  that  we  should,  by  all 
means,  maintain  and  preserve  peace,  and  cherish  love, 
which  is  the  bond  of  union. 

"These  things  we  mentioned  for  the  benefit  of  the 
reader,  because  they  have  been  recommended  by  worthy 
and  beloved  men.  And  on  account  of  those  who  deal  so 
haughtily  with  the  brctliren,  and  when  the  pious  err 
through  weakness,  they  have  no  compassion  upon  them, 
as  if  Christ  should  have  no  mercy  on  them.  We  will 
further  relate  what  we  found  in  the  beforementioned 
book.  There  was  one  among  the  number  apprehended 
for  Christ's  sake,  called  Alcibiades,  who  led  a  strict,  zeal- 
ous life,  he  would  use  no  sustenance  e.tcept  bread  and 
water ;  and  as  he  was  determined  to  live  thus  abstemi- 
ous in  prison,  it  was  made  known  to  Allalas,  that  Alci- 


biades did  wrong,  because  he  would  not  rightly  use  the 
creatures  of  God,  lest  he  might  cause  others  to  take  of- 
fence thereat.  But  when  Alcibiades  was  informed  of 
the  matter,  he  then  enjoyed  all  things  with  thanksgiv- 
ing, for  there  was  a  spirit  which  taught  him  and  per- 
suaded him  to  obey. 

"Afterwards,  Montanus,  Alcibiades  and  Theodotius 
were  regarded  by  many  in  the  land  of  Phrygia  as  proph- 
ets, for  in  those  da3-s  many  favors  were  granted  to  some 
of  the  churches  through  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  so 
that  they  believed  that  the  gift  of  prophecy  was  impart- 
ed. And  when  great  contention  arose  among  the  breth- 
ren, the  churches  in  France  again  issued  their  sentence, 
with  all  discipline,  reverence  and  the  true  exposition  of 
the  faith,  and  brought  forward  the  epistles  of  the  mar- 

I  tyrs,  who  among  them  ended  their  lives,  which  they 

I  wrote  in  their  prisons  to  the  brethren  in  Asia  and 
Phrygia. 

The  whole  Bible,  especially  the  11th  chapter  of  the 
epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  speaks  of  the  great  cros.5c.s,  trib- 

i  ulation,  the  martyrdom  and  deaths  of  the  believers. 
Here  we  read  of  inhuman,  cruel  torturing;,  such  as  was 
neither  heard  before  nor  since.  Boiling  waterand  oil  were 

;  poured  upon  their  naked  bodies  ;  they  were  placed  uj)- 
on  red  hot  gridirons  and  roasted  there ;  their  members 
were  pierced  through  with  sharp  pointed  instruments, 
they  were  scourged,  and  red  hot  irons  were  applied  to 
their  liinl)s;  sharp  thorns  were  thrust  into  their  poste- 

,  rior  and  privates  ;  other  indignities  were  offered  not  to 

I  l)e  mentioned ;  hot  pitch  was  thrown  into  their  faces ; 
their  eyes  were  bored  out  with  pointed  irons ;    they 

I  were  beaten  from  head  to  foot  with  clubs;  they  were 
dragged  through  the  .streets  by  their  feet;    tliey  were 


THE  CROSS  OP  CKRIST. 


193 


tent;  and  also  the  eternal  kingdom,  grace, 
mercy,  the  sincere  favor  and  love  of  his 
heavenly  father  over  the  penitent.  He  was 
himself  that  Word,  fulfilling  all  righteous- 
ness, blessed  of  God  forever,  the  infallible 
Example,  the  eternal  Wisdom,  Love  and 
Truth,  the  brightness  of  the  divine  glory, 
the  express  image  of  his  Father,  after  whom 
the  first  man  was  created,  understand  ac- 
cording to  the  inner  man,  the  eternal  power 
of  God,  the  Almighty  Word  of  God,  tlu'ough 
whom  all  things  were  created,  are  governed, 
and  in  whom  all  things  stand.  He  knew  no 
sin,  neither  was  guile  found  in  his  mouth ; 
lie  is  the  true  light  of  eternal  life,  and  by 
the  darkness,  which  is  in  the  world,  he  is 
hated,  blasphemed,  rejected,  despised,  and 
trampled  upon  as  the  most  degraded  of 
men.  The  King  of  kings,  the  Lord  of  lords, 
became  poorer  than  the  foxes  or  the  birds; 
for  he  had  not  where  to  rest  his  blessed 
head.  On  the  day  of  his  birtli,  there  was 
no  room  in  the  inn;  the  manger  was  his 
couch.  Even  shortly  after  his  birth,  his 
parents  had  to  fly  with  liim  to  the  land  of 
Egypt^ 

suspended  and  their  flesh  torn  from  them  with  pincers, 
that  their  bodies  were  all  raw ;  then  vinegar,  salt  and 
lime  were  mixed  and  poured  upon  them;  they  were  then 
rolled  about  upon  thorns,  potsherds,  broken  glass  and 
other  sharp  instruments,  then  the  tortured  body  was 
placed  upon  a  gridiron,  and  roasted  lingeriugly  to 
protract  the  pain,  rolling  the  mangled  body  backward 
and  forward  upon  tlie  gridiron  till  the  ghost  was 
given  up. 

"  They  were  cast  Isefore  beasts  of  prey,  such  as  lions, 
Isears,  and  leopards ;  and  before  infuriated  bulls ;  and 
after  repeated  torments,  were  again  cast  into  prison, 
and  after  a  short  time  tortured  anew,  which  was  re- 
peated often,  as  we  read  of  JIaturo,  Sanato,  AUalo  and 
others  ;  and  above  all  the  amialile  Blandina,  whom  they 
tortured  six  difterent  ways ;  she  may  properly  be  called 
the  pattern  of  martyrs.  Others  died  in  prison  on  ac- 
count of  their  excruciating  pains ;  some  were  starved  to 
death ;  some  women  they  hung  up  by  tlie  feet  and  suf- 
focated with  offensive  smoke ;  flayed  them,  led  them 
about  on  camels,  and  tore  them  to  pieces  with  tongs ; 
cast  them  into  privies;  their  bones  were  broken,  and 
they  were  cast  into  clefts  of  rocks ;  their  heads  were 
bruised  so  much  till  the  brain  ran  down  upon  the  earth; 
cut  off  their  sinews  and  veins,  then  thrust  them  down 
precipices ;  they  were  first  severely  tortured,  butchered 
like  swine  and  then  cast  into  the  sea ;  their  abdomen 
cut  open  and  barley  strewn  in,  and  in  this  condition  left 
to  be  devoured  by  hogs ;  yea,  some  of  the  tyrants,  for  fierce 
anger  ate  pieces  of  their  livers ;  they  watched  day  and 
night,  lest  their  remains  would  be  taken  and  buried ! 

25 


Although  in  the  time  of  his  ministry  he 
made  the  blind  see,  the  deaf  hear,  the  dumb 
speak,  the  leprous  clean,  the  palsied  and 
feeble,  sound,  cast  out  devils,  restored  the 
dead,  twice  he  fed  thousands  with  a  few 
loaves  and  fishes,  and  showed  to  them  the 
works  and  service  of  pure  love,  and  although 
none  could  rebuke  him  in  his  word  or  his 
life,  yet,  their  blood-thirsty,  envious  hearts 
were  so  em-aged  at  him,  that  they  desired 
that  the  wicked  murderer,  Barabbas,  who 
was  sentenced  to  death  by  the  law,  should 
live,  and  that  the  eternal  Life  himself,  the 
Creator  and  Upholder  of  all  ci-eatures,  should 
die.  His  pure,  heavenly  body,  the  seat  of 
all  virtue,  is  scourged  and  abused,  the  glo- 
rious countenance  and  head  of  all  honor  is 
disfigured  with  blood,  spit  and  thorns.  They 
also  mocked  him  with  a  ludicrous  garment, 
so  that  even  the  heathen  judge,  Pilate,  pity- 
ing, said,  "Behold  the  man!"  Yea,  worthy 
brethren,  it  avails  nothing,  no  jiain,  torture, 
nor  misery  was  enough;  they  would  not  be 
satisfied,  till  he  was  taken  away  and  con- 
demned to  the  most  shameful  death,  extend- 
ed upon  the  cross,  his  hands  and  feet  nailed 

They  were  smeared  over  with  honey  and  lard,  and  sus- 
pended in  baskets  in  the  air  for  the  flies,  wasps  and 
liees  to  eat;  women  and  virgins  were  stripped  stark 
naked,  and  while  thus  exposed,  suspended  by  one  leg, 
forcing  the  head  down  and  leaving  them  in  this  posi- 
tion for  one  day ;  they  cut  oft'  their  breasts,  liorrible ! 
horrible  to  relate  ! !  melted  lead  they  poured  into  their 
secrets;  forced  red  hot  spears  in !  applied  red  hot  iron; 
sturdy  trees  they  bent  down  and  tied  each  leg  fijst  to  a 
tree,  and  then  let  them  sj)ring  up  again,  and  thus  tore 
the  women ;  took  sharp  splinters  of  pine  wood,  forced 
them  under  the  nails  of  their  hands,  and  then  set  them 
on  fire;  melted  lead  they  poured  down  their  backs. 
Twenty  sharp  pointed  pieces  were  forced  under  the 
nails  of  one  Benjamin,  of  Persia;  this  was  not  enough  ; 
they  forced  a  sharp  rugged  tube  into  his  urethra — and 
this  was  repeatedly  done ;  after  this  a  rod  full  of  thorns 
was  taken  and  forced  into  his  posterior,  till  the  valiant 
man  gave  up  the  ghost.  It  is  impossible,  nay,  incredible, 
with  a  few  words  to  describe  the  unheard  of  cruelties 
and  tortures  which  were  practiced ;  besides  these,  other 
modes  of  torturing  were  invented,  and  he  that  succeeded 
in  inventing  the  most  cruel  mode  was  highly  honored. 
The  number  that  were  slain  like  beasts,  was  so  great 
that  even  the  executioners  became  fatigued  and  their 
swords  became  dull. 

"  One  king  in  Persia,  as  history  relates,  had  sixteen 
thousand  slain.  But  the  more  the  christians  were  op- 
posed the  more  their  numbers  increased,  so  powerfully 
did  Christ  reign  in  them,  that  the  heathen  themselves 
said,  The  christian  blood  is  a  true  seed,  ^c." 


194 


THE  CROSS  OF  CHRIST. 


tothewood,  andliis  side  pierced  with  a  spear. 
He  was  cnicified  as  a  prince  and  leader  of 
the  vicious,  and  reckoned  among  mnrderers. 
Thus  they  requited  him  for  his  incompre- 
hensibly great  love  and  beneficence,  and  in 
his  gi'eat,  bitter  thirst,  in  the  last  hour  of  his 
sutferings,  he  could  not  obtain  a  drop  of 
water,  but  they  gave  him  vinegar  and  gall. 
In  short,  they  treated  him  so  that  he  cried, 
while  extended  upon  the  cross,  with  a  loud 
voice  to  his  Father,  "My  God,  my  God, 
why  hast  thou  forsaken  me?"  He  also  la- 
ments through  the  prophet,  "I  am  a  worm 
and  no  man,  a  reproach  of  men  and  des- 
pised of  the  people."  He  might  well  sigh 
and  lament  with  Jeremiah  or  Jerusalem, 
and  say,  "All  ye  who  pass,  behold  and  see 
if  there  be  any  sorrow  like  unto  my  sorrow." 
Thus  he,  who  was  eternally  rich,  for  our 
sakes  became  poor;  the  eternal  Glory  was 
dishonored,  eternal  Righteousness,  persecu- 
ted, eternal  Truth,  blasphemed,  eternal  Hap- 
piness, rejected,  eternal  Blessing,  ciu-sed, 
and  the  eternal  Life  was  made  to  suffer  a 
shameful  death. 

Most  beloved  bretlu-en  in  the  Lord,  ob- 
serve well,  if  the  laborers  have  not  spared 
their  Lord's  Son,  but  have  cast  him  out  of 
the  vineyard  and  have  slain  him,  how  much 
more  shall  they  destroy  the  servants.  "If 
they  have  called  the  Master  of  the  house 
Beelzebub,  how  much  more  shall  they  call 
them  of  his  household?"  Matt.  10:  25.  Christ 
said,  "If  they  have  persecuted  me,  they  will 
also  persecute  you."  And  further,  "If  the 
world  hate  you,  ye  know  that  it  hated  me 
before  it  hated  you,"  for  the  disciple  is  not 
greater  than  his  master,  nor  the  servant 
than  his  lord;  but  it  is  enough  for  the  dis- 
ciple to  be  like  his  master,  and  the  servant 
to  be  like  his  lord;  and  other  like  passages 
may  be  found  in  Scripture. 

I  hope,  worthy  brethren,  that  from  these 
examples,  the  pious  may  have  learned  and 
fully  understood,  what  kind  of  a  people  it 
always  has  been,  from  what  father  they  are 
born,  and  by  what  spirit  they  are  moved, 
who  from  the  beginning  till  the  present  day, 
have  rejected  and  persecuted  Cluist,  the  love- 
ly, peaceful,  innocent  and  obedient  Lamb 
and  his  saints;  who  have  plundered,  belied, 
imprisoned,  tortiu-ed,  crucified,  stoned,  be- 
headed, drowned,  roasted,  strangled,  slain 


and  murdered  them;  and,  according  to  my 
xmderstanding  of  the  word  of  the  Lord,  this 
tyraimy  shall  not  cease  till  the  rejected, 
murdered  and  cracified  Clirist  Jesus,  and  all 
his  saints  shall  apj)ear  in  the  clouds  as  an 
almighty  Potentate,  Conqueror  and  glorious 
King,  before  all  the  tribes  and  people,  at 
the  last  judgment. 

Inasmuch  as  the  fearful  tyranny  of  this 
blind  world,  always  has  been  and  is  yet 
practiced  upon  the  children  of  God,  and  as 
said,  will  probably  always  be  practiced; 
and  since,  no  other  way  leads,  nor  can  lead 
through  the  narrow  door  to  life,  than  this 
only,  stony  and  thorny  way  of  the  cross  (I 
mean  according  to  the  flesh;  for  according 
to  the  spirit  it  is  broad  and  easy),  as  the 
Scriptures  testify ;  therefore,  have  your  feet 
shod  with  the  gospel  of  peace,  with  the  pre- 
cious promises  of  God,  with  the  pure  knowl- 
edge of  Christ,  with  the  denial  of  yourselves, 
with  the  patience  and  faith  of  the  saints 
and  with  the  sure  hope  of  the  kingdom  of 
God;  that  the  hard  stones  and  the  sharp, 
stinging  thorns  of  persecution,  through 
which  all  the  pious  are  tempted,  do  not  ter- 
rify you  and  lead  you  upon  the  broad,  easy 
way  of  the  flesh.  Lay  aside  all  obstacles 
and  besetting  sins,  the  cursed  works  of 
darkness,  avarice,  unnecessary  cares,  love  of 
home,  goods,  gold,  silver,  pomp  and  splen- 
dor; all  things  which  are  perishable,  drunk- 
enness, superfluity,  idolatry,  vanity,  carnal 
and  improper  words,  and  all  manner  of 
wickedness,  that  you  may  not  be  overcome 
and  thus  led  off  the  only,  narrow  high-way, 
upon  crooked  and  dark  by-ways.  As,  alas, 
may  be  frequently  seen  in  our  days. 

Therefore,  my  dear  brethren  and  sisters 
in  the  Lord,  take  the  cracified  Jesus  as  your 
example,  and  also  all  the  righteous  apostles 
and  prophets  of  God,  and  learn  through 
them,  how  they  all  entered  at  this  strait 
gate  and  forsook  their  all.  They  prepared 
their  hearts  and  were  endued  and  drawn 
of  God,  that  they  knew,  sought,  loved  and 
desired  nothing  else  than  eternal,  heavenly 
blessings,  the  unchangeable  things,  God 
and  eternal  life.  Thus  they  were  grounded 
in  ardent  love,  and  became  firm  and  immov- 
able, so  that  they  could  not  be  aftrighted 
from  the  love  of  Christ,  neither  by  life  nor 
death,    angel,    prince,    potentate,    hunger, 


THE  CROSS  OP  CHRIST. 


195 


sword,  martyrdom,  pain  nor  ease.  Their 
tliongMs,  words,  acts,  snfferings,  life  and 
death,  were  Christ's.  They  sought  not  their 
kingdom  and  rest  npon  earth,  for  they  were 
spiritually,  heavenly -minded.  All  their  fniit 
was  righteousness,  light  and  truth.  Their 
whole  lives  were  pure  love,  chastity,  humil- 
ity, obedience  and  jseace.  The  perishable, 
Avicked  world  with  all  its  evil  works,  w^as  to 
them  an  offence  and  abomination.  They 
loved  their  God  witli  all  their  soul,  and 
therefore,  they  rebuked  all  that  was  against 
his  holy  will,  honor  and  word.  They  loved 
their  neighbors  as  themselves,  and  there- 
fore, they  admonished  and  rebuked  them  in 
love,  seiTed  them,  pointed  out  and  taught 
them  God's  piu'e  will,  word  and  truth,  and 
sought  their  salvation  with  all  their  power, 
with  great  loss  of  life,  goods  and  reputa- 
tion, therefore  has  the  foolish,  envious,  un- 
thankful world,  which  swims  in  blood,  so 
grievously  hated,  persecuted  and  rewarded 
them  with  death. 

My  dear  brethren,  it  was  not  only  the 
prophets,  apostles  and  those  of  former 
times,  to  whom  those  things  happened, 
which  the  Scriptures  relate,  but  we  have  in 
these  times  witnessed  the  like  with  our  own 
eyes.  How  many  pious  children  of  God 
have  we  known  in  the  space  of  a  few  years, 
and  we  yet  know  some,  the  Lord  be  praised, 
who  sought  Jesus  Christ  and  the  eternal, 
iinchangeable  life,  and  continue  so  to  seek, 
who  fear  God  from  their  inmost  soul,  whose 
hearts  burn  with  the  word  and  love  of  the 
Lord,  out  of  their  mouths  Howed  power, 
spirit  and  wisdom.  Their  whole  life  was 
lej^entance  and  piety,  they  hated,  shunned 
and  rebuked  all  ungodliness.  None  could 
rei)rove  their  conduct  with  the  word  of  God; 
they  were  opposed  to  the  idle,  fleshly,  un- 
godly life  of  this  world,  as  they  yet  are,  and 
by  the  grace  of  God  will  continue  to  be. 
They  listen  not  to  the  deceiving  prophets, 
confide  not  their  procious  souls  to  the  care 
ofthe  spiritual  thieves  andmurderers,  neither 
serve  nor  honor  wooden,  stone  and  silver 
gods,  and  do  not  use  the  unscriptural,  earth- 
ly sacraments,  &c.  In  short,  because  they 
heard,  believed,  feared,  served  and  loved 
the  true  and  living  God,  theiefore,  did  the 
lying  serpent  open  its  mouth  and  spew  out 
so  many  false,  slanderous,  yea,  inhuman 


lies,  into  the  face  of  the  pious,  and  has, 
from  the  seat  of  its  pestilences,  defamed 
and  depicted  them  in  such  horrible  colors 
and  shape,  through  their  blind  disciples, 
that  they  have  become  the  curse  and  offense 
of  the  whole  world;  that  all  the  people  close 
their  mouths  and  noses,  and  flee  from  them 
in  horror;  yes,  every  one,  who  can  slander 
and  defame  the  poor,  god-fearing  christians, 
is  the  favorite  preacher  and  esteemed  teach- 
er of  the  world. 

No  lie  is  so  gross  and  disgr-aceful,  that 
they  dare  not  bring  it  against  the  godly. 
At  one  time  they  accuse  and  upbraid  us,  as 
though  we  wished  to  invade  cities  and  coun- 
tries; they  say.  That  we  will  injure  the 
whole  world;  now  we  are  adulterers,  again, 
thieves  and  murderers;  now,  we  say  there 
is  no  repentance  left  to  the  sinner;  again, 
we  have  rejected  Christ  and  the  Testament. 
In  short,  whosoever  does  not  defame  and 
upbraid  the  godly,  is  not  considered  by  the 
world  as  a  christian!  O  Lord,  how  pui-e 
and  free  are  all  the  saints  in  heart  and  con- 
science before  God,  fi'om  all  these  and  such 
like  lies  and  slanders. 

All  these  unchristian,  infernal  lies  are  not 
enough  for  the  world,  but  they  who  know 
Christ,  and  would  gladly  live  after  his  word, 
must  endure  something  harder;  they  must 
meet  with  severer  persecution,  as  we  may 
witness  with  om-  own  eyes,  for  how  many 
pious  children  of  God,  have  they  within  a 
few  years  deprived  of  their  homes  and  pos- 
sessions, for  the  testimony  of  God  and  their 
conscience  sake;  how  many  have  they  be- 
trayed, driven  out  of  city  and  country,  and 
put  them  to  the  stocks  and  torture ;  the  poor 
orphans  and  children  are  left  naked  in  the 
streets;  some  they  have  hanged,  some  they 
punished  with  inhuman  tyranny,  afterwards 
choked  them  with  cords  on  stocks  and  pil- 
lars; some  they  roasted  and  bmned  alive; 
some  with  their  own  reeking  bowels  in  theu' 
hands,  powerfully  confessed  the  word  of 
God;  some  they  slew  with  the  sword  and 
gave  them  as  food  to  the  fowls  of  the  air; 
some  they  cast  to  the  wild  beasts,  some  have 
their  houses  torn  down,  some  have  been  cast 
into  the  muddy  bogs,  some  have  had  their 
feet  cut  off,  one  of  whom  I  have  seen  and 
conversed  with;  others  wander  about  here 
and  there,  in  hrrnger,  affliction,  mountains, 


196 


THE  CKOSS  OF  CHEIST. 


deserts,  holes  and  caves  of  the  earth,  as 
Paul  saj^s.  They  must  fly  with  their  wives 
and  little  children,  from  one  conntry  to  an- 
other, from  one  city  to  another.  They  are 
hated,  abused,  slandered  and  belied  by  all 
men,  and  spoken  against  in  the  pulpit  and 
the  councils;  they  have  deprived  them  of 
food,  driven  them  forth  in  the  cold  winter, 
and  point  at  them  with  the  finger  of  scorn, 
yea,  whoever  can  wrong  a  poor,  oppressed 
christian,  supposes  he  has  done  God  some 
service,  as  Christ  says  in  John  16:  2. 

Observe,  dear  brethren,  how  far  the  whole 
world  is  from  God  and  his  word,  how  swift 
their  feet  are  to  shed  blood,  how  maliciously 
they  hate  the  light,  and  how  bitterly  they 
persecute,  defame  and  destroy  the  eternal, 
saving  trath,  the  immaculate  gospel  of  Jesus 
Christ,  the  pious,  godly  life  of  the  saints. 
This  is  not  only  clone  by  the  papists  and 
Tui'ks,  but  also  by  those  who  boast  of  the 
holy  word;  who  at  first  preached  much  con- 
cerning faith,  that  it  was  the  gift  of  God, 
and  that  it  must  not  be  forced  v/ith  the  iron 
sword,  but  with  the  word,  into  the  hearts  of 
men,  for  it  is  a  willing  assent  of  the  heart. 

But  the  learned,  within  the  last  few  years, 
have  suppressed  this  doctrine,  and  as  it  ap- 
pears to  me,  have  effaced  it  from  their 
books,  for  lately  they  draw  unto  their  car- 
nal doctrine,  lords,  princes,  cities  and  coun- 
tries; they  preach  the  contrary  fiom  that 
which  they  did  formerly,  as  is  evident  from 
their  wiitings.  By  their  seditious  writings 
and  preachings  they  deliver  into  the  hands 
of  executioners,  many  pious  hearts,  who 
gainsay,  reprove  and  admonish  them,  by 
the  clear  word  of  God,  and  point  out  to  them 
the  true  ground  of  the  gospel,  which  is 
powerful,  active  faith,  which  works  by  love, 
a  penitent,  new  life,  obedience  to  God  and 
Christ,  and  the  true,  evangelical  ordinances 
of  baptism,  Lord's  Supper  and  Separation, 
as  Christ  himself  instituted  and  command- 
ed, and  his  holy  apostles  practiced  and 
taught. 

Yea.  all  who  do  this  out  of  pure  love, 
must  be  accursed  as  anabaptists,  factionists, 
deceivers  and  heretics,  all  the  pious  may 
expect  this,  nevertheless  all  of  them,  lords, 
princes,  preachers,  scribes  and  common 
people,  be  they  Papists,  Lutherans,  or  Zu- 
inglians,  wish  to  be  called  the  christian 


community  and  holy  church];  and  never 
take  notice  of  their  ungodly,  imjjure  and 
impenitent  lives,  that  they  are  altogether 
earthly,  carnal,  and  contrary  to  the  word  of 
God.  There  are  some,  whose  hands  are 
stained  and  reeking  with  the  blood  of  chris- 
tians, and  all  their  doings  are  diametrically 
opposed  to  the  Spii'it,  word,  and  example 
of  Clirist.  O !  that  these  poor,  blind,  hard- 
ened ones  would  lay  this  Avell  to  heart,  and 
examine  well  the  nature  and  spirit  of  true 
Christianity.  They  would  be  ashamed  be- 
fore God,  and  sincerely  lament  that  they  so 
miserably  abuse  his  glorious  name,  blessed 
word,  divine  grace,  and  his  crimson,  pre- 
cious blood,  of  which  they  vainly  boast, 
and  thus  make  the  name  of  Cluist  as  a  cov- 
er to  all  their  wickedness  and  disgi-ace. 

For  a  truly  believing  christian  is  one  that 
is  born  of  God  according  to  the  Spirit,  has 
become  a  new  creature  in  Christ,  crucified 
his  flesh  with  its  lusts,  and  hates  all  ungod- 
liness and  sin.  All  his  fi"uits  are  righteous- 
ness, patience,  truth,  obedience,  humility, 
chastity,  love,  and  peace;  he  is  influenced 
by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord,  and  his  delight  is 
in  his  law;  he  meditates  thereon  by  day 
and  by  night,  all  his  words  are  seasoned  by 
grace,  he  sincerely  strives  for  the  life  which 
is  fi-om  God,  and  fears  him  with  all  his  soul. 
In  short,  according  to  the  grace  received,  he 
is  of  one  mind  with  Christ. 

Could  these  miserable  people  only  see 

that  a  christian  is  thus  minded,  as  related, 

!  that  he  is  such  an  amiable  and  peaceable 

I  creature  and  child  of  God;  and  if  they  had 

the  grace,  they  also  would  be  thus  minded. 

If  they  were  christians  a's  they  boast,  they 

I  would  then  hate  none,  but  would  be  hated, 

I  would  belie  none,   but   would   be    belied, 

!  would  prejudge  none,  but  be  prejudged, 

would  betray  none,  but  be  betraj^ed,  would 

rob  none,  but  be  robbed,  would  not  mui'der, 

I  but  be  mru'dered,    would  not  devour  the 

I  lamb,  but  be  torn  of  wolves,  not  ensnare  the 

I  dove,  but  be  taken  by  the  falconer  and  de- 

I voured. 

If  ows  persecutoi's  are  christians,  as  they 
:  imagine,  Whj^  are  they  then  not  of  God 
I  and  born  of  his  word?  Why  are  they  yet 
the  old,  accursed  creature,  and  live  accord- 
ing to  the  lusts  of  the  flesh?  Why  are  they 
j  influenced  by  the  spirit  of  the  devil?  Why 


THE  CROSS  OF  CHRIST. 


197 


have  they  fixed  theii-  thoughts  and  affections 
upon  perishable  and  temporal  things,  and 
are  concerned  therewith  day  and  night? 
Why  are  they  guilty  of  talking  of  all  man- 
ner of  unchastity,  vanity,  lying,  cursing 
and  swearing?  Why  do  they  not  fear  God 
and  his  word?  Why  are  they  like  the  old, 
deceitful  serpent,  and  obedient  to  him? 
Why  are  they  still  like  terrible,  ravenous 
beasts  and  birds  of  prey,  instead  of  inno- 
cent lambs  and  doves,  as  the  Scriptures 
teach? 

Ah!  dear  brethren,  let  them  boast  as  they 
will,  Christ  Jesus  does  not  know  such  wick- 
ed and  blood-thirsty  christians.  He  only 
knows  those  having  his  Spirit,  who  sincere- 
ly believe  and  are  obedient  to  him ;  are  flesh 
of  his  flesh,  and  bone  of  his  bone;  are  meek, 
humble,  pious,  holy  and  piu'e  of  heart;  con- 
fess Clirist  Jesus  in  word  and  deed  before 
this  wicked  world;  deny  themselves  and 
take  up  the  cross  and  follow  him,  and  say 
with  holy  Paul,  "Who  shall  separate  us 
from  the  love  of  God?"  They  glory  in  noth- 
ing but  in  the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
by  which  they  are  dead  to  the  world  and 
the  world  unto  them.  All  who  are  thus 
minded,  are  the  anointed  of  God,  saints  and 
christians,  and  not  the  impenitent,  carnal, 
blood-thirsty  boasters.  Every  one  may  be 
mindful  that  this  is  true,  else  the  whole 
Scriptures  are  false. 

It  appears  to  me,  dear  brethren,  that  the 
pious  reader  may  fully  understand  from 
what  has  been  said,  what  kind  of  people 
these  are,  who  so  shamefully  tread  you  with 
their  feet;  strike,  belie,  and  dejjrive  you  of 
life  and  property,  and  also  the  reason  why 
they  do  so,  namely,  on  account  of  your  in- 
fallible testimony  of  God  and  your  con- 
sciences. Even  as  all  from  the  beginning, 
who  sought,  feared  and  loved  God,  walked 
according  to  his  divine  word  and  will,  re- 
proved and  admonished  the  confused  and 
erring  world,  for  their  good,  and  were  ever 
considered  as  off-scoiuings  and  heretics. 

We  will  now  proceed  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord,  and  show  with  few  words,  what  a 
feeble  and  unbecoming  excuse  oiu-  persecu- 
tors advance,  which  before  God  is  as  stub- 
ble and  sulphur-  before  fire,  whereby  they 
thinli  to  excuse  themselves,  that  they  are 
doing  right  to  slander  and  molest  the  pious ; 


aU  sinners  seek  some  excuse,  and  no  matter 
how  disgracefully  soever  any  one  conducts 
himself,  he  wishes  not  to  be  considered  as 
wicked,  but  as  a  righteous,  pious  and  true 
christian! 

In  the  first  place,  our  persecutors  accuse 
us  as  seditious,  even  as  those  of  Munster 
are,  and  that  we  are  not  obedient  to  the 
magistracy. 

To  which  we  reply,  in  the  first  place :  That 
the  Mnnsterites  were  seditious,  and  in  many 
things  acted  contrary  to  the  word  of  God. 
But  we  do  not  agree  with  them.  We  are 
whoUy  opposed  to  these  seditious  abomi- 
nations, such  as  resisting  the  king,  seeking 
earthly  power,  taking  up  the  sword,  polyg- 
amy, acting  the  hypocrite  with  the  world 
and  the  like  guilt  and  disapprove  of  them; 
we  neither  eat,  drink,  nor  have  any  commun- 
ion with  those  who  do  such  things,  accord- 
ing to  the  doctrine  of  Christ  and  Paul,  unless 
they  renounce  their  errors  and  become  sound 
in  the  saving  doctrine  of  Christ. 

As  the  Papists  and  Lutherans  are  not  a 
little  divided,  so  we  are  more  divided  in  our 
views,  from  the  Munsterites  and  other  sects 
which  sprang  fi'om  them.  That  this  is  the 
truth,  we  have  shown  by  our  writings,  life, 
and  oral  testimony,  before  lords,  princes 
and  the  whole  world ;  and  it  has  been  testi- 
fied by  the  blood  of  many  pious  christians, 
which  flowed  like  water,  in  many  countries, 
for  many  years,  to  the  present  time. 

But  we  cannot  help  that  the  world  will 
not  believe  this.  Nevertheless,  we  testify 
that  our  hearts  and  consciences  are  pure  and 
free  before  God,  of  all  sedition,  hatred,  ven- 
geance and  thirst  for  blood;  and  we  strive 
earnestly  to  live  as  much  as  possible,  in 
peace  with  all  men,  according  to  the  doc- 
trine of  Paul,  and  if  it  be  not  possible  for 
us  to  keep  peace  with  them,  still  we  do  not 
desire  to  avenge  ourselves,  but  we  will  com- 
mit it  to  him,  who  says,  "To  me  belongeth 
vengeance  and  recompense,"  Deut.  32  :  35. 
And  we  commit  to  him  alone  all  our  con- 
cerns, as  Jeremiah  and  all  the  pious  did 
from  the  beginning. 

In  the  second  place,  we  reply:  Why  do 
they  so  indiscreetly  accuse  rrs  of  such  sedi- 
tion, since  we  are  wholly  innocent  and  clear, 
and  since  they  pay  no  attention  to  their  own 
bloody,  miu'dering  uproar,  which  they,  alas  I 


198 


THE  CROSS  OF  CHRIST. 


commit  without  bounds  ?  O  Lord !  how 
many  principalities,  cities  and  countries, 
have  they  destroyed,  how  many  houses  have 
they  tii-ed,  how  many  hundred  thousand 
have  they  mui'dered,  how  many  poor  peas- 
ants, who  were  peaceable,  and  innocent  of 
sedition,  have  they  robbed  of  their  posses- 
sions and  destroyed  their  goods?  How  many 
women  and  virgins  have  they  disgraced? 
"What  brutal  and  inhuman  tyranny  did  they 
commit  and  continue  daily  to  practice?  all 
this  they  do  not  notice,  yea,  it  must  be  said, 
all  is  right  and  well  done.  Ah!  how  well  does 
this  accord  with  the  doctrine,  nature  and 
Spirit  of  Christ,  or  with  the  disposition  of 
innocent  cliildi-en,  whom  christians  mirst  re- 
semble, in  malice,  or  with  defenceless  lambs 
and  innocent  doves,  to  which  the  Scrip tru-es 
direct  us.  If  the  temporal  magistracy  have 
not  the  disposition  and  Spirit  of  Christ, 
then  all  must  acknowledge  that  they  are 
not  christians. 

I  am  well  aware,  that  these  tyrants,  who 
boast  themselves  christians,  justify  their 
abominable  warring,  uproar  and  shedding 
of  blood,  by  referring  irs  to  Moses,  Joshua, 
&c.,  but  do  not  reiiect  that  Moses  and  his 
successors,  with  theii-  iron  sword,  have  served 
their  day,  and  that  Christ  has  now  given  us 
a  new  command  and  another  sword.  I  do 
not  speak  of  the  sword  of  the  judge,  for  that 
is  quite  different;  but  I  speak  respecting 
war  and  sedition.  They  do  not  reflect,  that 
they  bear  the  sword  of  war,  contrary  to  the 
gospel,  against  their  own  brethren,  namely, 
their  brethi-en  in  the  faith,  who  have  receiv- 
ed the  same  baptism,  and  have  broken  the 
same  bread  with  them,  and  are  thus  mem- 
bers of'  the  same  body.  Again,  what  a 
strange,  bloody  uproar  the  Lutherans  have 
made  for  several  years,  to  introduce  their 
doctrine,  I  will  leave  to  them  to  reiiect  upon; 
yet  have  we,  although  innocently,  to  be 
called  the  seditious  heretics  and  they,  the 
pious,  peaceable  christians  !  Bejiol4,  thus 
lamentably  is  their  understanding  of  this 
world  darkened.  "Well  then,  let  them  deal 
with  us  as  they  think  proper,  the  merciful, 
gracious  Father  will  preserve  us  from  such 
abominable  distiu'bauces  as  tire  Munsterites 
have  caused,  and  which,  alas!  are  yet  in 
vogue  among  the  supposed  christians;  for 
we  have,  by  the  manifest  grace  of  God,  beat- 


en our  "swords  into  plough  shares,  and  our 
spears  into  pruning  hooks ;"  and  we  shall  sit 
under  the  true  Vine,  Christ,  under  the  Prince 
of  eternal  peace,  and  will  never  take  part 
in  bloody  wars. 

In  the  third  place,  we  reply:  That  we 
know  and  use  no  other  sword  than  that 
which  Christ  himself  brought  down  from 
heaven,  and  which  the  apostles  used  with 
power  and  Spirit;  which  proceeds  from  the 
mouth  of  the  Lord,  the  sword  of  the  Spirit, 
which  is  "sharper  than  any  two-edged  sword, 
piercing  even  to  the  dividing  assunder  of 
soul  and  spirit,  and  of  the  joints  and  mar- 
row, and  is  a  discerner  of  the  thoughts  and 
intents  of  the  heart."  AVith  this  sword  and 
no  other,  we  desire  to  destroy  the  kingdom 
of  the  devil,  reprove  all  wickedness,  preach 
righteousness,  raise  the  father  against  the 
son,  the  son  against  the  father,  the  mother 
against  the  daughter,  and  the  daughter 
against  the  mother,  &c.  In  such  a  way, 
even  as  Jesus  Christ,  the  holy  apostles  and 
the  prophets  did  in  this  world.  I  do  not 
here  mean  the  prophets,  Elias  and  Samuel, 
understand  me  rightly,  who  also  used  the 
sword;  but  I  mean  the  prophets  Isaiah,  Jer- 
emiah, Zecharias,  Amos,  &c.,  who  only 're- 
proved with  doctrine,  and  not  otherwise. 

That  is  the  sword  we  bear;  and  we  will 
lay  it  down  for  none,  neither  for  emperor, 
king,  nor  other  authorities.  Peter  says, 
""We  ought  to  obey  God  rather  than  men." 
"We  must  serve,  to  his  praise,  him  who  com- 
mitted'US,  whether  we  chance  to  live  or  die, 
as  it  may  please  God. 

That  the  world  is  now  ascribing  to  us  this 
uproar  as  a  reward  for  the  pure  love  which 
we  have  manifested  toward  them,  we  must 
endure,  as  did  our  forefathers.  "Art  thou 
not  he,"  said  Aliab  to  Elijah,  "that  troub- 
i  leth  Israel?"  The  prophet  answered,  "I 
have  not  troubled  Israel;  but  thou  and  thy 
father"s_jiouse."  Jeremiah,  on  account  of 
his  faithful  warning  and  salutary  admoni- 
\  tion,  was  regarded  by  them  as  a  mutineer, 
rebel  and  heretic;  Christ  Jesus  was  crucified; 
Paul  and  the  apostles  were  cast  into  prison 
i  as  deceivers  and  rebellious,  and  finally  had 
I  to  suffer  martyrdom.  If  the  world  could 
pass  a  true  sentence,  they  would  well  per- 
ceive, that  Christ  and  his  followers  were  not 
tumultuous  towards  the  world,  but  the  world 


THE  CROSS  OF  CHRIST. 


199 


towards  them;  and  also,  that  we  do  not  rise 
against  any  one,  bnt  that  the  whole  world 
are  in  nproar,  tja-anny  and  raving  against 
us,  as  may  be  seen. 

Again,  that  we  are  opposed  to  the  magis- 
tracy in  the  things  to  which  they  are  ordain- 
ed of  God,  is  not  true;  understand  me,  in 
lawful  things,  such  as  giving  toll,  tribute, 
paying  taxes,  &c.  But  that  they  are  to  rule 
and  lord  over  our  consciences,  contrary  to 
the  Spirit  of  Christ,  as  they  please,  to  this 
we  do  not  consent,  but  we  will  sacrifice  pos- 
sessions and  life,  rather  than  knowingly  sin 
against  Jesus  Christ  and  his  holy  word,  for 
any  man's  sake,  whether  he  be  emperor  or 
king. 

That  we  are  right  in  this  respect,  the 
Scriptures  abundantly  testifj^;  and  there- 
fore, with  pious  Susanna,  we  wish  rather  to 
obey  God  than  man,  and  thus  fall  into  the 
hands  of  men,  rather  than  into  the  hands  of 
God.  May  the  gracious  Father,  through 
his  blessed  Son,  Jesus  Christ,  grant  to  this 
deaf,  blind  world,  ears  to  hear,  and  eyes  to 
see,  that  they  may  be  converted  and  be  eter- 
nally saved. 

In  the  second  place  we  are,  without  cause, 
maliciously  accused  that  we  are  stubborn, 
selfish  and  unconverted  persons,  who  will 
by  no  means  suffer  ourselves  to  be  taught 
or  instructed. 

To  which  we  reply,  first:  If  this  accusa- 
tion even  were  true,  it  is  still  very  unbe- 
coming for  our  persecutors  to  exterminate 
or  harm  us,  because  they  would  be,  or  boast 
themselves  clu'istians,  for  the  punishment  of 
the  wicked  will  be  eternal,  as  the  Scriptures 
testify. 

All  men,  says  Paul,  have  not  faith,  but  it 
is  a  gift  of  God.  Now  if  it  is  a  gift,  it  may 
not  be  enforced  by  worldly  power,  nor 
sword,  but  it  must  by  means  of  the  pure 
doctrine  of  the  holy  word,  in  conjunction 
with  the  ardent  prayer  of  humility,  be  ap- 
prehended, by  the  grace  of  God,  through 
the  influence  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Moreover, 
it  is  not  the  wiE.  of  the  Householder,  that 
the  tares  be  rooted  uj),  until  the  time  of 
harvest;  as  is  clearly  evinced  in  the  Script- 
ural parable. 

Now,  if  our  persecutors  were  clu'istians, 
as  they  suppose,  and  if  they  considered  the 
word  of  the  Lord  as  true.  Why  do  they  not 


I  hear  and  follow  the  word  and  command- 
:  ment  of  Chi-ist  ?  Why  do  they  root  up  the 
I  tares  before  the  time  ?  Why  are  they  not 
j  afraid,  lest  they  root  up  the  good  wheat, 
and  not  the  tares  ?  "Wliy  do  they  arrogate 
'  to  themselves  the  duty  of  the  angels,  v^ho, 
I  at  the  proper  time,  shall  bind  the  tares  in 
;  bundles,  and  cast  them  into  the  furnace  of 
everlasting  fire  ? 

Since,  by  our  belief  or  unbelief,  unbelief 
it  must  ever  be,  if  their  assertions  are  true, 
we  injure  no  man  upon  eartli;  therefore,  jus- 
tice demands  that  they  should  commit  us 
with  our  belief  or  unbelief  to  the  Lord  alone, 
and  his  judgment,  who,  in  the  fullness  of 
time,  will  judge  all  things  in  righteousness, 
and  that  they  should  not,  like  savage  pa- 
gans, pursue  us  with  the  sword  of  destruc- 
tion. The  true  disposition  of  a  pious  and 
sincere  christian,  is  to  lead  poor,  wandering 
sinners  to  repentance,  and  not  to  destroy 
them,  as  these  men  do.  In  regard  to  all 
those  who  envince  a  contrary  spirit,  it  is  an 
easy  matter  for  any  intelligent  christian,  to 
show  from  the  Scriptures  of  what  father  they 
are  children. 

Again,  we  reply:  That  we  are  prepared, 
in  every  way,  even  unto  death,  for  the  re- 
ception of  all  sound  doctrine,  admonition, 
instruction,  and  chastening,  in  righteous- 
ness; we  spare  no  labor,  j^ains,  nor  expense, 
if  we  can  only  obtain  faitliful  stewards  to 
dispense  bread  to  us  in  proper  season;  for 
j  our  souls  hunger  after  the  living  bread,  and 
oiu-  spirits  thirst  for  the  living  water.     All 
j  who  are  rightly  qualified  to  break  the  for- 
mer, and  pour  out  the  latter,  we  desire  to 
hear  with  devotedness  of  heart,  and  to  live 
;  in  obedience  to  their  doctrine. 
I      But  we  will  have  nothing  to  do  with  the 
:  leaven  of  the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees,  the 
lies  and  deceivings  of  false  prophets,  the 
j  stealing  and  outrages  of  thieves  and  mur- 
derers, let  what  may  hajipen  by  divine  per- 
[  mission.    Thanlv  God,  we  have  tasted  the 
heavenly  bread,  hence,  we   have   become 
heai-tily  tired  of  tlie  leaven  and  husks  of  the 
learned;  we  have  drank  the  pm-e  water,  the 
impure  we  leave  for  them ;  we  have  received 
the  truth  and  rejected  lies;  the  light  hath 
shined  upon  us,  there  is  no  more  place  for 
darkness.  In  short,  we  have  found  Christ,  the 
true  Messiah,  his  saving  word,  his  pure  or- 


200 


THE  CROSS  OF  CHRIST. 


dinance,  and  his  holy,  and  unblamable  life,  j 
according  to  the  gift  of  grace  within  us,  and  j 
as  a  conseqiTence,  have  turned  away  from  j 
anti-christ,  with  the  confident  liope,  that  we 
will  never  more  observe,  or  make  use  of  his  \ 
ordinance  of  infant  baptism,  and  idolatrous 
supper,  nor  ever  be  reconciled  to  his  odious,  ; 
carnal,  ungodly  life.  | 

If  in  this  matter  we  do  wrong,  and  trans- 
gress in  the  presence  of  God  and  his  church, 
as  they  imagine,  then  the  fathers  and  the  j 
Scriptures  must  have  miserably  betrayed  us.  ; 
But  no ;  the  word  of  God  is  truth,  and  the 
truth  shall  abide  forever,  even  though  the 
whole  world  be  offended. 

And  because  we  dare  not  again  talie  part 
in  their  false  doctrine,  pretended  sacraments, 
idolatry,  false  worship,  and  in  their  shame- 
ful, wicked,  and  ungodly  life;  because  by 
the  Spii'it  of  God,  the  evidence  of  the  Script- 
ures, and  by  the  witness  of  our  own  con- 
sciences we  have  turned  away  from  such ; 
therefore,  must  we  be  called  stubborn,  self- 
ish, obstinate,  and,  alas !  must  be  to  all  men 
heretics,  spoils  and  derision. 

I  hope,  beloved  brethren,  that  such  absurd 
accusations  may  never  dismay  the  hearts  of 
the  pious,  nor  render  them  faint,  inasmuch 
as  they  are  entirely  destitute  of  foundation; 
whilst  we,  on  the  contrary,  have  the  whole 
Scripture,  together  with  prophets,  apostles, 
saints,  nay,  Christ  Jesus  himself;  all  of 
whom  in  truth  and  righteousness,  remained 
steadfast  and  immovable,  even  unto  death, 
in  their  opposition  to  all  false  doctrine,  tort- 
ure and  tyi'anny,  and  did  not,  in  a  single 
point,  agree  with  their  ungodly  deeds  or 
consent  to  them,  neither  in  lieart,  speech, 
nor  behavior. 

Ought  we  then  to  reject  the  heavenly  light, 
and  embrace  the  darkness  of  condemnation? 
Forsake  eternal  truth,  and  everlasting  life? 
Follow  after  lies,  and  pursue  death,  for  the 
sake  of  a  little  perishable  wealth,  and  the 
enjoyment  of  temporal  life  for  half  an  hour? 
If  so,  it  would  be  better  for  us  that  we  had 
never  been  born.  From  a  contingency  so 
dreadful,  it  is  our  firm  hope,  that  God,  by 
his  boundless  love,  will  ever  preserve  and 
protect  us. 

In  the  third  place  we  answer:  That  we 
sincerely  detest  and  abhor  such  teaching 
and  conversion,  as  our  persecutors  would 


make  use  of,  in  order  to  instruct  and  con- 
vert us ;  for  their  end  is  death,  according  to 
the  testimony  of  the  whole  Scriptures;  the 
reason  is,  that  their  doctrine  is  false  and 
deceptive,  their  sacraments  are  idolatrous, 
and  contrary  to  the  word  of  God;  their  wor- 
ship is  sheer  idolatry,  and  their  whole  life 
is  earthly,  carnal,  and  contrary  to  the  word 
of  God;  as  may  be  seen,  James  3:  15,  yea, 
they  are  a  peojile  of  whom  we  may  justly 
testify  as  they  do  of  us,  namely,  This  is  a 
stiff-necked,  seditioias,  unconverted  people, 
whose  hearts  are  harder  than  diamond,  a 
people  who  know  not  their  God,  as  the 
prophet  speaks  of  Israel,  saying,  "The  ox 
knoweth  his  owner,  and  the  ass  his  mas- 
ter's crib;  but  Israel  doth  not  know,  my 
people  doth  not  consider,"  Isa.  1 :  3. 

Ah,  sinful  nation,  a  people  laden  with 
iniquity,  a  seed  of  evil-doers,  children  that 
are  corrupters  !  They  have  forsaken  the 
Lord,  they  have  provoked  the  Holy  One  of 
Israel  unto  anger,  they  are  gone  away  back- 
ward, "They  hold  fast  deceit,  they  refuse  to 
retmn.  I  hearkened  and  heard,  but  they 
spake  not  aright;  no  man  repented  him  of 
his  wickedness,  saying.  What  have  I  done? 
Every  one  turned  to  his  course,  as  the  horse 
rusheth  into  the  battle;  yea,  the  stork  in  the 
heaven  knoweth  her  appointed  times;  and 
the  turtle,  and  the  crane,  and  the  swallow, 
observe  the  time  of  their  coming;  but  mj^ 
people  know  not  the  judgment  of  the  Lord," 
Jer.  8:  5 — 7.  And  more  passages  of  a  simi- 
lar nature. 

Like  John  the  Baptist,  one  might  well  re- 
buke them,  and  say.  Bring  forth  fruits  meet 
for  repentance,  and  say  not  that  you  are 
christians,  as  the  Pharisees  said  they  had 
Abraham  for  their  father ;  for  such  perverse, 
carnal  christians,  God  knoweth  not.  The 
axe  is  laid  unto  the  root  of  the  tree,  there- 
fore, every  tree  that  bringeth  not  forth  good 
fruit  is  hewn  down  and  cast  into  the  fu'e. 
Paul  says,  Neither  drunkards,  covetous,  en- 
vious, proud,  idolaters,  adulterers  nor  for- 
nicators shall  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God; 
hence,  in  the  spirit  of  commiseration,  we 
may  aptly  say  to  our  persecutors,  who  are 
still  such,  Reform,  for  alas !  lords,  princes, 
rulers,  learned,  unlearned,  citizens,  country- 
men, man  and  woman,  all,  on  every  hand, 
have  become  degenerate,  walking  in  the  ac- 


THE  CROSS  OF  CHRIST. 


201 


cursed  fruits  of  profanity  and  nngodliness; 
they  reject  God  and  Ms  word;  they  gi'ieve 
the  Holy  Spirit;  they  persecute  the  right- 
eous and  pious;  tlie  fear  and  love  of  God 
are  an  abomination  to  them;  yet  to  such  as 
walk  in  the  way  of  truth,  die  unto  Hesh 
and  blood,  are  heavenly  and  spiritually 
minded,  with  sincerity  of  heart  seek  Christ 
Jesus  and  the  imperishable  everlasting  life; 
they  say,  Reform,  be  instructed,  and  use 
similar  expressions,  just  as  if  we  had  the 
lies,  and  they  the  tnith;  although  according 
to  the  gift  imparted  to  us,  we  love  and  seek 
the  Lord  sincerely ;  but  what  they  do,  I 
leave  to  any  intelligent  christian  to  decide. 

Moreover,  even  they  themselves  demon- 
strate, that  the  fruits  and  ardent  charity  of 
our  members  far  exceed  that  of  theirs, 
nevertheless,  we  have  to  be  looked  upon, 
as  deceived,  selfish,  obstinate,  and  uncon- 
verted heretics,  while  they  consider  them- 
selves the  real,  spiritually  anointed  chris- 
tians, the  truly  legitimate  children  of  God. 

Now,  dear  brethren,  judge  by  this  how 
puerile  and  nonsensical  is  the  excuse  of  the 
world,  with  regard  to  their  tyrannical  pro- 
ceedings, and  how  indiscreetly  and  child- 
ishly, we  are  accxrsed  by  them.  O !  it  is  our 
heart's  desire,  that  all  our  persecutors  may 
receive  grace  unto  repentance  from  the  Lord ; 
for  it  is  high  time  that  they  awake,  and  turn 
unto  him. 

Again,  our  persecutors  bring  in  an  ex- 
cuse, saying  it  is  right  that  we  should  be 
persecuted,  for  by  us  many  men  are  deplor- 
ably misled,  and  brought  to  destruction. 

To  this  we  reply:  That  if  the  case  is  ex- 
amined, and  sentence  passed  upon  it,  ac- 
cording to  the  flesh,  it  does  appear  that 
many  are  miserably  deceived  by  us,  for  all 
those  who  follow  our  doctrine,  faith,  life, 
and  confession,  in  obedience  and  power, 
must  bring  into  jeopardy  all  which  they 
have  received  from  God;  character,  reputa- 
tion, land,  house,  gold,  silver,  father,  moth- 
er, sister,  brother,  husband,  wife,  son, 
daughter,  yea,  life  itself.  The  finger  of 
scorn  will  generallj^  he  pointed  at  them; 
they  shall  be  trampled  under  foot,  hated  of 
all  men,  slandered  and  calumniated,  be- 
trayed, and  delivered  up  unto  death;  gal- 
lows, racks,  offensive  pools,  stocks  and 
swords,  as  also  liunger,  thirst,  want,  toil. 


afiiiction,  disti-ess,  anxiety,  nakedness,  sor- 
row, bufieting,  bonds  and  imprisonment, 
must  be  their  portion  and  recompense  here 
upon  earth;  no  man  may  administer  imto, 
or  befriend  them,  but  at  the  risk  of  person 
and  property;  the  father  may  not  receive 
and  assist  the  son,  nor  the  son  the  father. 
In  short,  they  are  looked  upon  by  the  world 
as  unworthy  of  heaven,  or  earth ;  moreover, 
they  show  all  pomp,  splendor,  gluttony,  in- 
toxication, carnal  life,  &c.,  which  the  world 
delight  in,  and  make  use  of,  as  much  as 
their  means  will  allow;  besides  they  teach 
humility,  soberness,  and  an  humble,despised 
life,  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  which  the  world 
hates  and  rejects.  It  is,  therefore,  no  won- 
der, in  my  opinion,  that  the  erring,  blind 
world  who  neither  have  the  Holy  Spirit  nor 
know  it,  as  Christ  says,  who  seek,  under- 
stand, and  judge  earthly  things  alone, 
should  regard,  consider,  and  detest  such  a 
life,  as  the  result  of  imposture  and  decep- 
tion. 

But  those,  who  are  taught  of  God,  who 
have  risen  with  Christ  to  newmess  of  life, 
are  made  partakers  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  are 
spiritually-minded,  look  upon,  and  judge 
all  things  by  the  Spirit,  they  do  not  consider 
it  as  imposture  and  deception,  but  esteem 
it  above  all  gold,  silver,  knowledge,  uisdom, 
riches,  honor,  parade,  ostentation ;  nay, 
above  all  that  is  named  under  heaven ;  for 
they  know  from  their  hearts,  that  tliis  is  the 
only  doctrine  that  leadeth  to  immortality 
and  eternal  life;  they  look  not  at  the  things 
which  are  transitory,  but  at  things  whicli 
are  imperishable.  Tliey  provide  and  pre- 
pare a  treasure  and  inheritance  that  abideth 
in  heaven,  but  earthly  treasure  they  esteem 
not;  seek  the  wisdom  which  is  eternal,  be- 
ing therefore  regarded  by  the  whole  world 
as  fools ;  adorn  themselves  with  the  inner 
garment  of  righteousness,  despising  the 
outer  moth-eaten  garment  of  pride;  strive 
for  that  kingdom  and  crown  of  glory  which 
will  abide  forever,  and  the  earthly  kingdom 
with  its  glory,  they  leave  to  such  as  take 
delight  in  them. 

Hence,  dearly  beloved,  it  is  absolutely 
necessary  to  judge  all  things  spiritually; 
for  the  world  is  come  to  such  a  state  that 
the  pure  doctrine  of  Jesus  Christ  and  his 
Holy  apostles,  is  esteemed  heresy ;  to  preacli 


202 


THE  CEOSS  OF  CHRIST. 


Christ  Jesus,  Ms  Spirit  and  life,  his  unadul- 1 
terated  word,  will  and  ordinance,  and  to 
tm'n  the  people  from  ungodliness  to  piety,  is 
considered  as  imposition  and  deception. 
Behold,  how  blind  and  ignorant,  in  divine 
things,  are  our  persecutors  who  so  misera- 
bly oppress,  persecute  and  destroy  us  for 
the  sake  of  the  truth.  Yea,  my  brethren, 
here  is  the  patience,  and  faith  of  the  saints; 
all,  who  in  their  hearts  experience  this  (as 
here  related),  will  possess  their  souls  in 
patience,  let  the  opposition  be  ever  so  great, 
and  will  pray  for  their  enemies  with  all  the 
ardor  of  the  power  that  is  in  them. 

In  the  fourth  place,  our  persecutors  accuse 
us  with  great  bitterness,  because  we  sepa- 
rate ourselves  from  their  doctrine,  sacra-  i 
ments,  church  service,  and  from  a  carnal 
life,  and  in  such  things  we  dare  have  noth- 
ing to  do  with  them;  they  say  that,  in  this 
thing,  we  condemn  them,  and  banish  them  i 
to  hell.  I 

To  this  we  repl}',  in  the  first  place:  The 
reason  why  we  can  never,  by  word  or  deed, 
consent    to    their    preachers,    sacraments, 
chui'ch  service,  and  impure,  carnal  life  nor  ( 
allow  them,  is  that   they  are   openly  op-  ' 
posed  to  God  and  his  word;  the  preachers  j 
serve  when  they  are  not  sent ;  their  doctrine  i 
is  false,  deceptive  and  contrary  to  the  sav- 
ing doctrine  of  truth;  their  life  is  in  every  ! 
respect,  blamable ;   they  preach  for  tilthy  | 
lucre's  sake;  they  act  the  hypocrite  for  the  ' 
world,  to  flatter  the  desires  thereof;    the  j 
foundation  of  their  faith  and  religion,  is  i 
emperor,  king,  prince  and  potentate;   what 
they  command,  they  teach;  and  what  they  i 
forbid,  that  they  leave  untouched.     Their  ; 
infant  baptism  is  unfounded  in  Scripture;  i 
their  supper  is  idolatrous  and  impure,  and  I 
by  the  impure,  administered  and  received;  ; 
their  church-service  is  contrary  to  the  doc- 
trine of  the  apostles;  and  for  the  most  part 
so  carnal  and  imgodly  is  the  ordinary  tenor 
of  their  life,  that  every  child  of  God  must  be 
exceedingly  amazed  and  astonished  at  it.      i 

Seeing  then  that  their  doctrine,  sacrament, 
church  service  and  life,  are  in  fact,  so  pal- 
pably opposed  to  the  word  of  God,  how 
could  we  again  intermingle  and  enter  into  ' 
familiarity  with  them  in  such  heinous  abom-  ! 
inations?  That  we  separate  ourselves  from  j 
them,  is  the  express  word  and  will  of  God.  | 


For,  says  Paul,  "What  fellowship  hath 
righteousness  with  unrighteousness  ?  "What 
communion  hath  light  with  darkness  ?  And 
what  concord  hath  Christ  with  Belial?  Or 
what  part  hath  he  that  believeth  with  an 
infidel  ?  And  what  agreement  hath  the  tem- 
ple of  God  with  idols  ?  For  ye  are  the  tem- 
ple of  the  living  God;  as  God  hath  said,  I 
will  dwell  in  them,  and  walk  in  them;  and 
I  will  be  their  God,  and  they  shall  be  my 
people.  AVherefore  come  out  from  among 
them,  and  be  ye  separate,  saith  the  Lord, 
and  touch  not  the  unclean  thing;  and  I  will 
receive  you,  and  will  be  a  Father  unto  you, 
and  ye  shall  be  my  sons  and  daughters, 
saith  the  Lord  Almighty,"  2  Cor.  0:  14—18. 

These  words  of  Paul  are  plain  and  intel- 
ligible, and  it  is,  therefore,  utterly  impos- 
sible, that  those  who  have,  through  the 
beneficence  of  God,  received  from  on  high, 
the  triie  Light,  Christ  Jesus,  unfeigned  right- 
eousness, pure,  etfective  faith,  have  become 
a  fit  and  worthy  temple  of  the  Lord,  are  un- 
der the  influence  of  the  Hol}'^  Spirit,  are  cho- 
sen and  adopted  as  the  children  of  God, 
that  such  should  again  have  fellowship  with 
darkness,  Belial,  unrighteousness,  infidels 
and  idolaters;  for  while  you,  through  the 
grace  of  God,  are  convinced  that  their  doc- 
trine, sacraments,  church-service  and  life, 
are  fundamentally  false,  if  you  have  a  true 
zeal  for  God;  count  all  things  but  dross, 
that  with  Paul,  yoii  may  win  Christ,  ac- 
cording to  Scriptiu'e;  abhor  that  which  is 
evil,  and  cleave  to  that  which  is  good;  have 
washed  your  robes  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb, 
and  have  conformed  in  all  your  thoughts, 
words  and  actions,  to  the  touchstone  of  the 
holy  word,  and  example  of  Christ,  how 
then  can  you  again  have  communion  with 
them,  and  say  amen  to  their  abominations? 
We  cannot  serve  two  masters  at  once;  we 
cannot  at  the  same  time  hold  communion 
with  Christ,  and  the  devil;  we  cannot  be  the 
children  and  servants  of  God,  and  also  of 
satan;  if  we  love  that  which  is  good,  we 
must  abhor  that  which  is  evil;  if  we  em- 
brace the  truth,  we  must  forsake  lies;  and 
such  passages  and  Scriptures  there  are 
many. 

Now,  forasmuch  as  we  thus  separate  our- 
selves from  them,  and  testify  by  word  and 
deed,  even  unto  death,  that  their  works  are 


THE  CROSS  OP  CHRIST. 


208 


evil;  therefore  tliey  are  filled  with  the  most 
inhuman  rancor  and  indignation,  and  say 
from  the  heart,  as  all  the  ungodly  have  done 
from  the  beginning,  "Let  us  lie  in  wait  for 
the  righteous ;  because  he  is  not  for  our 
turn,  and  he  is  clean  contrary  to  orir  doings ; 
he  upbraideth  us  with  oiir  offending  the  law, 
and  objecteth  to  our  infamy,  the  transgres- 
sions of  our  education,"  &c.  He  exposeth 
our  secret  designs  and  cunning  devices.  "He 
is  grievous  unto  us  even  to  behold;  for  his 
life  is  not  like  other  men's,  his  ways  are  of 
another  fashion.  We  are  esteemed  of  him 
as  counterfeits ;  he  abstaineth  from  our 
ways  as  from  filthiness;  he  j>ronounceth 
the  end  of  the  just  to  be  blessed."  "  Let  us 
condemn  him  with  a  shameful  death,"  Wis. 
3:  12,  15,  16,  20. 

Here,  my  dearly  beloved  brethren,  the 
Holy  Spirit  has  given  a  faithful  delineation 
of  our  persecutors;  for  our  actual  confes- 
sion, that  is  to  say,  om-  separation  from 
them  is  the  sole  reason  why  the  blind, 
blood-thirsty  world,  frantic  with  rage,  tyr- 
annizes over  us  with  so  much  cruelty;  and 
why  we  must  bear  and  suffer  so  much ;  as 
Peter  also  says.  Theythink  it  more  strange 
that  you  run  not  with  them  to  the  same  ex- 
cess of  riot,  speaking  evil  of  you.  Nay,  for 
this  reason,  Isaiah,  Jeremiah,  Zechariah, 
Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abed-nego,  Daniel, 
Eleazar,  the  mother  with  the  seven  sons, 
Christ  Jesus  and  all  the  pious  liad  to  die 
and  bear  the  cross;  because  they  earnestly 
reproved  the  world  in  its  doctrine,  ceremo- 
nies and  conduct,  and  opposed  them  unto 
death. 

This  is,  even  unto  this  day,  the  only  and 
principal  reason,  and  in  reality  there  is  no 
other,  notwithstanding  our  persecutors  al- 
lege many,  as  we  have  shown,  why  we  must 
be  considered  by  the  world  as  anabaptists, 
heretics,  knaves,  deceivers  and  movers  of 
sedition,  and  be  regarded  as  fit  subjects  for 
persecution.  But,  thank  God,  we  know  the 
reason  of  our  sufiering;  we  know  also  that 
he  who  called  us  to  this  grace,  and  in  whom 
we  put  our  trust,  will  successfully  plead  oui" 
cause,  and  will  faithfully  stand  by  and  de- 
liver his  poor,  oppressed  children,  in  every 
time  of  need,  to  the  advancement  of  his  eter- 
nal praise  and  everlasting  glory. 

Although  our  persecutors  assert  that  our 


separation  from  them  is  the  result  of  pure 
obstinacy  and  caprice,  yet  their  declaration 
is  false  and  unjust,  in  the  presence  of  God 
who  knoweth  the  hearts  of  all  men;  because 
oui-  separation  has  no  other  foimdation  nor 
design  than  this,  that  we  desired,  in  our 
weakness,  to  observe  with  all  our  heart  the 
word  of  God,  and  keep  his  commandments; 
and  that  we  might,  in  real  charity,  and  in 
fact,  show  to  the  whole  world  that  they  lie 
in  wickedness,  and  are  strangers  to  God 
and  his  word,  to  the  end  that  they  may,  in 
due  time,  awake  and  turn  from  iniquity. 
For  how  can  they  in  truth,  teach  others  gen- 
erosity, chastity,  humility,  and  every  virtue, 
if  they  themselves  are  abandoned  to  avarice, 
lewdness  and  pride,  and  addicted  to  every 
vice?  It  would  be  the  height  of  folly  for  a 
person  to  point  out  the  right  way  to  others, 
warning  them  of  robbers  and  murderers, 
while  he  would  take  a  winding,  unfrequent- 
ed road  and  voluntarily  offer  himself  an 
easy  prey  to  thieves  and  robbers.  My 
brethren  may  reliect  upon  what  I  mean. 

It  is  n®t  sutRcent  for  a  sincere  christian 
merely  to  speak  the  truth ;  but  he  must  also 
demonstrate  in  power  and  in  deed,  that 
which  he  speaks,  conforming  himself  there- 
unto, or  he  shall  hear,  with  the  Pharisees, 
You  say,  and  do  not;  and  also  as  Paul,  in 
wi'iting  to  the  Romans,  says  of  the  Jews, 
"Thou  thatpreachest  aman  should  not  steal, 
dost  thou  steal?  Thou  that  sayest  a  man 
should  not  commit  adultery,  dost  thou  com- 
mit adultery?  Thou  that  abhorrest  idols, 
dost  thou  commit  sacrilege  ?  Thou  that 
makest  thy  boast  of  the  law,  through  break- 
ing the  law,  dishonorest  thou  God?"  Rom. 
2:  21—23. 

In  short,  a  christian  teaches  and  acts; 
professes  and  practices;  believes  and  obeys; 
directs  and  advances;  his  heart,  word  and 
deed  are  in  unison;  if  not  he  is  a  hypocrite, 
I  and  no  christian;  as,  alas!  there  are  num- 
bers in  our  day,  who  boast  higldy  of  knowl- 
edge and  wisdom,  tliough  in  power  they  are 
vain  and  unfraitf ul . 

Again,  we  reply:  That  oiir  persecutors  do 
violently  and  unjustly  accuse  us  of  condem- 
ning them  to  hell.  Ah  no!  far  be  it  from  us 
to  condemn  any  man  under  heaven  before 
his  time,  let  him  be  ever  so  wicked.  For  we 
are  well   aware  that  the   Scriptures  say, 


204 


THE  CROSS  OF  CHRIST. 


"Condemn  not,  and  ye  shall  be  not  con- 
demned." There  is  one  who,  in  the  fnllness 
of  time,  will  judge  every  man  according  to 
his  works,  namely,  he  to  whom  the  Father 
has  committed  all  judgment ;  whosoever 
usui-ps  his  judgment  shall  not  go  unpun- 
ished. Moreover,  we  know  not  the  measure 
of  grace  the  sinner  may  be  made  partaker 
of  before  death;  therefore  we  are  clear  and 
innocent  before  God,  of  condemning  others. 
Nevertheless,  we  are  permitted  to  judge  and 
speak  by  the  word  of  God,  as  follows :  If  a 
miser  does  not  abandon  his  avaricious  prin- 
ciples ;  a  whoremonger,  his  lewdness  ;  a 
drunkard,  his  intoxication;  an  idolater,  his 
worshipping  of  strange  gods,  and  by  a  pi- 
ous, penitent  life,  turn  to  the  true  and  living 
God  with  sorrow  and  anguish  of  heart,  in 
the  operative  faith  of  Jesus  Clu'ist,  he  is  no 
cluistian,  nor  shall  he  inherit  the  kingdom 
of  God;  if  sentence  is  tlnis  passed,  it  is  not 
we  that  judge,  but  the  Scriptui-es;  as  Christ 
says,  "He  that  rejecteth  me,  and  receiveth 
not  my  words,  hath  one  that  judgeth  him; 
the  word  that  I  have  spoken,  the  same  shall 
judge  him  in  the  last  day,"  John  12:  48.  We 
are  well  assured  that  God  neither  does,  nor 
can  save  any  man  contrary  to  his  word; 
for  he  is  truth,  and  cannot  lie.  Where  there 
is  no  faith,  no  newness  of  mind,  there  is  no 
repentance,  nor  sorrow  of  heart,  &c.;  upon 
such,  alas!  Christ  Jesus  has  already  passed 
sentence,  saying,  "If  ye  believe  not  that  I 
am  he,  ye  shall  die  in  yoiu'  sins;"  "Except 
ye  repent  ye  shaU  all  likewise  perish,"  and 
more  similar  expressions. 

Brethi'en,  we  therefore  judge  no  man  with 
our  word  before  the  time,  as  you  well  know ; 
but  we  commit  that  unto  Jesus  Christ  and 
his  word,  who  will  judge  them  in  due  season ; 
we  do  not  condemn  them  by  our  separation, 
as  they  complain ;  but  we  teach  and  ad- 
monish them  by  word  and  work,  with  all 
diUigence  and  fidelity,  that  they  might 
cease  from  evil,  follow  that  which  is  good, 
do  righteousness,  seek  and  fear  God  in  a 
good  conscience,  lest  they  die  in  sin  and 
unbelief,  and  abide  forever  the  wrath  and 
judgement  of  God.  Nevertheless,  the  pure 
charity  and  faithful  service  of  the  pious  are 
ascribed  to  bad  motives,  and  construed  to 
their  disgrace. 

In  the  iifth  place,  many  cover  their  tyran- 


ny and  shedding  of  blood  with  a  thin  fig- 
leaf,  and  say.  We  judge  you  not,  but  the 
emperor's  mandate  judges  you. 

To  this  we  reply:  If  our  persecutors  are 
christians,  and  have  the  knowledge  of  Christ, 
as  they  suppose,  we  earnestly  desire  in  the 
spirit  of  humanity,  for  God's  sake,  that  they 
would  draw  a  comparison  between  the  em- 
peror and  Christ,  and  observe  with  atten- 
tion, whether  the  emperor  and  Christ  are  of 
one  spirit ;  whether  he  walks  as  Christ 
taiTght  his  disciples;  also,  that  they  would 
compare  the  mandate  of  the  emperor,  with 
the  gospel  of  Christ.  If  they  discover  that 
the  emperor  does  not  agree  with  Christ  in 
spirit  and  life;  and  that  his  mandate,  after 
which  they  frame  their  conduct,  is  contrary 
to  the  gospel,  then  they  must  acknowledge 
that  the  emperor  is  no  cluistian,  and  that 
his  mandate  is  proscribed  and  accursed  in 
the  presence  of  God. 

It  is  the  most  lamentable  blindness  that 
they  fear  and  honor  the  poor,  earthly  emper- 
or more  than  Christ  Jesus,  and  his  blood- 
thirsty, malicious  mandate,  than  the  gospel 
of  love.  Yet  they  desire  to  be  considered 
christians.  O!  that  the  emperor  and  his 
subjects  were  christians!  This  is  our  most 
earnest  desire.  Then  would  be  spared  a 
great  deal  of  innocent  blood,  which  is  now 
spilled  like  water,  contrary  to  all  Scripture 
and  charity. 

Say  now,  all  who  are  guilty  of  innocent 
blood,  and  who  palliate  your  conduct  with 
the  mandate  of  the  emperor.  Where  have 
you  read  a  single  passage  in  the  whole  life 
of  Christ,  which  aiithorizes  men  to  shed 
blood  and  punish  with  the  sword  for  the 
sake  of  faith?  Where  have  the  apostles  once 
taught  or  countenanced  such  a  practice? 
Should  not  the  cause  of  the  Spirit  (under- 
stand faith)  be  reserved  unto  the  judgment 
of  the  Spirit?  Why  do  you  and  the  emperor 
place  yourselves  in  God's  stead,  judging 
things  which  you  understand  not,  neither 
are  they  commanded  you?  Do  you  not  con- 
sider what  befell  Pharaoh,  Antiochus,  Her- 
od, and  many  others,  because  they  feared 
not  the  Most  High,  and  vented  their  wi-ath 
against  his  people i  Consider,  O  you  tyrants 
and  blood-thirsty !  that  the  emperor  is  not 
the  head  of  Cluist,  but  that  Christ  is  the 
head  of  the  emperor;  that  the  emperor  shall 


THE  CROSS  OF  CHRIST. 


205 


not  judge  and  govern  Christ,  but  Christ,  the 
emperor.  Dear  men,  how  can  you  be  so  ar- 
rogant and  so  rebellious  against  him  who 
created  you?  Do  you  consider  the  Script- 
ures as  mockery  and  as  destitute  of  truth? 
Or  do  you  hope  that  yom-  life  will  remain 
forever,  and  that  it  will  never  run  out?  Stand 
in  awe  of  Him  who  locks  up  the  heavens 
and  the  earth  in  the  palm  of  his  hand,  who 
sends  forth  the  lightning,  gives  wings  to 
the  tempest,  and  shakes  the  foundations  of 
the  mountains,  who  rules  all  things  with  the 
power  of  his  word,  at  whose  name  every 
knee  shall  bow,  of  things  in  heaven  and 
things  in  earth,  and  things  under  the  earth, 
and  to  whom  every  toungue  shall  confess 
that  he  is  the  Lord.  As  soon  as  he  calls, 
you  must  appear  at  his  tribunal  (his  sum- 
mons is  peremptory),  no  matter  who  you 
are,  where  you  be,  or  what  your  pretentions ; 
there  will  be  no  equivocation,  no  counsel, 
no  excuse;  when  he  calls,  you  must  be  there 
to  give  an  account;  you  may  be  no  longer 
steward;  yet  a  little  while,  and  the  wicked 
shall  not  be;  though  his  throne  is  exalted 
unto  heaven,  and  his  dominion  extends  to 
the  ends  of  the  earth,  yet  in  a  short  time,  he 
shall  be  sought,  and  shall  not  be  found. 

Therefore,  beloved  brethren  and  children 
in  the  Lord,  be  of  good  cheer,  and  full  of 
consolation  in  Christ  Jesus ;  for  all  who 
persecute  you  shall  be  as  gi'ass;  and  all 
their  power  and  glory  as  the  flower  of  the 
field ;  therefore,  be  not  afraid  of  perishable, 
mortal  man,  but  fear  the  Lord  who  has 
chosen  you;  for  all  the  children  of  men  shall 
wither  as  the  grass,  vanish  as  the  mist,  and 
wax  old  as  a  garment ;  but  you  shall  abide 
forever,  as  the  Scriptm-e  testifies,  and  your 
souls  shall  enjoy  everlasting  life. 

Yes,  beloved  brothers,  the  longed-for  day 
of  yom-  visitation  is  at  hand,  in  which  you 
shall  stand  with  great  power/ against  those 
who  have  afflicted  you,  and  exacted  your 
sweat  and  toil,  nay,  your  blood  and  life; 
then  shall  all  oui-  persecutors  be  as  ashes 
under  the  soles  of  our  feet ;  and  know,  but 
too  late,  that  emperor,  king,  duke,  prince, 
crown,  sceptre,  majesty,  power,  sword  and 
mandate,  are  but  earth,  dust,  wind  and 
smoke. 

With  this  day,  all  afflicted  and  oppressed 
Christians,  who  now  labor  under  the  cross 


of  Christ,  console  themselves,  in  the  firm 
hope  of  a  futvu-e  life,  and  commit  all  tyrants 
with  their  heathenish  mandates  unto  God 
and  his  judgments;  they  remain  firmly  at- 
tached unto  Christ  Jesus  and  his  holy  word, 
and  conform  thereunto,  theii-  whole  doctrine, 
faith,  sacraments  and  life,  never  paying  re- 
spect to  any  other  doctrine  or  mandate; 
even  as  the  Father  commanded  from  heaven, 
and  as  Christ  Jesus  with  his  holy  apostles 
taught  in  all  clearness,  leaving  it  as  a  leg- 
acy unto  all  pious,  god-fearing  children. 

I  suppose,  beloved  brethren,  it  is  suffi- 
ciently evident  that  the  apology  of  [tyrants, 
in  which  they  aver  the  justice  and  right  of 
the  outrageous  murders,  is  perfectly  futile 
and  barbarous;  and  that  their  accusation 
against  us  has  no  foundation  or  truth;  is 
diametrically  opposed  to  Christ  and  his 
word,  nay,  contrary  to  the  principles  of  love 
and  equity.  May  the  Father  of  mercies 
grant  unto  all,  who  suffer  for  his  truth's 
sake,  a  sound  understanding  of  his  word 
and  truth,  and  a  freedom  of  mind  in  all 
temptations.  Amen. 

We  will  now,  by  the  grace  of  God,  show, 
in  a  few  words,  how  greatly  it  serves  for  our 
good,  that  our  flesh  is  afilicted  and  tempted 
with  many  crosses  and  tribulations  here 
xipon  earth. 

Beloved  brethi-en,  when  we  consider  the 
weakness  of  our  sinful  nature,  and  how 
prone  we  all  are  to  evil  from  our  youth; 
that  in  oui-  flesh  dwelleth  no  good  thing,  and 
that  we  have  drank  iniquity  and  ungodli- 
ness like  water,  as  Eliphas,  the  Temanite, 
said  to  Job.  And  have,  at  all  times,  al- 
though we  seek  and  fear  God,  an  affection 
for  the  things  of  time  and  sense.  The  gra- 
cious God  and  Father,  who,  through  his 
eternal  love,  is  always  greatly  concerned  for 
his  children,  has  prepared,  and  left  in  his 
house,  an  excellent  remedy  therefor,  name- 
ly, the  oppressive  cross  of  Christ;  so  that 
we,  who  in  unbounded  mercy  are  received, 
through  Christ  Jesus,  to  the  glory  of  the 
Father,  believing  in  pureness  of  heart  on 
Christ  Jesus,  and  love  him  in  our  weakness, 
may,  through  the  aforesaid  cross,  that  is, 
through  much  affliction,  oppression,  anxiety, 
apprehension,  bonds,  robbery  &c.,  forsake 
all  the  transitory  delights  and  enjoyments 
of  earth,  die  unto  the  world  and  the  flesh, 


206 


THE  CROSS  OF  CHRIST. 


love  God  alone,  set  oiir  affection  on  things  ! 
above,  where  Chiist  sittetli  on  the  right  hand  , 
of  God,  as  Peter  also  says,  "Forasmnch, 
then  as  Christ  hath  suffered  for  ns  in  tliellesh, 
arm  y  om-selves  likewise  with  the  same  mind ; 
for  he  that  hath  suffered  in  the  fiesh,  hath 
ceased  from  sin;  that  he  no  longer  should 
live  the  rest  of  his  time  in  the  flesh,  to  the 
lusts  of  men,  but  to  the  will  of  God,"  1  Pet. 
4:  1,  2. 

It  appears  to  me  utterly  impossible,  be- 
loved brethren,  that  they,  who  voluntarily 
submit  to  the  word  and  will  of  God;  who 
are  willing  and  prepared  to  support  the 
word  in  all  things,  on  which  account  they 
are  constaiiJtly  persecuted,  afflicted,  slander- 
ed, imprisoned,  robbed  and  put  to  death, 
should  tui-n  again  and  set  their  affection 
upon  carnal  pleasures,  and  the  vain  and 
sinful  desires  of  the  world.  For,  of  what 
value  are  money  and  possessions  to  us,  if 
we  but  believe,  that  we  have  in  heaven  a 
better  treasui'e ;  that  temporal  riches  can 
neither  render  us  happy,  nor  afford  us  re- 
lief, and  that  we  know  not  how  soon  they 
may  be  taken  from  xis  by  robbers?  Or,  why 
should  we  gratify  the  lusts  of  the  flesh,  when 
we  look  for,  and  expect  nothing  else  every 
instant,  than  to  be  apprehended  by  tlie  offi- 
cers, and  be  treated  by  the  executioners  aft- 
er this  manner;  be  racked,  tortured,  drown- 
ed, burned  and  assaosinated?  Moreover, how 
can  the  world  afford  us  any  enjoyment, 
seeing  we  are  looked  upon  by  the  whole 
world  as  deceivers,  heretics,  scorners  and 
fools? 

Forasmuch  as  eternal  Wisdom  recognizes 
an  exti-eme  weakness,   and  since  earthly 
ease,  peace,  and  prosperity  have  so  great  a 
tendency  to  ruin  and  undo  us  before  our 
God,  and  to  render  ns  careless,  refractory,  j 
lukewarm  and  drowsy,  he  has  appointed  ' 
his  cross  as  an  awakening  rod  for  the  use  of 
all  his  followers,  by  which,  as  a  faithful 
Father,  he  restrains,  awakes  and  excites 
the  children  of  his  love;  as  Solomon  says,  ! 
"My  son,  despise  not  the  chastening  of  the  ' 
Lord;  neither  be  weary  of  his  correction;  '< 
for  whom  the  Lord  loveth  he  correcteth  even 
as  a  father  the  son  in  whom  lie  delighteth," 
Prov.  3  :  11,  12.     "If  ye  endure  chastening, 
God  dealeth  with  you  as  with  sons;  For  j 
what  son  is  he  whom  the  father  chasteneth 


not.  But  if  ye  be  without  chastisement, 
whereof  all  are  partakers,  then  ye  are  bas- 
tards, and  not  sons.  Furthermore,  we  liaA'e 
had  fathers  of  our  flesh  which  corrected  us, 
and  we  gave  them  reverence;  Shall  we  not 
much  rather  be  in  subjection  unto  the  Fath- 
er of  spirits,  and  live?  For  they  verily  for 
a  few  days  chastened  us  after  their  own 
pleasure ;  but  he,  for  our  profit,  that  we 
might  be  partakers  of  his  holiness,"  Heb. 
12:7,10. 

Behold,  brethren,  these  words  of  the  apos- 
tle are,  beyond  measure,  gracious,  and  re- 
plete with  consolation  unto  all  those  who 
have  to  bear  the  cross  of  Christ;  for  as  a 
well-disposed  and  faithful  earthly  father 
who  loves  his  children,  desiring  to  teach 
and  instruct  them  that  which  is  best,  does 
sometimes,  out  of  pure  paternal  love,  sharp- 
ly admonish,  chasten  and  punish  them  with 
stripes,  for  the  good  of  his  dear  childi-en, 
not  regarding  the  pain  inflicted  in  the  flesh, 
in  order  that  they  may  not  disregard  their 
father's  will,  command  and  voice,  but  that 
they  may  gladly  obey  it  and  learn  and 
practice  modesty,  piety  and  obedience;  so 
does  our  heavenly  Father  ofttimes  chasten 
his  elect  children  with  his  paternal  rod,  that 
they  may  hear  and  obey  him  in  his  holy 
word,  will  and  commandment ;  practice  piety 
and  every  moral  virtue;  fear  God  with  sin- 
cerity of  heart;  unite  not,  nor  familiarize 
themselves  with  the  world ;  live  no  longer 
unto  flesh  and  blood;  and  hereby,  as  obedi- 
ent and  chastened  children  of  God,  be  final- 
ly made  partakers  of  the  promised  kingdom 
and  inheritance. 

But  if  they  refuse  the  rod  of  chastisement, 
reject  the  cross  of  Christ,  and  become,  in 
consequence  of  their  Father's  kind  chasten- 
ing, the  longer,  the  more  abandoned  and  re- 
fractory ;  despise  their  Father's  will  and 
word;  deal  and  act  according  to  their  own 
inclination,  then  they  must  at  last  be  cast 
off  and  be  considered  as  infamous  bastards, 
and  not  as  legitimate  children. 

Therefore,  holy  brethren,  refuse  not  the 
rod  and  correction  of  your  kind  Father,  for 
its  tendency  is  extremely  beneficial,  namely, 
that  you  lay  aside  every  weight  and  the  sins 
which  so  easily  beset  you,  and  in  all  things, 
without  exception,  fear,  love,  and  obey 
your  Father.    Thus,  is  this  rod  of  the  cross 


THE  CEOSS  OF  CHRIST. 


2(n 


of  Christ  pure  love  and  benevolence,  and  not ', 
indignation  and  uTath;  as  may  be  perceiv- 
ed and  evinced  by  tlie  Spirit  of  God,  and  : 
not  by  the  dictates  of  the  flesh.  I 

For  a  similar  reason  did  God  ofttimes  i 
permit  his  people,  Israel,  to  be  chastised  by  [ 
the  Philistines,  Assyrians,  Chaldeans,  &c., 
when  they  forgot  and  rebelled  against  their 
God,  in  order  that  by  snch  scourges  and 
*)unishments,  they  might  again  seek  then-  j 
God,  hear  his  law,  cease  from  evil,  and  act 
uprightly  in  all  things.    Notwithstanding, 
the  paternal  punishment  was  for  tlie  most 
part  lost  upon  Israel,  as  the  Prophet  says. 
He  hath   often  reproved,  but  what  did  it 
avail?    The  rod  amendeth  not  the  wicked 
children,  saith  tlie  Lord  God. 

"Behold,  famine  and  plague,  tribulation 
and  anguish,  are  sent  as  scourges  for  amend- 
ment. But  for  all  these  things  they  shall 
not  turn  from  their  wickedness,  nor  be  al- 
ways mindful  of  thy  scoiu'ges,"  2Esdras  16: 
19,  20. 

Again,  "Thou  hast  stricken  them,  but 
they  have  not  grieved ;  thou  hast  consumed 
them,  but  they  have  refused  to  receive  cor- 
rection; they  have  made  their  faces  harder 
than  a  rock;  they  have  refused  to  return," 
Jer.  5:  3. 

The  above  cited  words  of  theprophet  show 
plainly  why  the  Israelites  were  so  often  pun- 
ished and  stricken  of  the  Lord,  namely,  that 
they  might  turn  themselves  from  iniquity. 
Yet  all  in  vain,  as  the  prophets  lament  and 
declare  in  the  above  words. 

Beloved  brethren,  let  this  serve  yoir  as  an 
admonition,  that  you.  be  not  like  circum- 
stanced with  disobedient  and  hard-hearted 
Israel,  but  that  you  vv'illingly  submit  your- 
selves to  the  chastening  of  your  merciful  Fath- 
er, reflecting  upon  that  which  is  written, 
"When  we  are  judged,  we  are  chastened  of  I 
the  Lord,  that  we  should  not  be  condemned  i 
with  the  world,"  1  Cor.  11:  32. 

Therefore,  dearly  beloved  brethren  and  , 
sisters  in  the  Lord,  reject  not  the  chastening  ! 
and  instruction  of  your  atfectionate  Father, 
but  receive,  with  abundant  joy,  the  exhorta- 
tion of  his  sincere  affection,  giving  thanks, 
that  through  his  paternal  favor  he  has  chosen 
you  in  Christ  Jesus,  as  the  children  of  his 
love,  taught  and  called  you  by  the  word  of  j 
his  power,  enlightened  you  witli  the  Holy  | 


Spirit,  that  through  the  salutary  influence 
of  the  cross  of  Christ,  you  may  restore  to 
health  your  poor,  weak,  mortal  flesh,  which 
is  subject  to  so  many  loathsome,  infectious 
diseases  of  concupiscence,  and  wean  it  en- 
tirely from  the  pleasures  and  enjoyments  of 
the  world;  that  you  may  be  made  partakers 
of  the  cross  of  Christ,  and  rendered  con- 
formable unto  his  death,  and,  by  this  means, 
attain  unto  the  resurrection  of  the  dead;  as 
Paul,  in  a  cetain  place  instructs,  saying, 
"We  are  troubled  on  every  side,  yet  not 
distressed ;  we  are  perplexed,  but  not  in 
despair;  persecuted,  but  not  forsaken;  cast 
down,  but  not  destroyed;  always  bearing 
about  in  the  body  the  dying  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  that  the  life  also  of  Jesus  might  be 
made  manifest  in  our  body,"  2  Cor.  4:  8, 10. 
But  we  who  live,  surrender  ourselves  daily 
unto  death  for  Jesus'  sake,  that  the  life  also 
of  Jesus  might  be  made  manifest  in  our 
mortal  flesh. 

Behold,  for  this  reason,  he  teaches,  ad- 
monishes, rebukes,  threatens  and  chastises 
that  we  should  deny  ungodliness  and  world- 
ly lusts;  die  entirely  unto  the  world,  flesh 
and  the  devil;  seek  our  treasure,  portion 
and  inheritance  in  heaven,  alone  Love  and 
believe  the  true,  living  and  eternal  God, 
looking  in  patience  for  that  blessed  hope, 
and  the  glorious  appearing  of  our  Lord  and 
Savior  Jesus  Christ,  who  gave  himself  for 
us,  that  he  might  redeem  us  from  all  iniqui- 
ty, and  purify  imto  himself  a  peculiar  peo- 
ple, serving  him  in  righteousness  and  god- 
liness all  the  days  of  our  life. 

And  for  the  same  reason  James  saj's, 
"  My  brethren,  count  it  all  joy  when  ye  fall 
into  divers  temptations ;  knowing  this,  that 
the  trying  of  your  faith  worketh  patienc^'. 
But  let  patience  have  her  perfect  work,  that 
ye  may  be  perfect  and  entire,  wanting  noth- 
ing," James  1:  2,  4,  for  as  gold,  in  passing 
through  the  fire,  is  severed  from  the  dross 
and  becomes  more  and  more  refined,  so  tlie 
susceptible  man  of  God  is  subdued,  purified, 
and  refined,  in  the  fiery  furnace  of  affliction, 
that  he  may  enhance  the  everlasting  praise 
and  glory  of  Christ  and  the  Father,  and  may 
out  of  a  pure  heart,  without  hinderauce,  fear, 
love,  honor,  thank,  and  serve  the  same  eter- 
nal God. 

And  this  is  the  word  that  is  written  in  the 


208 


THE  CROSS  OF  CHRIST. 


book  of  Wisdom,  namely,  "Having  been 
a  little  chastised,  they  shall  be  greatly  re- 
warded; for  God  proved  them,  and  found 
them  worthy  for  himself.  As  gold  in  the 
furnace  hath  he  tried  them,  and  received 
them  as  bui-nt  offering.  And  in  the  time  of 
theii-  visitation,  they  shall  shine,  and  ran 
to  and  fi'o  like  sparks  among  the  stubble. 
They  shall  judge  the  nations,  and  have  do- 
minion over  the  people,  and  their  Lord  shall 
reign  forever,"  Wis.  3:  5,  8. 

Beloved  brethi-en,  be  you,  therefore,  full 
of  consolation  in  the  Lord,  and  bear  wil- 
lingly your  tribulation  as  pious  soldiers  of 
Christ,  that  you  may  please  him  who  hath 
called  and  chosen  you  as  soldiers.  Paul 
says,  "If  a  man  also  strives  for  masteries, 
yet  is  he  not  crowned,  except  he  strive  law- 
fully." Conduct  yourselves,  therefore,  val- 
iantly in  the  strife,  and  you  shall  gain  favor 
in  the  eyes  of  your  King;  but  if  you  become 
intimidated,  throw  down  your  arms,  and 
forsake  the  combat,  you  shall  receive  no 
crown;  for  Christ  says,  "He  that  endureth 
to  the  end,  shall  be  saved." 

I  fear  that  some  may  be  found  among  our 
young  and  inexperienced  brethren,  who  suf- 
fer themselves  to  be  perplexed  by  the  fleet- 
ing thought.  Wherefore  doth  the  way  of 
the  wicked  prosper  ?  And  why  do  the  right- 
eous suffer  much  tribulation?  Yea,  it  ap- 
pears in  the  eyes  of  the  imprudent  as  if  the 
ungodly  were  born  to  prosper;  for  they 
gi'ow  and  increase  like  a  blossoming  branch. 
They  marry  and  are  given  in  marriage;  they 
sow,  plant,  and  gather  the  grain  into  barns ; 
they  hoard  money  in  their  chests;  their 
dwellings  are  magnificent  and  filled  with 
costly  things ;  they  deck  themselves  with 
gold  and  silver,  with  silk  and  velvet;  they 
nourish  their  hearts  as  in  a  day  of  slaughter; 
their  fields  and  meadows  flourish  luxuriant- 
ly; their  cattle  are  healthy  and  prolific; 
their  children  are  merry,  gay  and  vigorous 
in  their  sight;  they  play  upon  the  organ, 
the  tambour,  the  viol  and  the  lute;  they 
sing  and  leap  for  joy,  and  say  to  their  souls. 
Rejoice,  and  be  gay  while  life  endures. 

Their  preachers  confirm  and  console  them, 
and  their  worship  is  a  pleasure  exceeding 
all  pleasures.  In  short,  it  woirld  appear  as 
if  they  were  loved  and  blessed  of  God  with 
a  peculiar  love,  and  that  the  righteous  are 


accursed  and  hated  of  God  with  a  peculiar 
hatred;  for  they  are  like  a  slender  shnib  in 
a  barren  soil;  like  a  poor  affrighted  owl 
that  is  persecuted  by  all  other  birds;  like  a 
pelican  of  the  wilderness;  and  as  a  sparrow 
alone  under  the  housetop,  Ps.  102.  AH  who 
look  upon  them,  mock  them;  all  who  know 
them,  despise  them.  There  is  no  kingdom, 
principality,  city,  nor  coimtry,  large  enough 
to  endm-e  and  tolerate  a  poor,  rejected  Cluis- 
tian.  All  who  abuse,  slander,  and  injure 
them,  think  they  do  God  service. 

Brethren,  were  we  to  speak,  or  judge  after 
the  manner  of  men,  we  would  doubtless  com- 
plain with  holy  Jeremiah,  Jer.  12:  1,  and 
say,  "Righteous  art  thou,  O  Lord,  when  I 
plead  with  thee;  yet,  let  me  talk  with  thee 
of  thy  judgments.  Wherefore  doth  the  way 
of  the  wicked  prosper?  Wherefore  are  all 
they  happy  that  deal  very  treacherously  ? " 
Again,  "Wherefore  lookest  thou  upon  them 
that  deal  treacherously,  and  boldest  thy 
tongue  when  the  wicked  devoureth  the  man 
that  is  more  righteous  than  he  ? "  Hab.  1 :  13, 
and  Esdi-as,  Ai'e  they  of  Babylon  better 
than  they  of  Sion?  Asaph's  feet  were  al- 
most gone,  his  steps  had  well  nigh  slipped, 
when  he  saw  the  iu'0S]3erity  of  the  wicked, 
and  observed  the  opposition  and  tribulation 
of  the  righteous,  Ps.  73. 

I  counsel  and  admonish  all  who  have  to 
contend  with  such  thoughts,  that  they  direct 
their  hearts  and  eyes  unto  the  word  of  tlie 
Lord,  and  observe  with  attention  that  whicli 
is  wi-itten  concerning  the  end  and  issue  of 
both,  and  first  of  the  ungodly.  Job  sa3^s 
21:  13,  "They  spend  their  days  in  wealth, 
and  in  a  moment  go  down  to  the  grave." 
Again,  "Fret  not  thyself,"  says  David,  Ps. 
37:  1,  2,  "because  of  evil  doers,  neither  be 
thou  envious  against  the  workers  of  iniquity ; 
for  they  shall  soon  be  cut  down  like  the 
grass,  and  wither  as  the  green  herb."  Again, 
"If  ye  live  after  the  flesh,"  says  Paul,  "ye 
shall  die;"  "To  be  carnally  minded  is 
death,"  and  many  similar  passages. 

But  respecting  the  end  of  tlie  righteous,  it 
is  voitten,  "The  souls  of  the  righteous  are 
in  the  hand  of  God,  and  there  shall  no  tor- 
ment touch  them.  In  the  sight  of  the  unwise 
they  seemed  to  die,  and  their  departure  is 
taken  for  mis&ry,  and  their  going  from  us 
to  be  utter  destruction ;    but  they  are  in 


THE  CROSS  OP  CHRIST. 


209 


peace,"  Wis.  3: 1 — 3.  "Many  are  the  afflic- 
tions of  tlie  righteous,  but  the  Lord  deliver- 
eth  him  out  of  them  all,"  Ps.  34:  19.  Again, 
"Blessed  are  ye  when  men  shall  revile  you, 
and  persecute  you,  and  shall  say  all  man- 
ner of  evil  against  you  falsely,  for  my  sake. 
Rejoice,  and  be  exceeding  glad;  for  great  is 
your  reward  in  heaven,"  Matt.  5:  11,  12. 
Again,  "Seeing  it  is  a  righteous  thing  with 
God,  to  recompense  tribulation  to  them  that 
trouble  you ;  and  to  you  who  are  troubled, 
rest  with  us,  when  the  Lord  Jesus  shall  be 
revealed  from  heaven  with  his  mighty  an- 
gels in  iiaming  fire,  taking  vengeance  on 
them  that  know  not  God,  and  that  obey  not 
the  Gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  who 
shall  be  punished  with  everlasting  destruc- 
tion from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  and  from 
the  glory  of  his  power,  when  he  shall  come 
to  be  glorified  in  his  saints,  and  to  be  ad- 
mired in  all  them  that  believe,"  2  Thes.  1: 
6 — 10;  yea,  all  who  truly  read,  believe,  and 
understand  the  Scriptures,  and  have  a  cor- 
rect perception  of  the  vast  dissimilarity  in 
end  and  issue  of  both,  will  not  envy  them 
their  short-lived  prosperity,  joy,  and  felicity, 
but  will,  by  the  grace  of  God,  be  prepared 
for,  and  find  consolation  in  their  own  cross, 
tribulation  and  affliction. 

Moreover,  brethren,  we  are  well  aware 
that  the  cross  appears  to  the  flesh  as  griev- 
ous, harsh,  and  severe,  and  is  not,  in  this 
life,  looked  upon  as  productive  of  joy,  but 
much  rather  of  sorrow;  yet,  since  it  con- 
tains within  itself,  a  source  of  profit  and 
delight,  in  that  it  adds  to  the  piety  of  the 
pious,  separates  them  from  the  world  and 
the  flesh,  makes  them  revere  God  and  his 
word,  as  mentioned  above;  and  that  it  is 
also  the  Father's  holy  will  that  by  it  the 
sincere  be  approved,  and  the  pretender  ex- 
posed in  his  hypocrisy;  therefore,  all  the 
true  children  of  God  are  prepared  through 
love,  to  do  the  will  of  the  Father,  rejoicing 
in  it;  as  Paul  says.  Gal.  6:  14,  "God  forbid 
that  I  should  glory,  save  in  the  cross  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  whom  the  world  is 
crucified  unto  me,  and  I  unto  the  world." 
Again,  The  apostles  "departed  from  the 
presence  of  the  council,  rejoicing  that  they 
were  counted  worthy  to  suffer  shame  for  his 
name,"  Acts  5:  41. 

For,  inasmuch  as  w«  well  know  that  the 
27 


cross  is  a  sting  and  vexation  to  our  poor, 
weak  flesh,  as  we  may  also  find  in  the  case 
of  Job,  Jeremiah,  Elijah,  and  others;  yea  Je- 
sus Christ  himself,  earnestly  desired,  that  if 
it  were  possible,  the  cup  might  be  removed 
from  him,  nay,  in  excess  of  agony  he  trem- 
bled, quaked,  and  sweat  as  it  were  great 
drops  of  blood,  so  that  an  angel  appeared 
unto  him  from  heaven  strengthening  him, 
therefore  our  best  counsel  is,  that  in  faith 
and  humility  of  heart,  we  fly  for  refuge  to 
our  God,  as  all  sincere  bearers  of  the  cross 
have  done  from  the  beginning,  and  seek,  in 
full  confidence,  his  grace,  aid,  assistance 
and  consolation ;  For  whom  does  he  forsake, 
that  trusts  in  him  ?   And  who  hath  called 
upon  him,  that  he  did  not  hear  ?  He  is  our 
God  and  Father,  our  Lord  and  King,  our 
helper  and  protector,  our  strength  and  for- 
tress, our  consolation  and  refuge  in  the 
time  of  need;  he  is  the  horn  of  our  salva- 
tion and  our  shadow  at  noonday.    By  my 
God,  says  David,  have  I  leaped  over  a  wall. 
If  God  is  for  us  who  can  be  against  us?  We 
can    do    all    things    through    Christ,  who 
strengthens  us.     To  him  commit  thy  cause; 
he  worketh  in  his  saints  that  which  is  pleas- 
ing in  his  sight.    Some  he  has  rescued  from 
the  hands  of  tyrants,  some  he  has  preserved 
in  the  midst  of  fire;  for  others  he  has  stop- 
ped the  mouths  of  fierce  and  ravening  lions; 
he  has  released  some  from  prison  and  con- 
finement, others  have  trampled  the  fear  of 
death  under  their  feet,   and  tlirough  the 
strength  of  their  faith,  have  triumphantly 
and  victoriously  conquered  hunger,  thirst, 
shame,  derision,  nakedness,  stripes,  impris- 
onment, anguish,  and,  in  addition,  the  gal- 
lows, rack,  massacre,  torture,  water,  fire, 
life,  death,  &c. ;  for  they  were  actuated  by 
the  constraining,  effective  influence  of  divine 
love,  which  converts  the  bitter  into  sweet, 
and  the  horrible  into  that  which  is  gi*eatly 
to  be  desired.     "Love,"  says  Solomon,  "is 
strong  as    death;"    many  waters    cannot 
quench  love,  neither  can  the  floods  drown 
it;   all  who  possess  it,  ought  to  say  with 
Paul,  "Who  shall  separate  us  from  the  love 
of  God?   Shall  tribulation,  or  distress,  or 
persecution,  or  famine,  or  nakedness,  or 
peril,  or  sword?  As  it  is  written.  For  thy 
sake  we  are  killed  all  the  day  long;  we  are 
accounted  as  eheep  for  the  slaughter.  Nay, 


31Q 


THE  CROSS  OF  CHRIST. 


in  all  tliese  things  we  are  more  than  con- ' 
qnerors  thi'Oiigh  him  that  loved  us;  for  I 
am  persixaded,  that  neither  death,  nor  life,  ' 
&c.,  shall  be  ahle  to  separate  ns  from  the 
love  of  God,  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  oiu'  | 
Lord,"  Rom.  8:  35—39.  | 

Therefore,  beloved  brethren,  bearers  of  i 
the  cross  of  the  Lord,  acknowledge  your 
God;  fear,  love,  believe,  confide,  and  serve 
him,  and  that  in  the  fullness  of  pureness  of  i 
heart,  according  to  the  example  of  all  saints,  I 
and  of  Christ  Jesus,  and  the  Father  of  mer- ' 
cies  and  of  truth,  in  the  excellency  of  his 
love,  will  not  forsake  you,*  but  will  care  for  | 
you  as  the  apple  of  his  eye,  will  faitlAilly 
support  you,  in  every  misfortime  and  ex- 
tremity, will  extend  his  hand,  and  guard  [ 
and  preserve  you,  in  life  or  in  death,  as  is 
pleasing  in  his  sight,  to  the  enhancement  of ; 
his  glory,  and  to  the  salvation  of  your^own  j 
souls,  for  he  is  so  kind  and  faithful,  that  he 
will  not  suffer  you  to  be  tempted  above  that ' 
you   are   able  to   endure,  but  will  in  his 
boundless  mercj^  graciously  make  a  Vv^ay 
for  you  to  escape,  if  you  only  remain  stead- 
fast in  the  belief  of  his  word,  and  consider 
him  as  your  faithful  Father. 

Dear  brethren,  if  in  your  trials  and  temp- 
tations, you  exhibit  such  evidence  as  here 
related;  drinking  with  patience  the  cup  of 
the  Lord;  bearing  witness  of  Christ  Jesus 
and  his  holy,  inestimable  word,  in  action, 
and  conversation;  suffering  yourselves,  in 
perfect  constancy,  to  be  led  as  meek  lambs 
to  the  slaughter,  for  his  testimony's  sake; 
then  will  the  name  of  the  Lord  be  sanctified, 
and  exalted  with  praise  and  abundant 
glory;  the  hope  of  the  righteous  shall  be 
revealed;  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  sjaread 
abroad;  the  word  of  God  acknowledged; 
and  your  poor,  weak  brethren  and  compan- 
ions in  the  Lord,  edified  and  confirmed  by 
this  your  plain  dealing. 

Yea,  my  brethren,  in  the  manner  here  re- 
lated, we  are  informed  and  instructed,  even 
unto  this  day,  by  the  ofiering  and  blood  of 
Abel;  by  the  faith  and  obedience  of  Abra- 
ham, Isaac,  and  Jacob ;  the  chastity  of  Jo- 
seph; the  patience  of  Job  and  Tobit;  the 
excellent  and  manly  confession  of  Eleazer; 
the  mother  and  her  seven  sons;  the  candor, 
constancy,  and  piety  of  all  the  j)ious  be- 


fore us;  the  pure,  unspotted  love,  humility, 
peace,  righteousness,  and  voluntary  offering 
of  Jesus  Chi'ist,  that  according  to  the  prom- 
ise of  God,  he  was  sent  from  heaven,  in 
everlasting  love,  by  God  our  heavenly  Fath- 
er, and  descended  upon  earth  as  an  iixfalli- 
ble  teacher,  and  as  an  eternal  example  of 
aU  good. 

My  dearly  beloved  bretkren  and  sisters  in 
Christ  Jesus,  dispersed  abroad  in  every 
land,  for  whom,  out  of  pure,  christian  love 
and  duty,  I  have  composed  and  written  this 
exhortation;  I  will  now  draw  to  a  conclu- 
sion, and  I  entreat  you,  in  all  humility, 
that  you  consider  well,  in  the  first  place,  the 
nature  of  the  peopile  who  so  malevolently 
persecute  you,  spoiling  yoiu:  property,  and 
destroying  your  lives. 

Secondly,  why  they  persecute  and  injure 
you.  Thirdly,  that  all  saints,  as  also  Christ 
Jesus  himself,  have  suffered  and  all  the 
pious  must  suffer  persecution;  as  may  be 
seen.  Fom-thly,  how  futile  all  their  argu- 
ments are,  Avitli  which  they  try  to  excuse 
themselves  of  their  bloodj^  deeds,  accusing 
us,  as  though  they  did  right,  and  we  justlj^ 
merited  every  Idnd  of  punishment  and  dis- 
grace. 

Fifthly,  how  profitable  and  advantageous 
to  us  the  cross  of  Christ  is,  which,  for  the 
sake  of  the  word  of  the  Lord,  we  miist  take 
up  and  bear  daily;  how  we  should  desire 
to  hear,  believe  and  obey  Christ  Jesus.  N"ow, 
if  you  consider  with  discretion,  according 
j  to  the  Scriptures,  and  reflect,  in  piu'ity  of 
I  heart,  upon  these  five  points,  I  have  not  the 
least  doubt  that  this  exercise  will  afford  you 
invincible  strength,  and  an  invulnerable  ar- 
mor and  shield  against  all  tribulation,  per- 
secution and  distress. 

Finally,  I  beseech  and  exhort  you  to  con- 
sider wdtli  earnest  diligence  that  which  is 
promised  to  all  the  conquering  soldiers  of 
Christ  Jesus  in  the  world  to  come,  namely, 
the  eternal,  incorruiJtiblekingdom,  the  crown 
of  glory,  and  the  life  tiiat  will  remain  for- 
ever. Therefore,  O  thou  people  of  God ! 
equip  thyself  and  make  ready  for  battle, 
not  with  external  weapons  and  armor,  as 
the  blood-thirsty  barbarous  world,  but  with 
the  firmness  of  confidence,  the  tranquillity  of 
patience,  and  tlie  vehement  ardor  of  prayer. 


THE  CROSS  OF  CHRIST. 


311 


There  is  no  alternative,  the  combat  of  the 
cross  must  be  maintained,  and  the  wine- 
press of  alliction  must  be  trodden.  O  thou 
bride  and  sister  of  Christ,  prepare  thyself; 
the  thorny  crown  must  pierce  thy  head;  and 
the  nails  transfix  thy  hands  and  feet;  thy 
person  must  be  scourged,  and  thy  face  spit 
upon.  Gird  thyself  round  about,  and  be 
prepared ;  for  thou  must  go  forth  with  thy 
Lord  and  Bridegi'oom  without  the  city, 
bearing  his  reproach.  On  Golgotha  thou 
must  ofier  up  thy  sacrifice.  Awake  and 
pray,  for  thine  enemies  are  more  numerous 
than  the  hairs  of  thy  head,  or  the  sand  of 
the  sea.  Thoxigh  their  hearts,  hands,  feet, 
and  swords  are  exceedingly  red,  and  stain- 
ed with  blood,  be  not  dismayed;  for  God  is 
thy  leader.  Thy  life  on  earth  is  an  inces- 
sant warfare.  Strive  valiantly,  and  thou 
shalt  receive  the  promised  crown. 

"To  him  that  overcometh  will  I  give  to 
eat  of  the  tree  of  life,  which  is  in  the  midst 
of  the  paradise  of  God,"  and  of  the  hidden 
and  heavenly  manna. 

Him  that  overcometh  will  God  make  a 
piUar  in  his  temple,  and  will  wa-ite  upon 
him  his  name  and  the  name  of  the  new  Je- 
rusalem. 

He  that  overcometh  shall  not  be  hru-t  by 
the  second  death.  He  that  overcometh,  the 
same  shall  be  clothed  in  white  raiment;  and 
his  name  shall  not  be  blotted  out  of  the 
book  of  life,  but  Chi-ist  Jesus  will  confess 
his  name  before  Ms  heavenly  Father,  and 
before  his  angels. 

He  that  overcometh  shall  sit  with  Christ 
in  his  throne,  even  as  Christ  overcame,  and 
has  sat  down  with  his  Father  on  his  throne, 
Eev.  3. 

O  thou  soldier  of  God,  prepare  thyself 
and  fear  not !  The  wine-press  thou  must 
tread;  thou  must  go  the  narrow  way,  and 
enter  in  through  the  strait  gate  unto  eternal 
life. 

The  Lord  is  thy  strength,  thy  refuge  and 
consolation;  he  is  with  thee  in  prisons  and 
bonds;  he  flies  with  thee  to  foreign  lands; 
he  is  with  thee  in  fire  and  in  water;  he  -R-ill 
never  leave  thee,  nor  forsake  thee;  yea,  he 
will  come  quickly,  and  his  great  reward 
shall  be  with  him. 

"Blessed  are  they  which  are  persecuted 


for  righteousness'  sake;  for  theirs  is  the 
kingdom  of  heaven." 

Be  not  grieved  that  thou  art  black;  thou 
art  still  comely  and  pleasing  to  the  King. 

As  a  rose,  thou  must  grow  among  thorns, 
and  be  stung  with  the  prickles.  Rej oice  for 
the  King  delighteth  in  thy  comeliness. 

Though  in  his  first  appearance  he  was 
offered  as  an  innocent  Lamb,  and  opened 
not  his  mouth,  yet  the  time  shall  come  when 
he  wiU  appear  in  judgment  as  a  triumph- 
ant Prince  and  a  victorious  King.  Then 
will  our  persecutors  look  upon  him  whom 
they  pierced:  then  will  they  cry  aloud  and 
exclaim.  Ye  mountains  fall  upon  us,  hide  us 
ye  hills.  But  you  shall  leap  and  dance  in 
excessive  joy  like  calves  of  the  stall,  Matt.  4. 
Joy  and  exultation  Avill  never  forsake  yow; 
for  your  King,  Bridegroom  and  Redeemer, 
Christ  Jesus,  wll  remain  with  you  forever. 
"God  shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from  their 
eyes  ;  and  there  shall  be  no  more  death, 
neither  sorrow,  nor  crying,  neither  shall 
there  be  any  more  pain,"  Rev.  21 :  4. 

Praise,  thanksgiving,  and  glory  to  God, 
shall  flow  from  your  mouth  in  an  eternal 
stream.  I  repeat  it.  Strive,  the  crown  of 
glory  is  prepared,  sluink  not,  neither  draw 
back;  "For  yet  a  little  while,  and  he  that 
shall  come,  will  come,  and  will  not  tarry. 
The  just  shall  live  by  faith:  but  if  any  man 
draw  back,  my  soul  shall  have  no  pleasnre 
inMm,"Heb.  10:  37,  38. 

Take  heed  and  watch,  lest  the  fire  of  the 
cross  consume  you  as  wood,  hay  and  stub- 
ble, and  the  rains  and  storms  of  persecution 
overthrow  the  house.  Let  not  the  heat  of 
the  sun  wither  the  cross,  lest  like  the  dog 
you  turn  again  to  that  which  you  have 
ejected.  Let  not  your  garments  and  your 
feet,  which  you  have  washed,  become  un- 
clean, lest  seven  worse  spirits  enter  you,  and 
so  the  last  error  be  worse  than  the  fii-st. 

Therefore,  beloved  brethren  and  sisters  in 
the  Lord,  fear  God  with  all  your  heart,  and 
with  all  your  souls,  and  seek  him  wdth  all 
your  powers.  Watch  night  and  day;  knock 
before  the  throne  of  his  mercy,  that  with 
his  paternal  hand  he  may  support  you  un- 
der every  affliction,  siiccor  you  in  trouble 
and  distress,  and  graciously  preserve  you 
in  his  way,  word  and  truth;  that  you  may 


21S 


THE  CROSS  OF  CHRIST. 


not  dash  your  feet  against  a  stone,  and  so 
failing  in  your  profession  and  your  life,  be 
overcome  and  disgraced;  but  that  you  may 
preserve  the  treasure,  intrusted  to  your  care, 
pure  and  untarnished  against  that  day,  and 
thus  obtain,  vrith  all  saints,  the  promised 


land,  inheritance,  kingdom,  life  and  crown. 
May  the  Father  of  mercies  and  of  love,  grant 
this  unto  you  and  us  through  his  blessed 
Son,  Jesus  Christ,  in  the  power  of  his  eter- 
nal Holy  Spirit,  to  his  praise,  and  everlast- 
ing glory,  Amen. 


PLEASING  MEDITATION 


XSD 


Devout  Contemplation, 


TOGETHEE    WITH 


CHRISTIAN  DOCTRB^ES  FOR  A  TROUBLED  Ai\D  ANXIOUS  CONSCIENCE, 

WHICH  IS  OPPOSED  BY  THE  WORLD,  FLESH,  HELL, 

DEATH  AND  THE  DEVIL. 


ON  THE  TWENTY-FIFTH  PSALM, 

CALLED    i:S    LATIN 

g^d  U  Uvmi  anttimaw  weam, 

EXPLAINED    BY   WAY    OF    SUPPLICATION. 

BY 

MENNO  SIMON. 


'Blessed  are  ye  when  men  shall  revile  you,  and  persecute  you,  and  shall  say  all 
manner  of  e\dl  against  yon,  falsely,  for  my  sake.  Rejoice  and  be  exceeding 
glad,  for  great  is  your  reward  in  heaven ;  for  so  persecuted  they  the  prophet* 
which  were  before  you,"  Matt.  5:11,  12. 

'  In  my  distress  I  cried  unto  the  Lord,  and  he  heard  me.  Deliver  my  soul,  O 
Lord,  from  lying  lips,  and  from  a  deceitful  tongue,"  Psalm  120 :  1,  2. 

'For  other  foundation  can  no  man  lay  than  that  is  laid,  which  is  Jesus  Christ," 
1  Cor.  3:  11. 


ELKHART,  BNDIANA: 

PUBLISHED   BY  JOHN  F.   FUNK  AND  BROTHER. 

18  7  1. 


PREFACE. 


It  is  evident,  dear  reader,  that  I  am  clan- 
destinely, slandered  and  belied  by  the  en- 
Anous;  therefore  have  I,  briefly  and  pray- 
ingly  songht  to  express  the  feelings  of 
my  heart,  gronnds,  spirit,  faith,  doctrine, 
object,  &c.,  after  the  tenor  of  the  twenty 
fourth  psalm  according  to  the  Latin,  and 
the  twenty  fifth,  according  to  the  Hebrew, 
not  in  words  of  Imman  wisdom,  nor  in  great 
logic  and  rhetoric,  bnt  in  a  plain  narration 
as  dictated  by  my  heart,  to  show  the  difler- 
ent  dispositions  of  a  trne  and  of  a  false  \ 
christian,  together  with  all  the  gronnds  and  i 
hope  of  my  faith;  what  I  maintain  concern- ' 
ingClii-ist  Jesus,  his  doctrine,  baptism.  Holy  ; 
Supper,  ordinances,  commands  and  prohi- 
bitions ;  my  disposition  towards  lords,  prin- 
ces and  all  who  are,  as  j^et  in  the  darkness, 
of  unbelief  and  know  not  the  light  of  truth ; 
to  show  that  I  seek,  and  by  the  grace  of 
God  shall  seek  nothing  upon  earth  but  the 
unadidterated  word  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ;  and  this  according  to  Scripture. 

If  I  do  en-  in  some  things,  which  I  hope, 
by  the  grace  of  God,  is  not  the  case,  I  pray 
every  one,  for  the  Lord's  sake,  that  I  may 
not  be  put  to  shame;  if  any  one  has  more 
powerful  writings  and  convincing  truth,  that 
he  through  brotherly  exhortation  and  in- 
struction would  assist  me,  I  desire  with  my 
heart  to  accept  of  it,  if  he  is  right.  Deal 
with  me  as  the  Spirit  and  word  of  Christ 
teach;  if  any  one  can  convince  me  of  an  er- 
ror by  the  Scriptures,  and  if  I  will  not  re- 
nounce it,  but  continue  obstinate  to  the  word 
of  God  and  brotherly  admonition,  then  prac- 
tice upon  me  the  tyranny  of  Nero,  Diocle- 
tian, or  Maxeritius,  as  an  obdurate  and  un- 
godly heretic;  for  this  I  stand  prepared,  al- 
though this  would  be  contrary  to  the  usages 
and  doctrines  of  the  first  church;  for  it  is 
evident,  that  they  persecuted  not  on  account 
of  faith,  much  less  did  they  kill  them,  birt 
the  erring  and  heretical  they  faithfully  ad- 
monished, and  those  who  would  not  return 
were  then  excommunicated. 

Afterwards,  in  the  time  of  Arius,  they  ex- 
iled them.  Ultimately  the  bloody  tyranny 
of  anti-christ  generally  prevailed.    All  had 


to  suflfer  who  did  not  agree  with  the  Pope  in 
his  abominations.  It  is  yet  the  case,  which 
alas!  may  be  plainly  seen  in  many  places. 
Many  who  have  neither  seen  nor  heard 
me,  call  me  a  deceiving  heretic.  This  must 
be  all  endui'ed.  I  am  no  better  than  the 
pious  fathers,  who  had  to  hear  and  sufler; 
nevertheless,  I  feel  disposed  to  give  my  life, 
if  it  would  induce  the  world  rightly  to  un- 
derstand my  seeking,  faith  and  doctrine;  for 
I  assuredly  know  that  I  have  the  word  of 
God.  My  reader,  pei-vert  not  what  I  write. 
I  desire  nothing  else,  before  God,  who  cre- 
ated me,  than  to  deal  plainly,  with  a  living 
voice,  before  every  one,  as  one  willing  to 
be  overcome  by  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  or  to 
overcome ;  for  my  desire  is  that  I  and  many 
with  me  be  saved;  hence,  it  is  unnecessary 
to  use  the  sword  against  me;  If  I  have  not 
the  truth,  I  desire  with  all  my  heart  to  be 
instructed  in  it;  but  if  I  have,  you  then  do 
not  persecute  me,  but  him,  who  is  the  truth, 
Christ  Jesus. 

Again,  I  say,  with  the  Spirit  and  word  of 
Christ,  I  desire  to  overcome,  or  to  be  over- 
come; in  tliis  I  axipeal  to  all  the  world.  But 
it  is  in  vain,  the  truth  they  will  reject,  and 
maintain  and  defend  lies  with  the  sword; 
for  it  is  the  true  disposition  and  manner  of 
anti-christ  to  defame,  slander,  apprehend, 
torture,  burn  and  murder,  contrary  to  the 
Spirit  and  word  of  God.  But  the  Lord  will 
see  and  judge  it. 

I  would,  therefore,  faithfully  admonish 
the  reader,  to  zealously  and  earnestly  strive 
after  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  examine  this 
Psalm  with  assiduity;  every  word  of  it,  with 
a  submissive,  Immble  heart;  I  hope  he  will 
find,  through  the  grace  of  God,  that  it  is  re- 
plete with  consolation  in  persecution,  and 
that  it  clearly  points  out  the  difierence  be- 
tween a  believer  and  an  unbeliever. 

May  God,  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  grant  the  reader  a  zealous,  ardent 
heart,  a  sincere,  active  faith,  unfeigned, 
christian  love,  and  obedience  to  his  holy 
word,  through  Christ  Jesus,  his  beloved  Son 
our  Lord,  to  him  be  everlasting  praise, 
Amen. 


THE  TWEITY-FIFTH  PSALM 

EXPLAINED  BY  WAY  OF  SUPPLICATION. 


Verse  1.  Unto  thee,  O  Lord,  do  I  lift  up  I 
my  soul,  0  my  God,  I  trust  in,  tliee;  let  vie  . 
not  he  asliamed.  O  Lord,  tlioii  that  bearest 
rale,  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  I  call  thee 
Lord,  though  I  am  not  worthy  to  be  called 
thy  servant ;  for  from  my  youth  I  did  not 
serve  thee,  but  thine  enemy,  the  devil;  him 
I  served  diligently;  nevertheless,  I  do  not 
doubt  thy  grace ;  for  I  find  in  the  word  of 
thy  truth  that  thou  art  a  bountiful,  rich 
Lord  to  all  those  who  call  upon  thee.  There- 
fore, I  call  unto  tliee,  O  Lord  hear  me,  hear 
me,  O  Lord!  With  full  confidence  and  as- 
surance, I  lift  up,  not  my  head  or  my  hands 
as  the  hypocrites  do  in  tlie  synagogues,  but 
my  soul.  I  lifted  up  my  heart,  not  to  Abra- 
ham, for  he  never  knew  us,  nor  to  Israel, 
for  lie  never  had  knowledge  of  us,  but  alone 
to  thee,  for  thou  art  our  Lord  and  Father, 
thou  art  oiu'  Redeemer,  this  is  thy  name,  from 
days  of  yore.  Hence  it  is,  dear  Lord,  that 
I  trust  in  thee,  for  I  truly  know  that  thou 
art  a  faithful  God  over  all  who  trust  in  thee. 
If  I  am  in  darkness,  thou  art  my  light;  am 
I  in  prison,  thou  art  Avith  me;  am  I  for- 
saken, thou  art  my  comfort;  am  I  in  death, 
thou  art  my  life ;  if  they  curse  me,  thou  dost 
bless;  if  they  grieve  me,  thou  dost  comfort; 
if  they  will  slay  me,  thou  wilt  raise  me  up ; 
and  if  I  walk  in  the  dark  valley,  thou  wilt 
ever  be  with  me.  It  is  right,  O  Lord,  that 
I  lift  up  my  grieved  and  miserable  soul  to 
thee,  trust  in  thy  promise,  and  am  not 
ashamed. 

2.  Let  not  mine  enemies  triumpTi  over  me; 
yea,  let  none  that  wait  on  tliee  be  ashamed. 
O  Lord  of  hosts.  Lord  of  lords,  my  flesh  is 
weak ;  my  misery  and  necessities  are  great ; 
nevertheless,  I  fear  not  the  sensual  scoffing 
of  my  enemies ;  but  I  fear  greatly,  lest  I 


deny  thy  adorable  and  revered  name,  and 
depart  from  thy  truth,  and  that  they  rejoice 
over  my  weakness  and  the  transgression  of 
thy  will,  and  mock  me  and  say.  Where  is 
thy  God  now?  Where  is  thy  Christ?  And 
that  thy  divine  honor  be  thus  reproached 
through  me.  O  Lord,  preserve  me;  keep 
me,  O  Lord!  for  my  enemies  are  strong  and 
many ;  yea,  more  numerous  than  the  hairs 
of  my  head,  and  the  sjjears  of  grass  in  the 
fields;  my  unclean  flesh  is  never  at  rest; 
satan  encomj)asseth  me  as  a  roaring  iiou, 
that  he  may  devour  me;  the  blood-thirsty, 
revengeful  world  is  determined  upon  my 
life;  they  also  hate,  persecute,  burn  and 
murder  those  who  seek  thy  praise.  Wretch- 
ed man,  I  know  not  whither  to  go,"  misery, 
tribulation,  fear  and  dread  are  on  every 
side;  strife  within,  and  persecution  without. 
I  say  with  king  Jehoshaphat,  If  I  know  not 
whither  to  go,  I  lift  my  eyes  unto  thee,  and 
dejoend  only  on  thy  grace  and  mercy,  as 
Abraham  in  Gerar,  Jacob  in  Mesopotamia, 
Joseph  in  Egypt,  Moses  in  Media,  Israel  in 
the  wilderness,  David  in  the  mountains, 
Hezekiah  in  Jerusalem,  tlie  young  men  in 
the  fiery  fm-nace,  Daniel  in  the  lion's  den; 
yea,  all  the  pious  fathers  trusted  in  thee, 
and  were  not  made  ashamed. 

3.  Let  tliem  be  ashamed  which  transgress 
witliout  cause.  O  Lord,  thou  that  bearest 
rule,  even  as  thy  merciful  grace  is  over  all 
who  fear  thee,  so  also  is  thy  fierce  wrath 
over  all  who  despise  thee;  Avho  walk  after 
their  lusts,  and  dare  to  say  with  all  fools, 
"There  is  no  God;"  we  have  made  a  cove- 
nant with  death,  and  with  hell  an  agree- 
ment; God  knoweth  not  what  we  do;  thick 
clouds  are  a  covering  to  him  that  he  seeth 
not  the  works  of  men;  we  will  eat  and  drink. 


216 


THE  TWENTY-FIFTH  PSALM. 


for  to-morrow  we  die;  for  our  life  is  short 
and  fiill  of  trouble,  and  there  is  no  consola- 
tion when  we  have  gone  hence ;  we  will  live 
in  affluence,  while  we  yet  can  and  use  the 
creatures  as  we  desire;  we  will  oppress  the 
poor,  defraud  the  righteous;  we  will  con- 
demn him  with  the  most  disgraceful  death. 
0,  dear  Lord,  thus  does  the  world  err,  and 
live  every  where  in  the  lusts  of  the  flesh, 
lust  of  the  eyes,  and  in  the  pride  of  life;  it 
is  mere  deceit,  unrighteousness  and  tyran- 
ny, wherever  we  tui'n.  Few  are  they  who 
fear  thy  name.  Paul  says,  "To  be  carnal- 
ly minded  is  death;"  sentence  is  already 
passed;  if  we  live  according  to  the  flesh  we 
must  die,  so  teach  the  Scriptures ;  if  we  do 
not  repent  there  is  nothing  more  certain 
than  fierce  anger.  Therefore,  dear  Lord, 
threaten  thou,  reprove,  admonish  and  teach, 
perhaps  they  may  yet  repent,  know  the 
truth  and  be  saved;  they  are  the  works  of 
thy  hands,  created  after  thine  image,  and 
dearly  bought;  let  them  not  be  confounded 
like  Cain,  Sodom,  Pharaoh  and  Antiochus 
with  all  those  who  have  transgressed  with- 
out a  cause. 

4.  Shew  me  thy  ways,  O  Lord;  teach  me 
thy  paths.  O  Lord  of  hosts,  I  know  through 
the  word  of  thy  grace  that  there  is  but  one 
way  which  leadeth  to  life,  which  is  strait 
and  narrow  for  the  flesh,  beset  with  thorns 
and  dangers  all  around,  and  is  found  by 
few,  and  still  fewer  walk  therein;  it  is  like 
a  treasure  hid  in  a  field  which  none  can  find 
but  he  to  whom  it  is  shown  by  the  Spirit. 
Dear  Lord,  there  is  no  way  but  thou  alone; 
all  who  walk  through  thee  will  find  the  gates 
of  life.  There  is  another  way  which  seems 
very  pleasant  to  the  flesh,  which  appears 
soft,  smooth  and  broad,  strown  with  roses, 
pleasant  and  agreeable  to  the  eye,  but  its 
end  leads  to  death.  On  this  way  the  whole 
world  walks,  unconcerned  and  without  fear, 
and  paefers  things  perishable  to  imperish- 
able, evil  to  good,  and  darkness  to  the  light 
of  the  world.  They  all  walk  on  the  perverse, 
broad  and  crooked  way;  they  become  faint 
in  the  way  of  unrighteousness,  and  know 
not  the  way  of  the  Lord.  It  is  tioie,  the  way 
of  error  seems  right  in  the  eyes  of  fools,  but 
I  know  through  thy  Spirit  and  word  that  it 
is  the  certain  road  to  the  abyss  of  hell. 
Therefore,  I  entreat  thee,  dear  Lord,  bo  mer- 


ciful to  me  a  poor  sinner;  show  me  thy 
path,  and  teach  me  thy  way;  for  thy  way 
is  the  right  way,  godly,  pleasant,  humble, 
chaste,  full  of  peace  and  of  all  good,  and 
will  lead  my  soul  to  eternal  life. 

5.  Lead  me  in  thy  truth  and  teach  me; 
for  thou  art  the  God  of  my  salvation ;  on 
thee  do  I  wait  all  the  day.  O  Lord!  Lord! 
"My  tears,"  says  David,  "have  been  my 
meat  day  and  night."  My  heart  within  me  ' 
quakes,  my  strength  forsakes  me,  and  the 
light  of  my  eyes  is  dim,  and  this  on  account 
of  the  innumerable  dangers  and  snares 
which  beset  my  soul.  I  am  in  constant  fear 
lest  I  be  led  from  the  way  of  truth  by  mis- 
apprehension or  through  the  deceit  of  satan. 

0  Lord,  the  subtlety  of  the  learned  is  great; 
satan  uses  his  wiles  artfully;  some  teach 
but  the  doctrine  and  commandments  of  men 
which  are  fruitless  and  corrupt  trees.  Some 
cry  only  grace,  spirit  and  Christ,  and  daily 
trample  on  thy  grace,  grieve  thy  Holy  Spirit, 
and  crucify  thy  Son  with  their  vain,  carnal 
life,  as  is  evident.  Some  who  had  before 
escaped  Babylon,  Egyi^t  and  Sodom,  and 
taken  upon  them  the  yoke  and  cross  of 
Christ,  are  again  devoured  by  satan,  and 
so  deceived  by  the  false  prophets,  as  if  they 
had  never  known  thy  word  and  will.  Yea, 
seven  spirits,  alas!  worse  than  the  former, 
entered  them,  although  they  cloak  them- 
selves under  thy  word  and  ordinances,  and 
pretend  that  it  was  thy  pleasure,  word  and 
will;  although  thou  never  didst  think  of  it, 
much  less  didst  thou  desire  it;  on  account 
of  which  I  am  much  grieved  and  full  of  sor- 
row of  heart,  well  knowing  that  thy  true 
word  is  no  deceiving  lie,  as  they  teach,  but 
it  is  the  truth  which  thy  infallible  moiith 
taught  here  upon  earth  and  in  this  grievous 
world.  All  who  are  of  the  truth  hear  thy 
voice,  as  the  voice  of  their  only  Shepherd, 
and  the  true  Bridegroom;  bxit  from  the  voice 
of  a  stranger  they  flee,  always  fearing  lest 
they  might  be  deceived.  O  Lord,  remember 
thy  afflicted  and  poor  servant;  thou  art  a 
Searcher  of  all  hearts,  thou  knowest  me  that 

1  seek  nothing  but  thy  will.  Therefore,  dear 
Lord,  direct  me  to  thy  truth,  and  teach  me; 
for  thou  art  the  God  of  my  salvation;  be- 
sides thee  I  acknowledge  none  other ;  thou 
only  art  my  hope,  my  comfort,  shield,  de- 
fense and  fortress  upon  which  I  depend  with 


THE  TWENTY-FIFTH  PSALM. 


217 


confidence,  and  wait  upon  it  in  fear,  misery, 
tribulation  and  need. 

6.  Remember,  O  Lord,  thy  tender  mercies, 
and  thy  lovinr/  kind.nesses,  for  they  have 
been  ever  of  old.  O  Lord  of  liosts,  when  I 
am  buoyed  up  in  the  waters  of  thy  grace,  I 
find  tliat  I  cannot  fathom  or  measure  them, 
for  thy  mercies  are  greater  than  all  thy 
works.  AVho  is  it,  dear  Lord,  that  ever 
came  to  thee  with  a  pious  heart  that  thou 
didst  reject?  Who  ever  sought  thee  and 
found  thee  not  ?  Wlio  did  ever  desire  help 
of  thee  and  did  not  obtain  it?  Who  ever 
prayed  for  thy  grace  and  did  not  receive  it? 
And  wlio  ever  called  upon  thee  that  thou 
didst  not  hear  ?  Yea,  dear  Lord,  how  many 
didst  thou  accept  in  grace,  who,  according 
to  thy  strict  justice,  merited  otherwise.  Adam 
departed  from  thee  and  believed  the  counsel 
of  the  serpent;  he  broke  thy  covenant  and 
was  found  a  child  of  death  before  thee ;  thy 
paternal  kindness  did  not  reject  him,  but 
thou  didst  seek  him  graciously,  thou  didst 
call  and  reprove  him,  and  his  nudity  thou 
didst  cover  with  coats  "of  skin,  and  so  gra- 
ciously comfort  him  with  the  promised 
seed.  Paul,  thy  chosen  vessel,  raved  like 
a  roaring  lion  and  a  devouring  wolf  in  thy 
holy  mountain,  nevertheless,  thy  grace  shone 
around  him  in  his  blindness  and  illumina- 
ted him;  thou  calledst  him  from  heaven,  and 
didst  choose  him  as  an  holy  apostle  and  as 
a  servant  of  tlij^  house.  I  also,  dear  Lord,  the 
greatest  of  all  sinners,  and  the  least  among 
all  the  saints,  am  called  thy  child  or  serv- 
ant, for  I  have  sinned  against  heaven  and 
before  thee;  although  I  did  resist  thy  pre- 
cious word  and  thy  holy  will,  with  all  my 
powers,  before  this  with  open  eyes ;  and 
with  full  understanding  I  disputed,  taught 
and  lived  after  the  ease  of  the  flesh,  and 
sought  my  own  praise  more  than  thy  right- 
eousness, honor,  word  and  truth;  neverthe- 
less, thy  paternal  grace  did  not  forsake  me, 
a  wretched  sinner;  but  received  me  in  love, 
converted  me  to  another  mind,  led  me  with 
thy  right  hand  and  taught  me  by  thy  Holy 
Spirit,  till  I  voluntarily  fought  against  the 
world,  flesh  and  the  devil;  renounced  all 
my  pleasure,  peace,  glory,  lust  and  the  ease 
of  the  flesh,  and  willingly  submitted  to  the 
pressing  cross  of  oiu'  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that 
I  may  inherit  the  promised  kingdom  with 
28 


all  the  valiant  of  God  and  the  disciples  of 
Christ.  Again,  I  say.  Thy  mercies  are  great- 
er than  all  thy  works ;  therefore,  dear  Lord 
\  assist  me,  stand  by  me,  comfort  me,  a  poor 
sinner;  my  soul  is  in  great  distress,  and  the 
dangers  of  hell  surround  me;  help  Lord, 
and  preserve  me,  and  be  not  angry;  remem- 
ber, O  Lord,  thy  great  mercies,  of  which  all 
are  made  partakers  who  have  graciously 
waited  upon  thy  holy  name,  and  remember, 
O  Lord,  thy  tender  mercies,  and  thy  loving 
kindness,  for  they  have  been  of  old. 

7.  Bcmember  not  the  sins  of  my  youth,  nor 
my  transgressions ;  according  to  thy  mercy 
remeviber  thou  me,  for  thy  goodness^  salie,  O 
Lord.  O  Lord,  thou  that  bearest  rule,  "I 
was  shapen  in  iniquity  and  in  sin  did  my 
mother  conceive  me,"  I  am  of  sinful  flesh; 
Adam's  corrupt  seed  has  been  sown  in  my 
heart,  from  whence  so  much  misery  has 
grown  up.  I,  a  miserable  sinner,  did  not 
know  my  infirmities,  so  long  as  they  were 
not  manifested  to  me  by  the  Spirit.  I 
thought  I  was  a  christian;  but  when  I  saw 
rightly,  I  found  myself,  without  thy  word, 
altogether  earthly,  and  carnal ;  my  light 
was  darkness,  my  truth  was  lies,  my  right- 
eousness sin,  my  worship  open  idolatry, 
and  my  life,  certain  death.  O  dear  Lord,  I 
knew  myself  not  till  I  viewed  myself  in  thy 
word;  then  I  learned  to  know,  with  Paul, 
my  blindness,  nakedness,  uncleanness,  de- 
praved nature,  and  that  nothing  good  dwelt 
in  my  flesh.  I  was  full  of  wounds,  and  bruises 
and  putrifying  sores  from  the  sole  of  the 
foot  even  to  the  head.  Ah,  alas!  my  gold 
was  dross;  my  wheat,  chaft";  all  my  services 
were  deceit  and  lies.  I  walked  before  thee 
in  the  flesh;  my  thoughts  were  carnal,  my 
words  and  works  without  the  fear  of  God ; 
my  watching  and  sleeping  were  unclean; 
my  prayer  hypocrisy.  In  short,  I  did  noth- 
ing without  sin.  O  Lord,  remember  not  the 
j  sins  of  my  youth,  so  often  committed  know- 
ingly and  unknowingly,  nor  my  daily  trans- 
;  gressions,  of  which  I  am  guilty  in  my  great 
i  weakness,  but  remember  me  according  to 
I  thy  great  goodness,  I  am  blind,  enlighten 
thou  me;  naked  I  am,  clothe  thou  me;  I  am 
i  wounded,  heal  thou  me;  dead  I  am,  raise 
'  me  up.  I  know  of  no  light,  medicine,  or  life 
I  except  thee;  accept  of  me  graciously,  grant 


218 


THE  TWENTY-FIFTH  PSALM. 


me  thy  mercy,  favor  and  faith,  fullness,  and 
thy  good  will,  O  Lord. 

8.  Qood  and  uprigld  is  the  Lord;  there- 
fore^ imll  he  teach  sinners  in.  the  toay.    O 
Lord  of  hosts,  although  I  have  walked  so 
unrighteously  before  thee  from  my  youth, 
that  I  am  ashamed  to  lift  my  eyes  to  thee 
in  heaven,  nevertheless,  I  appear  at  thy 
throne  of  grace;  for  I  know  that  thou  art 
merciful  and  kind,  and  desirest  not  the  death  ' 
of  the  sinner,  but  that  he  repent  and  live. 
Thou  didst  send  forth  thy  faithful  servant, 
Moses,  who  gave  Israel  the  law  by  the  dis- 
position of  angels,  also  thy  servants  and 
prophets  who  preached  the  way  of  repent- 
ance, and  broke  the  bread  of  life  for  the 
people;  sin  they  reproved  earnestly;  jiro- ' 
claimed  thj"  grace  far  abroad,  and  taiight 
the  truth;  thy  sharp  piercing  word  was  in 
their  mouth,  their  light  shone  as  the  golden 
lights;  they  were  as  flowering  olive  trees, 
as  a  sweet  smell  of  costly  perfumery,  yea,  as 
the  fair  mountain  strown  with  roses  and 
lilies ;  nevertheless,  thej^  did  not  desire  them, 
but  thrust  them  out  furiously,  derided,  per- 
secuted, and  delivered  them  unto  death ;  still 
the  wells  of  thy  mercj'  flowed;  thou  didst 
send  thy  beloved  Son,  the  dear  pledge  of 
thy  grace,  who  preached  thy  word,  fulfilled 
thy  righteousness,  accomplished  thy  will, 
bore  our  sins,  blotted  them  out  with  his 
blood,  and  brought  about  reconciliation; 
conquered  the  devil,  hell,  sin  and  death, 
and  obtained  grace,  mercy,  favor  and  peace 
for  all  who  truly  believe  on  him;  his  com- 
mand is  eternal  life;  he  sent  out  his  mes- 
sengers, ministers  and  apostles  of  jseace, 
who  spread  this  grace  abroad  through  the 
whole  world;  who  shone  as  bright,  burning 
torches  before  all,  that  they  might  lead  me 
and  all  ening  sinners  into  the  true  way.    O 
Lord,  not  unto  me,  but  unto  thee  be  praise 
and  honor;  their  words  I  love,  their  usages 
I  observe;  thy  Son,  Christ  Jesus,  whom  they 
preached  to  me,  I  believe;  I  seek  his  will 
and  way;  thy  abundant,  great  love  I  ac- 
knowledge, not  through  me,  but  through 
thee,  for  thou  art  good,  and  I  am  evil;  thou 
art  true,  and  I  am  deceitful;  thou  art  right- 
eous, and  I  am  unrighteous;   instruct  me, 
dear  Lord,  teach  me  in  the  right  way;  foster 
me  for  I  am  of  thy  pastm*e;  take  me  into 
thy  care,  under  the  shadow  of  thy  wings; 


protect  me,  for  I  am  greatly  tormented ;  I 

am  poor,  wretched,  and  grieved  unto  death. 

9.  TJie  meelc  will  he  guide  in  judgment, 

and.  the  meek  will  he  teach  his  way.  O  Lord, 

\  thou  that  bearest  rule,  thy  divine  grace  has 
shone  around  me,  thy  word  has  taught  me, 
thy  Holy  Spirit  has  influenced  me  till  I  for- 
sook the  course  of  the  ungodly,  the  way  of 

I  sinners,  the  seat  of  scorners.  I  was  ungod- 
ly, and  carried  the  ])anner  of  unrighteous- 
ness for  many  years;  I  was  a  chief  one  in 
all  manner  of  folly;  idle  words,  vanity, 
gambling,  drinking,  eating  to  excess  were 
my  daily  pastime;  the  fear  of  God  was  not 
before  my  eyes;  besides,  I  was  a  lord  and 
a  prince  in  Babel;  every  one  sought  me;  the 

\  world  loved  me  and  had  my  alFections.  I 
had  the  first  place  at  feasts  and  in  syna- 

;  gogues ;  I  had  the  preference  among  all  men ; 

■  I  was  respected  of  the  aged,  and  every  one 

'  revered  me;  when  I  spoke,  they  were  silent; 
when  I  nodded,  they  came ;  when  I  bid  them 

:  depart,  they  went;  what  I  desired,  they  did; 
my  words  prevailed  in  all  things;  the  desire 
of  my  heart  was  gra^ited;  but  as  soon  as  I, 

I  with  Solomon,  saw  that  all  was  vanity,  and 
with  Paul,  esteemed  all  as  nothing,  I  re- 
nounced the  ungodliness  of  this  world, 
sought  thee  and  thy  kingdom  which  will 
abide  in  eternity.  I  have  found  everywhere 
the  counterpart  and  reverse;  before,  I  was 
honored,  now  I  am  dishonored ;  before,  all 
was  love,  now  hatred;  before,  I  had  friends, 
now  they  are  my  enemies ;  before,  I  was  con- 
sidered wise,  now  a  fool;  before,  pious,  now 
wicked;  before,  a  christian,  now  a  heretic; 
yea,  I  have  become  an  abomination  and 
evil-doer  to  all.  O  Lord,,  comfort  me,  pre- 
sen-e  thy  troirbled  servant;  for  I  am  exceed- 
ingly poor  and  wretched,  my  sins  rise  up 
against  me,  the  whole  world  hates  and 
mocks  me;  lords  and  princes  persecute  me, 
the  learned  curse  and  slander  me,  my  dear- 
est friends  forsake  me,  and  those  who  were 
near  to  me,  stand  aloof;  who  will  have  mercy 
on  me  and  receive  me  ?  Miserable  am  I,  dear 
Lord ;  have  mercy  on  me  and  receive  me  with 
honor;  for  there  is  none  that  can  preserve 
me,  but  thou;  therefore,  I  entreat  thee.  Lord, 
vouchsafe  thine  ear  to  supplication;  lead  me 
by  the  right  hand,  lead  me  in  the  right  way 
lest  I  stumble  upon  the  dark  mountains.  I 
see  that  the  children  of  men  do  neither  teach 


THE  TWENTY-FIFTH  PSALM. 


519 


nor  do  rigM;  deceit  and  hypocrisy  are  in 
all  flesh ;  the  deceiving  sects  are  gi'eat  and 
many;  every  one  avers  his  as  if  it  were  built 
upon  a  rock,  jet  they  have  not  thy  truth. 
Therefore,  clear  Lord,  teach  me  thy  truth 
and  cast  me  not  off  from  thy  presence,  for 
I  am  miserable;  I  am  in  the  midst  of  lions 
and  bears,  which  seek  to  destroy  my  soul, 
and  thrust  me  from  the  way  of  truth.  O 
Lord,  strengthen  me,  keep  me  in  thy  way 
for  I  assuredly  know  that  it  is  the  infallible 
ti'uth  and  the  sure  way  of  peace. 

10.  All  tJie  patJis  of  the  Loed  are  mercy 
and  truth  unto  such  as  lieep  his  covenant 
and  his  testimomes.  O  Lord  of  hosts,  they 
all  boast  of  thy  grace  and  favor,  although 
they,  in  all  their  works,  prove  themselves 
children  of  wrath;  they  lie,  cheat,  eat,  drink, 
are  guilty  of  adultery  and  fornication,  they 
covet  and  hoard,  curse  and  swear  without 
bounds,  and  all  this  they  cloak  with  thy 
grace  and  the  blood  of  Christ;  every  one 
sings  lustily ;  the  mercy  of  the  Lord  is 
great ;  Christ  died  for  our  sins ;  our  doings 
are  unjust,  sinful  and  fniitless.  It  is  true, 
dear  Lord,  in  the  true  sense  of  the  word, 
that  they  have  no  lot  in  thee,  their  liojie  is 
vain,  their  labor  is  without  fruit,  and  their 
works,  useless;  yea,  their  hope  is  like  this- 
tle-down before  the  winds;  they  will  have 
no  part  in  thy  kingdom,  for  they  are  still 
impenitent,  and  believe  not  thy  truth.  Alas ! 
they  know  not  that  thy  mercy  is  forever 
over  those  who  fear  thee  and  keej)  thy  cove- 
nant. Thy  goodness,  says  David,  is  extend- 
ed to  the  saints;  thine  eyes  are  upon  the 
righteous,  and  thine  ears  are  open  to  their 
cries ;  but  thy  face  is  against  them  that  do 
evil,  to  cut  oil'  the  remembrance  of  them 
from  the  earth.  I  am  thy  friend  if  I  do 
what  thou  hast  commanded.  It  is  true,  dear 
Lord,  that  Christ  was  given  to  us,  and 
died  for  us,  yet  not  for  such  a  purpose  that 
we  are  to  live  according  to  our  wicked  lusts, 
and  sinful  will,  but  according  to  thy  good 
will,  word  and  command.  Lord,  I  know 
that  thou  art  no  less  righteous  than  good, 
that  thou  hatest  the  evil,  and  lovest  the 
good;  to  the  good  thou  art  kind,  but  to  the 
wicked  thou  wilt  in  due  time  appear  as  a 
righteous  Jiidge.  What  did  the  pure  blood 
of  the  eternal  covenant  demand  of  Cain  and 
Judah,  because  they  despised  thy  grace  and 


excluded  themselves  from  the  merits  of  thy 
Son  ?  AVhat  does  it  profit  Pilate,  Herod,  An- 
nas, and  Caiaphas  to  have  seen  thy  foun- 
tain of  grace,  Jesus  Christ;  nay,  touched 
him,  and  yet  condemned  to  the  accursed 
death  of  the  cross,  the  immaculate  Lamb, 
the  King  of  glory!  But  they  who  keep  thy 
covenant  and  preserve  thy  testimony  like 
Abel,  Enoch,  Noah,  Abraham,  Isaac  and 
Jacob  did,  to  them  thy  ways  are  peace  and 
.joy;  yea,  altogether  mercy,  kindness  and 
truth. 

11.  For  thy  name's  sake,  0  Lord,  pardon, 
mine  'iniquity;  for  it  is  great.  O  Lord, 
Lord!  I  pray  thee  with  holy  David,  rebuke 
me  not  in  thine  anger,  neither  chasten  me  in 
thy  hot  displeasure;  for  my  loins  are  filled 
with  a  loathsome  disease,  and  there  is  no 
soundness  in  my  flesh;  my  sins  have  borne 
me  doA\Ti;  there  is  no  peace  in  my  bones. 
From  the  bottom  of  my  heart  I  humble  my- 
self with  beloved  Daniel.  O  clear  Lord!  O 
thou  great  and  terrible  God!  I  have  sinned, 
and  done  unjustly,  before  thee  I  have  been 
imgodly,  I  wandered  from  thee,  and  walked 
not  in  thy  commands  and  statutes ;  thy  pre- 
ferred grace  I  rejected ;  thy  holy  word  I 
thrust  from  me;  thy  beloved  Son  I  crucified, 
I  grieved  thy  Holy  Spirit,  I  acted  unjustly 
in  all  my  doings.  O  Lord,  the  multitude  of 
my  sins  frighten  me;  there  is  no  evil  but 
what  I  am  guilty  of.  I  was  as  envious  as 
Cain;  jjroud  and  unchaste  as  Sodom;  un- 
merciful as  Pharaoh;  refractory  as  Korah; 
lascivious  as  Simri;  disobedient  as  Saul; 
idolatrous  as  Jeroboam;  hypocritical  as 
Joab;  haughty  as  Nebuchadnezzar;  covet- 
ous as  Balaam;  drunken  as  Nabal;  inso- 
lent as  Sennacherib ;  blasphemous  as  Rabsa- 
ces;  blood-thirsty  as  Herod;  lying  as  Ana- 
nias. Yea,  I  say  with  king  Manasseh, 
That  my  sins  are  more  numerous  than  the 
sands  of  the  sea  shore  and  the  stars  in  the 
heavens;  they  trouble  by  day  and  by  night; 
nothing  goocl  dwells  in  my  flesh.  All  that 
I  seek  is  unrighteousness  and  sin  ;  that 
which  I  would  not  that  I  seek  and  do;  I, 
miserable  man,  know  not  whither  to  go ;  if 
I  go  into  mj^self,  I  find  great  faults,  impure 
desires,  a  vessel  of  sins ;  if  I  go  to  my  neigh- 
bor, he  has  nothing  to  give  me,  so  that 
here  nothing  else  avails,  but  thy  word.  The 
wages  of  sin,  says  Paul,  is  death;  but  thy 


2Sd 


THE  TWENTY-FIFTH  PSALM. 


grace  is  eternal  life.  This  grace  I  seek  and 
desire;  for  this  is  the  only  ointment  which 
can  heal  my  soul;  the  sinful  woman  avail- 
ed herself  of  this,  Luke  7,  as  soon  as  she 
was  sensible  of  her  wants;  David  availed 
himself  of  this  when  he  disgracedBathsheba, 
the  wife  of  Uriah,  and  slew  him;  great  was 
his  distress,  he  saw  his  wickedness  and  said, 
"I  have  sinned  against  the  Lord."  He  de- 
sired balm;  "0  God!"  said  he,  "according 
unto  the  multitude  of  thy  tender  mercies 
blot  out  my  transgressions,  wash  me  thor- 
oughly from  mine  iniqtiity,  and  cleanse  me 
from  my  sin,"  Ps.  51:  1,  2.  In  the  same 
hour  he  heard  the  gracious  word  of  the 
prophet,  "The  Lord  also  hath  put  away 
thy  sin."  His  troubled  heart  was  quieted; 
he  praised  his  name,  proclaimed  his  mercy, 
and  exalted  his  grace  above  all  his  works. 
O  Lord!  O  dear  Lord!  I  a  grieved  sinner, 
have  the  same  disease,  I  desire  the  same 
balm,  and  I  desire  help  from  thee;  I  seek 
only  comfort  with  thee,  O  Lord,  for  thy  holy 
name's  sake.  Help  me,  that  I  may  eternal- 
ly praise  thee.  Wash  me  from  all  my  sins, 
and  be  merciful  to  me  in  all  my  transgi-es- 
sions,  for  they  are  great. 

12.  WJiatvian  is  lie  tliat  fearetli  the  Lord? 
Him,  shall  Tie  teach  in  the  way  that  he  shall 
choose.  O  Lord,  thou  that  bearest  nrle,  thy 
path  is  the  path  of  peace;  blessed  is  he  that 
walketh  therein;  for  we  find  mercy,  love, 
righteousness,  humility,  obedience  and  pa- 
tience in  her  ways.  She  clothes  the  na- 
ked, feeds  the  hungry,  gives  drink  to  the 
thirsty,  entertains  the  needy,  reproves, 
threatens,  comforts  and  admonishes  ;  is 
sober,  honest,  chaste  and  upright  in  all  her 
ways;  none  takes  offense  at  her;  her  goings 
forth  are  to  eternal  life,  but  few  there  are 
that  find  her.  Yea,  I  fear  dear  Lord,  that 
there  are  scarcely  ten  of  a  thousand  that 
find  her,  scarcely  five  who  cherish  liet;  it 
continues  as  it  was  from  the  beginning, 
when  there  were  but  four  upon  earth;  of 
whom  the  Scriptures  testify  that  two  were 
disobedient,  and  a  third  one  slew  his  broth- 
er. There  were  eight  righteous  when  the 
world  was  drowned,  and  one  of  them  mock- 
ed his  father.  In  Sodom  and  Gomorrah, 
with  the  adjacent  countrj^,  there  were  four 
righteous  persons,  one  looked  back  and  was 
changed  into  a  pillar  of  salt.    About  six 


hundred  thousand  valiant  men  left  Egypt, 
of  whom  but  two  entered  the  promised  land; 
not,  dear  Lord,  that  all  were  damned  who 
died  on  the  way,  but  they  did  not,  on  ac- 
count of  their  unbelief,  inherit  the  promised 
Canaan.  Thus  also,  dear  Lord,  is  the  eter- 
nal land  promised  us,  if  we  walk  the  way 
which  thoit  hast  chosen  for  us.  But  now 
they  walk  the  crooked  way  of  death;  and 
even  as  those  did  not  inherit  the  temporal, 
so  will  also  these  not  inherit  the  eternal  Ca- 
naan. O  Lord,  well  may  I  sigh  and  say. 
Where  is  he  who  fears  the  Lord  ?  Where  is 
he,  who  has  understanding?  "Where  is  he, 
who  seeks  God?  "They  are  all  gone  out  of 
the  way,  they  are  together  become  unprofit- 
able; there  is  none  that  doeth  good,  no,  not 
one.  Their  throat  is  an  open  sepulcher; 
with  their  tongues  they  have  used  deceit; 
the  poison  of  asps  is  under  their  lips;  their 
feet  are  swift  to  shed  blood,  destruction  and 
misery  are  in  their  ways,  and  the  way  of 
peace  they  have  not  known ;  there  is  no  fear 
of  God  before  their  eyes,"  Rom.  3:  12 — 18; 
all  that  is  among  them  is  infidelity  and  lies; 
they  despise  and  blaspheme  thy  righteous- 
ness, yet  they  sing  and  speak  much  of  thy 
truth,  and  glory  in  thy  great  name,  al- 
though there  is  not  one  ripe  grape  on  their 
vine,  nor  any  good  fruit  to  be  found  with 
them.  But  those  who  fear  thee,  O  Lord,  de- 
part from  all  iniquity;  For  thy  fear,  says 
Sirach,  dispels  sin,  and  is  the  beginning  of 
wisdom.  Thine  eyes  are  upon  those  who 
fear  thee,  thj^  Holy  Spirit  leads  them,  thy 
gracious  hand  preserves  them;  they  Avill 
not  fear  nor  tremble ;  for  thou  art  their  pro- 
tector and  shelter  against  intense  heat ;  thou 
didst  pardon  their  sins;  rescue  them;  thou 
dost  enlighten  them,  makest  glad  their 
souls,  givest  them  grace,  blessing  and  i^eace. 
He  that  fears  thee,  walks  uprightly  in  all 
his  ways,  for  thou  teachest  him  in  the  way 
that  thou  hast  chosen. 

13.  His  soul  shall  dwell  at  ease;  and  his 
seed  s7tall  inJierit  the  earth.  O  Lord,  thou 
Lord  of  hosts!  those  who  acknowledge  thee 
shall  be  blessed  in  the  paradise  of  their 
God,  upon  Mount  Zion,  in  the  heavenly  Je- 
rusalem, in  the  chm'ch  of  the  living  God,  in 
the  assembly  of  tlie  righteous  whose  names 
are  written  in  heaven.  They  are  released 
from  hell,  sin,  the  devil  and  death,  and 


THE  TWENTY-FIFTH  PSALM. 


221 


they  serve  before  tliee  in  peace  and  joy  of 
heart  through  life.  Tliey  repose  without 
fear,  for  thou  art  their  strength  and  shield. 
They  rest  under  the  shadow  of  thy  wings, 
for  they  are  thine.  They  fear  not,  for  thou 
Avarmest  them  with  the  beams  of  thy  love; 
they  hunger  not,  for  thou  feedest  them  with 
the  bread  of  life ;  they  thirst  not,  for  thou 
givest  them  to  drink  of  the  waters  of  thy 
Holy  Spirit ;  they  want  not,  for  thou  art 
their  treasure  and  their  kingdom.  They 
dwell  in  the  house  of  thy  peace,  in  the  tab- 
ernacles of  righteousness,  and  in  sure  peace. 
They  have  pleasure  in  thy  law,  and  speak 
of  thy  word  day  and  night,  amongst  all  the 
people.  They  wash  their  souls  in  the  clear 
waters  of  thy  truth.  They  view  their  con- 
sciences in  the  clear  mirror  of  thy  wisdom ; 
their  thoughts  are  upright,  their  words  are 
words  of  grace,  seasoned  with  salt.  Their 
works  are  faithful  and  true.  The  light  of 
their  piety  shines  around  them;  what  they 
seek  they  find;  what  they  desire  they  ob- 
tain ;  their  souls  dwell  in  the  fullness  of  thy 
goodness;  the  dew  of  thy  grace  has  be- 
sprinkled them ;  the  soil  of  their  consciences 
bears  wine  and  oil  without  measure,  and  al- 
though they  must  endure,  in  their  tlesh  for 
a  time,  much  misery,  suffering  and  trouble, 
yet  they  know  well  that  the  way  of  the  cross 
is  the  way  of  life.  They  are  not  ashamed 
of  the  way  of  the  cross  and  the  weapons  of 
the  Lord.  They  patiently  go  with  Christ  to 
the  conflict,  and  contend  valiantly,  till  they 
have  reached  the  boundary  of  life,  and  have 
received  the  crown.  Nothing  can  hinder 
them,  since  they  have  become  partakers  of 
thy  Spirit,  and  have  tasted  of  thy  sweetness. 
They  neither  waver  nor  turn  aside;  their 
house  stands  firmly  upon  a  rock;  they  are 
as  the  pillars  of  the  holy  temple;  they  have 
eaten  of  thy  hidden  manna.  O  Lord,  to  thee 
be  praise!  Thy  fear  abides  continually  be- 1 
fore  their  eyes.  They  walk  in  thy  way,  there-  [ 
fore,  shall  their  souls  be  blessed,  and  their  ! 
seed,  if  born  of  the  Holy  Spirit  and  word,  | 
will  enjoy  the  land  of  everlasting  life,  where- 
in thou,  and  thy  chosen  shall  reign  in  end- 
less glor}^ 

14.  Tlie  secret  of  the  Lord  is  mth  tJtem 
tliat  fear  Mm,  and  lie  loill  show  tJiem  his 
covenant.    O  Lord,  Lord,  the  thoughts  of  j 
my  heart  teiTify  me,  and  my  heart  trembles  \ 


within  me;  because,  with  Ezra,  I  perceive 
that  so  many  are  born  in  vain.  AVhat  shall 
I  say,  dear  Lord  ?  Shall  I  say  that  thou  hast 
ordained  the  wicked  to  wickedness,  as  some 
have  said?  Be  that  far  from  me;  I  know,  O 
Lord,  that  thou  art  eternally  good,  and  that 
nothing  Avicked  can  be  found  in  thee.  We 
are  the  works  of  thy  hand,  created  in  Christ 
Jesus  to  good  works,  that  we  should  walk 
therein.  Water,  fire,  life  and  death,  hast 
thou  left  to  our  choice.  Thou  wiliest  not 
the  death  of  the  sinner,  but  that  he  should 
repent  and  live.  Thou  art  the  eternal  light, 
therefore  hatest  thou  all  darkness;  thou  de- 
sirest  not  that  any  should  perish,  but  that 
all  repent,  come  to  the  knowledge  of  thy 
truth,  and  be  happy.  O  dear  Lord,  so 
grievously  have  they  blasphemed  thine  un- 
speakably great  goodness,  eternal  mercy, 
and  almighty  Majesty,  that  they,  O  gra- 
cious God,  Creator  of  all  things,  have  made 
thee  to  be  as  a  cruel  devil,  by  saying  that 
thou  art  the  source  of  all  evil,  thou  who  art 
the  Father  of  days  and  of  lights.  It  is  plain 
that  evil  cannot  floAV  from  good,  light  from 
darkness,  nor  life  from  death;  yet  must  their 
stubborn  hearts  and  carnal  minds  be  attrib- 
uted to  thy  will,  in  order  that  they  may 
continue  upon  the  broad  way,  and  have  a 
cover  for  their  sins;  and  this,  because  they 
do  not  acknowledge  thy  divine  goodness, 
nor  their  own  inbred  wickedness.  0  Lord 
God,  thou  hast  loved  us  with  an  eternal 
love,  thou  hast  chosen  us  before  the  founda- 
tion of  the  world,  that  we  should  be  un- 
blamable, and  holy  before  thee  in  love,  not 
regarding  what  we  find  written  by  the  faith- 
ful Paul  concerning  Esau,  Pharaoh  and  Is-  ■ 
rael;  he  hath  done  all  for  us,  for  the  best,  in 
order  that  we  should  give  the  honor  to  thy 
name,  and  not  to  ourselves.  What  have  we 
miserable  sinners,  of  which  we  may  boast? 
What  have  we  that  we  have  not  received 
from  thee  ?  All  that  we  have  is  of  thy  full- 
ness. For  this,  all  who  know  thy  word 
thank  thee.  O  dear  Lord,  the  mystery  of 
thy  holy  word  is  not  revealed  to  the  rich, 
the  honorable,  or  the  wise,  but  to  the  poor, 
simple  children.  Yea,  Father,  said  Christ, 
such  was  thy  good  pleasure.  Isaiah  says, 
Thou  wilt  look  upon  the  miserable,  and 
those  who  are  of  a  broken  spirit,  and  who 
fear  thy  word.    Therefore,  dear  Lord,  we 


222 


THE  TWEKTY-FIFTH  PSALM. 


miserable  sinners  pray  tliee  to  lead  us  in 
thy  truth;  to  teach  us  thy  mj^steries;  to  en- 
able us  rightly  to  know  the  power  of  thy 
covenant,  that  thou  art  ours,  and  we  are 
thine;  that  covenant  which  thou  hast  made 
with  us  in  Christ,  without  any  merit  on  our 
part.  For  thy  mystery  will  be  found  with 
those  who  fear  thee  and  those  to  whom  thou 
hast  made  known  thy  covenant. 

15.  Mine  eyes  are  ever  toward  tlie  Lord, 
for  lie  sTiall  i)luclx.  my  feet  oxd  of  tlie  net.  O 
Lord!  thou  who  bearestrule!  I  say  with  the 
prophet,  If  thou  shouldst  mark  iniquity, 
who  could  stand  ?  I,  a  miserable,  great  sin- 
ner, have,  with  the  full  lust  of  my  heart, 
turned  to  all  folly,  to  gold,  silver,  pride, 
haughtiness,  to  strange  and  forbidden  flesh. 
I  have  turned  mine  eyes  to  open  idolatry, 
to  wood  and  stone,  and  have  served  them 
many  years,  upon  high  mountains  and  un- 
der green  trees,  as  the  prophet  said.  My 
idolatry  was  according  to  the  number  of  my 
days.  I  have  bowed  my  knee  before  the 
graven  and  molten  images,  and  said,  Save 
me,  for  thou  art  my  God.  I  sought  sight 
from  the  blind,  life  from  the  death,  and  help 
from  those  who  could  not  preserve  them- 
selves froiii  dust,  corruption,  thieves  and 
worms.  Yes,  I  have  said  to  a  weak,  perish- 
able creatm-e,  that  grew  out  of  the  earth, 
was  broken  in  a  mill,  baked  by  the  fire, 
chewed  vnth  my  teeth,  and  consumed  by 
my  stomach,  to  a  mouthful  of  bread:  Thou 
hast  released  me;  as  Israel  said  to  the  gold- 
en calf,  "These  be  thy  gods,  O  Israel,  which 
brought  thee  up  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt," 
Ex.  22:  4.  O  God!  thus  have  I,  a  miserable 
sinner,  courted  the  whore  of  Babylon  for 
many  years,  for  I  supposed  that  she  was 
modest,  honest  and  chaste;  a  queen  of  right- 
eousness, who  was  glorious,  holy  and  ac- 
ceptable before  thine  eyes,  for  I  saw  her 
adorned  with  purple  and  scarlet,  with  gold 
and  precious  stones,  and  pearls,  a  golden 
cup  in  her  hand,  powerful  over  all  kings 
upon  earth.  Therefore,  I  knew  not  that  she 
was  so  very  loathsome  and  polluted ;  that 
there  was  in  such  a  splendid  cup  so  much 
abomination;  that  she  was  such  an  unblush- 
ing, impudent  whore  and  murderess;  that 
deceived  the  world,  persecuted  the  chosen, 
and  di'ank  the  blood  of  the  saints.  But  now 
I  have  seen  her  abominations,  and  I  quake, 


because  I  left  thee,  the  living  Well,  so  long, 
and  comforted  myself  with  useless  pools, 
that  can  give  no  water;  that  I  gave  thy 
honor  to  images  and  other  creatures;  and 
worshipped  the  creature  more  than  the  Cre- 
ator, who  is  blessed  forever.  This  happened, 
in  part,  through  the  deceitfulness  of  my 
eyes,  because  I  was  bewitched  in  my  heart, 
by  the  goodly  appearance  of  the  woman. 
Biit  now,  dear  Lord,  my  eyes  are  constantly 
directed  unto  thee,  till  thou  hearest  me ;  they 
are  directed  to  thy  mercy  seat,  till  I  obtain 
grace  and  mercy  from  thee,  for  thou  alone 
art  he,  who  can  help  me  in  the  time  of  my 
temptation,  and  pluck  my  feet  out  of  the 
net  of  sin. 

16.  Turn  tliee  unto  me,  and  have  mercy 
upon  me;  for  I  am  desolate  and  afflicted.  O 
Lord  of  hosts,  my  sins  and  transgressions  I 
do  not  hide  from  thee,  but  unresei-vedly  ac- 
knowledge that  I  spent  my  former  days  aft- 
er the  will  of  the  heathen,  and  walked  with 
them  in  all  manner  of  ungodly  lusts,  pride, 
wantonness,  in  eating  and  drinking,  and  in 
abominable,  blind  idolatry.  I  did  all  that 
pleased  my  vsdcked  flesh,  I  was  a  child  of 
wrath,  even  as  others;  thy  holy  name  I  held 
in  derision;  thy  word  was  as  a  fable  to  me; 
in  reliance  upon  thy  grace,  I  did  all  manner 
of  evil;  I  was  as  a  white-washed  sepulcher; 
outwardly  in  behavior,  I  was  moral,  chaste 
and  mild,  there  was  none  that  reproved  my 
conduct,  but  inwardly  I  was  full  of  dead 
men's  bones,  stench  and  womis;  my  platter 
was  clean  on  the  outside,  but  within,  was 
full  of  rapine  and  lust.  AVliat  I  did  private- 
ly is  a  scandal  to  mention,  all  my  thoughts 
were  unclean,  vain,  proud,  ambitious  and 
ungodly;  my  heart  was  full  of  disaffection, 
hatred,  envy,  vengeance  and  dislike;  my 
thoughts  were  bent  upon  all  manner  of  wick- 
edness; I  sinned  without  bounds;  I  neither 
feared  God,  devil,  law,  gospel,  heaven  nor 
hell;  there  was  nothing  that  could  deter  me; 
I  neither  regarded  thee  nor  thy  word;  my 
course  was  onward  to  all  wickedness;  I 
sought  nothing  but  the  friendsliip  and  love 
of  this  world.  I  did  not  commit  adultery, 
fornication,  and  such  like  other  abominable 
sins,  before  men,  only  because  I  feared  to 
lose  their  favor  and  my  re]3utation,  and  not 
because  I  feared  thee;  yet,  my  vanity,  mer- 
riment, drunkenness,  sinful  lusts,  open  sins, 


THE  TWENTY-FIFTH  PSAJuM. 


223 


weakness,  pride  and  idolatry  were  called 
the  true  worship;  yea,  all  my  transactions, 
private  and  public,  were  not  concealed  be- 
fore thine  eyes.  Thns  did  I,  a  grieved  sinner, 
spend  my  days,  and  did  not,  O  God  of 
gi-ace,  acknowledge  thee  as  my  God,  Crea- 
tor and  Redeemer,  till  thy  Holy  Spirit 
tanght  me,  through  thy  word,  made  known 
to  me  thy  will,  and  gave  me  a  partial  knowl- 
edge of  thy  mysteries ;  now  I  know  how  dis- 
honorably I  have  walked  before  thee,  not 
otherwise  than  if  I  had  spit  in  thy  face,  treat- 
ed thee  with  indignity  and  derided  thee  as 
foolish.  O  Lord,  have  mercy  iipon  me;  for 
I  am  desolate  and  afflicted;  my  sins  are 
great  and  many;  my  conscience  troubles 
me;  my  thoughts  cause  me  to  quake;  my 
heart  laments  and  sighs,  because  I  sin  so 
heinously  before  thee;  my  sins  have  sepa- 
rated me  from  thee,  hid  thj-  countenance 
from  me,  and  excited  thy  wrath.  I  have  be- 
come a  prey  and  brand  of  the  burning  pool, 
although  the  longer,  the  more  I  was  grieved, 
the  more  I  was  consoled  by  thy  word,  for  it 
teaches  me  concerning  thy  mercy,  grace  and 
favor,  and  the  remission  of  my  sins,  through 
Christ,  thy  beloved  Son,  our  Lord,  not  re- 
garding that  I  neither  knew  nor  feared  thee. 
This  promise  pacities  and  gladdens  me;  it 
leads  me,  with  the  sinful  woman,  to  thy 
blessed  feet,  with  full  confidence  and  clear 
conscience,  well  knowing  that  thou  wilt  not 
cast  off  from  thee  thy  returning  son,  although 
I  have  spent  thy  paternal  inheritance  and 
possessions  dishonorably,  with  harlots  and 
rogues,  in  a  strange  country,  devoured  it  in 
my  unrighteousness.  My  God,  turn  the 
pleasing  countenance  of  thy  peace  unto  me, 
I  have  sinned  before  heaven  and  in  thy 
sight;  lay  thy  hand  of  grace  upon  me;  have 
mercy  upon  me,  a  poor  sinner;  for  I  am  des- 
olate and  afflicted. 

17.  Tlie  troubles  of  my  heart  are  enlarged; 
0  'bring  tliou  me  out  of  my  distresses.  O 
Lord,  Lord,  my  heart  weeps  and  sighs,  my 
conscience  quakes  and  trembles,  my  soul  is 
as  a  grieved  mother  deprived  of  her  only 
child,  and  cannot  be  comforted,  since  I,  an 
ungodly  sinner,  neither  sincerely  sought, 
acknowledged  nor  appreciated  thy  godlj^ 
love  and  paternal  kindness.  I  have  lived 
more  disgracefullj^  than  the  irrational  crea- 
tures, for  they,  in  eating,  drinking  and  oth- 


er things  do  not  go  beyond  their  instinct, 
and  do  not  transgress  the  laws  of  nature; 
but  I  have  lived  more  uselessly,  sinfully, 
intemperately  and  unrighteously  against 
the  laws  of  nature,  than  my  ungodly  flesh 
naturally  desired;  I  was  conscious  that  the 
desires  of  my  flesh  were  death;  thy  Spirit 
warned  me  of  my  evil  doing ;  yet,  my  flesh 
suppressed  all  warning.  I  was  in  all  things 
a  servant  of  sin,  and  sworn  unto  unright- 
eousness. I  drank  down  sin  as  water;  my 
delight  was  in  all  manner  of  folly;  the  out- 
stretched arm  of  thy  grace,  I  saw  not;  thy 
calling  voice,  I  heard  not ;  thy  inviting  love, 
I  regarded  not.  In  short,  I  hated  thy  knowl- 
edge, and  thy  fear  I  cast  behind  me;  and 
this  is  not  all,  dear  Lord,  that  I  acted  so 
lamentably  in  my  ignorance,  but  I  daily 
find,  that  my  righteousness  is  as  filthy  rags; 
when  I  think  that  I  am  going,  I  am  falling ; 
when  I  stand,  I  am  down,  and  that  when  I 
am  something,  I  am  nothing.  Therefore,  O 
Lord,  preserve  me,  for  the  fear  of  my  heart 
is  very  great ;  yea,  greater  than  I  can  ex- 
press it;  I  often  am  as  a  woman  in  travail, 
my  countenance  is  changed  pale;  my  hands 
are  upon  my  loins  on  account  of  the  trouble 
of  my  heart;  the  dangers  of  hell  surround 
me,  the  fatness  and  marrow  of  my  bones  are 
dried  up ;  for  here  neither  money  nor  pos- 
sessions, neither  flesh  nor  blood  avail,  but 
my  soul  is  at  stake,  eternal  life  or  eternal 
death  is  the  issue;  I,  therefore,  pray,  For- 
sake me  not,  dear  Lord,  but  open  the  eyes 
of  thy  mercy  and  behold  mj  great  burden, 
stand  by  me  and  deliver  me  from  all  ray 
distress. 

IS.  Look  V'pon  mine  affliction  and  my 
pain;  and  forgive  all  my  sins.  O  Lord, 
thou  that  bearest  rule,  if  the  righteous  call 
upon  thee,  thou  receivest  them;  thou  art 
nigh  to  those  who  are  of  a  broken  heart; 
thou  dost  comfort  those  who  are  of  a  con- 
trite spii'it;  the  offering  that  is  acceptable 
to  thee  is  a  contrite  spirit ;  a  broken  heart 
thou  dost  not  despise.  Thou  didst  send 
forth  thy  beloved  Son,  anointed  with  thy 
Holy  Spirit,  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the  poor, 
to  heal  the  broken  hearted,  to  preach  deliv- 
erance to  the  captives,  and  recovery  of  sight 
to  the  blind;  to  set  at  liberty  them  that  are 
bruised,  to  proclaim  the  acceptable  year  of 
the  Lord,  Luke  4:  18;  to  comfort  all  that 


224 


THE  TWENTY-FIFTH  PSALM. 


mourn ;  to  appoint  unto  them  that  mourn  in 
Zion,  to  give  unto  them  beauty  for  ashes; 
the  oil  of  joy  for  mourning;  the  garment  of 
praise  for  the  spirit  of  heaviness.  He  preach- 
ed ransom  to  all  who  are  heavy  laden,  and 
with  faithful  hearts  come  to  him;  he  invites 
all  the  thirsty  to  the  waters  of  life;  he  bore 
all  oiu-  sins  upon  the  cross  in  his  own  body; 
and  our  debt  he  blotted  out  by  his  blood, 
even  as  Moses  did  before,  through  types  and 
shadows,  when  he  sprinkled  unclean  Israel 
with  the  blood  of  oxen  and  rams,  and  with 
the  ashes  of  the  heifer;  under  the  law  near- 
ly all  things  were  purified  by  the  shedding 
of  blood,  Nimi.  19;  Heb.  9.  If  the  figurative 
blood  had  such  virtue,  that  it  could  purify 
the  flesh  to  sanctification,  how  much  more 
shall  the  blood  of  the  beloved  Son,  who  of- 
fered himself  unspotted  through  the  eternal 
Spirit,  purify  our  consciences  from  dead 
works.  O  ever  living  God,  through  the  mer- 
its of  thy  Son,  and  through  the  riches  of  thy 
gi'ace  we  receive  the  remission  of  our  sins; 
yea,  through  his  blood  thou  didst  reconcile 
all  upon  earth  and  in  heaven  above.  I,  there- 
f(.)re,  dear  Lord,  confess  that  I  have  or  know 
of  no  remedy  for  my  sins,  for  neither  works 
nor  merits,  neither  baptism  nor  the  Lord's 
Supper  can  avail,  although  all  sincere  chris- 
tians use  both  as  signs  of  thy  word,  and 
hold  them  in  res]3ect;  but  alone  the  precious 
blood  of  thy  beloved  Son,  which  is  bestowed 
upon  me,  and  who  has  graciously  redeemed 
me,  a  poor  sinner,  through  mere  grace  and 
love,  from  my  former  walk;  therefore,  O 
God  of  truth,  with  whom  there  is  no  lie,  re- 
member the  words  of  thy  prophet,  which  he 
spake  in  thy  name,  namely,  "If  the  wicked 
will  turn  from  all  his  sins,  that  he  hath  com- 
mitted, and  keep  all  my  statutes,  and  do 
that  which  is  lawful  and  right,  he  shall 
surely  live,  he  shall  not  die;  all  his  trans- 
gressions that  he  hath  committed,  they  shall 
not  be  mentioned  unto  him,"  Ezek.  18:  21, 
22.  O  my  God,  look  not  upon  me,  but  upon 
the  eternal  Melchisedec,  Christ  Jesus,  whom 
thou  hast  appointed  high  priest  over  thy 
house,  upon  the  blessed  King  of  thy  right- 
eousness, who  has  no  beginning  nor  end  of 
days,  and  is  a  high  priest  for  ever;  who  did 
not  honor  himself,  but  is  ordained  of  thee, 
as  Aaron,  who  in  the  days  of  his  flesh,  of- 
fered up   prayer   and   supplications,   w-ith 


strong  crying  and  tears,  unto  him  that  was 
able  to  save  him  from  death,  and  was  heard 
in  that  he  feared;  for  his  sake  hear  me,  for 
his  sake  accept  me,  for  his  sake  be  merciful 
to  me,  console  thy  afflicted  servant.  I  have 
no  comfort  neither  in  heaven  above  nor  up- 
on earth,  but  in  thee  alone,  have  mercy  up- 
on me  in  my  great  distress;  my  unclean, 
sinful  flesh  aSiicts  me;  my  wicked  nature 
wages  war  against  me,  ancl  besides,  for  thy 
word's  sake,  I  have  become  an  abomination, 
an  outcast  and  a  fable  to  all  men.  All  who 
hear  of  me  shake  their  heads  at  me;  v/ith- 
out  and  within  I  have  no  peace.  I  say  again, 
my  sins  combat  me,  my  soul  is  in  tribula- 
tion and  pain;  therefore,  dear  Lord,  I  pray 
thee  not  for  gold  andsilver,  for  they  can  prolit 
me  nothing  in  the  day  of  vengeance,  neither 
for  long  life,  for  they  are  always  perverse,  but 
this  I  desire  alone  of  thee,  from  my  whole 
heart,  that  thou  wouldst  look  upon  me,  a 
miserable  sinner,  with  the  gracious  eyes  of 
thy  mercy;  in  my  aifliction  and  pain,  com- 
fort me  with  thy  Holy  Spirit,  and  forgive  all 
my  sins. 

19.   Consider  mine  eneviies,  for  they  are 
many  and  they  hate  me  with  cruel  hatred: 

0  Lord  of  hosts,  when  I  was  of  the  world,  I 
spake  and  did  as  the  world,  and  the  world 
hated  me  not;  but  as  soon  as  I  had  eaten 
the  book  that  was  shown  to  me,  althougli 
it  was  in  my  mouth  sweet  as  honey,  yet  it 
made  my  belly  bitter,  for  there  was  written 
therein  lamentations,  and  mourning,  and 
woe,  Ezek.  2:  10.     While  I  served  the  world 

1  received  my  reward ;  all  men  spake  well 
of  me,  even  as  the  fathers  did  of  the  false 
prophets.  But  now,  that  I  love  the  world 
with  a  godly  love,  have  sought  from  my 
heart  their  welfare  and  happiness,  rebuked, 
admonished,  and  instructed  them  with  thy 
word,  pointing  out  to  them  Jesus  Christ  and 
him  crucified,  they  have  become  unto  me  as 
a  grievous  cross,  and  as  the  gall  of  bitter- 
ness; so  fiendlike  is  their  hatred,  that  not 
only  I  myself,  but  all  those  who  love  me, 
showing  me  favor  and  mercy,  must,  in  some 
places  look  for  imprisonment  and  death.  O 
blessed  Lord !  I  am  more  despicable  in  their 
eyes  than  a  notorious  thief  and  murderer;  I 
am  like  a  lost  sheep  in  the  wilderness  of 
the  world,  chased,  tormented,  and  pursried 
unto  death  by  ravenous  wolves.     Am  I  not 


THE  TWENTY-FIFTH  PSALM. 


225 


like  a  person  without  hope,  forsaken  and 
comfortless  like  a  ship  in  the  depth  of  the 
ocean,  destitute  of  mast,  sail,  and  helm, 
tossed  about  by  every  wave  and  every  tem- 
pest ?  My  flesh  had  almost  said,  I  am  be- 
trayed because  I  find  the  unrighteous,  fro- 
ward  nation  enjoying  riches,  honor  and 
prosperity,  and  reposing  in  quietude  and 
peace,  while  the  godly  must  endure  so  much 
hunger,  thirst,  affliction,  and  violence ;  their 
habitation  is  insecure,  they  must  toil  and 
labor  for  their  bread;  they  are  accursed,  de- 
famed, persecuted  and  hated  of  all  men,  as 
the  filth  of  the  world,  and  as  an  abomina- 
tion. O  blessed  Lord !  mine  enemies  are 
many  and  great,  their  heart  roars  like  the 
furious  lion,  their  woi'ds  are  as  deadly  ar- 
rows, their  tongues  are  always  against  me; 
at  one  time  I  am  reviled  by  them  as  a  false 
seducer,  at  another  reproached  as  an  ac- 
cursed heretic,  although  by  thy  grace  I  pos- 
sess nought  but  unyielding  truth.  Thus  am 
I  their  mortal  enemy,  because  I  instruct 
them  in  the  way  of  righteousness.  O  Lord! 
I  am  not  ashamed  of  my  doctrine  before 
thee  and  thine  angels,  much  less  before  this 
rebellioiTS  world;  for  I  know  assuredly  that 
I  teach  thy  word;  I  have  taught,  through- 
out, a  true  repentance,  a  dying  unto  our  sin- 
ful flesh,  and  the  new  life  that  cometh  from 
God.  I  have  taught  a  true,  sincere  faith  in 
thee,  and  in  thy  beloved  Son,  that  it  might 
be  made  powerful  through  love.  I  have 
taught  Jesus  Christ  and  him  crucified,  very 
God  and  very  man,  who,  in  an  incompre- 
hensible, inexpressible,  and  indescribable 
manner,  was  born  of  thee  from  all  eternity, 
thy  eternal  Word  and  Wisdom,  the  bright- 
ness of  thy  glory,  and  the  express  image  of 
thy  person,  and  that  in  fullness  of  time, 
through  the  power  of  thy  Holy  Spirit,  he 
became,  in  the  womb  of  the  unspotted  vir- 
gin, Mary,  real  flesh  and  blood,  a  visible, 
tangible,  and  mortal  man,  like  unto  Adam 
and  his  posterity  in  all  things,  yet  without 
sin;  born  of  the  seed  or  lineage  of  Abraham 
and  David,  dead  and  buried,  arose  again, 
ascended  into  heaven,  and  thus  became  be- 
fore thee  our  only,  and  eternal  Advocate, 
Mediator,  Intercessor,  and  Redeemer.  If  all 
the  prophets,  apostles,  and  evangelists  have 
not  taught  this  with  the  greatest  clearness 
from  the  beginning,  I  wiU  gladly  bear  my 
29 


j  shame  and  reproof.  I  have  taught  no  other 
baptism,  no  other  supper,  no  other  ordi- 

I  nance  than  that  sanctioned  by  the  unerring- 
word  of  om'  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  de- 
clared example  and  usages  of  his  holy  apos- 

i  ties,  to  say  nothing  of  the  superabunclant 
evidence  of  the  historians  and  learned  of 
both  the  primitive  and  the  present  church. 
Since  then,  I  substantiate  my  doctrine  by 
the  evidence  of  thy  plain,  ineffable  word, 
and  by  the  ordinance  of  thy  Son,  who  can 

i  reprove  me,  and  show  with  the  argument  of 
truth  that  I  am  an  imposter?  Does  not  the 
whole  Scripture  teach,  that  Christ  is  the 
truth,  and  shall  abide  forever?  Is  not  the 
apostolic  church,  the  true  christian  church  ? 
We  know  that  all  human  doctrines  are  chaff" 

j  and  froth,  and  that  anti-clmst  has  spoiled 
and  corrupted  the  doctrine  of  Christ;  why 

>  then  do  they  hate  me,  because  out  of  pure 
zeal  I  teach  and  propound  the  doctrine  of 
Christ  and  his  apostles  unadulterated  ?  No 
one  however,  hates  the  opposers  of  anti- 
christ but  such  as  are  his  members.  Had  I 
not  the  word  of  CTirist,  how  cheerfully  would 
I  be  taught  it,  for  I  seek  it  with  fear  and 

\  trembling;  in  this  I  can  not  be  deceived.  I 
have  by  grace,  through  the  influence  of  thy 
Holy  Spirit,  believed  and  accepted  thy  holy 

,  truth  as  the  sure  word  of  thy  pleasure;  it 

I  will,  also,  never  deceive  me.  Let  them  write 
and  vociferate,  threaten,  and  dispute,  boast, 

I  extirpate,  persecute  and  destro}^,  as  they 
please,  still  thy  word  will  triumph  and  the 
Lamb  will  gain  the  victory.  Yea,  I  rest  as- 
sured, that  with  this  my  doctrine,  which  is 
thy  word,  I  shall,  at  the  coming  of  Christ, 
judge  and  condemn,  not  only  men,  but  also 
angels.  And  though  I  and  my  beloved 
brethren  were  totally  extirpated,  and  taken 
from  the  earth,  yet  thy  word  would  remain 
eternal  truth.  We  are  no  better  than  our 
co-workers  who  preceded  us.  Yet  the  time 
will  arrive  when  they  shall  exalt  thy  power, 
and  look,  perhaps  too  late,  upon  him  whom 
they  have  pierced.  O  Lord!  with  that  cruel 
hatred  they  hate  me!  Whom  have  I  slan- 
dered in  a  single  exj^ression  ?  Whom  have 
I  cm'tailed  a  pennies  worth?  Whose  gold, 
silver,  or  cattle,  have  I  desired  ?  I  have  loved 
them  with  a  pure  love,  even  unto  death;  thy 
word  and  will  have  I  taught  them,  and  with 
earnest  diligence  have  I  shown  them,  by  thy 


226 


THE  TWENTY-FIFTH' PSAIiM. 


grace,  the  way  that  leadeth  to  felicity,  there- 
fore my  enemies  are  many,  and  hate  me 
with  cruel  hatred. 

20.  0  Iceep  my  soul,  and  deliver  me;  let  me 
not  be  aslmmed,  for  I  put  my  trust  in  thee. 

0  Lord,  Lord !  the  word  of  PanI  fills  me 
with  terror,  where  he  says,  "Let  him  that 
thinketh  he  standeth  take  heed  lest  he  fall,'' 
"  For  if  a  man  think  himself  to  be  something 
when  he  is  nothing,  lie  deceiveth  himself," 
for  the  flesh,  destitute  of  thy  Spirit,  is  per- 
fectly blind  in  divine  things,  ignorant,  en- 
tirely false  and  unjust,  nay,  sin  and  death, 
as  I  have  remarked  publicly  in  speaking  of 
David  and  Peter,  for  though  David  was  a 
great  prophet,  a  man  after  thine  own  heart, 
faithful  in  all  thy  ways,  yet  when  thy  Spirit 
departed  from  him,  whei'e  were  his  chastity, 
love,  humility,  and  the  fear  of  his  God?  did 
he  not  become  an  open  adulterer,  murderer, 
and  boaster  of  his  own  glory,  until  thy 
Spirit  again  enlightened  him  by  the  word 
of  the  prophet,  and  he  acknowledged  the 
deadly  sin  he  had  committed,  how  fool- 
ishly he  had  acted  before  thee?  In  like  man- 
ner as  regards  Peter ;  he  acknowledged 
Christ,  thy  beloved  Son,  not  by  flesh  and 
blood,  but  by  the  Spirit  of  thy  grace,  was 
called  by  Christ  a  stone  and  a  rock,  was 
ready  to  go  with  Christ  into  prison  and  to 
death;  the  trial  came,  thy  Spirit  forsook 
him  for  a  season;  he  could  not  bear  the  tri- 
fling expression  of  a  maid,  he  denied  Christ, 
and  swore  that  he  knew  him  not;  but  as  soon 
as  Christ  looked  upon  him,  and  thy  Spirit 
returned,  he  acknowledged  his  fall,  wept 
bitterly,  and  afterwards  publicly  preached 
the  name  of  Jesus  among  all  nations,  pay- 
ing no  regard  to  his  having  been  strictly 
forbidden  to  do  so,  by  imprisonment,  stripes 
and  menacing  words.  He  frankly  answered, 
"We  ought  to  obey  God  rather  than  men.'' 

1  beseech  Thee,  therefore,  blessed  Lord,  that 
thou  wilt  keep  my  soul,  which  is  bought 
with  so  dear  a  price,  lest  I  turn  from  thy 
truth;  for  though  I  may  now  think  with 
Peter,  that  I  could  give  my  life  for  Thee, 
and  with  Paul,  that  neither  tribulation,  nor 
distress,  nor  persecution,  nor  famine,  nor 
nakedness,  nor  peril,  nor  sword,  nor  life, 
nor  death,  nor  any  other  creature,  shall  be 
able  to  separate  me  from  thy  love,  yet  I  do 
not  BufEciently  know  myself.     All  my  trust 


'  is  in  Thee;   I  have  not  yet  resisted  unto 

blood,  although  I  have  drank  a  little  of  the 

cup  of  thy  affliction,  yet  I  have  not  tasted 

the  dregs ;  for  when  prisons  and  bonds  are 

!  suffered,  when  life  and  death,  fire  and  sword 

are  threatened,  then  will  the  gold  be  sepa- 

,  rated  from  the  wood,  silver  from  the  straw, 

'■  and  pearls  from  the  stubble.     Forsake  me 

not,  therefore,  gracious  Lord,  for  trees  of 

\  deepest  root  are  torn  up  from  the  earth  by 

j  the  violence  of  the  storm,  and  the  lofty,  firm 

;  mountains  are  rent  asunder  by  the  force  of 

'  the  earthquake.  Had  not  Job  and  Jeremiah, 

j  men  of  thy  love,  well  nigh  lost  all  patience 

in  temptation,  and  murmured  against  thy 

will  ?  Suffer  me  not,  therefore,  gracioias  Lord, 

I  to  be  tempted  above  what  I  am  able  to  bear, 

for  thou  art  true  and  faithful,  lest  my  soul 

be  ashamed.  I  pra}^  not  for  my  flesh,  being 

well  aware  that  I  must  once  suffer  and  die; 

but  this  alone  I  desire,  that  thou  strengthen 

me  in  my  warfare ;  assist  and  presei-ve  me, 

make  a  way  for  me  to  escape  in  temptation ; 

deliver  me,  and  let  me  not  be  ashamed;  for 

I  put  my  trust  in  Thee. 

21.  Let  inter/rity  and  vprigldness  preserve 
me ',  for  I loait  on  ilice .  O  Lord  of  hosts!  O 
God,  when  the  husbandman  had  sown  good 
seed  in  his  field,  his  enemy  came  while  he 
slept  and  sowed  tares  among  the  wheat,  so 
that  when  the  sons  of  God  came  to  present 
themselves  before  the  Lord,  sataii  came  also 
among  them,  Job  1 ;  wherever  Jesus  is,  there 
will  the  devil  be  found  near  at  hand,  as  alas, 
I  have  observed  in  my  short  time;  tliy  saving 
word,  thy  gracious  gospel,  which  is  the 
proper  food  of  my  soul,  imparting  to  it  the 
power  of  eternal  life,  which  has  been  tram- 
pled upon  for  so  many  years  by  anti-christ 
as  an  idle  tale,  and  a  useless  fabrication,  is 
again  received,  believed,  and  acknowledged, 
in  power,  by  some  through  the  influence  of 
thy  compassionate  favor;  the  hellish  lion  or 
behemoth  roars,  now  in  excessive  rage ;  walks 
about  seeking  to  devour  them,  has  no  rest, 
nor  repose,  knowing  well  that  his  kingdom 
and  dominion  must  decline  and  be  destroy- 
ed thereby;  makes  use  of  all  his  cunning 
and  subtlety,  and  transforms  himself  into 
an  angel  of  light;  those  whom  he  has  lost 
through  thy  word  he  has  allured  again  by 
false  doctrine  into  his  snare  and  net,  and 
has  changed  the  pure,  salutary  sense  of  th« 


THE  TWENTY-FIFTH  PSALM. 


28T 


Scriptnres,  by  means  of  false  prophets  and 
unskilful  teachers,  into  a  meaning  entirely 
carnal,  and  completely  calculated  to  mis- 
lead ;  has  authorized  the  sword  and  destruc- 
tive weapons,  and  excited  a  vindictive  spirit 
against  the  whole  world;  moreover  he  has 
instituted  open  adultery  under  cover  of  the 
custom  of  the  Jewish  fathers;  also  estab- 
lished a  literal  king  and  kingdom,  together 
with  many  other  abuses,  at  which  a  sincere 
christian  is  astonished  and  confounded.  But 
all  which  thou  hast  not  planted  shall  come 
to  nought.  O  Lord!  preserve  me  pure  and 
upright  in  thy  truth,  that  I  may  neither  be- 
lieve, nor  teach  anything  that  is  not  in  con- 
formity with  thy  holy  will  and  word,  with 
true  faith,  sincere  love,  real  baptism  and 
supper,  a  blameless  life,  a  smptural,  sepa- 
ration from  such  as  cause  offence  in  doctrine 
and  in  life.  PreseiTe  me,  gracious  Lord, 
from  all  error  and  heresy;  preserve  me  as 
thou  hast  done  heretofore  in  thy  mercy; 
grant  that  I  and  my  beloved  brethren  may 
seek,  love,  and  fear  thee  with  all  our  hearts, 
render  obedience  to  the  magistracy  in  all 
things  not  contrary  to  the  word  of  God;  for 
this,  says  Paul,  is  good,  and  acceptable  in 
thy  sight ;  preserve  us  fi"om  the  wiles  of  the 
devil  who  would  fain  teach  us  of  another 
king  after  the  spirit,  beside  the  true  King 
of  Zion,  Jesus  Christ,  who  rules  over  thy 
holy  mountain  with  the  iron  sceptre  of  thy 
word,  is  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords,  is  , 
set  at  thy  own  right  hand  in  the  heavenly 
places,  far  above  all  principality  and  power, 
and  might,  and  dominion,  and  every  name 
that  is  named,  not  only  in  this  world,  but 
also  in  that  which  is  to  come;  under  whose 
feet  all  things  are  put,  who  hath  all  power 
in  heaven  and  on  earth,  before  whom  every 
knee  must  bow,  and  every  tongue  confess 
that  he  is  Lord,  to  the  glory  of  thy  great 
name.  O  gracious  Lord,  let  integrity  and 
uprightness  preserve  me  under  thy  cross, 
that  I  may  not  deny  thee,  and  thy  holy 
word,  in  the  time  of  temptation,  nor  conceal 
thy  divine  truth  and  will  under  the  mask  of 
hypocrisy,  lies,  and  obscure  equivocal  ex- 
pressions, so  that  at  the  appearance  of  thy 
dear  Son,  my  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  I  may  re- 
ceive with  all  saints,  the  promised  kingdom, 
inheritance,  and  reward  which,  with  firm  as- 
surance and  perfect  confidence,  we  daily  [ 


hope,  and  expect,  as  the  consequence  of  thy 
gracious  promise. 

22.  Redeem  Israel,  0  God,  out  of  all  hu 
troubles.  O  Loed  of  hosts,  now,  that  I  have 
confessed  my  sins  before  thee,  prayed  for 
my  transgressions,  praised  thy  mercy,  and 
desired  thy  grace,  I  must,  with  David,  be- 
seech thee,  in  behalf  of  my  brethren;  for  I 
i  observe  Israel  scattered  abroad  and  going 
astray,  like  sheep  without  a  shepherd,  and 
the  pleasant  vineyard  of  the  Lord  is  laid 
waste,  and  trodden  down  of  all  men;  the 
chosen  seed  of  Abraham,  the  house  of  Jacob, 
,  has  again  become  a  proper  slave  or  bond- 
servant in  the  grievous  service  of  Pharaoh 
in  Egypt;  the  royal  line  of  Judah  is  carried 
away  into  Babylon,  together  with  the  holy 
vessels,  which  are  so  lamentably  abused  by 
Belshazzar,  and  his  concubines.  Jerusalem, 
^  the  personification  of  peace,  which  was  lik- 
ened to  a  dove,  is  changed  into  a  barbarous 
gormandizer  of  innocent  blood,  and  a  rapa- 
cious lioness;  she  that  was  princess  among 
the  nations,  the  city  of  the  great  king  is  be- 
come destitute  of  kings,  citizens  and  walls, 
waste  and  solitary;  the  temple  of  the  Lord, 
the  house  of  prayer,  in  which  the  true  wor- 
ship ought  to  be  performed,  has  become  a 
notorious  nest  of  robbers,  a  den  of  lions, 
bears,  wolves,  basilisks,  dragons  and  ser- 
pents, a  house  of  all  idolaters;  nay,  the  un- 
chaste bed  of  the  adulteress  Jezebel.  The 
bride  of  Clirist,the  glorious  Church,  who  was 
clothed  in  variegated  raiment,  and  decked 
with  divine  ornaments,  in  honor  of  the  king, 
is  changed  completely  into  a  disgraceful  har- 
lot. The  ark  of  the  Lord,  the  glory  of  Is- 
rael, is  seized  by  the  Philistines,  and  taken 
into  the  temple  of  Dagon.  Why  make  a 
long  lamentation?  Judea  is  changed  to  Bab- 
ylon, Canaan  to  Egypt,  and  Palestine  to 
Sodom,  and  the  King  of  glory,  Christ  Jesus, 
blessed  forever,  is  daily  esteemed  as  a  sim- 
pleton, and  despised  as  a  fool;  his  holy 
apostles,  the  beloved  witnesses  of  thy  truth, 
must  as  liars,  give  way  with  their  doctrine 
to  all  men;  his  knit  or  wi'ought  garment, 
which  the  Scriptures  were  unwilling  should 
be  rent  or  divided,  is  torn  into  four  or  five 
pieces;  anti-christ  exercises  authority  and 
dominion  in  all  coimtries  by  the  preaching 
of  lies ;  and  with  violence,  is  thy  word  pro- 
scribed and  rejected;  if  I  travel  east,  west. 


SSB 


THE  TWENTY-FIFTH  PSALM. 


nortli  or  south,  I  find  in  all  places,  nothing 
but  vain  obstinacy,  perversion,  blindness, 
avarice,  pride,  wantonness,  rioting,  drunk- 
enness, pomp  and  splendor,  strife,  envying 
and  ungodliness.  I  find  (I  repeat),  violence, 
false  doctrine  and  an  impm'e,  deceptive  em- 
ployment of  thy  sacraments,  throughout  the 
world ;  I  find  the  influence  of  tyrants  triumph- 
ing in  the  courts  of  all  princes;  that  the 
learned  speak  like  the  beast,  are  ambitious, 
avaricious,  gluttonous,  earthly  and  carnally 
minded,  and  teach  according  to  the  lusts 
and  desires  of  men;  there  are  scarcely  any 
who  seek  for  truth,  and  if  there  are,  they 
must  bear  thy  cross ;  therefore  are  my  cheeks 
wet  with  tears  day  and  night;  my  soul  find- 
eth  no  comfort;  neither  bread  nor  drink  is 
sweet  to  my  taste.  Like  the  prophet  Micah, 
I  may  well  go  naked;  make  a  wailing  like 
the  dragons,  and  mourning  as  the  owls;  for 
the  wormd  of  Israel  is  incurable.  In  sorrow, 
I  may  well  lament  with  Esdras,  and  say, 
"Our  sanctuary  is  laid  waste,  our  altar 
broken  down,  our  temple  destroyed;  our 
psaltery  is  laid  on  the  gi-ound,  our  song  is 
put  to  silence,  our  rejoicing  is  at  an  end;  the 
light  of  our  candlestick  is  put  out,  the  ark 
of  our  covenant  is  spoiled,  our  holy  things 
are  defiled,  and  the  name  that  is  called  upon 
us  is  almost  profaned;  our  children  are  put 
to  shame,  oui-  priests  are  burnt,  our  Levites 
are  gone  into  captivity,  our  virgins  are  de- 
filed, and  our  wives  ravished;  our  righteous 
men  can-ied  away,  our  little  ones  destroyed, 
our  young  men  are  brought  in  bondage, 
and  our  strong  men  are  become  weak;  and 
which  is  the  greatest  of  all,  the  seal  of  Sion 


hath  now  lost  her  honor;  for  she  is  deliver- 
ed into  the  hands  of  them  that  hate  us,"  2 
Esd.  10:  21—23.  Redeem  Israel,  O  God,  out 
of  his  troubles!  look  with  the  eye  of  thy 
mercy,  upon  oirr  gi-eat  misery  and  distress, 
release  us  from  the  iron  furnance  of  Egypt, 
bring  us  out  of  the  land  of  the  Chaldees,  let 
the  holy  city  be  builded  again  upon  her 
own  heap,  having  walls  and  gates;  repair 
and  rebuild  thy  fallen  temple,  the  stones  of 
which  aie  trampled  upon  in  every  street. 
Gather  together  thy  wandering  sheep,  re- 
ceive thy  returning  bride,  who  has  behaved 
so  peiTersely  with  strange  lovers.  O  God 
of  Israel,  create  in  us  a  pure  heart,  that  long- 
eth  for  thy  blessed  word  and  will.  Send 
forth  faithful  laborers  into  thy  harvest,  who 
out  and  gather  the  grain  in  due  season;  per- 
fect the  builders  who  lay  for  us  a  good 
foundation,  that  in  the  last  days  thy  house 
ma}^  be  established,  and  appear  above  all 
the  hills,  that  many  people  may  go  thither 
and  say,  "Come  ye,  and  let  us  go  up  to  the 
mountain  of  the  Lord,  to  the  house  of  the 
God  of  Jacob;  and  he  will  teach  us  of  his 
ways,  and  we  will  walk  in  his  paths,"  Isa. 
2: 8;  that  we  may  walk  before  Thee,  in  peace 
and  liberty  of  conscience,  all  the  days  of 
our  lives,  under  a  good  government  and 
blameless  teachers,  with  a  christian  bap- 
tism, true  Supper,  godly  life,  and  a. just  sep- 
aration; that  ihon  may  est  in  power  be  eter- 
nally honored  and  praised  in  us,  as  in  thy 
beloved  children,  through  thy  dear  Son,  Je- 
sus Clirist,  our  Lord,  to  whom  with  thee,  O 
Father,  and  thy  Holy  Spiidt,  be  praise  and 
everlasting  dominion.  Amen. 


A 


Plain  Instruction 


FROM  THE  WORD  OF  GOD,  CONCERNING  THE 


SPIRITUAL   RESURRECTION, 


AUB 


NEW  OR  HEAVENLY  BIRTH. 


BY 


MENNO  SIMON. 


'  Blessed  aud  huly  is  lie  that  luitli  part  iu  the  first  resurrection :  ou  such  the 
second  death  hath  no  power,"  Rev.  20  :  6. 

'  For  other  foundation  can  no  man  lay  than  that  is  laid,  which  is  Jesus  Christ," 
1  Cor.  3:  11. 


ELKHART,  INDIANA: 

PUBLISHED   BY  JOHN  F.   FUNK  AND  BROTHER. 

18  7  1. 


THE  SPIRITUAL  RESURRECTION. 


"Awake  tliou  that  sleepest,  and  arise 
from  the  dead,  and  Christ  shall  give  thee 
light,"Eph.  5:  14. 

The  Scriptures  point  out  to  us  two  resur- 
rections :  namely,  a  bodily  resui'rection  from 
the  dead  at  the  last  day,  and  a  spiritual  res- 
urrection from  sin  and  death,  to  a  new  life 
and  a  change  of  heart. 

That  a  man  should  die  spiritually  unto 
sin,  be  spiritually  buried  and  rise  again  to 
a  life  of  righteousness  in  God,  is  plainly 
taught  in  various  parts  of  the  Scriptures. 

Paul  also  exhorted  to  the  same  effect, 
"Put  off,  concerning  the  former  conversa- 
tion, the  old  man,  which  is  corrupt  accord- 
ing to  the  deceitful  lusts;  and  be  renewed 
in  the  spirit  of  your  mind,  and  that  ye  put 
on  the  new  man,  which,  after  God,  is  crea- 
ted in  righteousness  and  true  holiness, "Eph. 
4:  22—24.  "Put  oft'  the  old  man  with  his 
deeds,  and  put  on  the  new  man  which  is  re- 
newed in  knowledge,  after  the  image  of  him 
that  created  him,"  Col.  3 :  9, 10.  Mortify  your 
earthly,  &c.  Before  a  resurrection  from  the 
dead  can  take  place,  the  death  of  the  body 
is  necessary,  and  before  death,  sickness, 
pain  and  tribulation  must  precede,  which 
have  a  tendency  to  make  death  still  more 
bitter  to  the  flesh.  Likewise  in  a  spiritual 
sense,  there  can  be  no  resurrection  from  sin 
and  death,  rmless  this  body  of  sin  be  first 
destroyed  and  buried,  and  has  sensibly  en- 
dured pain  and  the  burden  of  sin,  that  is 
sorrowfulness  of  heart,  remorse  and  a  sin- 
cere repentance  on  account  of  sin,  as  is  evi- 
dently shown  in  the  Scriptures.  David  says, 
"O  Lord,  rebuke  me  not  in  thy  wrath;  nei- 
ther chasten  me  in  thy  hot  displeasure.  For 
thine  arrows  stick  fast  in  me,  and  thy  hand 
presseth  me  sore.  There  is  no  soundness 
in  my  flesh,  because  of  thine  anger;  neither 
is  there  any  rest  in  my  bones,  because  of 


my  sin.  For  mine  iniquities  are  gone  over 
my  head ;  as  a  heavy  burden  the}'  are  too 
heavy  for  me.  My  wounds  stink  and  are 
corrupt,  because  of  my  foolishness.  I  am 
troubled,  I  am  bowed  down  greatly,  I  go 
mourning  all  the  day  long.  For  my  loins 
are  filled  with  a  loathsome  disease,  and 
there  is  no  soundness  in  my  flesh.  I  am 
feeble  and  sore  broken;  I  have  roared  by 
reason  of  the  disquietness  of  my  heart.  O 
Lord,  all  my  desire  is  before  thee;  and  my 
groaning  is  not  hid  from  thee.  My  heart 
panteth;  my  strength  faileth  me;  as  for  the 
light  of  mine  eyes,  it  also  is  gone  from  me," 
Ps.  38:  1—10. 

Endure  sorrow  and  distress,  according 
to  James  4:  9,  "Be  afflicted  and  mourn  and 
weep ;  let  your  laughter  be  turned  to  mourn- 
ing, and  your  joy  to  heaviness."  Paul  says, 
"Ye  were  made  sorry  after  a  godly  man- 
ner," to  repentance,  "For  godly  sorrow 
worketh  repentance  to  salvation,  not  to  be 
repented  of;  but  the  sorrow  of  the  world 
worketh  death;"  seeing  that  ye  sorrowed 
after  a  godly  sort,  what  carefulness  it 
wrought  in  you,  what  clearing  of  yourselves, 
yea  what  indignation,  what  fear,  vehement 
desire,  and  revenge. 

Behold,  thus  we  have  to  die  with  Christ 
unto  sin,  if  we  would  be  made  alive  with 
him;  for  none  can  rejoice  with  Christ,  un- 
less he  first  suffer  with  him;  for  this  is  a 
sure  word.  Paul  says,  "If  we  be  dead  with 
him,  we  shall  also  live  with  him,  if  we  suf- 
fer, we  shall  also  reign  with  him,"  S  Cor. 
2:11. 

This  resurrection  includes  the  new  creat- 
ure, the  spiritual  birth  and  sanctification, 
without  which  none  shall  see  the  Lord,  this 
Paul  testifies  in  a  few  words,  saying,  "In 
Christ  Jesus  neither  circumcision  availeth 
any  thing,  nor  uncircumcision,  but  a  new 


333 


THE  SPIRITUAL  RESURRECTION. 


creature."  Again,  "If  any  man  be  in  Ctn-ist 
he  is  a  new  creature;  old  things  are  passed 
away;  behold,  all  things  are  become  new," 
and  this  is  the  first  resurrection;  "  For,  if  we 
have  been  planted  together  in  the  likeness 
of  his  death,"  that  is,  through  mortifying 
the  sinful  nature  of  earthly  Adam,  with  all 
his  members  or  wicked  lusts;  we  shall  be 
also  in  the  likeness  of  his  resurrection,"  and 
know  that  our  old  man  is  crucified  with 
him,  that  the  sinful  body  is  destroyed,  and 
keep  the  true  sabbath  in  Christ,  by  putting 
off  the  sinful  body  in  tlip  flpsh,  circumcised 
with  the  circumcision  of  Christ,  which  is 
done  without  hands,  buried  through  bap- 
tism, in  which  we  have  also  risen  with  him 
through  faith,  which  is  the  operation  of 
God;  we  cease  from  all  works  of  the  flesh, 
are  led  by  the  Spirit,  bring  forth  the  fniits  of 
the  Spirit,  henceforth,  we  do  not  serve  sin;  let 
it  suffice  that  we  have  spent  our  former  daj'S 
after  the  manner  of  the  gentiles,  when  we 
walked  in  vanitj',  wantonness,  di'unkenness, 
eating  and  di'inking,  and  in  abominable 
idolatrj^,  and  that  we  spend  the  remainder 
of  our  days  not  after  the  lusts  of  men,  but 
live  according  to  the  will  of  God,  that  we  may 
say  with  Paul,  "I  am  crucified  with  Christ; 
nevertheless,  I  live;  yet  not  I,  but  Christ 
liveth  in  me:  and  the  life  which  I  now  live 
in  the  flesh,  I  live  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of 
God,  who  loved  me,  and  gave  himself  for 
me,"  Gal.  2:  20;  therefore,  "He  died  for  all, 
that  they  which  live,  should  not  henceforth 
live  unto  themselves,  but  unto  him  which 
died  for  them,  and  rose  again,"  2  Cor.  5:  15. 
To  have  a  more  correct  knowledge  of  this 
resurrection  and  regeneration,  we  must  bear 
in  mind  that  all  creatures,  bring  forth  after 
their  kind,  and  every  creature  partakes  of 
the  properties,  propensities  and  dispositions 
of  that  which  brought  it  forth,  as  Christ 
says,  "That  which  is  born  of  flesh,  is  flesh," 
and  cannot  see  eternal  life;  and  "that  which 
is  born  of  Spirit,  is  spirit,"  life  and  peace, 
which  is  eternal  life;  that  which  is  born  of 
flesh,  out  of  the  earth  through  con-uptible 
seed,  is  carnally-minded,  that  is,  earthly, 
and  speaks  of  earthly  things,  is  desirous 
after  earthly  and  perishable  things;  all  his 
thoughts,  feelings  and  desires  are  directed 
towards  earthly,  temporal,  or  visible  things, 
such  things  as  those  of  which  it  is  born,  or 


from  which  it  proceeds.  That  which  is  born 
of  flesh  and  blood,  is  flesh  and  blood,  and 
is  carnally-minded,  "Because  the  carnal 
mind  is  enmity  against  God,  for  it  is  not 
subject  to  the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed 
can  be."  Therefore,  those  who  are  carnal 
cannot  please  God;  for  siich  are  altogether 
deaf,  blind  and  ignorant  in  divine  things. 
A  carnal  man  cannot  apprehend  or  com- 
prehend divine  things,  for  by  nature  he  has 
not  that  discernment;  but  on  the  contrary 
his  mind  is  depraved;  God  is  not  in  his 
mind.  A  carnal  man  cannot  understand 
spiritual  things,  for  he  is  by  nature  a  child 
of  the  devil,  and  is  not  spiritually-minded, 
hence,  he  comprehends  nothing  spiritual; 
for  by  nature  he  is  a  stranger  to  God;  has 
nothing  of  a  divine  nature  dwelling  in  him. 
nor  has  communion  with  God,  but  is  much 
rather  at  enmity  with  him ;  he  is  unmerci- 
ftil.  unjust,  imclean,  not  peaceable,  impa- 
tient, disobedient,  without  understanding 
and  unhappy.  So  are  all  men  by  nature 
according  to  their  birth  and  origin  after  the 
flesh.  This  is  the  first  or  old  Adam,  and  is 
comprised  in  the  Scriptures  in  a  single 
word,  ungodly,  that  is,  without  God,  a 
stranger  and  destitute  of  the  divine  nature. 
This  is  the  nature  and  property  of  the 
earthly  and  devilish  seed;  for  as  the  seed 
is,  so  is  the  fruit;  for  "whatsoever  a  man 
soweth,  that  shall  he  also  reap;  for  he  that 
soweth  to  his  flesh,  shall  of  the  flesh  reap 
corruption,"  and  bring  forth  fruit  unto  death ; 
he  sins  like  his  father,  of  and  through  wliose 
seed  he  is  born,  for  he  is  the  father  of  lies 
and  sinned  from  the  beginning,  and  did  not 
abide  in  the  truth;  he,  therefore,  that  sins, 
is  of  the  devil,  for  sin  is  not  of  God,  but  of 
the  devil,  and  he  that  sins  has  not  seen  God, 
nor  known  him;  and  we  know  that  the  son 
of  God  was  made  manifest  to  take  away 
sins  and  destroy  the  works  of  the  devil,  and 
through  his  death  deprive  him  of  power,  who 
had  the  power  of  death,  that  is  the  devil, 
and  deliver  them,  who  through  fear  of  death 
were  all  their  life-time  subject  to  bondage. 
For  by  the  sin  of  one  man  all  were  made 
sinners.  He  that  sins  is  the  servant  of  sin; 
and  does  the  will  and  works  of  him  whose 
servant  he  is,  and  whose  spirit  leads  him ; 
for  every  one  is  a  servant  to  him  whom  he 
senses,  whether  of  sin  unto  death,  or  of  obe- 


THE  SPIKITUAL  EESURRECTION. 


233 


dience  unto  righteoTisness ;  for  lie  that  does 
unjustly  shall  receive  according  to  his  works. 
To  them  Paul  speaks,  that  they  should 
awaken  from  the  sleep  of  sin  and  death,  so 
that  the  second  death  shall  have  no  power 
over  them;  saying,  "Awake  thou  that  sleep- 
est,  and  arise  from  the  dead,  and  Christ 
shall  give  thee  light,"  Eph.  5:  14. 

On  the  other  hand,  all  those  who  are  born 
and  renewed  from  above  out  of  Grod,  through 
the  living  word,  are  also  of  the  mind  and 
disposition,  and  have  the  same  propensity 
for  good,  as  he  has  of  whom  they  are  born 
and  begotten.  What  the  nature  of  God  or 
Christ  is,  we  may  i-eadily  learn  from  the 
sacred  Scriptiires ;  for  Chi-ist  has  expressly 
portrayed  himself  in  his  word;  namely,  his 
human  natru'e,  which  he  would  have  us  un- 
derstand, and  follow;  not  according  to  his 
divine  nature;  for  he  is  the  tme  image  of 
the  invisible  God,  the  brightness  of  his 
glory,  and  the  express  image  of  his  person, 
who  dwells  in  ineffable  light  wliom  none  can 
approach  or  see,  but  that  we  follow  him  and 
conform  unto  him  in  his  life  and  walk  upon 
earth,  as  exemplified  in  words  and  works ; 
that  we,  thereby,  may  become  partakers  of 
his  nature  in  the  Spirit.  In  the  Scriptm-es 
Christ  is  every  where  represented  to  us  as 
being  humble,  meek,  merciful,  just,  holy, 
wise,  spii'itual,  long  suffering,  patient,  peace- 
able, lovely,  obedient,  and  good,  as  the  per- 
fection of  all  things ;  for  in  him  there  is  sin- 
cerity. Behold,  this  is  the  image  of  God,  or 
Christ  in  the  Spirit,  whose  example  we 
should  follow  till  we  become  like  it  in  nat- 
m"e,  and  evince  it  by  our  walk;  all  the  re- 
generated children  of  God  are  thus  minded, 
for  they  partake  of  the  nature  of  him  who 
has  begotten  them;  and  are  as  the  others, 
comprised  in  one  v/ord,  namely.  Godly,  or 
godly  persons,  having  communion  with  him, 
are  of  one  mind  and  disposition  with  him, 
and  have  the  image  of  God  in  them,  as  the 
Scriptures,  both  of  the  Old  and  ISTew  Testa- 
ments, abundantly  show,  especially  in  the 
epistle  of  Paul  to  the  Colossians,  where  he 
says,  "Put  off  the  old  man  with  his  deeds," 
and,  "put  on  the  new  man,  which  is  re- 
newed in  knowledge  after  the  image  of  him 
that  created  him;"  "Put  on,  therefore,  as 
the  elect  of  God,  holy  and  beloved,  bowels 
of  mercies,  kindness,  humbleness  of  mind, 
30 


meekness,  long  suffering,  forbearing  one 
another,  and  forgiving  one  another,  if  any 
man  have  a  quarrel  against  any,  even  as 
Christ  forgave  you,  so  also  do  ye;  and 
above  all  these  things  put  on  charity, 
which  is  the  bond  of  perfectness;  and  let 
the  peace  of  God  rule  in  your  hearts  to 
the  which  also  ye  are  called  in  one  body ; 
and  be  ye  thankful,"  Col.  3:  9—15.  "My 
little  children,  of  whom  I  travail  in  birth 
again  until  Christ  be  formed  in  you,"  "Let 
this  mind  be  in  you,  which  was  also  in 
Christ  Jesus,"  for  Christ  is  the  image  of  God 
to  whom  we  must  conform.  "  For  whom  he 
did  foreknow,  he  also  did  predestinate  to 
be  conformed  to  the  image  of  his  Son." 
Those,  therefore,  who  have  conformed  to  the 
image  of  Christ  Jesus,  are  the  truly  regen- 
erated children  of  God,  and  have  put  off  the 
old  man,  and  put  on  the  new  which  is  crea- 
ted after  God,  in  true  righteousness  and 
holiness. 

When  these  have  conformed  to  the  image 
of  God,  have  been  born  of  God,  and  after- 
wards continue  in  God,  they  will  not  com- 
mit sin,  for  the  seed  of  God  remains  in 
them;  and  they  have  overcome  the  world, 
are  crucified  to  the  world,  and  the  world 
unto  them;  have  mortified  their  flesh,  and 
bru-ied  their  sinful  body  with  Christ  in 
baptism,  with  their  lusts  and  desires,  and 
no  longer  serve  sin  unto  unrighteousness, 
but  much  more  righteousness  unto  salva- 
tion; for  they  have  put  on  Clu-ist,  and  are 
purified  through  the  Holy  Ghost,  in  their 
consciences,  from  dead  works  to  serve  the 
liAdng  God ;  bringing  forth  through  the  Spirit 
the  fruits  of  the  Spirit,  whose  end  is  eternal 
life.  For  since  they,  as  above  said,  have  re- 
nounced the  devil,  flesh,  and  the  world,  and 
have  quitted  the  ser^dce  of  sin,  they  have, 
as  faithful  servants,  voluntarily  obligated 
themselves  to  God  with  David,  to  live,  hence- 
forth, according  to  his  blessed  will  all  their 
days.  On  the  other  hand  the  devil  and  his 
adherents,  the  world  and  flesh,  being  very 
envious,  are  waging  war  against  them,  and 
are  their  deadly  enemies.  The  regenerated 
I  have  now  become  enemies  of  sin  and  the 
'  devil,  and  have  taken  the  field  against  all 
their  enemies,  with  their  Prince  of  life  and 
faith,  under  the  banner  of  the  red  cross, 
;  armed  with  the  armor  of  God,  and  sur- 


234 


THE  SPIRITUAL  EESURRECTION. 


rounded  with  angels  of  the  Lord,  always 
watching  with  great  solicitnde,  lest  they  be 
overcome  by  their  enemies,  who  never  slum- 
ber, but  go  about  like  roaring  lions  seeking 
whom  they  may  devour;  and  although  they 
receive  occasionally  a  wound,  and  are  over- 
taken by  their  enemies,  still  their  souls  re- 
main iminjured,  and  this  wound  is  not  unto 
death;  for  they  have  the  unction  of  God. 
They  have  the  true  Samaritan  and  the  true 
physician  viath  them,  who  binds  up  and 
heals  their  wounds;  for  he  has  compassion 
over  our  weakness  and  sickness.  Through 
his  stripes  and  wounds  we  are  made  whole. 
Nor  are  they  so  thoroughly  overcome  that 
they  will  cast  aside  their  weapons,  and  sur- 
render themselves  again,  to  become  sei-vants 
of  sin,  and  to  be  ruled  by  it;  but  being  en- 
couraged anew  of  the  Lord,  and  in  the 
strength  of  his  power,  they  persevere  val- 
iantly in  battle,  till  they,  through  him,  by 
whom  they  can  do  all  things,  have  glorious- 
ly conquered  their  enemy,  and  say  to  him, 
"O  death,  where  is  thy  sting?  O  gi-ave, 
where  is  thy  victory?"  And  with  Paul  say. 
Thanks  be  to  God,  who  giveth  us  the  victory, 
through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  "  The  Lord," 
says  Jeremiah,  "is  with  me  as  a  mighty, 
terrible  one,  therefore  my  persecutors  shall 
stumble,  and  they  shall  not  prevail,"  and 
say  with  David,  "Blessed  be  the  Lord,  my 
strength,  which  teacheth  my  hands  to  war 
and  my  lingers  to  fight,"  and  they  are  not 
moved  till  they  have  broken  their  enemies 
to  pieces.  "Blessed  be  the  Lord  who  hath 
not  given  ns  as  a  prey  in  their  teeth;  our 
soul  is  escaped,  as  a  bird  out  of  the  snare 
of  the  fowler:  the  snare  is  broken,  and  we 
are  escaped"  from  oiur  enemies,  and  out  of 
the  hand  of  those  who  hate  us.  The  Lord 
is  a  rewarder  of  them  that  diligently  seek, 
love  and  serve  him ;  as  it  is  written,  "Behold 
the  Lord  cometh,  and  his  reward  is  with 
him;"  yea,  his  reward  and  the  gift  of  God 
are  eternal  life,  through  Jesus  Christ  our 
Lord.  For,  if  you  serve  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  you  will  receive  the  reward  of  your 
inheritance,  the  crown  of  life,  which  God 
has  promised  those  who  love  him. 

As  stated  above,  that  every  creature  has 
the  nature  and  disi^osition  of  that  of  which 
it  is  born,  therefore,  we  will  speak  a  few 
words  concerning  the  nature,  properties  and 


effects  of  the  seed  of  the  divine  word,  where- 
by we  are  begotten  in  the  image  of  God ; 
for  where  this  seed  is  sown  upon  good 
ground,  into  the  heart  of  man,  there  it  grows 
and  prodnces  its  like  in  nature  and  proper- 
ty, it  changes  and  renews  the  whole  man, 

j  from  the  carnal  into  the  spiritiial,  the  earth- 
ly into  the  heavenly,  it  transforms  from 
death  unto  life,  from  unbelief  to  belief,  and 
makes  man  happ}^,  for  through  this  seed  all 
nations  upon  the  earth  are  blessed.  There- 
fore, says  James,  "Lay  apart  all  filthiness 
and  superfluity  of  naughtiness,  and  receive 
with  meekness  the  engrafted  word  which  is 
able  to  save  your  souls."    It  is  also  the 

j  pirre,  unadulterated  millv,  whereby  the  young 
and  new  born  children  of  God  are  nurtured, 
till  they  attain  to  a  perfect  man,  imto  the 

[  measiu-e  of  the  stature  of  the  fullness  of 
Christ,  it  is  also  strong  food  for  the  perfect 

'  and  aged  in  Christ  Jesus.  In  short,  this 
seed  of  the  di\dne  word  is  spuitual  food, 
whereby  the  whole  inner  man  is  ascertain- 

;  ed,  so  that  he  perish  and  faint  not  in  this 
wilderness  and  desolate  world,  as  all  have 
to  starve  and  faint  who  do  not  daily  gather 

;  the  bread  of  the  divine  word  to  satisfy  their 

i  starving  souls,  for  "Man  shall  not  live  by 

j  bread  alone,  but  by  every  word  that  pro- 

'  ceedeth  out  of  the  mouth  of  God."  There- 
fore, is  he  blessed  who  himgers  after  this 
heavenly  bread,  and  receives  the  ingrafted 
word;  for  it  will  bring  forth  after  its  nature, 
in  due  time,  an  hundred  fold.     For,  says 

[  the  Lord,  "As  the  rain  cometh  down,  and 

I  the  snow  from  heaven,  and  returneth  not 
thither,  but  watereth  the  earth,  and  maketh 
it  bring  forth  and  bud,  that  it  may  give  seed 
to  the  sower  and  bread  to  the  eater,  so  shall 
my  word  be  that  goeth  forth  out  of  my 
mouth;  it  shall  not  return  unto  me  void, 

!  but  it  shaU  accomplish  that  which  I  please," 

'Isa.  55:  10,11. 

Behold,  this  is  the  nature,  property  and 
eflfects  of  the  seed  of  the  word  of  God,  by 
which  man  is  renewed,  regenerated,  sancti- 
fied and  saved  through  this  inconaiptible 
seed,  namely,  the  living  word  of  God  which 
abides  to  eternity;  and  that  he  is  clothed 
with  the  same  power  from  above,  filled  with 
the  Holy  Ghost,  and  thus  xmited  to  God, 
that  he  may  become  a  partaker  of  the  divine 

i  natui'e,  and  be  made  conformable  to  the  im- 


THE  SPIRITUAL  RESURRECTION. 


235 


age  of  his  Son,  who  is  the  first  of  the  regen- 
erated, and  those  who  rose  with  him  from 
the  sleep  and  death  of  sin,  hencefortli  serve 
him  not  in  the  oldness  of  the  letter,  bnt  in 
newness  of  the  Spirit. 

He  that  is  sincere,  and  has  this  nature 
and  disposition  in  his  heart,  has  put  on 
Christ  Jesus,  is  become  like  unto  him, 
has  the  image  of  God  in  his  heart,  and  is 
spiritually  minded,  is  led  by  the  Spirit  in 
his  spirit,  from  whose  spiritual  body,  spirit- 
ual fruits  are  brought  forth,  as  a  well  spring- 
ing up  unto  eternal  life.  For  they  are  re- 
generated tlu'ough  the  word  whicli  was  sown 
in  their  hearts,  begotten  of  God,  and  born 
anew  to  bring  forth  fniit  of  eternal  life;  they, 
therefore,  as  children  born  of  God,  are  the 
same  as  the  Father,  of  one  mind  and  dispo- 
sition; have  the  divine  nature  of  their  Fa- 
ther, who  has  begotten  them ;  whose  thoughts 
are  heavenly,  whose  words  are  truth,  well 
seasoned,  whose  good  works  are  holy,  ac- 
ceptable to  God  and  man  ;  for  they  are 
holy  vessels  of  honor,  useful  and  ready  to 
every  good  work. 

Even  as  Paul  exhorts  those  who  are  born 
of  the  corruptible  seed  of  flesh  and  blood, 
who  are  earthly,  carnal,  without  understand- 
ing and  blind  in  divine  things,  yea,  children 
of  wrath,  that  they  should  die  unto  sin, 
mortify  and  bury  the  lusts  and  desires  of 
the  flesh,  and  then  rise  by  virtue  of  the  heav- 
enly seed  from  the  sleep  and  deaj^i  of  sin^ 
and  be  regenerated,  and  walk  in  newness  of 
life,  which  is  the  first  resurrection,  saying, 
"Awake  thou  that  steepest,  and  arise  from 
the  dead,  and  Christ  shall  give  thee  light." 
So  does  he  also  admonish  all  regenerated 
children  of  God,  who  have  been  changed  in 
mind  and  disposition,  tlirough  the  eternal 
saving  seed  of  God,  who  have  been  regener- 
ated and  are  risen,  that  they  should  be  god- 
ly, spiritually  and  heavenly  minded,  and 
strive  for  and  desire  heavenly,  incorruptible 
things ;  and  that  their  heart  should  be  wliere 
their  treasure  is,  and  their  conversation  in 
heaven,  as  fellow  saints  of  the  house  of  God, 
telling  them,  "If  then  ye  be  risen  with  Christ, 
seek  those  things  which  are  above,  where 
Christ  sitteth  on  the  right  hand  of  God;  set 
your  affections  on  things  above,  not  on 
things  on  the  earth;  for  ye  are  dead,  and  j 
your  life  is  hid  with  Christ  in  God,  when  ] 


Clirist,  who  is  our  life,  shall  appear,  then 
shall  ye  also  appear  with  him  in  glory," 
Col.  3j  1—4.  Here  we  have  an  account  how 
the  regenerated  children  of  God  who  have 
risen  with  Christ  from  the  dead,  and  now 
live  with  him,  converse  uponheavenly  things, 
and  appear  to  the  world  as  not  living,  for 
their  life  is  hid  in  God,  as  St.  John  says, 
"Now  are  we  the  sons  of  God,  and  it  doth 
not  yet  appear  what  we  shall  be;  but  we 
know  that,  when  he  shall  appear,  we  shall 
be  like  him;  for  we  shall  see  him  as  he  is," 
1  John  3:  2. 

With  these  and  the  like  words  the  Script- 
ures admonish  the  truly  regenerated  and 
those  who  have  arisen,  that  they  should 
take  heed  to  their  calling,  and  continue  per- 
fect in  a  new,  godly  walk,  for  if  they  have 
been  made  partakers  of  Cluist,  they  should 
persevere  to  the  end,  lest  they  again  depart 
from  the  living  God  through  the  deceitful- 
ness  of  sin  and  an  evil  heart  of  unbelief; 
and  they  should  remain  steadfast  and  per- 
fect, as  the  chosen  children  of  God,  and  in- 
herit the  kingdom  of  their  Father,  and  reign 
in  eternity  and  rule  over  sin,  death,  devil 
and  hell,  and  all  the  enemies  of  the  king- 
dom, whom  they  overcome  with  Christ,  as 
valiant  men;  therefore,  will  they  also  sit 
with  Christ  at  the  table  of  the  Lord,  and 
eat  the  bread  and  drink  the  wine  of  the 
kingdom  of  heaven;  even  as  Christ  over- 
came, and  sitteth  with  his  Father  in  his 
kingdom  which  is  prepared  for  them;  as  a 
city  well  fortified ;  free  from  all  care  of  their 
enemies;  in  full  rest,  full  of  life  and  joy; 
for  they  eat  of  the  tree  of  life  which  is  in  the 
midst  of  Paradise;  which  pleasure  garden 
is  ever  close  to  the  unregenerated,  who  are 
still  earthly  and  carnally  minded,  who  still 
have  by  nature  the  vail  and  partition  wall 
of  sin  before  their  hearts. 

These  are  they,  who  died  with  Clirist  unto 
sin,  and  have  truly  risen ;  they  are  the  new 
born,  to  whom  the  power  is  given  to  become 
the  sons  of  God;  were  redeemed  out  of  all 
nations;  have  on  the  wedding  garments 
against  the  marriage  of  the  Lamb;  have  re- 
ceived the  sign  TAU  in  their  foreheads  by 
which  the  servants  of  God  are  designated ; 
these  are  the  spiritual  bride  of  Cluist,  his 
holy  cluu'ch,  his  spiritual  body,  flesh  of  his 
flesh,  and  bone  of  his  bone.  They  have  come 


236 


THE  SPIRITUAL  EESURRECTION. 


to  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  the  city  of  the  ' 
living  God,  which  came  down  from  heaven ; 
have  come  to  an  innumerable  company  of 
angels,  to  the  general  assemblj^  of  the*" church 
of  the  first  born  which  are  written  in  heaven, 
and  to  Jesus,  the  Mediator  of  the  new  cove- ' 
nant;  they  are  fellow  citizens  in  the  house- 
hold of  God  who  have  put  off  the  corrupt- ' 
ible  garment,  and  put  on  the  incorruptible; 
have  acknowledged  the  name  of  God,  and 
kept  his  commandments,  and  the  faith  of  | 
Jesus;  the  true  sheep  of  Christ,  who  hear 
his  voice,  and  follow  no  other;  the  first  fruits 
of  his  creatures,  who  have  the  Spirit  and 
mind  of  Christ,  therefore,  they  know  what  the 
will  of  the  Lord  is ;  yea,  the  chosen  genera- 
tion, the  spiritual  and  royal  priesthood,  a 
holy  nation,  a  peculiar  people;  who  in  times 
past  were  not  a  people,  but  now  the  people 
of  God,  for  God  had  compassion  on  them; 
these  are  the  souls  who  were  slain,  under 
the  altar,  for  the  word  of  God. 

In  short,  with  them  old  things  have  passed 
away;  behold  all  things  have  become  new; 
but  this  is  all  of  God,  who  has  reconciled 
us  unto  himself  through  Jesus  Christ;  these 
are  they  who  stand  before  the  throne  of 
God,  with  palms  in  their  hands,  and  clothed 
in  white,  saying,  "Blessing,  and  glorj^,  and 
wisdom,  and  thanksgiving,  and  honor,  and 
power  and  might  be  unto  our  God  forever  : 
and  ever.  Amen,"  Rev.  7:  12. 

This  is  a  short  instruction  concerning  the 
spiritual  resm-rection  or  new  birth,  and  the 
difference  between  the  natural  and  spiritual; 
between  the  eartlily  and  the  heavenly;  and 
how  every  one  is  disposed,  inclined,  and  of  j 
what  mind  he  is,  according  to  his  birth  or 
origin,  and  that  he  is  of  the  same  disposi- 
tion, of  the  same  mind  and  of  such  a  nature  ' 
as  that  is  of  which  he  is  born,  that  wMch 
generated  him;  for  the  natural  man  is  not 
spiritual,  neither  is  that  which  is  born  of  j 
flesh  and  blood,  the  spiritual  birth  of  God  \ 
from  lieaven ;  but  like  produces  like.     As  ! 
the  natural  man  is,  so  are  thej^,  who  are 
naturally  born.     Such  as  God  is,  who  is  a 
Spirit  and  dwells  in  heaven,  such  are  also 
they  who  are  spiritually  born  from  heaven, 
who  far   exceed  those  naturally   born    of 
flesh. 

Here,  as  in  a  mirror,  one  may  view  and 
examine  himself,  and  judge  of  what  birth,  } 


mind,  disposition,  nature,  life  and  conduct 
he  is;  for  here  a  man,  by  taking  a  little 
pains,  can  judge  and  prove  himself,  for  a 
man's  walk,  word  and  actions,  and  the 
thoughts  of  his  heart,  all  show  what  he  is; 
for  man  knows  himself  best,  and  no  one 
knows  what  is  in  man,  br^t  the  spirit  wliich 
is  in  him. 

Again:  therefore,  all  those  who  find  on 
proving  themselves,  that  they  are  not  re- 
newed and  regenerated  after  their  first  birth , 
according  to  the  flesh,  in  mind,  understand- 
ing, spirit  and  disi)osition,but  are  yet  alto- 
gether carnally,  earthly,  worldly  and  devil- 
isTily  minded ;  and  from  their  depraved, 
inbred  nature,  are  prone  and  willing  to  do 
all  manner  of  evil,  should  humble  them- 
selves before  God,  with  Jeremiah,  saying, 
Let  us  examine  and  prove  our  ways,  and 
let  us  turn  unto  the  Lord,  let  us  lift  our 
hands  and  hearts  to  God  in  heaven,  and 
say.  We  have  sinned  before  heaven  and  in 
thy  sight,  and  have  excited  thy  wrath ;  Let 
us  weep  and  let  onv  eyes  run  over  with  wa- 
ter, and  say  with  David,  "O  come,  let  us 
worship  and  bow  down;  let  us  kneel  before 
the  Lord  our  Maker,"  and  entreat  him  that 
he  would  make  glad  the  work  of  his  hands, 
and  renew  us  whom  he  created;  let  its  hmn- 
l)l3^  entreat  him  for  his  Spirit,  which  is  the 
gTeat  cause  of  all  this,  and  say,  Lord,  send 
forth  thy  Spirit,  and  they  will  be  created, 
and  thou  wilt  renew  the  face  of  the  earth, 
and  thus  they  continue  in  prayer  and  in  their 
desires  to  God,  till  they  are  clothed  with  the 
power  of  the  Spirit  from  on  high,  converted 
and  renewed  in  the  spirit  of  their  mind ;  and 
with  astonishment  say.  This  is  the  change 
wrought  by  the  right  hand  of  God,  the  most 
High,  Ps.  104:  30;  95:6. 

Also  let  those,  who,  on  examining  them- 
selves, find  that  they  are  born  from  above 
by  the  grace  of  God,  and  that  they  are  new 
creatures  in  Christ,  and  have  become  a  tem- 
ple of  God,  take  heed  to  themselves  accord- 
ing to  the  counsel  of  the  Scriptures,  in  order 
that,  since  they  are  washed,  purified,  regen- 
erated and  sanctified,  they  do  not  again 
defile  themselves,  and  pollute  the  temple  of 
God;  for  if  any  man  defile  the  temple  of 
God,  him  shall  God  destroy.  They  pray  in 
the  spirit  with  assui-ed  confidence,  to  God, 
their  Father,  with  David,  O  God  strengthen 


THE  SPIRITUAL  RESURRECTION. 


337 


us  and  confirm  in  us  that  wliicli  thou  didst 
cause  in  us!  He  will  then  hear  in  his  holy 
temple,  according  to  his  promise,  For  he  is 
faithful  who  has  begun  the  good  work  in 
you,  he  will  also  perform  it  until  the  day  of 
Jesus  Christ.  Peter  says,  "Give  all  dili- 
gence to  add  to  your  faith,  virtue;  and  to 
virtue,  knowledge;  and  to  knowledge,  tem- 
perance; and  to  temperance,  patience;  and 
to  patience,  godliness;  and  to  godliness, 
brotherly  kindness;  and  to  brotherly  kind- 
ness, charity;  for  if  these  things  be  in  you, 
and  abound,  they  make  yoii  that  ye  shall 
neither  be  barren  nor  unfruitful  in  the 
knowledge  of  om-  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  but  he 
that  lacketh  these  things  is  blind,  and  can- 
not see  afar  off,  and  hath  forgotten  that  lie 
was  purged  from  his  old  sins;  wherefore, 
the  rather,  brethren,  give  diligence  to  make 
your  calling  and  election  sure;  for  if  ye  do 


these  things,  ye  shall  never  fall;  for  so  an 
entrance  shall  be  ministered  unto  j^ou  abund- 
antly, into  the  everlasting  kingdom  of  our 
Lord  and  Savior,  Jesus  Christ,"  2  Pet.  1: 
5—11. 

May  the  God  of  all  grace,  who  will  gather 
all  his  chosen  in  the  last  resurrection,  into 
his  kingdom,  grant  us  such  hearts,  minds 
and  dispositions,  that  we,  through  true  faith, 
may  die  unto  ourselves,  deny  and  renoimce 
ourselves,  that  we  may  have  part  in  the  first 
resurrection  spoken  of,  which  resurrection 
does  not  take  place  in  the  bodily  resm-rec- 
tiou  from  the  dead,  as  will  be  the  case  in  the 
other  resurrection,  at  the  last  day,  but  this 
resurrection  consists  alone  in  dying  unto, 
mortifying  and  burying  the  sinful  body 
through  putting  off,  and  dying  unto  the  old 
life,  and  to  rise  and  be  received  into  a  new, 
divine  conduct  and  pious  life.  Amen. 


CONCLUSION. 


Heee,  kind  reader,  you  have  a  brief  in- 
struction of  the  first,  or  Spiritual  Resurrec- 
tion from  death  or  the  sleep  of  sin,  also  some 
inducements  to  awaken  and  arise,  and  hence- 
forth to  live  a  new,  godly,  pious,  unblam- 
able life,  according  to  the  example  of  Jesus 
Christ,  as  the  Scriptures  abundantly  in- 
struct us,  and  as  is  partiallj^  related  here; 
for  the  Father  himself,  in  heaven  directs  us 
to  Christ,  and  says,  "This  is  my  beloved 
Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased,  hear  ye 
him."  He  says.  Ye  shall  hear  him.  Moses 
also  testifies  of  him,  and  says,  "The  Lord, 
thy  God,  will  raise  up  unto  thee  a  prophet 
from  the  midst  of  thee,  of  thy  brethren,  like 
unto  me;  unto  him  ye  shall  hearken;"  and 
"every  soul  which  will  not  hear  that  Proph- 
et, shall  be  destroyed  from  among  the  peo- 
ple," Deut.  18:  15;  Acts  3:  23. 

Thus  we  counsel  and  admonish  all  in 
general,  of  whatever  name,  rank,  class  or 
condition;  that  they  would  be  pleased  to 
take  good  heed  to  the  word  of  the  Lord, 
which  we  have  here  briefly  presented,  ac- 
cording to  our  limited  gift;  I  hope,  by  the 


grace  of  God,  that  you  will  find  nothing  in 
it  but  the  infallible  truth  of  Jesus  Christ, 

I  for  we  have  not  directed  you  to  men,  nor  to 
the  doctrine,  nor  commands  of  men,  but 
alone  to  Jesus  Christ,  and  to  his  holy  word 
which  he  taught  and  left  upon  earth,  and 
sealed  it  with  his  blood  and  death,  and 
afterwards  had  it  jjromulgated  throughout 

i  the  world,  by  his  faithful  witnesses  and  ho- 

'  ly  apostles. 

Besides,  we  say,  that  all  doctrines,  which 

I  do  not  agree  with  the  doctrine  of  Jesus 
Christ  and  his  apostles,  if  ever  so  fair  in 
appearance,  they  are  acciirsed.  For  his 
word  is  the  truth,  and  his  command  is  eter- 
nal life,  therefore,  we  kindly  entreat  you, 
from  our  inmost  souls,  that  you  be  pleased 
to  accept  and  read  witli  an  understanding 
heart,  this  our  Instruction  concerning  the 
Spiritual  Besurrection  and  New  Creature, 
and  compare  and  prove  it  with  the  doctrines 
of  the  apostles;  if  it  does  not  agree  with 
theirs,  let  it  be  acciu'sed,  "For  other  foun- 
dation can  no  man  lay  than  that  is  laid, 
which  is  Jesus  Christ." 


A 


Fundamental  Doctrine, 


OK  AJSr  ACCOUNT   OF 


Excommunication,  Ban,  Exclusion, 


OR 


SEPARATION  FROM  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST; 


ITS  NATURE,  POWERS,  TO  WHOM  IT  EXTENDS ; 

ITS  REASONS,  OBJECTS  AND  DESIGN,  Ac— WHY  IT  WAS  TAUGHT 

AND  PRACTICED  BY  THE  APOSTLES,  AND  COMMANDED  THAT  WE  SHOULD  PRACTICE  IT. 

FAITHFULLY  COMPILED  FROM  SACRED  SCRIPTURES,  FOR  THE  USE  OF  ALL 

LOVERS  OF  THE  DOCTRINE  OP  ETERNAL  TRUTH,  TO  PROMOTE 

CHRISTIAN  PEACE  WITHOUT  RESPECT  TO  PARTY. 


BY 


MENNO  SIMON. 


'  Be  of  one  mind — let  nothing  be  done  through  strife  or  vain  glory,"  Phil.  3 ;  3. 

'  For  other  foundation  can  no  man  lay  than  that  is  laid,  which  is  Jesus  Christ," 
1  Cor.  3:  11. 


ELKHART,  INDIANA: 

PUBLISHED  BY  JOHN  F.   FUNK  AND  BROTHER. 

18  7  1. 


PREFACE. 


Brethhek  and  sisters  in  Christ  Jesus,  it 
is  known,  and  evident  to  all  the  tme  chil- 
dren of  God,  who  are  enlightened  by  his 
Holy  Spirit,  that  human  reason  is  so  de- 
praved in  Adam,  that  it  possesses  but  little 
light  which  can  lead  to  godliness;  yea,  it 
has  become  so  unfit,  haughty,  ignorant  and 
blind  that  it  would  even  attempt  presumpt- 
uously to  alter,  bend,  break,  gainsay,  judge 
and  find  fault  with  the  word  of  the  Lord 
God ;  it  will  not  yield  to  any  spirit  or  gift 
and  persists  that  it  is  right,  and  that  all  it 
does  or  says  is  God's  word;  whereby  the 
saving  tnrth,  and  blessed  love  and  peace 
have  often  to  endure  and  suffer  ranch  injury, 
infamy  and  disgrace. 

In  the  second  place,  it  is  evident  that  also 
the  enchanting  spirit  of  anti-christ  has  made 
the  whole  world  so  drunk  with  the  cup  of 
his  abominations;  has  so  rejected  the  doc- 
trine of  Christ  and  his  holy  apostles,  sacra- 
ments. Spirit,  life,  ordinances,  usages,  ex- 
ample and  the  true  worship,  that  but  little 
of  a  salutary  nature  is  left  among  men; 
hence  it  is  difficult  to  restore  what  has  been 
destroyed  to  its  true  order  and  proper  usage, 
to  which  the  Lord  had  ordained  it. 

In  the  third  place,  it  is  evident  that  the 
old  master,  satan,  the  arch  enemy  of  God 
and  souls,  is  always  about  us,  as  a  roaring 
lion,  and  seeks  whom  he  may  devour,  as 
Peter  says.  He  assails  us  in  divers  Avays; 
now  with  the  unclean,  wicked  nature  of  our 
depraved  flesh,  and  anon  with  some  en- 
chanting, false  doctrine  and  fair  words ;  and 
again,  by  persecution,  cross  and  fears;  then 
with  liberty  and  worldly  life  of  the  flesh; 
now  with  riches  and  abundance,  then  again 
with  defects,  wants  and  poverty.  In  short, 
he  shoots  his  fiery  darts  constantly;  they 
fly  by  day  and  by  night,  in  secret  and  in 
public.  He  that  does  not  zealously  abide 
in  the  fear  of  God  cannot  withstand  the 
31 


manifold  assaults  of  his  temptations.  Yea 
when  we  think  the  end  is  attained,  then  we 
are  assailed  the  most  violently.  Some  are 
led  to  quarreling  and  wi-angling  under  the 
semblance  of  truth;  such  are  called  by  Paul, 
"Men  of  corrupt  minds,  and  destitute  of  the 
truth,"  whose  fruits  are  abominable  envy, 
disgi'aceful  defamation,  slanderous  words, 
unclean,  perverted  minds,  a  lamentable  de- 
struction of  the  holy  peace  of  God,  a  griev- 
ous denial  of  pure,  christian  love,  a  hin- 
drance of  the  saving  doctrine,  the  fruitful 
mother  of  faction,  and  an  easy  way  to  ruin, 
as  we  have  abundantly  seen  in  the  days  of 
the  revealed  truth. 

0!  brethren,  take  warning;  again  I  say, 
beware  and  watch;  for  James  says  tliat  such 
wisdom  is  not  from  above,  but  it  is  earthly, 
sensual,  devilish;  for  the  wisdom  which  is 
from  above,  is  first  pure,  then  peaceable, 
gentle  and  easy  to  be  entreated,  full  of  mer- 
cy and  good  fruits,  without  partiality  and 
without  hypocrisy.  Yea,  my  brethren,  where 
there  is  no  peaceable,  friendly,  saving  and 
impartial  wisdom,  there  is  nothing  but 
forced  appearance  of  good;  powerless,  im- 
pure and  sinful  prayer ;  an  unsteady,  waver- 
ing mind  ;  a'  restless  and  troubled  con- 
science, full  of  strife  and  dissension,  no 
matter  how  much  we  may  boast  of  the 
truth.  The  Lord  grant  that  we  may  see 
this. 

In  the  fourth  place,  it  is  evident  that  the 
community  or  church  cannot  continue  in  the 
saving  doctrine,  au  unblamable  and  pious 
life  without  the  proper  use  of  the  Excommii- 
nication  or  Ban;  even  as  a  city  without  a 
good  police,  or  laws  and  regulations,  or  a 
field  without  any  inclosure,  and  a  house 
without  walls  and  doors,  so  is  also  a  church 
which  has  not  the  true  apostolic  Exclusion 
or  Ban;  for  without  it  there  would  be  an 
opening  for  all  deceiving  spirits,  for  all 


242 


PREFACE. 


abominations,  and  for  proud  scorners,  for 
all  idolatrous  and  wantonly,  perverted  sin- 
ners; yea,  for  all  lewd  debauchees,  sodom- 
ites, adulterers  and  knaves,  as  is  the  case 
with  all  the  great  sects  of  the  world,  which 
call  themselves,  though  improperly,  the 
church  of  Christ ;  according  to  my  opinion 
it  is  the  distinguished  usage,  honor  and 
prosperity  of  a  sincere  community,  if  they 
with  christian  discretion  teach  the  true  apos- 
tolic Separation,  and  observe  it  carefully  in 
love,  according  to  the  ordinance  of  the  holy, 
divine  Scriptures;  it  is  more  than  evident, 
that  if  we  had  not  with  due  zeal  insisted  upon 
it,  we  would  be  esteemed  and  called,  by 
every  one,  the  members  of  the  sect  of  Muns- 
ter  and  all  other  perverted  sects.  But,  thank 
God,  since,  in  consequence  of  the  proper  use 
of  excommunication,  itis  well  known,  among 
several  thousand  honorable,  sincere  persons, 
in  different  principalities,  cities,  and  coun- 
tries, that  we  are  guiltless  of,  and  free  from 
all  ungodly  abominations,  and  preverted 
sects,  and  that  we  also  do  make  this  known, 
unreservedly,  to  the  whole  world,  not  only 
by  our  doctrines  and  walk,  but  with  our 
possessions  and  blood. 

Observing  that  now  the  bright  light  of  the 
holy  gospel  of  Christ  shines  again  in  reful- 
gent splendor  in  these  vexatious  times  of  all 
anti-chi'istian  abominations;  God's  own  and 
first  begotten  Son,  Christ  Jesus,  is  glorious- 
ly revealed,  his  good  will  and  pleasure  and 
holy  word  concerning  faith,  regeneration, 
repentance,  baptism,  the  Lord's  Supper,  and 
the  whole  saving  doctrine,  life  and  ordi- 
nance, have  again  come  to  light  through 
much  seeking,  prayer,  reading,  teaching  and 
writing;  that  now  all  things  (God  be  prais- 
ed for  his  grace)  proceed  according  to  the 
true,  apostolic  rule  in  the  church,  whereby 
the  kingdom  of  Christ  rises  in  honor,  and 
the  kingdom  of  anti-christ  is  sinking.  For 
this  reason  the  arch  enemy  of  our  souls  vio- 
lently opposes  and  uses  his  old  wiles  and 
arts  most  subtlely  against  it.  He  appears 
under  the  cloak  of  a  ckristian;  understand 
me  rightly ;  he  proudly  boasts  of  faith ;  up- 
braids, yea,  rejects  all  the  Babylonian 
deeds;  is  baptized;  seats  himself  with  the 
saints  at  the  Lord's  Supper;  praises  the 
lives  of  the  pious ;  hears  exhortations ;  gives 
alms;  receives  the  poor ;  washes  the  saints' 


feet;  says  that  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God.  In 
short,  in  appearance  he  is  an  unblamable, 
regenerated,  penitent  and  trae  christian.  But 
in  the  mean  time,  he  watches  where  he  may 
assail  us  most  easily  and  injure  us  the  most; 
he  pleasingly  approaches  the  depraved  and 
enchanted  souls,  some  of  whom,  as  is  evi- 
dent, as  yet  know  little  about  the  nature 
and  disposition  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  he 
presses  them  closely,  for  he  knows  how 
skillfully  to  defend  his  cause  with  the  letter 
of  the  Scriptiu'es;  he  speaks  gently;  what- 
ever he  does,  he  does  as  thoiigh  out  of  pure 
fear  of  God,  and  love  to  the  church,  with  the 
word  and  truth  of  the  Lord.  He  commences 
as  though  in  the  anxiety  of  a  distressed  con- 
science, to  argue  and  dispute,  principally 
concerning  the  separation  which  he  can  not 
well  tolerate  and  endure;  here  and  there  he 
raises  pernicious  questions  and  answers, 
whereby  he  so  iniluences  and  inliames  tlie 
perverted  and  enchanted,  that  some  of  them, 
when  they  cannot  stand  before  the  power  of 
the  truth,  from  mere  partisan  spirit,  leave 

I  the  pleasant  Jerusalem  of  peace  and  return 

j  again  to  unclean,  blind  Babel;  or  build  up 

,  a  sect  of  their  own,  as  I  have,  with  much 
sorrow,  seen  it  to  be  the  case  two  or  three 
times.  Behold,  this  is  the  pearl  which  the 
old  deceiver  seeks  with  his  ire  and  wrang- 
ling; for  whether  we  stay  away  from  the 
idolatrous  chm-ch  or  not,  be  baptized  or  not, 

.  it  is  immaterial  to  him ;  if  he  can  only  in- 
flame our  hearts  with  hatred  and  envy  one 
towards  another,  corrupt  our  minds,  mar 
oiir  love,  destroy  our  peace ;  if  he  can  but 

J  sow  discord,  defamation,  hatred,lies,  enmity 
and  backbiting,  which  generally  arise  from 
such  disputes;  if  he  can  btit  do  this,  then  he 
has  accomplished  what  he  sought.  Ah!  dear 
brethren,  beware,  for  it  is  more  than  clear, 
that  all  those  who  have  not  the  meek,  friend- 

;  ly,  peaceable  and  aflectionate  Spirit  of 
Christ,  but  are  contentious,  are  not  of  God. 
Be  this  known  to  you. 

Inasmuch  then,  that  we  know,  that  he  did 
from  the  beginning  of  the  expounded  gospel, 
to  the  present  moment,  cause  us  much  pain 
and  sorrow  of  heart,  with  his  cunning,  un- 
fruitful questions  of  contention,  and  other 

j  pernicious  disputations,  I  do  most  aftection- 
ately  and  sincerely  entreat  all  who  would 

{  desire  to  walk  peaceably  and  quietly  in  the 


PREFACE. 


243 


fear  of  God  with  a  good  conscience,  before 
the  Lord  and  his  church,  that  they  would 
all,  before  God  in  Christ  Jesus,  lay  this  sin- 
cerely to  heart,  how  faithfully  the  Holy 
Spirit  of  Christ  warns  us  concerning  our 
unprofitable,  foolish  questions,  answers,  dis- 
putations, and  quarrels,  1  Tim.  6  ;  for  the 
Spirit  of  Christ  is  the  Spirit  of  love  and 
peace,  and  therefore,  teaches  it  to  all  of  his 
children,  and  wi'iteg  it  upon  the  tablets  of 
our  hearts  with  his  gracious  iinger.  Ah !  do 
reflect  upon  what  we  teach;  and  that  his 
lioly  kingdom  and  word  are  a  word  and 
kingdom  of  peace,  and  not  of  strife;  that 
his  messengers  and  servants,  are  messengers 
and  servants  of  peace,  in  order  that  you, 
who  call  yourselves  after  his  holy  name, 
who  alone  has  graciously  called  you  into 
his  kingdom  of  peace,  through  the  word  of 
his  peace,  may  escape  the  snares  of  the  devil, 
and  that  you  may  so  conduct  yourselves  in 
all  your  ways  after  the  will  and  pleasure  of 
Christ,  towards  all  men,  and  observe  his 
lioly  word  and  ordinance,  and  defend  it; 
that  you  may  promote  that  true  righteous- 
ness required  of  God,  such  as  faith,  love,  re- 
pentance, regeneration,  piety  and  peace  with 
all  other  fruits  of  the  Holy  Ghost;  gladden 
the  hearts  of  all  the  sorrowful  of  heart,  and 
the  young  and  tender  souls  in  Christ  Jesus, 
and  strengthen,  console  and  encourage  them 
in  all  their  trials,  need,  temptations,  tribula- 
tion and  fear;  so  that  the  most  holy  city 
and  temple,  which  lay  desolated  for  so  many 
centuries,  may  again  be  rebuilt,  and  all  its 
usages,  ordinances  and  services  restored  to 
primitive  order.  Yea,  that  the  saving  light 
of  the  true  gospel  of  Christ  may  be  spread 
among  all  nations,  kindi'ed  and  tongues,  in 
its  full  splendor;  and  that  the  accursed,  ly- 
ing and  anti-chi-istian  darkness  may  be 
dispelled. 

Then  observe  that  the  poweiful  word  of 
the  Lord  is  more  and  more  miraculously 
breaking  forth,  and  that,  therefore,  all  true 
hearts  would  gladly  see  and  have  unanim- 
ity in  this  part  of  the  Ban,  whereby  they 
are  sometimes  so  greatly  troubled  and  per- 
plexed, as  related,  that  they  might  all  or- 
derly proceed,  observing  one  rule,  according 
to  the  Scriptures  as  it  becomes  christians; 
and  that  I,  an  unworthy  person,  the  weak- 
est of  all  the  saints,  have  been  severely  tried 


in  this  part  by  many,  diiferent  spirits  for 
twenty -two  years,  and  have  endui-ed  many 
an  attack,  whereby  others  are  not  only 
taught  of  me,  but  I  am  also  taught  of  oth- 
ers, the  Giver  of  all  good  gifts  be  praised 
for  all  this.  And  also  that  I  have  acquired 
more  knowledge  in  some  things,  through 
length  of  time,  and  through  many  adventi- 
tious cii'cumstances,  examination  and  study ; 
therefore,  I  was  fraternally  requested  and 
besought,  by  several,  pious  hearts  who 
would  gladly  see  all  things  right,  that  be- 
fore the  close  of  my  life,  I  would  examine 
and  revise  the  Ground  and  meaning  of  the 
true  apostolic  Ban  or  Separation,  arrange  it 
formally,  and  present  it  for  examination  to 
the  elders  and  ministers  of  the  church,  and 
to  all  those  desiring  peace,  so  that  if  any 
one,  after  my  departure,  as  I  am  now  an  old, 
feeble  man,  might  cause  any  trouble,  strife 
or  dissension  among  the  quiet  and  peace- 
able, under  pretence  that  he  heard  this  or 
that  from  me  at  any  time,  or  might  infer 
wrong  views  from  some  of  my  writings 
which  have  not  yet  been  so  fully  explained 
by  me  concerning  Imshand  and  tcife,  and  of 
open,  offensive,  carnal  sinners,  as  it  is  done 
here,  in  order  that  the  brethren  may  refer 
them  to  my  conclusive  ground,  after  I  shall 
have  fallen  asleep  in  God,  and  made  my 
exit  hence.  Besides,  that  the  pious,  doubt- 
ful conscience  may  thereby  be  relieved,  so 
that  they  may  attain  an  assiu-ance  of  confi- 
dence in  their  minds.  To  which  request,  al- 
though christian-like  and  just,  I  have  under- 
taken to  respond  with  diffidence,  because  I 
well  know  that  they  are  not  all  brethren  and 
sisters  in  truth  and  power  who  will  read, 
hear  and  see  it,  but  also  others.  And  where 
the  disposition  is  not  friendly,  nor  love  true, 
there  the  understanding  is  generally  partial 
and  the  construction  unjust,  as  I,  alas,  have 
often  experienced  in  my  days.  Ah !  that 
some  of  them  would  obtain  grace.  Besides, 
I  know,  that  the  opinions,  judgments,  affec- 
tions and  minds  are  different ;  and  that  the 
all-prevailing  truth  and  the  fear,  Spii'it  and 
unction  of  the  Lord,  are  not  possessed  by 
every  one  in  their  fullness;  therefore,  I  fear 
that  all  will  not  receive  and  follow  this  doc- 
trine as  the  True  Ground  of  Trutli.  O  that 
we  all  had  the  eyes  of  understanding,  those 
of  us  who  think  we  see,  it  would,  according 


244 


PREFACE. 


to  my  opinion,  soon  gain  a  strong  hold 
with  some. 

Yet  I  confidently  expect  that  those,  who 
in  the  true  fear  of  God  sincerely  seek  union 
and  peace  among  the  pious,  and  are  anx- 
ious for  the  truth,  will  not  despise  and  up- 
braid me  for  this  my  solicitous  and  brother- 
ly labor  for  the  edification  of  holy  peace, 
and  explanation  of  eternal  truth,  accepted  by 
me  in  true  christian  faith;  but  that  they  will 
accept  it,  and  give  the  praise  to  God  for  his 
grace;  for  it  appears  to  me,  although  per- 
haps I  may  be  in  error,  almost  impossible  to 
hit  upon  a  more  certain  way  according  to 
truth,  in  which  we  may  stand  before  God  and 
man,  than  that  wliich  I  have  impartially, 
and  according  to  my  limited  talents,  point- 
ed out  and  explained  as  before  God  in 
Christ  Jesus,  and  which  is  according  to  the 
sacred  Scriptures. 

I  do  not  serve  the  stiff-necked,  haughty 
and  perverse  scorners,  neither  immovable 
bigots  and  -wranglers,  but  those,  I  serve,  who 
are  of  an  impartial,  new,  christian  mind, 
who  suffer  themselves  to  be  instructed,  and 
are  under  the  guidance  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
and  live  in  the  fear  of  God  and  in  pure  love, 
who  have  received  the  Lord's  holy  word  and 
truth  in  a  pure  mind;  who  implicity  follow 
it  thi'ough  the  received  unction,  and  are  free 


from  all  bitter,  party  spirit,  vain  honor, 
hatred  and  envy;  for  vdth  such  we  find  the 
amiable  spirit  of  peace,  sincere  and  pious 
disposition,  an  unleavened,  pure  heart  and 
conversation,  and,  therefore,  also  an  upright 
and  pure  understanding,  and  an  incorrupt, 
saving  gi-ound  and  exposition,  and  they 
live  no  more  unto  their  selfish  flesh,  but  un- 
to Christ  and  theu-  neighbors,  resist  none, 
are  humble,  are  opposed  to  all  unscriptural 
contention  and  strife,  readily  acknowledge 
their  short  comings  wherein  they  have  er- 
red; reconcile  their  neighbors  whom  they 
had  grieved,  regarding  neither  honor  nor 
dishonor;  heap  fiery  coals  upon  the  heads 
of  their  adversaries;  walk  unblamably,  in 
order  that  they  may  awaken  them  again 
unto  truth  with  love,  lead  them  from  the 
way  of  error,  bring  them  unto  Christ,  and 
save  them  eternally.  Behold  these  are  they, 
I  say,  whom  I  serve  with  my  wi-itings;  for 
they  have  Christ  in  power  with  his  Spirit, 
word  and  love,  and  thus  with  him,  and  in 
him  they  have  Teife  Christianity,  which 
will  stand  before  God,  which  is  a  useful, 
cheering,  peaceable  and  joyful  thing.  Ah, 
children,  be  admonished;  learn  rightly  to 
know  the  subtlety  of  the  devil,  and  beware 
of  discord.  May  the  merciful  Father  grant 
unto  us  the  wise  Spirit  of  his  grace.  Amen. 


— M?>^ 


EXPLANATION 


OF    TILE 


TKUE  APOSTOLIC  SEPARATION  OR  EXCOMMUNICATION. 


1.  What  is  meant  lyy  Separation  or  Ex- 
communication f  Sincerely  faithful  cliildi'en 
in  the  Lord,  whom  I  love  in  tnath,  Since  I 
have  undertaken,  in  paternal  lidelity,  this 
very  critical  task,  for  the  benefit  of  you  and 
all  the  pions  generally,  I  say  a  critical  task, 
for  I  am  well  aware  that  it  has  caused  much 
grief  among  the  humble  for  some  time ;  and 
I  fear  that  all  is  not  over  yet,  I,  therefore, 
entreat  you  all  in  general,  both  the  afflicted 
and  unafflictecl,  by  the  bloody  wounds  of 
Jesus,  all  of  you,  who  with  me  bow  your 
knees  before  the  Almighty,  great  God,  I  ex- 
hort you  by  the  righteous  judgment,  which 
he  will  hold  at  his  future  coming  in  the 
clouds  of  heaven,  in  Haming  lire,  with  his 
mighty  angels,  that  you  would  be  pleased 
to  judge  this  my  work  impartially,  and 
with  a  pure  heart  of  peace;  read  article 
after  article,  nay,  every  word,  with  sincere, 
christian  discretion,  in  impartial,  true  love, 
according  to  the  rule  and  foundation  of  truth ; 
and,  in  the  first  place,  well  observe  what 
Excommunication  of  the  church  of  Christ  is 
in  power,  which  was  left  and  taught  us  in 
the  word  by  the  Lord's  holy  apostles,  so 
that  you  despise  none  ignorantly,  nor  say 
with  scorners.  Let  them  freely  excommuni- 
cate; their  excommunication  is  not  danger- 
ous, and  similar  unguarded  expressions.  I 
tell  the  truth  in  Christ,  and  lie  not,  that  I 
would  sooner  suffer  myself  to  be  cut  into 
pieces,  till  the  day  of  judgment,  if  it  were 
possible,  than  to  suffer  myself  to  be  excom- 
municated, according  to  the  Scriptures,  by 
the  servants  of  the  Lord,  from  his  church. 
O  brethren,  beware! 


All  that  was  cursed  in  Israel  according  to 
the  ordinances  of  the  law,  whether  man  or 
beast,  had  to  die,  and  the  accursed  goods 
had  to  be  burnt  with  fire.  This  was  a  dread- 
ful and  severe  curse.  But  in  the  kingdom 
and  government  of  Christ,  if  we  rightly  view 
it  in  its  true  character;  if  repentance  follow 
not,  it  is  still  more  dreadful ;  it  is  not  now  a 
bodily  extermination  or  the  death  of  our 
flesh,  as  Moses'  curse  or  excommunication 
was,  nor  is  it  an  exclusion  from  a  temple  or 
synagogue,  even  as  is  the  excommunication 
of  the  Jews  or  of  the  world ;  but  it  is  a  trae 
declaration  of  the  eternal  death  of  the  soul, 
made  thi-ough  the  sincere  servants  of  Christ, 
against  all  offending,  carnal  sinners,  and 
stubborn  wi-anglers;  a  delivering  over  to 
satan;  yea,  a  common  renouncing,  excom- 
municating or  separating  from  the  congi-e- 
gation,  church,  body  and  kingdom  of  Christ, 
and  that  in  the  name  of  Christ,  with  the 
binding  efficacy  of  his  Holy  Ghost  and  pow- 
erful word. 

Since,  then,  this  is  such  a  dreadful  and 
severe  anathema,  as  related,  then  may  every 
one  see  well  to  it,  that  he  walk  and  conduct 
himself  so  before  God  and  his  church,  as 
not  to  be  eternally  smitten  with  such  a  curse, 
either  of  Christ  or  his  chiu'ch  that  he  must 
be  an  excommunicant  out  of  the  holy  con- 
gregation, body,  city,  temple,  church,  king- 
dom and  house  of  Christ.  For  aU  who  are 
out  of  the  congregation  and  chm-ch  of  Christ, 
must  be  in  that  of  anti-christ;  this  is  incon- 
trovertible. And  what  the  award  of  such 
will  be,  if  they  will  not  repent,  may  be 
plainly  read  in  Rom,  1;  32;  6:  23;  Gal.  5; 


246 


EXCOMMUNICATION. 


21;  Rev.  21:  8.  Ah!  children,  beware;  be 
carefid  with  all  your  powers;  watch  assidu- 
ously; pray  fervently  and  be  prepared;  for 
God's  judgments  are  terrible;  "It  is  a  fear- 
ful thing  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  living 
God,"Heb.  10:  31.      , 

2.  Over  icliom  tids  Apostolic  Excovimuni- 
cation  is  to  he  used.  We  find  in  many  places 
of  the  holy  Scriptures,  tliat  the  truly  believ- 
ing church  is  the  spiritual  body,  bride,  camp, 
city  and  temple  of  Jesus  Christ,  our  only 
spiritual  Head,  Bridegi'oom,  King  and  High 
Priest,  preligured  by  the  literal  Eve,  Eebec- 
ca,  and  the  camp,  city  and  temple  of  Israel. 
In  the  political  dominion  of  Israel,  no  leper, 
none  that  had  an  issue,  nor  those  who  were 
defiled  by  the  dead,  were  suffered  to  come 
into  camp  as  long  as  they  were  not  healed 
and  purified  according  to  the  law ;  none  were 
allowed  to  ease  themselves  within  the  camp ; 
neither  an  uncircumcised,  nor  an  unclean 
person,  was  allowed  to  eat  of  the  passover; 
all  those  (here  obsei-ve  well  Israel's  Ban) 
had  to  die  without  mercy,  on  the  testimony 
of  two  or  three  witnesses,  who  despised  the 
word  of  the  Lord  and  set  aside  his  com- 
mandments; those  who  were  guilty  of  abom- 
ination in  Israel,  and  served  strange  gods. 
For,  says  Moses,  they  were  to  be  a  holy 
people  to  the  Lord.  Num.  5:2;  Ex.  12:  48; 
Deut.  17:  6;  Ex.  19:6. 

And  thus  it  is  in  the  Christian  dispensa- 
tion; for  his  church  is  a  congregation  of 
saints,  or  an  assembly  of  the  righteous,  even 
as  the  Nicean  fathers  some  centuries  ago, 
did  confess  with  us;  and,  as  Adam  had  but 
one  Eve,  who  was  flesh  of  his  flesh  and  bone 
of  his  bone,  Isaac  but  one  Rebecca,  who 
was  of  his  own  family,  and  Christ  but  one 
body,  which  was  heavenly  and  from  heaven, 
and  was  perfect  and  holy  in  all  its  mem- 
bers; thus  has  he  also,  spiritually,  but  one 
Eve,  but  one  new  Rebecca,  who  is  his  spirit- 
ual body,  spouse,  church  and  bride,  name- 
ly, the  believers,  the  regenerated,  meek,  mer- 
ciful, dead  to  sin,  righteous,  peaceable,  ami- 
able and  obedient  children  in  his  kingdom 
and  house  of  peace;  pure,  chaste  virgins  in  j 
the  Spirit,  holy  souls,  who  are  of  his  divine 
family,  and  holy  flesh  of  his  flesh,  and  bone 
of  his  bone. 

From  which,  according  to  the  doctrine  of 
the  holy  apostles,  it  is  evident  that  the  ob- 


stinate disturber  or  sectary  who  causes,  con- 
trary to  the  doctrine  of  godliness,  offence 
and  discord,  and  those  Avho  do  not  abide  in 
the  doctrine  of  Christ,  who  lead  an  offensive 
life,  or  the  over-cui'ious,  inquisitive  and 
lazy,  who  live  at  the  expense  of  others,  shall 
not  be  suffered  in  the  holy  house,  camp, 
city,  temple,  church  and  body  of  Christ, 
which  is  the  church;  but  that  we,  with  one 
accord,  should  exclude  and  shun  them,  ac- 
cording to  Scripture,  to  onr  salvation,  and 
tJieir  reformation.  Faithful  children,  be 
you  warned.  Terrible  is  the  word  which 
John  utters,  "  Whosoever  transgresseth,  and 
abideth  not  in  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  hath 
not  God,"  2  John  1:  9.  And  in  another 
place,  "He  that  committeth  sin,  is  of  the 
devil,"  1  John  3:  8. 

3.  TJie  reason  wliy  tliis  Bxcommvnt'cation 
is  commanded  in  tlie  Scriptures.  John  teach- 
es and  saj^s,  That  God  is  love.  Since,  then, 
as  God  is  love,  so  does  he  also  manifest  the 
nature,  of  that  which  he  is,  namely,  love. 
That  this  is  the  truth,  may  be  readily  per- 
ceived from  the  creation  and  preservation 
of  all  his  creatures ;  the  restoration  of  Adam 
and  Eve;  tlie  preservation  of  Noah  and  his 
sons  from  the  flood  with  an  ark;  in  blessing 
Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob;  in  ransoming 
Israel  from  Egypt;  in  sending  Moses  and 
the  prophets;  and  more  especially  in  the 
holy  incarnation  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
the  Son  of  God;  in  his  gracious,  efficacioiis 
doctrine,  miracles,  prayers,  weeping,  cross, 
blood  and  death;  also,  in  the  effusion  of 
his  Holy  Spirit,  and  sending  forth  his  holy 
ajiostles. 

Since  then  it  is  evident  that  God  is  love, 
and  will  be  forever,  Avho  in  the  beginning 
manifested  the  glorious  fruit  of  love  towards 
his  children,  he  now  likewise  does  this 
by  his  exclusion  or  separation,  although  it 
is  terrible  and  severe,  and  notwithstanding 
that  it  has  such  a  terrible  consequence  with 
the  stubborn  and  unconverted  sinner,  as 
heard;  and  since  he  is  the  wise  and  omnis- 
cient God,  who  with  his  flaming  eyes  sees 
into  the  inmost  recesses  of  the  hearts  and 
reins  of  men,  who  judges  their  ways  and 
knows  us  best,  who  are  his  feeble  creatures 
and  Avorkmanship,  Avhat  weak  vessels  we 
are;  yea,  who  knows  that  some  of  us  can 
scarcely  withstand  a  gentle  breeze  of  deeep- 


EXCOMMUNICATION. 


247 


tion,  but  suffer  ourselves  to  be  led  away  im- 
mediately ;  or  tliat  we  are  soon  polluted  witli 
the  pernicious,  abominable  life  of  tbe  wicked; 
for  this  reason  he  has,  through  his  paternal 
love  and  great  mercy,  given  us,  his  poor, 
weak  children,  this  means  of  Separation, 
approved  it  by  the  Holy  Spirit  and  word  in 
the  beginning,  and  commanded  it  to  this 
end,  that  we  should  exclude  the  restless, 
stubborn  wranglers  and  schismatists,  to- 
gether with  the  otfensive,  carnal  and  lewd, 
from  his  holy  congi'egation,  churcli  and 
house  of  peace ;  and,  according  to  the 
Scriptures,  avoid  and  shun  them  till  they 
repent,  in  order  that  they  move  us  not, 
through  fair  words,  in  the  confident  hope 
we  have  in  the  truth  of  Clu-ist,  for  their  false 
doctrine  eats  as  a  canker,  2  Tim.  2:  17;  nor 
that  tlie  abominable  with  their  impure,  car- 
nal life  pervert  us,  nor  give  us  a  bad  name 
among  those  without;  this  is  the  first  reason 
why  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  so  earnestly  com- 
manded and  taught  Excommunication  in  [ 
his  holy  word.  Whether  this  reason  is  not ; 
a  special  work  of  the  love  of  Christ,  which 
is  of  great  usefulness,  service,  power  and 
fruit  to  all  the  pious,  I  will  let  all  the  faith- 
ful consider  in  the  fear  of  God. 

The  other  reason  is,  that  all  those  who 
again  forsake  the  holy  word  and  true  way 
and  go  astray  in  the  world,  despise  the  holy 
covenant,  make  void  their  received  baptism 
and  the  promise  of  righteousness  ;    again 
hear  the  false   prophets,   love  the  world, 
walk  the  broad  way  of  the  flesh,  or  cause 
contention,  schisms  and  sects  and  perverse 
things  among  the  pious,  may  be  deterred 
by  means   of  this   excommunication,   and 
brought   to    repentance,    seek   union    and 
peace,  and  thus  be  set  free  before  the  Lord 
and  his  church,  from  the  satanic  snares  of 
their  strife,  or  from  their  imgodly  life.     Be- 
hold, this  is  the  other  reason  why  the  Spirit 
of  the  Lord  so  earnestly  recommended  and 
taught  excommunication  in  his  holy  word. 
And  whether  this  is  not  a  special  work  of 
his  love,  and  of  like  jDower,  usefulness,  ser-  ; 
vice  and  fruit  to  the  impious,  if  they  will  by  j 
any  means  observe  it  in  fear,  as  the  lii'st  is  i 
to  the  pious ;  upon  this  I  will  leave  the  faith-  ! 
ful  to  reflect  in  the  fear  of  God.    Yea,  who-  ; 
ever  can  rightly  understand  and  see,  in  my 
opinion,  the  aforementioned    reasans,  ac- 


cording to  the  Scriptures,  has  already  found 
the  true  ground  of  the  holy  excommunica- 
tion. 

Since  we  know,  then,  that  this  our  excom- 
mimication  or  separation  is  commanded 
us  in  the  Scriptures,  for  two  such  highly  im- 
portant reasons,  as  related,  therefore,  we 
have  reason  enough,  if  we  rightly  boast  of 
the  Christian  name,  regularly  to  teach  the 
evident  and  direct  command,  doctrine  and 
ordinance  of  the  Lord  and  his  holy  apos- 
tles, as  a  highly  useful  and  good  work  of 
great  love;  and  obediently  to  follow  it;  and 
besides,  it  is  also  evident,  that  those  sin 
heinously  against  the  word  of  the  holy  apos- 
tles, and  their  great  love,  and  the  tidelity 
and  love  of  the  church,  and  especially 
against  their  own  souls,  who  call  this  useful, 
divine  ordinance,  in  the  perverseness  of 
their  sinful  flesh,  a  contentious  work  of  the 
devil,  and  tlius  trample  it  so  shamefully 
under  the  unhallowed  feet  of  their  impious 
calumny,  into  the  mire;  haughty  is  that 
man  who  would  rebuke  his  God,  or  gainsay 
and  censiu-e  his  word.  Reflect  upon  that  in 
which  we  have  instructed  you. 

4.  T7ie  trice  ApostoJic  Excomm,unicatwn 
lias  no  respect  to  persons.  Undoubtedly,  it 
is  well  known  to  us  all,  dear  brethren,  that 
it  is  so  strongly  and  earnestly  commanded 
in  the  Scriptures,  nay,  it  is  one  of  the  chief 
commands,  that  we  are  to  honor  father  and 
mother,  and  that  all  had  to  die  according 
to  the  law  of  Moses,  who  cursed  and  dis- 
obeyed them.  And  also,  that  the  bond  of 
undefiled,  honorable  matrimony  is  so  un- 
changeably bound  in  the  kingdom  and  gov- 
ernment of  Christ,  that  neither  a  man  nor 
woman  can  forsake  one  the  other,  and  take 
another,  understand  rightlj^  what  Christ 
says,  except  it  be  for  fornication.  Matt.  19: 
9.  And  Paul  also  holds  the  same  doctrine, 
that  they  shall  be  bound  to  each  other,  and 
that  they  are  to  live  in  iinion;  that  the  man 
has  not  power  over  his  own  body,  nor  the 
woman  over  hers,  1  Cor.  7 :  4. 

Both  these  rules,  the  first  in  relation  to 
parents,  and  the  second  in  relation  to  wed- 
lock, stand  fast  and  unbroken,  ancl  can 
never  be  altered  or  infringed  liy  any  man, 
so  long  as  we  can,  in  God  and  with  God,  in 
a  good  conscience,  observe  and  keep  them, 
as  the  aforementioned  rales  require,  with- 


248 


EXCOMMUNICATION. 


out  transgressing  the  holy  word;  but  if  this 
cannot  be  done  thus,  the  spiiitual  mnst  not, 
in  that  case,  yield  to  the  carnal,  but  the  car- 
nal must  yield  to  the  sjiiritual;  this  is  in- 
controvertibly  tnie. 

I,  therefore,  entreat  all  the  pious,  for  the 
Lord's  sake  who  are  sanctified  with  us  unto 
Christ  Jesus,  through  the  Spirit  of  peace, 
and  through  faith  in  his  precious  blood, 
that  they  will  impartially  and  spiritually 
examine  these  following  grounds  or  reasons, 
which  so  urgently  engage  our  attention, 
with  God-fearing  and  understanding  hearts, 
and  learn,  that  we  should  unreservedly  pro- 
claim this  groimd  witli  christian  discretion, 
to  such  of  our  fellow-believers,  whose  lot  it 
may  be,  to  be  thus  situated,  from  which  God 
preserve  them,  and  that  we  should  inculcate 
it  in  faithful  love  to  the  salvation  of  their 
souls,  without  giving  offence  to  the  young 
and  tender  minds.  All  who  fear  God,  I  will 
let  judge  what  we  teach. 

The  first  reason  is,  that  we  truly  know 
through  the  Spirit  and  word  of  God,  that 
the  heavenly  espousal,  between  Christ  and 
our  souls,  is  made  by  faith,  thi'ough  his  in- 
nocent death  and  precious  blood,  and  must 
be  voluntarily  kept  imbroken,  in  obedience 
to  the  only  and  eternal  bridegroom,  and 
that,  therefore,  a  man  shall  not,  for  the  sake 
of  father,  mother,  son,  daughter,  husband 
or  wife,  in  life  or  death,  be  disobedient  to 
his  word,  in  the  smallest  matter,  or  yield  in 
the  least;  for  God,  the  Lord  will,  shall  and 
must  alone  be  the  God  of  our  consciences, 
and  the  only  Lord  of  our  souls ;  and  not  our 
father,  mother,  husband  or  wife,  as  we  may 
plainly  see  from  Dent.  13:  6. 

The  second  reason  is,  that  the  faithful 
apostles,  John  and  Pairl,  implicitly  teach 
us,  that  in  the  first  place,  we  are  to  sJiun  the 
apostates,  lest  they  contaminate  us  with  the 
impure,  deceiving  doctrine,  and  with  their 
ungodly,  carnal  lives;  that  we  do  not  par- 
take of  their  unfruitful  works,  and  for  the 
reasons  above  assigned;  and  since  we  plain- 
ly see,  that  none  can  sooner  contaminate 
and  pollute  us,  than  our  own  fathers,  moth- 
ers, husbands,  wives  or  children,  if  they  are 
corrupted,  and  especially  on  account  of  the 
daily  intercourse  with,  and  natural  love  for 
them,  which  of  necessity  is  existing  between 
them;   and  moreover,  since  husband  and 


wife  are  one  flesh,  I  scarcely  know,  how 
they  will  escape  the  snares  of  death,  if  they 
do  not  especially  observe  the  holy  word  and 
counsel  of  the  Lord  in  this  respect;  for  now 
they  pray  and  sigh,  and  anon  they  rage 
and  quarrel.  Now  they  slander  and  de- 
fame, then  they  weep  and  lament.  Ah!  chil- 
dren, take  warning.  Their  tears  are  croco- 
dile's tears,  and  their  tongues  are  set  on  fire 
from  hell,  as  James  says.  I  forbear  to  men- 
tion that  some  of  them  run  after  idolatry 
and  false  prophets,  violently  revile  the  holy 
word,  sacraments  and  ordinances  of  Christ, 
and  highly  recommend  the  abominations  of 
anti-christ,  besides,  the  conduct  of  some  of 
them  is  nothing  but  sheer  avarice,  pride, 
wantonness,  eating  and  drinldng  to  excess; 
and  how  scandalously  some  of  them  live 
witli  their  poor  wives,  especially  Avlien  they 
are  intoxicated,  I  will  leave  the  Lord  to  j  udge. 
And  that  any  one  could  live  in  the  midst  of 
such  wanton,  carnal,  ungodly  abomina- 
tions, and  not  be  hurt  in  his  faith,  love  and 
unction,  and  have  intercourse  with  such 
abominable  unclean,  adhesive  pitch  vessels, 
and  not  be  polluted  in  his  conscience,  I  will 
leave  all  who  have  an  understanding  of  the 
holy  word,  to  reflect  upon  with  the  unction 
of  the  Spirit. 

The  third  reason  is,  because  Paul  teaches 
us  that  we  are,  in  the  second  place,  to  avoid 
the  apostate,  that  he  may  be  led  to  reflect 
upon,  and  to  repent  of  his  wicked  life  or 
sectarian  doctrine,  through  the  shame  of 
such  shunning.  Knowing  then,  that  this  is 
the  ground  and  ohjed  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  in 
regard  to  excommunication,  as  related ; 
therefore  it  is  also  proper,  and  according  to 
the  Scriptures,  that  we,  in  this  matter,  im- 
plicitly follow  his  divine  counsel,  love,  doc- 
trine, good  will  and  earnest  commands,  and 
obediently  follow  him  and  observe  it,  in 
true  love,  towards  our  most  beloved  father, 
mother,  husband,  wife  and  children,  rather 
than  towards  others,  because,  I  say,  they 
are  our  dearest  friends ;  yea,  our  own  flesh 
and  bone,  and  we  cannot  by  any  other  sal- 
utary means,  lead  them  from  evil,  and  again 
lead  them  in  the  way  of  the  saints.  Reflect 
upon  what  we  teach  you. 

IhefovrtJi  reason  is,  because  we  certainly 
know  that  there  is  but  one  excommunication 
in  the  Scriptures,  which  does  not  only  ex- 


EXCOMMUNICATION. 


249 


tend  to  tlie  spiiitual  communion,  such  as 
the  Lord's  Supper,  and  the  hand  and  kiss  of 
peace;  but  it  extends  also  to  the  bodily 
communion,  such  as  eating,  drinking,  daily 
actions  and  conduct,  1  Cor.  5 :  10,  11,  and 
that  if  the  father  is  to  shun  the  son,  or  the 
son  the  father,  the  husband  his  wife,  or  the 
wife  the  husband,  only  in  the  spiritual  com- 
munion, and  not  in  natural  communion,  in 
that  event  there  would  be  two  kinds  of  ex- 
communications in  the  Scriptures;  the  one 
woiald  only  extend  to  the  spiritual  commun- 
ion, and  the  other,  both  to  the  spiritual 
and  natural  communion ;  this  is  clear  as 
daylight.  Again,  reiiect  iipon  what  we  teach 
you. 

The  fiftli  reason  is,  because  pious  parents, 
as  well  as  the  church,  consent  and  approve 
of  the  excommunication  of  the  apostate 
children ;  and  the  pious  children  consent 
that  the  apostate  parents  should  be  excom- 
municated; and  the  husband  consents  that 
the  apostate  wife  should  be  excommuni- 
cated, and  the  pious  wife,  that  the  apostate 
husband  be  excommunicated,  and  that  they 
be  severally  dealt  with  according  to  the 
Scriptures;  and  if  they  would  then  after- 
wards shun  them  only  in  spiritual  com- 
munion, they  would  make  void  their  own 
sentence,  which  they  in  common  with  the 
church  pronounced;  and  thus  they  would 
not  seek  the  salvation  of  their  dearest  friends 
with  that  spiritual  love  and  zeal  with  wliich 
the  word  and  Spirit  of  the  Lord  command 
them,  and  they  would  still  be  in  great  danger 
of  perdition.  In  order,  unmolestedly  to  es- 
cape this,  their  excommunication  has  been 
commanded,  taught  and  left  on  record  in 
the  word  of  the  Lord,  to  every  man,  woman 
and  child,  without  exception.  Again,  I  say, 
reflect  upon  what  we  teach  you. 

The  sixth  reason  is,  because  I  have  known 
no  less  than  three  hundred  married  persons 
in  my  time  who  did  not  observe  the  ordi- 
nance, counsel,  doctrine,  will  and  command 
of  the  Lord  and  his  apostles  concerning 
shrmning,  and  thus  run  together  into  perdi- 
tion. We  stand  dismayed  O  God!  at  the 
thought  that  such  an  evil  may  in  part  be 
ascribed  to  our  silence.  We  will,  therefore, 
endeavor  to  so  act,  in  the  future,  while  the 
care  of  the  chru-ch  is  unworthily  entrusted  to 
us,  as  to  prevent,  in  a  measure,  all  corruption 
32 


and  apostasy,  accordingto  apostolic  doctrine 
and  counsel;  and  freely,  purely  and  fully 
teach  and  maintain  the  ordinance  of  excom- 
munication, as  well  between  parents  and 
children,  man  and  wife,  as  among  others; 
to  all  our  brethren,  if  circumstances  require 
it,  in  order  that  we,  in  the  first  place,  clear 
our  own  souls,  and  thus  stand  acquitted 
before  God  and  his  saints  in  the  great  day 
of  Christ;  and  secondly,  So  that  none  can 
excuse  himself  and  say.  It  was  never  told 
me. 

Behold,  chosen  brethren  in  the  Lord,  these 
are  the  important  articles  and  principal 
reasons  which  urge  us  most  that  we  willingly 
teach  this  doctrine,  and  j)ut  it  into  practice. 
Is  there  now  a  single  individual  under  the 
canopy  of  heaven,  learned  or  unlearned, 
young  or  old,  without  or  among  xis,  man  or 
woman,  who  can  truthfully  teach  us  that 
the  espousals  of  the  spirit,  made  with  Clu-ist, 
through  faith,  should  yield  to  human  wed- 
lock? Or  that  a  husband  cannot  deceive  or  cor- 
rupt his  wife,  or  a  woman  her  husband?  Or 
that  a  pious  man  is  not  bound  according  to 
the  Scriptures,  to  promote  the  salvation  of 
his  unconverted  wife,  or  the  wife,  of  her  un- 
converted husband?  Or  that  there  are  two 
excommunications  in  the  Scriptures  ;  that 
the  one  only  extends  to  the  spiritual  church, 
and  the  other  both  to  the  spiritual  and  tem- 
poral? Or  that  the  pious  husband  dare 
not  vote  with  the  church  to  exclude  his  im- 
penitent wife,  or  the  wife  against  the  hus- 
band in  excluding  him?  Or  that  there  is  an 
exception  in  the  whole  Scriptures  of  man  or 
wife,  parents  or  children,  in  this  respect? 
Or  that  spiritual  love  has  to  yield  to  conju- 
gal love?  If  so,  then  we  desire  with  all  the 
heart  to  abandon  this  our  doctrine,  and  ac- 
knowledge our  error,  and  with  great  zeal 
teach  the  contrary  before  the  whole  world, 
as  is  christian-like  and  right;  for  we  regard 
neither  slander,  nor  praise,  honor,  nor  dis- 
grace; but  we  have  only  regard  for  the  hon- 
or of  God  and  Christ,  and  the  eternal  salva- 
tion of  yom-  souls ;  on  account  of  which,  we 
axe  considered  by  many  as  the  ofF-scourings 
and  filth  of  the  world. 

But  if  this  cannot  be  done,  as  it  never  can, 
then  in  the  first  place,  my  sincere  prayer, 
and  fraternal  admonition,  is  to  all  who 
might  have  erroneous  views  of  this  matter, 


250 


EXCOiHrUNICATION. 


that  they  would  not  improperly  meddle 
tlirongh  impure  and  pen'erted  minds,  by 
slandering  the  chief  stone  and  the  builders; 
nor  that  they  would  persuade  any  to  diso- 
bey the  word,  or  keep  them  in  the  dangers 
of  apostacy  and  perdition,  lest  they  make 
themselves  guilty  of  otlier  men's  sins;  but 
that  they  would  give  the  good  will  and  ordi- 
nance of  the  Lord,  due  honor  and  praise  in 
this  respect;  pluck  out  the  otfending  eye  of 
their  misunderstanding,  and  pass  a  sound 
.judgment  according  to  truth;  avert  sin  from 
the  church,  and  thus  observe  the  incontro- 
vertibly  clear  word,  counsel  and  command 
of  the  Lord,  with  all  the  pious,  and  assist 
with  all  deliberation  to  maintain  it. 

Secondly,  I  entreat  all  who  might  be  at  all 
concerned  about  the  slanders  of  the  irration- 
al, that  they  would  view  the  matter  impar- 
tially in  a  divine  light,  and  consider  that  not 
only  excommunication  is  hated  by  the  world 
but  also  all  the  doings  of  Christ,  such  as  the  ! 
true  evangelical  baptism.  Lord's  Supper,  ; 
life  and  the  whole  divine  service;  yea,  they  | 
are  considered  as  an  abomination,  scandal 
and  disgrace,  and  they,  out  of  mere  hatred  of 
truth,  are  not  ashamed  to  call  all  the  pious, 
accursed  heretics,  anabaptists,  ringleaders, 
whores  and  knaves;  and  in  many  places  de- 
prive them  of  possessions  and  life,  as  may 
be  seen,  although  the  pious  are  so  much 
honored  of  God,  that  he  acknowledges  and 
adopts  them  as  his  chosen  children,  as  his 
sons  and  daughters;   as  the  apple  of  his 
eye;  as  his  bride  and  spouse;  and  endues 
them  with  the  gift  of  eternal  life.    For  there  i 
is  nothing  under  the  canopy  of  heaven,  that  i 
they  love  more  than  their  God,  as  they  fully 
testify  and  make  known  by  their  actions. 
And  thus  it  is  in  this  matter.     For  how  can  | 
there  be  a  gxeater  love  for  God,  and  how 
can  there  be  found  a  more  praise-worthy  i 
confession,  than  where  one  is  willing  and 
ready,  not  only  to  give  up  his  temporal 
goods,  ease,  honor  and  happiness,  but  also 
to  shun  his  dearest  friends  upon  earth  in  ' 
full  health,  out  of  sincere  regard  to  Christ, 
in  obedience  to  his  eternal  and  holy  truth?  | 
No  abominable  slander  nor   disgrace  be- 
comes the  pure  knowledge  of  God  nor  the 
unfeigned  obedience  of  his  most  holy  word. 

Thirdly,  I  entreat  all  dear  brethren  in 
general,  that  they  would  always  consider  ; 


with  wise  and  sober  minds,  to  what  end 

they  bent  their  shoulders  under  the  pleasing 
yoke  of  the  living  and  Almighty  God,  so 
that  they  may  act  and  walk  in  a  becoming 
manner,  in  the  most  holy  covenant  of  grace, 
before  Him  and  all  mankind;  and  live  and 
walk  with  their  consorts  in  such  piety,  love, 
union  and  peace;  and  with  sxich  fidelity  and 
care,  observe  that  hereafter  in  eternity,  we 
have  not  to  hear  of  excommunication  or  ex- 
clusion ;  but  of  sincere,  christian  piety,  de- 
light and  divine  joy.  Reflect  ui)on  these 
things  which  we  teach  you. 

Fourthly,  I  entreat  all,  whose  lot  it  should 
be  at  anj^  time,  to  be  afflicted  with  this  sore 
punishment,  that  they  would  wisely  exam- 
ine themselves  in  the  pure  fear  of  God,  that 
they  would  not  seek  the  solicitous,  selfish, 
lazy  and  idle  flesh  above  Christ,  nor  cover 
it  -R-ith  fig-leaves,  lest  the  wrath  of  the  Lord 
who  hates  all  lies,  hypocrisy  and  subtle 
roguery,  punish  them  with  blindness  and 
j)erversion,  and  assign  them  their  portion 
with  hypocrites;  but  that  they  might,  b}' 
virtue  of  true  faith  in  Christ  Jesus,  valiantly 
overcome  themselves,  and  obediently  and 
fully  observe  what  the  Holy  Spirit  of  the 
love  of  Christ  has  commanded  and  taught 
by  his  holy  word  in  this  regard.  Ah !  let  us 
reflect  upon  this. 

Finally,  I  entreat  elders,  teachers,  minis- 
ters and  deacons,  in  the  love  of  Christ,  that 
they  would  not  teach  this  whole  matter  care- 
lessly and  irrationally;  but  teach  and  incul- 
cate it  in  the  full  fear  of  God,  and  with  chris- 
tian deliberation  and  paternal  solicitude,  in 
a  true,  apostolic  manner;  not  too  hastily, 
nor  too  slowly;  not  too  rigidly  nor  too  le- 
nientlj' ;  lest  they  seethe  a  kid  in  its  mother's 
milk;  but  that  they  take  of  the  fh'st  green 
ears  of  their  land,  dry  them  by  the  heaven- 
ly fire  of  pure,  unfeigned  love,  and  beat 
them  into  pieces  in  the  mortar  of  the  hoi}" 
word,  and  pour  upon  them  the  oil  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  which  makes  us  willingly  obe- 
dient unto  Christ;  pour  upon  them  the  sweet 
smelling  frankincense  of  a  sincere  and  fu-m 
faith  from  which  all  must  result,  to  be  a 
sweet  savor  to  the  Lord ;  and  thus  bring 
Him  an  acceptable  meat-offering  in  his  holy 
temple.  Lay  to  heart,  in  true  love,  the 
ground  of  my  admonition. 

5.   77iai  we  are  to  imi  aioay  from  tlie 


EXCOMMUNICATION. 


251 


cJmrcli  the  oiJenJy  offensive,  carnal  sinners, 
and  excommunicated  of  God,  and  thus  di- 
rect them  to  trioe  repentance  loith  the  Script- 
ures. Before  I  proceed  to  explain  this  ar- 
ticle, I  would  earnestly  admonish  the  read- 
er, that  about  eighteen  years  ago,  I  pub- 
lished an  admonition,  in  wliich  I  made  no 
distinction  of  sin;  but  through  my  inexpe- 
rience, directed  them  without  discrimination, 
to  three  ditferent  admonitions.  I  say  inex- 
perience; for  to  the  best  of  my  knowledge, 
I  neither  heard  nor  knew  at  that  time,  any 
thing  of  fornication,  adultery,  and  suchlike, 
among  the  brethren ;  it  appeared  to  me  im- 
possible, that  those  who  entered  with  us 
upon  the  paths  of  righteousness,  should 
have  any  desire  or  will  to  such  gross  abom- 
inations, and  therefore,  I  did  not  earnestly 
retiect  upon  the  matter.  See,  before  God  it 
is  the  truth  which  I  write. 

I  likewise  wrote  a  book  in  1549,  in  reply 
to  those  who  would  only  extend  excommu- 
nication to  the  spiritual  church,  and  who 
charged  us  on  all  sides  with  slanderous 
words,  that  we  practiced  a  rigid,  cruel,  un- 
merciful and  Pharisaic  excommimication. 

Finally,  I  -wTote  a  few  words  against  Gel- 
lius  Faber;  and  to  this  day  I  have  made 
no  particular  distinction  thereof,  in  my  writ- 
ings, nor  could  I  have  made  it.  This  I  ac- 
knowledge openly;  for  my  information  of  it 
was  too  limited,  so  long  as  the  matter  was 
not  disputed  and  did  not  again  present  itself 
to  me  for  reconsideration.  But  now,  having 
heard  the  ground  of  dispute,  and  having  care- 
fully weighed  all  the  circumstances  connect- 
ed with  it,  in  the  balance  of  the  holy,  divine 
word,  the  six  following  reasons  have  given 
me  such  a  powerful  assurance  in  the  matter, 
the  Helper  of  all  distressed  souls  be  praised 
for  his  grace,  that  we  are  to  exclude  from 
the  holy  church  of  the  Lord,  all  offensively 
carnal  sinners,  such  as  fornicators,  adulter- 
ers, drunlvards,  &c. ;  and  that  all  these 
ought  to  be  put  to  open  shame  and  reproof, 
with  their  ungodly  works,  without  previous- 
ly admonishing  them,  by  virtue  of  the  holy, 
divine  word;  that  they  may  be  led  to  repent- 
ance, I  say  bj^  virtue  of  the  word,  for,  in  the 
first  place,  it  is  evident,  as  Paul  teaches, 
that  "neither  fornicators  nor  idolators, 
nor  adulterers,  nor  effeminate,  nor  abusers 
of  themselves  with  mankind,  nor  thieves, 


nor  covetous,  nor  drunkards,  nor  revilers, 
nor  extortioners,  shall  inherit  the  kingdom 
of  God,"  1  Cor.  6:  10,  but  that  their  portion 
will  be  eternal  death  in  the  lake  of  fire. 

Since  then,  it  is  clear,  that  the  condem- 
nation of  God  is  already  pronounced  against 
them  by  his  eternal  Spirit  and  powerful 
word,  both  in  heaven  and  upon  the  earth; 
that  they  have  excluded  themselves,  and  by 
their  ungodly  works,  forsaken  the  church, 
that  they  are  not  as  they  were  before,  flesh  of 
Christ's  flesh,  and  members  of  his  holy 
body,  but  have  become  carnal  and  devilish ; 
yea,  as  dogs  and  swine,  and  again  servants 
of  sin;  therefore  we  would,  in  fact,  declare 
as  void  and  unjust,  the  righteous  judgment 
of  the  great  and  Almighty  God,  pronounced 
by  his  own  Spirit  and  word,  through  his 
holy  apostles,  against  such  abominable  de- 
filers,  if  we  would  still  admonish  those  who 
are  already  the  children  of  the  devil,  hold 
them  as  brethren,  and  salute  them  with  the 
peace  of  the  Lord,  and  treat  such  miserable 
wi-etches  as  the  children  of  God,  and  joint 
heirs  of  Christ,  at  the  mere  promise  to  do 
better,  without  any  evidence  of  true  repent- 
ance. I  desire,  that  we  might  all  impar- 
tially, and  in  the  fear  of  God,  reflect  how 
such  a  great  despising  of  Christ  and  his 
righteous  judgment,  could  stand  according 
to  the  Scriptm-es. 

In  the  second  place,  it  is  evident  that  all 
those  who  are  envious  of  us,  are  assiduously 
bent  upon  finding  but  a  mote  in  us,  because 
they  so  despitefully  hate  us  for  the  truth's 
sake,  in  order  that  they  may  magnify  it  into 
a  beam  and  defame  us  grossly.  If  we  were 
to  acknowledge  such  open,  offensive  dis- 
grace, and  receive  as  brethren  such  God- 
forsaken defilers,  without  evident  fruits  of 
sincere  repentance,  on  a  mere  promise,  which 
is,  perhaps,  more  the  result  of  shame  and 
hypocrisy,  than  the  fear  of  God,  and 
break  with  them  the  peaceable,  blessed 
bread  of  the  Lord's  Holy  Supper,  and  thus 
b}^  actions  evince  tliat  they  are  joint  mem- 
bers of  our  church;  then  we  would,  undoubt- 
edly, expose  the  fair  bride,  honored  in 
Christ,  to  all  the  ungodly  as  a  disgrace  and 
scoff"  to  all  our  enemies.  May  the  gracious 
Lord  preserve  us  from  this,  that  we  may 
never  think  of  it,  much  less  do  so.  Take 
notice  of  this. 


252 


EXCOjMMUNICATION. 


In  the  third  place,  it  is  evident,  that  with 
these  three  admonitions  concerning  sncli 
gross,  offensive  abominations,  we  would 
make  many  great  hypocrites ;  for  I  hear 
that  there  were  some  within  a  few  years, 
who  carried  on  their  horrible  roguery  and 
infamy  in  secret,  till  time  and  circumstances 
could  no  longer  conceal  them ;  yea,  as  I  have 
understood,  if  some  of  them  had  not  been 
detected  by  great  wisdom,  they  would,  I 
fear,  have  continued  in  their  old  course;  but 
as  soon  as  it  was  disclosed  they  began  to 
wail  and  weep.  "Wlio  could  ever  be  so  blind- 
ed, that  when  he  has  disgraced  his  neigh- 
bor's wife,  daughter  or  maid,  or  robbed 
him  of  his  money,  and  being  seized,  spoken 
to  and  admonished,  that  he  would  not  say, 
I  am  sorry  that  I  did  so.  Since  then  that 
experience  teaches  us  the  longer  the  more, 
as  heard,  therefore  it  is  also  proper  and 
consistent  with  the  Scriptures,  that  we 
should  not  foster  and  countenance  such 
shameless  delilers,  much  less  are  we  to 
cherish  them  in  their  ungodly  actions  and 
^vicked  career  with  false  prophets,  but  di- 
rect them  where  the  Holy  Spirit  through  the 
Scriptures  direct  and  place  them,  namely 
outside  of  the  church ;  so  that  we  do  not  der- 
ogate from  the  Lord's  sentence,  pronounced 
in  his  word,  against  such  people,  that  the 
community  of  grace,  the  unleavened  lump 
of  Christ,  the  anointed  King  and  Priest  of 
God,  may  continue  to  be  agreeable  and  dig- 
nified; and  also,  that  the  transgressors  may 
be  brought  sincerely  to  repent  before  God 
and  the  church,  and  may  again  present 
their  offering  and  gift  with  a  clean,  pure, 
new  conscience,  as  the  truly  sanctified  saints 
of  Christ,  to  the  altar  of  reconciliation  in 
his  holy  temple.  Ah!  reflect  upon  what  we 
teach. 

In  the  fourth  place,  it  is  evident  that  Paul 
teaches  us  that  we  are  to  shun  a  heretic, 
after  we  have  admonished  him  twice,  if  he 
will  not  amend.  Tit.  3:  10.  Since  then,  we 
are  not  urged  by  the  Holy  Spirit  to  reprove 
a  man  more  than  once  or  twice,  some  of 
whom  are  outwardly  yet  quite  pious,  and 
perhaps  some  of  them  know  no  better,  but 
suppose  they  are  in  the  right,  why  be- 
loved, are  we  then  to  admonish  those  thrice, 
who  are  not  ashamed  to  sin  against  God's 
powerful  word,  but  also  against  the  law  of 


nature  ?  ^Vlio  premeditatedly  disgrace  their 
neighbor's  wife,  daughter  or  maid?  Who 
frequent  riotous  taverns  and  houses  of  ill 
fame  ?  Or  those  who  are  perfidious  in  their 
dealings  ?  In  short,  all  those  are  sentenced 
to  eternal  death,  by  the  Spirit  and  word  of 
the  Lord,  if  they  will  not  repent  as  heard. 

It  would,  according  to  my  opinion,  be 
very  unbecoming,  if  we  rightly  reflect  upon 
it,  that  we  should  run  after  those  who  are 
already  condemned,  to  admonish  them  thrice 
before  separation  should  take  place;  and 
though  they  regard  not  the  first  and  second 
admonition,  that  we  should  still  hold  them 
as  brethren  in  the  cliiu'ch  till  the  third  time ; 
and  that  if  they  would  even  then  evince  that 
they  were  sorry , they  should  remain  brethren ; 
if  not,  that  it  should  then  be  told  them  be- 
fore the  church,  out  of  the  word  of  God,  that 
they  had  no  more  fellowship  with  Christ, 
but  are  accursed  according  to  the  Scriptures. 
All  who  are  taught  of  God,  I  will  let  judge 
how  such  doctrine  and  conduct  could  stand 
the  test  of  the  justice  and  word  of  the  Lord. 

In  the  fifth  place,  it  is  evident,  so  far  as  I 
am  able  to  judge,  that  holy  Paul  wrote  his 
first  epistle  to  the  Corinthians  with  such  a 
view,  as  related;  for  he  says,  "I  have  writ- 
ten unto  yori  not  to  keep  company,  if  any 
man  that  is  called  a  brother  be  a  fornicator, 
or  covetous,  or  an  idolater,  or  a  railer,  or  a 
drunkard,  or  an  extortioner;  with  such  a 
one  no  not  to  eat,"  1  Cor.  5:  11.  He  does  not 
even  mention  one  admonition,  much  less 
two  or  three;  but  he  says,  "A  little  leaven' 
leaveneth  the  whole  lump,"  which  is  un- 
doubtedly true;  for  facts  have  more  than 
satisfactorily  proven  how  often  the  pious, 
on  their  account,  are  considered  rather  as 
an  offensive  savor,  who  should  otherwise  be 
a  sweet  savor,  were  it  not  for  those  shame- 
ful members. 

In  the  sixth  place,  it  is  evident,  that  Paul 
did  not  only  thus  teach  this  doctiine;  but 
also  showed  it  by  an  open  example  to  the 
unclean  Corinthian  who  sat  with  his  step- 
mother in  a  very  unbecoming  manner;  for 
without  any  previ oils  admonition  he  judged 
him  according  to  his  ungodly  works,  and 
excommunicated  him,  by  the  word  and  Spirit 
of  the  Lord,  from  the  church,  and  delivered 
him  unto  satan,  into  whose  hands  he  had 
already  fallen  through  his  unnatural,  de- 


EXCOMMUNICATION. 


263 


testable  incontinency,  in  order  that  through 
this  severe  sentence  and  open  sliame,  he 
might  mortify  and  bury  his  unclean,  shame- 
ful flesh,  with  its  carnal  lusts,  and  that  liis 
soul  might  be  saved  in  the  day  of  the  Lord, 
and  was  not  received  again  before  the  term 
of  a  year  or  longer,  as  history  informs  us, 
till  they  saw  that  he  sincerely  repented,  and 
feared  lest  he  might  be  swallowed  up  with 
over  much  sorroAV. 

And  it  would,  according  to  my  opinion, 
be  proper  that  we  should  not  so  soon  again 
admit  such  carnal  defilers,  who  have  beyond 
measure  defamed  the  holy  word,  and  brought 
such  gi-eat  tribulation  upon  the  pious  with 
their  ungodly,  abominable  disgrace,  though 
they  may  seemingly  lament  and  promise 
much;  but  examine  more  closely  the  fruits 
of  their  repentance  for  some  time;  for  it  is 
not  always  repentance,  though  they  say, 
We  have  sinned!  but  repentance  is  a  con- 
verted, changed,  pious  and  new  heart,  a 
broken  and  contrite  spirit,  from  which  flow 
the  tears  of  sincerity,  a  candid  confession, 
a  trae  departui-e  from  the  evil  of  oui-  w^ays, 
an  earnest  and  sincere  hatred  of  sin,  and 
an  unblamable,  pious,  christian  life;  this  is 
repentance  that  will  stand  before  God.  I 
entreat  you  to  learn  rightly  to  know  both 
repentance  and  sin.     Take  heed  thereto. 

Behold,  faithful  brethren,  here  you  have 
my  most  important  Scriptm-es,  discoiu'ses 
and  reasons  which  moved  me  more  deeply 
to  reflect  upon  this  matter  in  the  fear  of 
God.  I  say  again,  as  I  did  above,  in  speak- 
ing of  the  separation  of  husband  and  wife : 
If  there  is  one  under  the  canopy  of  heaven, 
let  him  be  whomsoever  he  will,  that  can  con- 
vince me  with  divine  truth,  that  a  secret  or 
open  fornicator,  adulterer,  drunkard,  &c.,is 
a  member  of  the  holy  body  of  the  Lord,  un- 
til he  has  been  admonished  two  or  three 
times  (observe  this  well);  or  that  the  sen- 1 
fence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  pronounced  by 
Paul,  and  through  many  other  Scriptures, 
against  such  deadly  abominations,  depends 
upon  the  condition  of  two  or  three  admoni- 
tions, or  that  we  have  no  cause  to  fear  that 
the  pious  would  be  exposed  to  ridicule  and  j 
slander  if  we  had  no  other  evidence  of  re-  ^ 
pentance  than  a  mere  verbal  promise;  or 
that  we  may,  by  the  power  of  keys,  retain 
those  whom  God  has  already  excluded  by 


I  the  word  of  his  truth;  or  that  it  is  consist- 
ent with  the  Scriptures  that  the  church  may, 
with  the  Holy  Spirit  and  word  of  Christ,  in 
such  cases  as  mentioned,  judge  uncertain- 
1  ties,  I  mean  without  evident  repentance,  and 
retain  and  salute  as  brethren  tlie  hypocrites 
I  as  well  as  the  righteous;  or  that  the  church 
may  also,  truthfully,  proclaim  the  grace, 
mercy  and  peace  of  God  and  eternal  life,  by 
I  the  authority  of  the  Scriptures,  to  those  who 
are  tinder  his  displeasure,  curse,  vsrath  and 
sentence  of  eternal  death,  on  account  of  their 
deadly  and  wicked  deeds ;  or  that  the  abom- 
ination or  sin  which  caused  them  to  be  ex- 
communicated, does  not  lead  them  to  death; 
or  that  the  Spirit  of  grace  through  a  sincere 
faith  and  true  repentance,  which  avail  with 
God,  does  not  assure  the  transgressor  more 
of  tlie  promise  than  the  outward  associa- 
tion with  the  church ;  if  he  can  convince 
us  of  all  this,  we  desire  then  cordially  to 
follow  him,  and  change  and  renounce  our 
views. 

But  if  this  cannot  be  done,  as  it  never  can 
be,  I  therefore  entreat  all  who  are  concerned, 
that  they  would  not  liken  themselves  unto 
vain  comforts  and  false  prophets,  who 
strengthen  the  hands  of  the  wicked,  daub 
the  wall  with  untempered  mortar,  and 
teach  peace,  peace,  where  there  is  no  peace, 
Ezek.  13:  10,  but  that  they  would  leave  the 
sentence  of  the  Lord  which  proceeded  from 
his  divine  righteousness,  unbroken  ;  and 
tear  the  deceptive  bolsters  and  pillows  from 
under  the  heads  of  the  ungodly,  and  keep 
dean  and  pure  the  holy  vineyard,  city, 
house,  temple,  body  and  church  of  Christ, 
as  much  as  in  them  lies,  that  they  may 
build  upon  a  sure  foundation,  and  direct 
the  impenitent  sinners  to  repentance,  as 
heard.  Deal  faithfully,  reflect  upon  these 
things  and  learn  wisdom. 

6.  Of  secret  sinners,  wlio  are  again  in- 
loarclly  admonished  of  the  Holy  Ghost  and 
are  sincerely  and  truly  converted.  The  full 
desire  of  my  heart  is,  that  each  one  would 
so  fear  and  know  God  as  to  say  in  spirit 
and  truth  with  David,  "Whither  shall  I  go 
from  thy  Spirit  ?  Or  whither  shall  I  flee  from 
thy  presence  ?  If  I  ascend  up  into  heaven, 
thou  art  there;  If  I  make  my  bed  in  hell, 
behold,  thou  art  there;  If  I  take  the  wings 
of  the  morning,  and  dwell  in  the  uttennost 


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parts  of  the  sea,  even  there  shall  thy  hand 
lead  me,  and  thy  right  hand  shall  hold  me; 
if  I  say,  Snrely  the  darkness  shall  cover  me; 
even  the  night  shall  be  light  about  me;  yea, 
the  darkness  hideth  not  from  thee;  but  the 
night  shineth  as  the  day;  the  darkness  and 
the  light  are  both  alike  to  thee;  for  thou 
hast  possessed  my  reins ;  thon  hast  covered 
me  in  my  mother's  womb,"  Ps.  139:  7 — 13. 
And  with  Isaiah, "  Woe  unto  them  that  seek 
deep  to  hide  their  counsel  from  the  Lord, 
and  their  works  are  in  the  dark,  and  they 
say,  Who  seeth  iis  ?  And  who  knoweth  ns?" 
Isa.29: 15.  Observe  this  denunciation, "Woe 
unto  them,"  &c. 

Chosen  bretliren,  take  heed;  none  imder 
the  canopy  of  heaven,  can  so  conceal  him- 
self that  he  cannot  be  seen  by  the  flaming 
eyes  of  the  Lord,  or  not  be  found  by  the 
avenging  hand  of  his  wa'ath  in  his  wicked- 
ness. Yea,  the  least  thought  is  not  con- 
cealed in  our  hearts  which  is  not  open  to 
the  eyes  of  the  Lord.  I,  therefore,  warn  all 
in  general,  that  you  with  all  your  powers 
watch  against  sin,  whether  secret  or  open; 
if  sin  is  not  sincerely  repented  of,  your  por- 
tion will  be  eternal  death.  Let  all  the  im- 
penitent and  heedless  sinners  reflect  upon 
this. 

This  I  \\Tite  to  all  beloved  brethren  as  a 
christian  warning,  that  you  may  fear  the 
Lord's  sentence,  both  openly  and  privately, 
and  carefully  avoid  sin.  Though  we  may 
not  be  reproved  or  seen  of  men  here,  still  we 
cannot  escape  the  eyes  and  punishment  of 
God!  Ah!  that  we  all  understood  this. 

However,  should  it  ever  happen  that  any 
one  should  sin  against  God  in  private,  from 
which  may  his  power  preserve  us  all,  and 
should  the  spirit  of  grace,  which  works  re- 
pentance, again  operate  upon  his  lieai-t-,  and 
cause  genuine  repentance,  of  this  we  have 
not  to  judge;  for  it  is  a  matter  between  him 
and  God.  For  since  it  is  evident  that  we  do 
not  seek  our  righteousness  and  salvation, 
the  remission  of  our  sins,  satisfaction,  rec- 
onciliation and  eternal  life  in  or  through 
excommunication,  but  alone  in  the  right- 
eousness, intercession,  merits,  death  and 
blood  of  Christ.  There  are  but  two  objects 
and  ends  why  the  ban  is  commanded  in  the 
Scriptures,  which  can  have  no  reference  to 
such  an  one.  Because,  in  the  first  place,  his 


sins  are  private;  hence  no  oflFence  can  fol- 
low. And  secondly,  because  he  is  in  deep 
contrition  and  is  penitent  in  life.  Therefore, 
he  has  no  need  then  of  being  brought  to  re- 
pentance. Nor  are  we  any  where  command- 
ed of  Christ  to  put  him  to  open  shame  be- 
fore the  church.    Reflect  upon  these  things. 

7.  Wliat  is  the  true  sense  of  the  passage  in 
Matt.  18,  loliere  Clirist  says,  "  If  thy  hrother 
shall  trespass  against  thee^''  &c.  Our  only 
and  eternal  High  Priest  and  Teacher  Jesus 
Christ,  undoubtedly  knew  oxw  poor,  imper- 
fect and  feeble  natui-e,  that  if  we  are  not 
watchfiil,  we  would  often  fall  into  errors  to- 
wards o^ir  neighbor,  and  therefore  does  he 
teach  and  say,  "If  thy  brother  shall  tres- 
pass against  tliee,  go  and  tell  him  his  fault 
between  thee  and  liim  alone ;  if  he  shall  hear 
thee,  thou  hast  gained  thy  brother;  but  if 
he  will  not  hear  thee,  then  take  with  tliee 
one  or  two  more,  that  in  the  mouth  of  two 
or  three  witnesses  every  word  may  be  estab- 
lished; and  if  he  shall  neglect  to  hear  them, 
tell  it  unto  the  church,  but  if  he  neglect  to 
hear  the  church,  let  him  be  unto  thee  as  a 
heathen  man  and  a  publican."  Whereupon 
Peter  asked  him,  "How  oft  shall  my  brother 
sin  against  me,  and  I  forgive  him?  Till 
seven  times?''  Jesus  saith  unto  him,  "I  say 
not  unto  thee.  Until  seven  times ;  but,  Until 
seventy  times  seven,"  Matthew  18;  15 — 17, 
21,  22. 

It  is  evident  that  these  words  of  Christ 
teach,  in  the  first  place,  that  if  any  one 
should  err  or  sin  against  his  brother  through 
negligence,  infirmity,  inconsiderateness,  in- 
experience, or  ignorance,  that  he  should 
not,  therefore,  hate  him  in  his  heart;  nor 
conceal  or  connive  at  his  transgression ;  but 
out  of  true,  brotherly  love  admonish  and 
reprove  him,  lest  his  brother  fall  into  greater 
errors  and  pei'ish ;  but  by  this  means  re- 
claim him,  and,  as  Moses  says,  not  make 
himself  guilty  for  his  sins.  It  is  the  nature 
and  disposition  of  christians  not  to  hate 
any  on  account  of  his  infirmities,  but  they 
seek  with  all  their  hearts  how  they  may  lead 
such  an  one  in  the  true  way  of  love  by  in- 
structing him;  for  a  true  christian  knows 
nothing  of  hatred. 

In  the  second  place,  those  words  teach  no 
that  he,  who  has  transgressed,  should  re- 
ceive the  admonition  of  his  brother,  in  love 


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and  be  again  sincerely  reconciled;  as  lie 
teaches  at  an  other  place,  and  says,  "  There- 
fore, if  thou  bring  thy  gift  to  the  altar,  and 
there  rememberest  that  thy  brother  hath 
aught  against  thee ;  leave  there  thy  gift  be- 
fore the  altar,  and  go  th.y  way ;  itrst  be  rec- 
onciled to  thy  brother,'^'  Matt.  5:  23,  24. 
Here  it  is  also  the  nature  and  disposition 
of  the  anointed,  those  who  are  born  of  the 
holy  seed  of  divine  love,  that  if  they  tres- 
pass against  a  brother,  they  have  neither 
peace  nor  rest  of  conscience  till  they  are 
again  fully  reconciled  in  Christ  Jesus,  and 
that  without  hypocrisy.  For  they  are  a 
seed  and  generation  of  peace,  children  of 
love,  who  manifest  their  Christianity  in  full 
power;  and  testify  by  deeds  that  they  know 
God.  But  those  who  do  not  so,  have  the 
words  of  Jesus  to  judge  them.  Although 
the  first  transgi-ession  may  not  be  of  itself  a 
sin  unto  death;  but  in  the  course  of  time,  it 
would  cause  the  transgressor,  if  he  regard 
not  love,  to  become  estranged  and  carnal, 
therefore  he  should  bear  such  severe  pun- 
ishment on  account  of  his  wickedness.  For 
it  is  evident  that  he,  who  despises  his  broth- 
er, rejects  the  affectionate  admonition,  acts 
against  christian  charity,  despises  the  church 
of  God,  rejects  the  word  of  the  Lord,  would 
rather  continue  unreproved  in  his  transgres- 
sion, through  his  immovable  stubbornness; 
rather  walk  in  the  crooked  paths  of  the 
unrighteoiis ;  yea,  sooner  forsake  the  king- 
dom and  people  of  Christ,  than  subdue  his 
stubborn,  proud  flesh,  and  again  be  recon- 
ciled in  love,  according  to  the  word  of  the 
Lord,  with  his  brother  against  whom  he 
transgressed.  Paul  rightly  observes,  "That 
to  be  carnally  minded  is  death."  Observe 
this. 

In  the  third  place,  if  the  transgressing 
Ijrother  will  sincerely  receive,  the  brotherly 
admonition  of  his  oftended  brother  in  love, 
be  humbly  reconciled,  and  afterwards  ceases 
transgressing,  then  in  that  case  he  will  no 
more  remember,  but  sincerely  forgive  him, 
although  he  may  have  frequently  sinned 
against  him.  Even  as  God  for  Jesus'  sake, 
forgives  all  of  our  sins;  so  must  we  also 
forgive  our  neighbor  all  his  transgressions 
in  Christ,  which  he  has  committed  against 
us.  And  we  should  not  under  any  circuin- 
stances    indulge   in    hatred    or   vengeance 


against  him,  although  he  should  never  re- 
form. We  have  a  true  example  in  Christ, 
and  Stephen,  his  witness.  And  it  is  also 
the  nature  and  disposition  of  all  the  anoint- 
ed, who  are  born  of  God,  that  they  possess 
their  souls  in  peace  and  patience,  to  keep 
pure  and  uncorrupted  their  conscience,  their 
prayer  unhindered,  their  love  perfect,  their 
faith  sound  and  true,  their  minds  firm  and 
unwavering,  no  matter  how  we  behave  to- 
wards them. 

From  all  of  whicli  it  is  more  than  clear 
that  these  three  several  admonitions  of 
which  Christ  speaks,  first  between  him  and 
you  alone;  secondly  before  witnesses  and 
thirdly,  before  tlie  church,  do  not  extend 
to  all  offensive,  carnal  sinners,  over  whom 
the  eternal  sentence  of  death  is  already 
i  pronounced ;  but  it  has  reference  only  to  the 
]  shortcomings  between  brother  and  brother, 
and  that  for  the  following  seven,  reasons. 

First,  he  saj^s,  "If  thy  brother  trespass 
against  tiiee,"  observe  what  he  says,  "A- 
OAiNST  TiffiE,"  not  Against  God;  for  all 
the  sins  he  commits  against  you,  you  may 
forgive  him,  so  far  as  respects  yov ;  but  not 
as  it  respects  God. 

Secondly,  he  says,  "Tell  him  his  fault  be- 
tween thee  and  liim  alone."  Observe,  "be- 
tween tlice  and  Itim  alone."  And  I  trust  that 
all  who  understand  the  holy  word  vrAl  as- 
sent that  an  open  transgression  or  sin,  re- 
quires no  private  admonition,  but  is  to  be 
publicly  reproved. 

Thirdly,  he  says,  "That  in  the  mouth  of 
two  or  three  witnesses  every  word  may  be 
established."  Observe,  that  he  says,  "Two 
or  three."  And  that  an  open  transgression 
requires  no  witness,  but  is  itself  its  own  ac- 
cuser and  witness,  is  clear  as  the  meridian 
sun. 

Fourthly,  he  says,  "Then  tell  it  unto  the 
church,"  observe,  "unto  the  church."  And 
for  us  to  teD,  an  open,  well  known  disgrace 
to  them,  which  is  already  known,  is  quite 
useless,  to  this  all  must  assent  who  have 
understanding. 

Fifthly,  he  also  says  in  Luke  17,  "And  if 
he  trespass  against  thee  seven  times  in  a 
day."  Observe,  he  says,  "  Trespass."  That 
now,  any  chi'istian  should  commit  a  deadly 
sin  against  his  brother,  seven  times  in  a 


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day,  not  to  say  seventy  times  seven,  is  not 
possible;  much  less  against  God. 

Sixthlj^  he  says,  "And  seven  times  in  a 
day  turn  again  to  thee,  saying,  I  repent." 
Obsei-ve,  he  says,  "  Ttu'n  to  thee  seven  times 
in  a  day."  My  opinion  is  that  if  any  one 
were  to  come  to  us  two  or  three  times  in  a 
year,  not  to  say  daily,  to  pillage  om-  chests 
or  purses,  or  disgrace  oui-  wives,  daughters 
or  maids,  and  every  time  say,  Ah,  brother  I 
repent,  he  would  soon  be  told  that  he  is  a  : 
desperate  rogue  and  an  ungodly  knave. 
Again,  I  sa,j,  Observe  this. 

Seventhly,  he  says,  "Thou  shalt  forgive 
him."  Observe,  he  says,  "Thou  shalt  for- 
give him.''  And  the  Scriptrn-es  plainly  teach 
that  none  can  forgive  sins  (these  are  the  ten 
thousand  talents  which  were  owing  to  the  i 
king),  but  God  alone.  And  that  we  alone  j 
can  pay  the  hundred  pence  that  we  owe  our 
brother,  as  the  Lord  teaches  in  the  parable 
with  all  plainness. 

Behold,  in  this  sense  the  Holy  Scripture 
remains  salutary  unto  us,  and  proceeds  in  j 
its  proper  order  when,  where  one  brother 
trespasses  against  another,  three  admoni- 
tions are  given  before  excommunication. 
Matt.  18:  15 — 18,  to  a  heretic  one  or  two, 
Tit.  B:  10,  and  to  an  open,  offensive,  sensual 
sinner,  who  is  already  condemned  by  the 
word  of  God,  none  at  all,  1  Cor.  5;  2  Cor.  13. 

Do  impartially,  and  in  love,  reflect  upon 
what  the  Scriptures  say,  without  hypocrisy. 

8.  That  ice  are  not  to  'pervert  tlie  trufh 
until  David's  sin,  repentance  and  remission; 
but  have  to  understand  it  riglitly  according 
to  Scripture.  It  is  evident  that  abominable,  j 
carnal  sins,  such  as  fornication,  adultery 
and  the  like,  generally  arise  from  blindness 
of  heart;  that  they  are  committed  premedi- 
tatedly;  are  the  result  of  imclean,  inflamed 
passions  and  carnal  lusts ;  notwithstanding 
the  beginning  of  them  may  have  taken  their 
rise  apparently  from  infirmity.  Of  this  we 
have  a  true  example  in  David,  although  he 
was  a  man  after  God's  own  heart,  and  by 
virtue  of  his  faith  slew  the  giant,  Goliath, 
whom  all  Israel  di-eaded,  and  rescued  the 
lamb  from  the  jaws  of  lions  and  bears,  yet 
he  was  so  captivated  in  his  flesh  by  the 
sight  of  his  eyes  that  he  sinned  greatly;  for 
as  soon  as  he  consented,  sin  was  committed, 
and  his  heart,  which  was  before  a  temple  of 


the  Holy  Ghost,  was  so  blinded  and  be- 
witched, that  he,  without  any  dread,  fell  in- 
to one  deadly  sin  and  wickedness  after  an- 
other ;  yea,  as  appears,  he  never  once 
thought  of  the  Lord  who  saved  him  from  so 
many  dangers,  and  called  him  to  such  dis- 
tinguished honor,  and  endowed  him  with 
such  a  precious  spirit.  For  when  it  was  told 
him  of  Bath-sheba.  that  she  was  with  child 
to  him,  he  sought  to  hide  his  flagrant  act; 
he  had  Uriah  called  from  the  field  and  pre- 
tended as  if  he  wished  to  consult  him  in  re- 
lation to  the  war,  admonished  him  twice, 
that  he  should  go  into  his  house;  Avhy  he 
did  so,  is  well  understood.  Afterwards  he 
invited  him  to  a  feast,  pretending  as  if  he  was 
sincere;  so  that  he  might  make  him  driink. 
and  have  him  go  in  unto  his  wife  and  cover 
David's  shame.  But  when  he  failed  in  all 
this,  he  gave  this  truly  valiant  man  an  un- 
godly, treacherous  letter,  that  Joab  should 
place  him  in  such  a  point  where  the  danger 
of  being  killed  was  greatest,  so  that  he 
might  be  slain. 

Behold,  thus  you  see  how  one  wicked  act 
engendered  another  when  he  consented  to 
the  lusts  of  the  ej'es,  and  gave  place  to  sin. 
Yea,  he  was  blinded  to  such  a  degree  in  his 
inflamed  flesh,  and  was  so  deeply  involved 
in  sin,  that,  according  to  the  rigor  of  the 
law,  had  he  not  himself  wielded  the  sceptre, 
he  would  have  been  two-fold  guilty  of  the 
ban  or  curse  of  death;  first,  because  he  was 
an  adulterer ;  secondly,  because  he  was 
guilty  of  innocent  blood. 

He  boldly  continued  in  such  abomina- 
tions till  the  prophet  came  to  him,  and 
through  a  parable,  so  wisely  reproved  him 
that  he  pronounced  his  own  sentence  as 
worthy  of  death.  When  he  heard  the  word 
of  the  prophet  who  appealed  powerfullj^  to 
his  heart,  he  was  moved,  sought  for  grace, 
and  without  delay  turned  to  God  with  a 
broken  heart,  and  bitterly  wept  over  his 
great  sin,  and  confessed  to  the  Lord  that  lie 
had  sinned  against  him ;  prayed  and  sighed 
painfully,  and  said,  "Have  mercy  upon  me, 
O  God!  according  to  thy  loving  kindness, 
according  unto  the  multitude  of  thy  tender 
mercies  blot  out  my  transgressions  ;  wash 
me  thoroughly  from  mine  iniquity,  and 
cleanse  me  from  my  sin.''  "Create  in  me  a 
clean  heart,  O  God;  and  renew  a  riglit  spirit 


EXCOMMUNICATION. 


357 


within  me;  cast  me  not  away  from  thy  pres- 
ence ;  and  take  not  thy  Holy  Spirit  from 
me,"  Ps.  51:  1,  2,  10,  11.  On  account  of 
which  he  was  again  comforted  of  the  proph- 
et, who  said  imto  him,  "The  Lord  also  hath 
put  away  thy  sin ;  thou  shalt  not  die."  Nev- 
ertheless, he  had  to  endure  a  severe  pimish- 
ment  on  account  of  it,  for,  said  Nathan, 
"Therefore  the  sword  shall  never  depart 
from  thine  house ;  because  thou  hast  despised 
me;"  and  the  Lord  said,  "Behold,  I  will 
raise  up  evil  against  thee  out  of  thine  own 
house,  and  I  will  take  thy  wives  before 
thine  eyes,  and  give  tliem  unto  thy  neigh- 
bor, and  he  shall  lie  with  thy  wives  in  the 
sight  of  this  sun;"  because  thou  hast  de- 
spised me.  Observe,  he  says,  "Because 
thou  hast  despised  me,"  2  Sam.  12. 

And  behold,  thus  the  wantonness  of  David 
resulted  in  greatly  despising  God,  and  it 
was  a  grievous  sin  unto  him.  True  are  the 
words  of  James,  "Then  when  lust  hath  con- 
ceived, it  bringeth  forth  sin ;  and  sin,  when 
it  hath  finished,  bringeth  forth  death,"  Jas. 
1:  15. 

Thiis  it  is  in  the  new  state  of  things  in 
Christ;  for  since  we  are  not  to  punish  the 
abominable,  carnal  transgressors  with  fire, 
stone  or  sword,  as  upright  Israel  did  of  old, 
but  only  by  excommunication,  as  is  well 
known  to  all  who  are  taught  of  God;  there- 
fore, it  behooves  us  to  consign  those  with 
their  wicked  deeds,  where  the  Scriptures  di- 
rect them,  namely,  into  death,  and  to  the 
wrath  of  God,  as  holy  Nathan  did  blood- 
guilty  and  adulterous  David.  They  will 
then,  under  such  a  dread,  severe  sentence, 
which,  according  to  the  Scripture  is  pro- 
nounced upon  them  by  exclusion,  in  true 
love,  by  the  grace  of  God,  go  within  their 
hearts,  and  are  provoked,  like  penitent 
David,  to  true  repentance;  yea,  that  we 
may  evidently  see  by  all  their  words,  works, 
and  whole  life  in  truth,  that  the  gracious 
Father  has  again  received  and  indued  them 
with  his  Spirit,  and  pardoned  their  sins; 
then,  and  not  till  then,  understand  well  what 
I  say,  have  we  the  same  word  of  promise 
whereby  we  can  again  comfort  them  and  pro- 
claim to  them  the  grace  of  the  Lord,  name- 
ly, "The  Lord  also  hath  put  away  thy  sin, 
thou  shalt  not  die;"  "thy  sins  are  forgiven, 
go  and  sin  no  more;"  for  that  a  truly  peni- 
33 


tent  person  should  be  left  unconsoled  of  God 
or  man,  is  impossible.  O,  reflect  on  what 
has  been  quoted. 

Thus  it  becomes  us  riglitly  to  divide  the 
Scriptures,  that  we  do  not  make  the  sin, 
repentance  and  remission  of  David  as  an 
example  of  encouragement  to  the  rash, 
blind  world,  that  we  do  not  receive,  as 
brethren,  the  offensive,  carnal  sinners,  name- 
ly, those  who  are  banished  of  God,  at  a 
mere  promise  to  reform;  but  they  should 
show  such  repentance  that  the  church  may 
be  satisfied  of  their  sincerity.  For  we  nuist 
not  build  upon  uncertainties,  and  comfort 
in  vain,  but  like  Nathan,  comfort  when  we 
see  true  repentance,  if  we  would  not  wish  to 
flatter  sinners  with  lies,  and  derogate  from 
the  judgment  of  God,  as  heard. 

9.  Of  the  inconsiderate  haclcsliding,  and 
imviediate  recovery  of  Peter.  Dearly  beloved 
brethren,  beware;  we  have  shown  and  ex- 
plained to  you,  that  the  abominable,  carnal 
sins  generally  arise  from  the  sudden  enkin- 
dling of  the  passions,  and  so  it  can  happen 
that  sins  may  be  committed  through  infirm- 
ities. Of  this  we  have  a  true  example  in 
Peter;  for  when  the  Lord  said  to  him,  "Si- 
mon, Simon,  behold  satan  hath  desired  to 
have  you,  that  he  may  sift  you  as  wheat; 
but  I  have  prayed  for  thee,  that  thy  faith 
fail  not;  and  when  thou  art  converted, 
strengthen  thy  brethren."  To  which  he  re- 
plied with  much  assurance:  "Although  all 
shall  be  offended,  yet  will  not  I."  "Lord,  I 
am  ready  to  go  with  thee,  both  into  prison 
and  to  death." 

Peter  was  for  venturing  all  with  his  Mas- 
ter, as  he  said;  but  as  soon  as  he  stood 
alone,  he  could  not  endure  a  single  question 
put  to  him  by  a  maid;  he  openly  denied 
Christ,  although  the  evening  previous  he 
said  that  he  wordd  die  witli  him.  Yea,  he 
was  so  alarmed  and  frightened  that  he  be- 
gan to  curse,  and  to  swear  that  lie  did  not 
know  Christ. 

O  God!  there  laj'  the  upright,  bold  Peter, 
the  fii-m  rock,  broken.  Although  he  had 
been  taught  of  the  heavenly  Father  and 
honored  by  Christ,  the  beloved  Son  of  God, 
with  the  promise  of  the  keys  of  the  kingdom 
of  heaven,  nevertheless,  he  could  not  endure 
but  such  a  faint  blow.  Behold,  thus  man 
is  nothing,  poor,  miserable,  sick  and  impo- 


258 


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tent,  especially  in  so  great  need,  if  lie  is  not 
strengthened  by  the  Spirit  of  God.  But  what 
was  it  ?  Peter  had  to  learn  to  know  what 
that  man  is,  who  depends  npon  his  own 
strength,  and  not  in  the  full  fear  of  God, 
npon  Christ  and  his  grace.  Besides  he  learn- 
ed how  to  be  compassionate  and  merciful 
towards  his  poor,  fallen  brother,  who  would 
again  be  heartily  converted  and  rise  with- 
out hypocrisy  from  his  fall. 

It  appears  to  me  that  this  may  justly  be 
called  an  unexpectedly  precipitate  error  in 
Peter.  For  he  entertained  not  a  single 
thought  before,  that  he  would  deny  his 
Lord  and  Savior.  And  he  also  rose  in  the 
very  hour,  went  out  and  wept  bitterly,  and 
on  the  third  day  he  was  again  comforted 
with  the  gospel  by  the  holy  angels  of  the 
Lord. 

Observe,  brethren,  how  Paul  teaches, 
"Brethren,  if  a  man  be  overtaken"  (observe, 
he  says  overtaken),  "in  a  fault,  ye  which 
are  spiritual,  restore  such  a  one  in  the  spirit 
of  meekness;  considering  thyself,  lest  thou 
also  be  tempted,"  Gal.  G:  3. 

Chosen  brethren  in  the  Lord,  I  would  then 
most  affectionately  entreat  you  by  the  words 
of  Paul  and  the  fall  of  Peter,  and  admonish 
you  faithfully  in  Christ  Jesus,   that  you 
would  by  all  means,  discriminate,  by  the 
spirit  of  wisdom,  between  backsliding  and 
remaining  in  that  condition.     For  if  any 
one  continiies  in  a  sin,  upon  which  eternal 
death  depends,  he  is  already  condemned  by 
the  Scriptures.     But  if  any  one  falls  into  it 
unwarily,  of  him  tlie  prophet  says,  "Shall 
they  fall  and  not  arise  ?"  And  as  Pltul  says,  \ 
"  Restore  such  a  one."    It  is,  therefore,  just 
and  right  that  we  be  truly  circumspect;  that  < 
we  do  not  deiDress  too  much  a  poor,  broken- ' 
hearted  sinner,  who  would  willingly  be  re-  [ 
stored  and  rescued  from  his  deplorable  con- ' 
dition;  but  we  must,  in  christian  meekness,  ! 
tender  him  the  hand  of  charity,  lift  him  up  ' 
and  help  him  to  bear  his  burden  as  much  as 
we  can,  and  as  far  as  our  consciences  and  the  ! 
word  of  God  permit.  Ah!  take  heed,  be  not 
too  rash  in  such  a  case,  lest  you  may  also 
be  tempted  or  overcome,  as  Paul  says.   Let 
holy  Peter  be  an  admonition  to  j^ou,  in  or- ; 
der  that  you  will  not  lose  yourselves  in  your  ; 
proud  minds.     "  For  if  a  man  think  himself 
to  be  something,  when  he  is  nothing,  he  de-  j 


ceiveth  himself,''  Gal.  6:  3.  In  short,  "Let 
him  that  thinketh  he  standeth,  take  heed 
lest  he  fall,"  1  Cor.  10:  12.  For  the  snares 
are  more  numerous  than  we  are  aware ; 
those  who  would  wish  to  escape  them  must 
be  dead  to  sin,  regenerated  and  true  chris- 
tians, be  constant  in  prayer,  be  circumspect, 
watch  assiduously,  and  must  be  led  and  in- 
fluenced by  the  Holy  Ghost,  else  they  are  al- 
ready in  the  snare  of  death.  Ah!  let  us  re- 
flect upon  this. 

Let  every  one  examine  himself  fully, 
whether  he  has  not  sinned  before  God  since 
his  conversion,  and  became  a  faulty  vesseL 
He  that  may  think  he  is  free,  let  him  cast 
the  first  stone.  But  he  that  does  not  find 
himself  altogether  free,  let  him,  with  Peter, 
strengthen  his  weak  brother,  who,  perhaps, 
has  not  sinned  half  so  heinously. 

Since  then,  it  is  manifest,  that  to  fall,  and 
to  remain  in  that  condition,  and  presumptu- 
ously to  sin,  are  different;  therefore,  will  I 
leave  such  sins,  on  accoimt  of  which  the 
people  of  the  Lord  are  grieved,  if  such 
should  be  the  case,  to  the  spirit,  unction, 
deliberation,  fear  of  God  and  love  of  the 
church,  to  look  into  with  wisdom  and  un- 
derstanding. If  they  deem  it  deserving  ex- 
communication, let  them  judge  as  the  Script- 
irres  teach.  If  they  consider  it  not  in  that 
light,  but  only  as  a  sin,  unwarily  commit- 
ted, that  they  then  restore  the  sinner  or 
transgressor,  with  a  spirit  of  meekness  and 
love.  This  is  my  admonition  with  the  faith- 
ful apostle,  father,  teacher  and  predecessor, 
the  apostle  Paul,  to  all  the  pious.  These 
words  are  full  of  power  and  spirit,  "Consid- 
ering thyself,  lest  thou  also  be  tempted." 

10.  Hoio  we  sJiould  vndersfand,  according 
to  tlie  Scriptures,  the  saying  of  James,  ^^If 
any  of  you  do  err  from  tlie  trutli^''  &c.,  Jas. 
5:  19.  In  the  first  place,  the  rational  law  of 
nature  teaches  us,  that  if  one  sees  the  house 
or  goods  of  his  neighbor  on  fire,  or  sees  his 
neighbor  sick,  or  his  body,  his  wife,  his 
children  or  his  cattle  needing  assistance,  he 
must  willingly  render  him  aid,  and  extend 
his  hand  to  his  neighbor,  in  time  of  need. 

Again,  Moses  says,  "Thou  shalt  not  see 
thy  brother's  ox  or  his  sheep  go  astray,  and 
hide  thyself  from  them ;  thou  shalt  in  any 
case  bring  them  unto  thy  brother,"  Dent. 
22:  1. 


EZCOMMUNICATION. 


259 


Thirdly,  Christ  says,  ""W^iatman  of  you, 
having  a  hundred  sheep,  if  he  loose  one  of 
them,  doth  not  leave  the  ninety  and  nine  in 
the  wilderness,  and  go  after  that  which  is 
lost  until  he  find  it,"  Luke  15:  4. 

Observe  then,  how  the  law  of  natiu'e,  of 
Moses  and  of  Christ,  teaches  us  such  great 
love  and  discretion,  not  towards  men  alone, 
but  towards  our  temporal  goods,  and  to  our 
creatures,  so  it  is  proj^er  that  we,  who  are 
born  of  the  holy  seed  of  love,  should  seek 
for  the  soul  of  our  neighbor,  whose  feet  we 
see  upon  the  way  of  sin,  which  leads  to 
^eath.  Thus  James  says,  "Brethren,  if  any 
of  you  do  err  from  the  truth,  and  one  con- 
vert hira,  let  him  know  that  he  which  con- 
verteth  the  sinner  from  the  error  of  his  way, 
shall  save  a  soul  from  death,  and  shall  hide 
a  multitude  of  sins,"  James  5:  19,  20. 

Here  we  would  entreat  all  pious  hearts, 
for  Jesus'  sake,  that  they  would  make  a  dis- 
tinction between  those  who  ignorantly  err, 
and  those  who  willingly  go  in  the  way  of 
death,  in  order  that  the  word  of  James  be 
not  construed  so  as  to  become  a  false  com- 
fort and  support,  to  wanton  and  benighted 
sinners ;  for  it  is  clear,  that  they  are  already 
condemned  to  death  by  the  Scriptures,  as  we 
frequently  have  observed;  but  when  any  of 
our  Father's  little  ones,  Christ's  sheep  err, 
and  begin  to  turn  their  ears  to  false  doctrine, 
which  is  adorned  with  fail'  words,  who  suf- 
fer themselves,  through  their  lusts,  to  be  led 
from  the  truth,  and  begin  to  set  their  feet 
upon  the  broad  way,  and  bow  their  hearts, 
again  to  covetousness,  pride,  haughtiness, 
&c.,  entertain  inordinate  desires  for  the 
property,  wives,  daughters,  maids  or  the 
ungodly,  vain  company  of  their  neighbors, 
become  old  and  weak  in  their  faith,  dislike 
the  truth  and  err  grievously,  and  yet  sup- 
pose that  they  go  ui^on  the  right  way,  such 
erring  ones,  we  should  not  sufi'er  to  be  lost, 
but  should  seek  them  with  all  our  power 
and  might,  not  with  one  or  two  admonitions 
only,  as  is  done  with  heretics,  Tit.  3,  nor  but 
three  times,  as  is  the  case  in  a  dissension 
between  brother  and  brother.  Matt.  IS,  but 
as  often  as  the  Lord  gives  spirit  and  grace, 
till  they  again  conform,  in  all  things  to  the 
truth,  depart  from  their  errors,  and  enter 
upon  the  right  way,  or  till  they  become  as 
ravening,  biting  dogs  or  unclean  swine.  Yes, 


my  brethren,  whoever  can,  with  the  truth, 
reclaim  such  a  poor,  erring  sinner,  lead  him 
from  the  way  of  error,  and  bring  him  back 
to  the  fold  of  Chiist,  rescues  his  soul  from 
death,  and  covers  a  multitude  of  sins,  with 
which,  alas,  he  was  already  too  much  stain- 
ed. From  whom?  From  men,  or  from  God? 
Not  from  men,  biit  from  God;  for  it  is  im- 
possible to  hide  from  men  that  which  they 
see,  and  Avhicli  happens  before  them;  as 
adultery,  fornication,  murder,  open  idolatry, 
drunkenness,  &c.  The  idolatry  of  Aaron, 
with  the  golden  calf,  the  misconduct  of  David 
with  Uriah  and  Bathsheba,  and  the  denial 
of  Peter  are  examples.  For  although  they 
repented,  and  their  sins  were  covered  from 
the  sight  of  God,  yet  were  they  manifest  to 
the  whole  world  as  admonitions  and  warn- 
ings, and  as  examples  of  his  grace  over  all 
who  truly  repent ;  of  this  covering  of  sin, 
David  spake,  "Blessed  is  he  whose  trans- 
gression is  forgiven,  whose  sin  is  covered. 
Blessed  is  the  man  unto  whom  the  Lord  im- 
puteth  not  iniquity,"  Ps.  32:  1,  2. 

I  will  now  leave  to  the  godly  for  reflection, 
whether  these  words  of  James  as  here  ex- 
pounded, are  not  salutary;  for  those  worthy 
of  exclusion  would  be  excluded,  the  emng 
be  sought,  love  would  exert  its  full  power, 
the  penitent  would  be  rescued  from  death. 
Both  their  open  and  secret  sins  would  be 
covered  before  God,  and  all  would  proceed 
according  to  the  Scriptures.  In  true  love 
observe  what  is  the  mind  of  the  holy  word. 
11.  IIoio  the  latter  iKirt  of  the  twelfth,  and 
the  heginning  of  the  thirteeidh  chapter  of  the 
second  epistle  to  the  Corinthians,  are  to  le 
understood.    We  find  by  Paul's  epistle  to 

I  the  Corinthians,  that  there  were  many  par- 
ties and  sects  among  that  people.  Some 
boasted  that  they  were  of  Cephas,  others  of 
Paul,  and  others  again,  of  Apollo.  On  this 
account,  Paul  reproved  them  in  love,  and 
admonished  them  to  be  one  in  Christ.  He 
v^Tites  also  in  the  eleventh  chapter  of  the 
same  epistle,  "^\lien  ye  come  together  in 

I  the  chui'ch,  I  hear  that  there  be  divisions 
among  you,  and  I  partly  believe  it,  for  there 
must  be  also  heresies  among  you,  that  they 
which  are  approved  may  be  made  manifest 
among  you."  There  were  also  some  among 
them  who  said  there  was  no  resurrection,  1 

!  Cor.  11:  18,  19;  15:  12;  therefore,  he  also 


260 


EXCOMMUNICATION . 


feared  that  when  he  came,  he  would  not  find 
them  as  he  desired,  nor  that  they  would  find 
him  as  they  desired;  lest  more  dissension 
than  union,  more  malice  than  love,  more 
wi-ath  than  meekness,  more  strife  than 
peace,  more  whispering  than  rebuking  of 
wickedness,  more  pride  than  humility,  more 
tumult  than  quiet,  should  be  found  among 
many.  Such  is  commonly  the  condition 
where  the  high  and  proiid  of  heart,  who 
neither  know  nor  love  the  peaceful,  humble 
Spirit  of  Christ,  are  highly  esteemed,  and 
have  attained  authority  over  the  plain, 
simple  people.  Who  regard  the  adornment 
of  words  more  than  spirit  and  power.    This 

1  write  in  upright,  undissembled  love,  with- 
out regard  to  party.  God  grant  us  grace  to 
enable  us  to  perceive  it. 

Again,  we  find  that  there  were  some  im- 
penitent amongst  them  such  as  selfish,  cov- 
etous, contentious,  fornicators,  incontinent 
and  unchaste.  Therefore  he  feared  that  when 
he  came,  he  would  have  great  sorrow  on  ac- 
count of  those  who  had  already  sinned  be- 
fore, and  not  repented  of  their  lewdness  and 
unchastity.  For  it  is  manifest  that  lewdness 
at  that  time  was  so  prevalent  among  the 
gentiles,  that  the  holy  apostles  admonished 
and  coimseled  the  brethren  among  the  hea- 
then, in  a  common  council,  as  may  be  seen 
from  Acts  15;  Rom.  1;  1  Cor.  5,  6,  7. 

It  is  evident,  that,  at  that  time,  some  were 
very  little  concerned  about  the  lewdness 
and  dissensions,  which  were  so  prevalent, 
that  the  apostolic  excommunication  was  not 
very  rigidly  enforced.  This  may  be  seen 
from  Paul's  own  words,  and  reproving,  to 
wit,  "Ye  are  puffed  up,"  &c.,  1  Cor.  5:  2. 

Thi-ough  their  heedless  disobedience,  they 
permitted  the  good  and  evil  to  exist  among 
them,  so  that  the  faithful  man  of  God  up- 
braided tliem  sharply,  saying,  "This  is  the 
third  time  I  am  coming  to  you.  In  the 
mouth  of  two  or  three  witnesses  shall  every 
word  be  established.  I  told  you  before,  and 
foretell  you,  as  if  I  were  present,  the  second 
time;  and  being  absent  now,  I  write  to  them 
which  heretofore  have  sinned,  and  to  all ' 
other,  that  if  I  come  again,  I  will  not  spare," 

2  Cor.  13:  1,  2.  These  hard  words  of  Paul 
testify  clearly  that  in  that  time,  although 
such  wicked  persons,  as  fornicators,  un- 
chaste, sectarians,  &:c.,  were  held  in  com- ! 


munion,  yet  they  did  not  regard  his  writ- 
ings concerning  the  Ban;  for  it  is  plain  if 
the  historian  rightly  testifies,  that  some 
years  had  passed  away  before  Paid  made 
his  last  journey  to  them,  and  it  is  against 
all  Scripture  and  reason  to  suppose  that 
they,  in  the  mean  time,  admitted  these  per- 
sons with  Paul's  consent.  It  is  manifest 
that  he  rebuked  all  iniquity  both  with  word 
and  waiting,  and  directed  to  the  ban,  as 
had  been  related,  yet  the  foul  leaven  which 
was  against  the  holy,  divine  word,  and 
which  disgi'aced  the  church,  they  did  not 
put  away.  He  wrote  and  expressed  his 
meaning  by  these  words,  that  all  those  who 
oftentimes  had  sinned  and  had  not  repented, 
and  those  who  sinned  more  recently,  that  if 
he  would  come  the  second  time,  that  if  he 
should  find  one  or  the  other,  testified  to  by 
two  or  three  witnesses  that  they  have  been 
guilty  of  ungodliness,  that  he  would  not 
then  spare  him.     Observe  this. 

It  is  also  manifest  that  he  did  not  ^\'l■ite 
this  rebuke  privately  to  this  one  or  that  one, 
but  openly  to  a  whole  church,  in  a  common 
epistle,  that  the  disobedient  might  be  re- 
buked, as  we,  unworthily,  at  times  vvTite, 
and  teach  the  word  of  the  Lord,  and  there 
is  not  a  syllable  which  tells  us  to  admonish 
such  once,twice  or  thrice,but  to  reprove  them 
in  round  terms;  that  if  he  came,  he  would 
make  known  to  them  their  merited  punish- 
ment. His  words  are  fii-m  and  immovable, 
that  we  shall  not  eat,  or  have  fellowship 
with  fornicators,  idolators,  &c.  O!  reflect 
upon  what  the  Scriptures  say,  1  Cor.  5. 

12.  It  is  our  duty  to  ixiss  the  sentence  and 
judgment  ofCltrist  toitliovt  blame,  according 
to  the  Scriptures,  and  to  make  use  of  his  Tceys 
in  a  proper  manner.  Chosen  brethren  in  the 
Lord,  forasmuch,  then,  as  I  have  seen  in  my 
day  much  ignorance  and  misapprehension 
displayed  by  many  in  regard  to  this  point, 
some  of  whom,  in  my  humble  opinion,  were 
too  rigorous,  while  others  were  too  lenient 
and  remiss,  in  consequence  of  which  some 
of  our  members  have  been  affected,  alas! 
with  no  little  sorrow.  And  as  I  have  now 
faithfully  explained  the  true  apostolic  ex- 
communication, in  pure,  rmadulterated  love 
without  partiality,  therefore,  I  am  further 
impelled  by  the  same  love  to  offer  a  few  re- 
marks upon  the  keys  and  their  appui'tenant 


EXCO]\rMUNICATION. 


261 


use,  inasmuch  as  tliey  pertain  to  the  excom- 
munication ;  so  that  no  one,  misled  by  igno- 
rance, may  with  anti-christ  presumptuously 
place  himself  in  Christ's  seat,  nor  follow 
and  execute  his  own  judgment,  design  and 
resolution,  but  those  of  Christ,  his  Lord,  and 
the  doctrine,  ordinance  and  commandment 
of  the  holy  apostles,  without  any  regard  to 
the  flesh,  party  or  self- wisdom,  lest  he  should 
reject  him  whom  God  saves  by  his  grace, 
and  retain  him,  whom  he  in  his  righteous- 
ness rejects;  for,  to  him  alone  pertains  the 
right  of  binding  and  loosing,  as  we  shall 
hear  more  fully  in  the  sequel.  Therefore, 
consider  our  quotations. 

It  is  to  be  observed,  in  the  first  place,  that 
there  are  two  heavenly  keys,  namely,  the 
key  of  binding,  and  the  key  of  loosing;  even 
as  the  Lord  said  to  Peter,  "I  will  give  unto 
thee  the  key  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and 
whatsoever  thou  shalt  bind  on  earth,  shall 
be  bound  in  heaven;  and  whatsoever  thou 
shalt  loose  on  earth,  shall  be  loosed  in 
heaven,"  Matt.  16 :  19.  At  another  time,  and 
after  his  resurrection  from  the  dead,  he 
spoke  in  a  similar  manner  to  his  disciples, 
"Receive  ye  the  Holy  Ghost;  whosesoever 
sins  ye  remit,  they  are  remitted  unto  them ; 
and  whosesoever  sins  ye  retain,  they  are 
retained,"  John  20:  22,  23. 

In  the  second  place,  we  must  observe  that 
the  key  of  binding  is  nothing  else  than  the 
word  and  righteousness  of  God,  the  direct- 
ing, demanding,  constraining,  terrifying  and 
condemning  laAv  of  the  Lord,  by  and  through  i 
which  all  are  locked  up  under  the  curse, 
sin,  death,  and  the  wrath  of  God,  who  do 
not  by  faith  receive  Christ,  the  only  and 
eternal  means  of  gi'ace,  hear  his  voice  and  • 
follow  and  obey  his  will. 

Again,  On   the   other  hand,  the  key   of 
loosing  is  the  abundantly  cheering  and  de-  | 
lightful  word  of  grace,  the  pardoning,  con-  { 
soling  and  unbinding  gospel  of  peace,  by 
and  through  which  all  those  are  delivered 
from  the  curse,  sin,  death  and  the  wrath  of  1 
God,  who,  with  regenerated,  new,  converted, 
voluntary,  rejoicing  and  believing  hearts,  , 
receive  Christ  in  power  and  with  a  firm  con-  i 
fidence  in  his  innocent  blood  and  death,  ' 
fear,  love,  hear,  follow  and  obey  him. 

In  the  third  place,  it  is  to  be  observed 
that  this  binding  key  of  Christ  is  given  to  ' 


j  his  ministers  and  people  for  this  purpose, 
,  namely,  that  by  and  through  it  they  shall, 
!  in  the  power  of  the  Spirit,  represent  unto 
all  earthly,  carnal,  obdurate  and  impeni- 
tent persons,  their  great  sins,  unrighteous- 
ness, blindness  and  wickedness,  together 
'  with  God's  righteous  wrath,  judgment,  pun- 
ishment, hell  and  everlasting  death,  and 
thus  render  them  contrite,  dismayed,  hum- 
!  ble,  broken,  penitent,  dejected  and  sorrow- 
ful of  heart  before  God,  and  little  in  their 
I  own  eyes.    Wherefore,  it  is  compared  in  its 
power  and  virtues  to  the  rod  of  the  oppress- 
or, a  hard  hammer,  the  north  wind,  a  sorrow- 
ful singing,  and  sharp  detergent  wine,  Isa. 
9:4;  Jer.  23:  29;  Cant.  4:  16. 

Again,  On  the  contrary,  the  key  of  loos- 
ing is  given  to  the  end  that  Avith  it  the  min- 
isters and  people  of  God  may  direct  such 
contrite,  troubled,  dejected,  sorrowful  and 
broken  hearts,  as  beforementioned,  which 
are  enabled,  by  the  first  key,  to  feel  and  see 
the  deep,  mortal  wounds,  their  great  defects 
and  the  profound  fascination  in  which  they 
were  held,  to  the  spiritual,  brazen  serpent; 
to  the  throne  of  grace;  to  the  open  fountain 
of  David;  to  the  merciful,  compassionate 
High  Priest,  our  only  and  eternal  Offering 
of  reconciliation,  Christ  Jesus ;  and  thus 
heal  their  dangerous,  malignant  and  deadly 
abscesses,  stripes  and  the  venomous  wound 
of  the  infernal  serpent.  It  is,  therefore, 
likened  in  strength  and  vu'tue  to  the  cheer- 
ing olive-branch  of  Noah's  dove;  the  balm 
of  Gilead;  the  voice  of  truth;  the  south 
wind ;  the  joyful  pipe,  and  sweet,  sooth- 
ing oil,  Gen.  8:  11;  Jer.  8:  22;  Cant.  4:  16: 
Luke  10:  34. 

In  the  fom'th  place,  it  must  be  obseiTed 
that  these  keys  are  given  to  us  from  heaven, 
by  him  who  created  heaven,  earth  and  the 
sea  with  the  fullness  thereof,  the  eternal 
power,  word  and  wisdom  of  the  Almighty 
Father;  the  King  of  all  glory,  our  only  and 
eternal  Redeemer,  Intercessor,  Bridegroom, 
Prophet  and  Teacher,  Christ  Jesus.  We 
may,  therefore,  with  the  greatest  propriety, 
be  careful  in  regard  to  the  ban,  with  fear 
and  trembling,  and  not  be  influenced  by 
flesh  and  blood,  hatred  or  love,  favor  or 
disfavor,  enmity  or  friendship,  strife,  dis- 
sension or  partiality;  but  should  execute  it 
in  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  as  the  earnest, 


2t32 


EXCOMMUNICATION. 


heavenly  command,  word,  and  will  of  onr  ' 
Savior,  in  an  njn'iglit,  clear  conscience  with- 
out respect  of  persons.  For  without  doubt 
they  are  precious  keys  since  they  are  given 
us  from  heaven,  as  a  present  from  such  an 
illustrious  friend.  Ah  !  sutfer  yourselves 
to  be  told.  [ 

In  the  fifth  place,  it  is  to  be  observed  that 
these  keys  are  given  to,  and  bestowed  upon  I 
none  but  those  who  are  anointed  of  the  ! 
Holy  Ghost,  even  as  Christ  says,  "Receive  i 
ye  the  Holy  Ghost,"  &:c.    From  tliis  it  is  ; 
evident  that  they  must  be  a  believing,  true, 
penitent,   sober,  chaste,  humble,  upright, 
friendly,   obedient,   devout,  peaceful,   and  j 
spiritual  people ;   observe,  a  people  dead  | 
unto  sin,  a  regenerated  people,  who  sit  with  | 
the  apostles  in  the  seat  of  righteousness, 
and  pronounce  with  them    the    righteous  ', 
judgment  of  the  Lord,  against  all  stiff-neck- 1 
ed,  ungodly  sinners,  and  teach,  admonish, 
chastise,  punish,  and,  in  real  power,  judge 
or  bind  with  the  word  and  Spirit  of  the 
Lord,  the  unbelieving,  impenitent,  earthly- 
minded,  drunken,  adulterous,  lecherous,  un- 
chaste, proud,  haughty,  unrighteous,  per-  < 
verse,  disobedient,  quarrelsome,  carnal  sin- 1 
ners.     For  it  is  evident  that  a  carnal  man  j 
cannot  understand  the  things  of  the  Spirit 
of  God;  but  they  that  are  spiritual,  exam-  ! 
ine  and  judge  all  things  aright,  yet  they 
themselves  are  judged  of  no  man.  Yes,  my 
brethren,  it  is  utterly  impossible  for  one 
carnal-minded  man,  or  for  one  quarrelsome  | 
person  to  teach,  instruct  or  chasten  another  , 
correctly  through  tlie  Spirit  of  Christ,  or  in  i 
the  power  of  his  word  justly  to  separate  j 
him  from  his  church  according  to  the  will  i 
of  God.  For  their  fruits  plainly  testify  that 
they  are  both  impenitent,  destitute  of  the 
Spirit,  nature,  and  disposition   of  Christ, 
and  subject  to  death  and  the  curse. 

Therefore,  fear  God,  and  know  how  or 
what  you  judge.  For  if  one  should  sentence 
a  ban-deserving  person,  such  as  a  fornica- 
tor, drankard,  or  any  other  carnal  trans- 
gressor, to  excommunication,  Avhile  he  him- 
self was  wTathful,  avaricious,  proud,  haugli- 
ty,  uplifted,  ambitious,  unchaste,  lying, 
quarrelsome,  impure,  envious  or  falseheart- 
ed, and  would  secretly  continue  in  his  wick- 
edness, then,  according  to  Paul,  he  would 
sentence  his  own  soul,  for  he  says,  "Thou 


art  inexcusable,  O  man  whosoever  thou  art 
that  judgest:  for  wherein  thou  judgest  an- 
other thou  condemnest  thyself,"  Rom.  2:  1. 

I  therefore,  counsel  and  admonish  all  the 
pious  generally,  who  sit  in  judgment  upon 
a  sinner  that  is  to  be  excommunicated,  that 
they  previously  examine  well  their  own 
conscience,  heart  and  mind,  and  see  whether 
they  have  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  whether  they 
sit  in  the  apostles  seat,  and  also  whether 
they  do  it  out  of  pm-e  fear  of  God,  in  obedi- 
ence to  his  word,  and  out  of  sincere  love  to 
the  brethren  or  out  of  flesh  and  blood 
through  hypocrisy,  to  the  will  of  men. 
For  if  they  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  do 
not  sit  in  the  seat  of  the  apostles  and  carry 
the  keys  of  heaven,  their  judgment  can  not 
be  of  God,  and  will  tear  down  more  than 
build  up.  It  is  even  in  reality  nothing  but 
a  sore  judgment  against  their  own  souls. 
But  if  they  have  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  sit  in 
the  apostles  seat  and  make  use  of  the  keys 
of  heaven,  their  judgment  will  doubtless  be 
righteous,  will  agree  as  the  judgment  of 
Christ,  and  they  will  not  by  any  means 
make  themselves  guilty  in  passing  judg- 
ment against  the  transgressor.  Those  who 
are  born  of  Christ,  mxay  judge  what  I  ad- 
vance. 

In  the  sixth  place,  it  is  to  be  observed 
that  these  keys  must  not  be  made  use  of, 
except  in  the  name  of  Him  who  committed 
them  to  us,  and  by  his  power,  that  is  with 
his  Spirit  and  word,  for  He  alone  is  the 
King  and  Prince  of  his  church,  the  Shep- 
herd, Teacher  and  Master  of  om-  souls,  be- 
fore whose  sceptre  we  must  all  bow,  and 
whose  voice  we  must  hear^  if  we  would  wish 
to  be  saved,  as  has  been  heard. 

Since  then  he  is  both  the  Ruler  and  the 
Giver  of  this,  and  both  the  binding  and  loos- 
ing are  in  his  hand,  and  must  tlierefore  be 
done  in  his  name,  with  his  Spirit  and  word 
alone,  as  related ;  therefore  we  may  well 
take  heed  lest  through  our  profaneness,  in- 
clination or  foolish  purpose,  we  loose  those 
whom  he  himself  has  bound  in  heaven,  or 
bind  those  whom  he  himself  has  loosed  in 
heaven  even  as  the  sin  of  perdition  and  the 
man  of  sin,  together  with  all  his  deceiving 
and  impure  prophets,  O  God,  have  done  for 
many  centuries.  0,  children  take  heed. 
I     As  far  as  concerns  the  key  of  binding  of 


EXCOMMUNICATION. 


263 


this  evangelic  ban,  it  is  clear  that  when  an 
open  fornicator  or  adulterer  is  convinced  by 
two  or  three  witnesses,  or  an  abuser  of  him- 
self, or  an  idolater,  or  a  drunkard,  or  en- 
vied, or  a  perverse,  self-willed  disputer,  or 
an  impenitent,  froward,  lazy,  fastidious  and 
idle  glutton,  or  a  blasjjhemer,  thief,  robber 
or  murderer,  is  brought  before  the  church, 
they  have  the  judging  word  of  the  Script- 
ures, by  which  they  may  separate  and  ex- 
clude him,  and  announce  to  him  by  the 
Spirit  of  Christ,  that  he  is  no  longer  a  mem- 
ber of  the  body  of  Christ,  has  no  more 
promise,  but  that  he  shall  endure  everlast- 
ing death,  and  fail  of  the  kingdom  of  grace. 
In  short  that  his  final  part  and  lot,  unless 
he  sincerely  repents,  shall  be  the  burning 
lake  of  fu'e,  hell  and  the  devil.  For  his 
works  show  plainly  that  he  is  of  the  wicked 
one. 

Behold,  such  are  those  over  whom  the 
first  key  has  power.  For  the  righteous 
judgment  of  God,  and  his  firm,  binding 
word,  take  hold  of  them,  since  they  again 
forsake  Christ;  despise  his  holy  word  and 
covenant;  live  according  to  the  flesh;  stir 
up  strife  and  dissent! on;  break  the  bond  of 
love;  separate  the  pious;  disquiet  those  of 
a  gentle,  peaceable  disposition  ;  introduce 
and  establish  ofiTences  and  slanders,  as  the 
evident  fact  has  frequently  tai;ght  and  as  is 
known  to  many  others,  alas!  as  well  as  to 
myself.  Ah  me !  what  a  severe  stroke  he 
receives  who  is  bound  by  the  people  of 
God,  with  this  dreadful  key ;  and  punished 
by  his  righteous  Spirit,  with  this  dreadful 
curse.     O  Father,  grant  them  thy  grace. 

The  same  thing  applies  to  the  key  of  loos- 
ing in  this  use  of  the  ban.  For  if  a  poor, 
proscribed  sinner  humble  himself  again  be- 
fore his  God,  heart  broken  and  penitent, 
groans  and  weeps  bitterly,  experiences 
heartfelt  sorrow  for  his  sins  and  an  earnest 
longing  for  the  truth,  hates  pen-erse  paths 
of  the  ungodly  and  walks  again  in  the  path 
of  the  pious.  In  short,  if  he  conducts  him- 
self so  in  his  whole  life,  that  we  cannot  per- 
ceive anj^  thing  in  him  but  that  the  Spirit  of 
the  Lord  has  again  anointed  him,  and  re- 
ceived him  into  his  grace,  and  woiild  have 
him  included  in  the  number  of  the  Lord's 
people ;  they  have  then  the  cheering  word 
of  promise,  by  which  they  may  again  bring 


<  him  to  the  altar  of  the  Lord,  sprinkle  him 
with  the  spiritual  hyssop  of  God,  announce 
to  him  the  grace  of  Christ,  and  receive  him 
again  as  a  beloved  brother  in  Christ  Jesus 
and  greet  him  with  the  salutation  of  his 
holy  peace.    For,  says  the  prophet,  "Have 

1 1  any  pleasure  at  all  that  the  wicked  should 
die?  saith  the  Lord  God,  and  not  that  he 
should  return  from  his  ways,  and  live?" 
Ezek.  18:23. 

!  Forasmuch  as  it  is  manifest  and  estab- 
lished that  Jesus  Christ  alone  has  the  key 
of  David,  who  imlocks  heaven  for  the  true 

I  penitent,  unties  the  knot  of  unrighteousness 
and  forgives  and  remits  their  sins ;  and 
again,  as  it  is  he  who  closes  heaven  against 
the  impenitent,  carnal  sinners,  binds  them 
under  his  judgment  and  retains  their  sins, 
and  we  are  nothing  more  than  heralds,  min- 
isters and  messengers  in  his  name,  and  can 
make  it  neither  longer  nor  shorter,  narrow- 
er nor  wider  than  taught  us  by  his  Spirit, 
and  commanded  ns  in  his  word,  as  heard, 
therefore  it  is    evident,  tliat  they    greatly 

I  err,  who,  in  the  pride  of  their  ignorance, 
suffer  themselves  to  think  that  they  have 

':  power  to  retain  or  remit  the  sins  of  any 
man,  or  who  with  perverse,  inconsiderate 
minds  dare  separate  or  excommunicate  any 
one  out  of  carnal  motives,  hatred  or  bitter- 
ness, and  not  purely  and  solely  through  the 
Spirit  and  word  of  Christ;  or  on  the  other 
hand,  retain  him  through  natural  affection, 
friendship    or  partiality,   contrary  to   the 

}  word  of  God  and  comfort  him  with  uncer- 
tainties in  his  sins,  winking  at  them;  for 
with  such,  after  the  example  of  the  false 

'  prophets,  they  strengthen  the  hands  of  the 
ungodly,  since  they  retain  them,  and  appear 
to  adjudge  their  life,  though  without  true 
repentance  they  shall  not  live.  Ah!  breth- 
ren beware. 

I  would,  therefore,  brethren  and  sisters, 
in  the  love  of  Christ,  have  you  all  faitlifullj- 
admonished  in  God,  that  no  one  attempt. 
in  this  weighty,  important  and  spiritual 
matter,  to  act  higher  or  lower,  severer  or 
milder  than  the  word  and  Spirit  require, 
whether  it  be  with  the  binding  of  the  first 
key  in  righteousness  unto  eternal  death,  or 
with  the  loosing  of  the  second  key  in  grace 
unto  eternal  life;  lest,  by  passing  an  un- 
scriptnral  judgment,  he  offend  against  God 


264 


EXCOMMUNICATION. 


and  his  neighbor,  and  so  be  constrained  to 
undergo  the  punishment  of  his  pride,  along 
with  the  angel  of  tlie  bottomless  pit.  Ob- 
serve this! 

Ah !  most  beloved  brethren,  to  what  an 
amazing  extent,  in  my  opinion,  is  that  man 
tanght  of  God,  who  is  able  in  this  thing  so 
to  keep  the  true,  royal  highway,  that  he  can 
properly  employ  the  intrusted  keys  in  de- 


vout, heavenly  wisdom,  and  correctly  pass 
and  impose  his  Lord's  judgment  with  a 
sui-e,  sealed  conscience  in  true,  apostolic 
measure,  to  the  edification  of  all  the  pious. 
Let  all  who  are  born  of  God,  who  are  im- 
partial and  pure  in  heart,  reflect,  with  the 
unction  of  their  spirit,  upon  the  grounds  of 
my  writing  and  admonition. 


CONCLUSION  AND  EXHORTATION  TO  ALL  THE  PIOUS. 


Behold,  beloved  brethren,  with  much 
trouble,  pains  and  anxiety,  I  have  now,  in 
the  infij-mity  of  my  declining  years,  added 
another  small  gift  to  the  treasury  of  the 
Lord,  not  of  the  price  of  a  dog,  nor  of  the 
hire  of  a  harlot,  which  was  forbidden  to  Is- 
rael; but  of  the  abundant  benediction  of  my 
God,  namely,  from  the  settled  principles  of 
his  truth.  Though  it  is  not  to  be  compared 
in  value  or  worth  with  the  gold,  silver,  metal, 
silk,  or  precious  stones  of  the  offering,  yet, 
if  it  be  reckoned  with  the  rams'  skins,  goats' 
hair,  and  shittim  wood,  I  have  already  at- 
tained my  wish.  For  my  prayer  and  desire 
before  God  and  his  church  is,  that  the  living 
building  of  the  heavenly  tabernacles  may 
advance  with  the  greatest  speed  to  the  at- 
tainment of  their  intended  splendor  and 
magnificence.  For  this  cause,  I  have  suffer- 
ed not  a  little  hardship,  affliction,  sadness, 
poverty  and  reproach,  so  that  I  hope  I  may 
boast  in  my  weakness  with  all  the  jiious  of 
God,  apostles  and  prophets,  yea,  with  Christ 
Jesus  himself,  that  the  zeal  of  the  Lord's 
house  hath  eaten  me  up. 

I  would,  therefore,  earnestly  desire  aU  the 
pious,  who,  with  a  pure,  unadulterated  con- 
science, have  drank  the  water  of  love  out  of 
the  fountain  of  God,  that  they  do  not  des- 
pise this  gift,  but  that,  with  candid  and 
discerning  minds,  they  examine,  as  in  the 
presence  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus,  its  nature, 
principles,  vigor,  cogency  and  virtuous  ten- 
dency; and  having  thus  passed  a  sound, 
impartial  judgment  upon  it,  that  you  leave 
it  unbroken  in  all  its  parts.  For  it  is  my 
valedictory  which  I  now  offer,  as  I  take  my 


leave  of  you  all  in  this  part,  of  the  ban  and 
retire  to  rest. 

In  this  I  have  not  sought  the  acquirement 
of  human  favor  or  honor,  the  indulgence  of 
flesh,  or  the  promotion  of  party  purposes, 
but  I  have  illustrated  the  principles  of  tnith, 
confirmed  the  holy  ordinance  of  the  apos- 
tles, rendered  due  praise  to  the  justice  and 
mercy  of  God,  assigning  to  each  its  part, 
have  added  nothing  new,  nor  varied  in  the 
least  from  its  principles  of  mj^  plan,  except 
that  in  consequence  of  much  conversation 
with  the  pious,  and  meditation  upon  certain 
■wTitings,  as  also  on  account  of  great  dan- 
gers, actual  occxu-rences,  and  heinous  abom- 
inations, and  in  order  to  put  a  stop  in  some 
measure  to  all  offensive,  disgraceful  actions, 
I  have  more  deeply  considered  the  exclud- 
ing sentence  of  the  flagrant,  carnal  sinner, 
and,  in  this  way,  placed  it  uj^on  a  more  cer- 
tain basis,  as  may  be  seen. 

As  we  are  well  convinced  that  the  depth 
of  satan  is  to  some  but  partially  known  and 
manifest,  and  as  a  consequence  that  he  does 
great  injury,  by  means  of  his  subtle,  perni- 
cious wrangling  and  disputation,  as  may  be 
seen ;  therefore,  my  first  earnest  request  un- 
to all,  who  are  named  after  the  name  of 
Christ,  is,  that  they  would  reflect  soberly, 
jirdiciously  and  discreetly  upon  the  nature, 
character,  heart,  mind.  Spirit  and  disposi- 
tion of  Christ,  and  consider  that  all  which 
he  has  commanded,  left  and  taught  his  fol- 
lowers, is  nothing  but  pure  righteousness, 
truth,  patience,  love  and  peace.  Also,  that 
they  bow  their  knees  before  him,  and  have 
received  the  token  of  his  most  holy  cove- 


EXCOMMUNICATION. 


265 


nant;  that  they  should  buiy  their  former 
sinful  life  in  his  death ;  circumcise  their 
hearts  with  his  sharja  word  and  Spirit;  fol- 
low him,  walk  in  all  his  ways,  and  be  one 
with  him  in  both  the  inward  and  the  out- 
ward man,  as  taught  in  Scripture;  also,  that 
they  reflect  upon  the  high  promise,  and  fol- 
low his  word  and  will,  in  power  and  in 
truth.  For  he  is  such  a  God,  that  he  does 
not  take  pleasure  in  outward  shadows,  cere- 
monies, types,  bread,  wine,  water,  and  nom- 
inal service,  but  in  spirit,  deed  and  truth. 

My  second  request  is,  that  they  would  on 
the  other  hand,  consider  the  nature,  charac- 
ter, heart,  spirit,  mind,  and  work  of  satan, 
that  he  is  from  the  beginning  a  shrewd, 
cunning  deceiver,  an  impudent,  wanton  liar, 
and  a  revengeful  murderer,  a  malicious  en- 
vier  of  the  honor  and  truth  of  God;  a  false- 
ifier  of  his  Holy  Word,  and  a  deadly  enemy 
of  pious  souls;  seditious,  factious,  unruly, 
schismatic,  envious,  perverse,  and  destitute 
of  love;  incapable  of  conceiving  and  bring- 
ing forth  any  thing  but  hatred,  backbiting, 
lies,  deception,  jealousy,  impurity  of  heart, 
vice  and  shame,  and  all  in  semblance  of 
the  truth.  In  semblance  of  the  trutli,  I  re- 
peat, for  although  he  is  the  infernal  satan, 
beelzebub,  belial,  behemoth,  leviathan,  the 
angel  of  the  bottomless  pit,  the  prince  of 
darkness,  the  old  serpent,  and  the  very 
devil  himself,  yet  it  is  manifest,  notwith- 
standing, that  he  has  the  power  of  trans- 
forming himself  into  an  angel  of  light,  as 
Paul  informs  us. 

There  is  nothing  of  an  external  natui-e 
oppressive  or  vexatious  to  him,  if  he  can 
only  gain  possession  of  the  citadel  of  oui- 
hearts,  and  expel  therefrom,  Christ's  natiu-e, 
disposition.  Spirit  and  power;  if  he  can  do 
this  he  has  already  won  the  prize  of  his 
craftiness,  yea,  if  a  man  was  even  baptized 
by  Peter  or  Paul  himself,  had  received  the 
bread  of  the  Holy  Supper  from  the  hand 
of  the  Lord,  would  nevemiore  take  part  in 
papistic  idolatry,  yet  if  he  retained  but  one 
of  the  fraits  of  the  devil,  whether  hatred,  or 
party  spirit,  envy,  bitterness,  avarice,  re- 
vengefnlness,  pride,  unchastity,  or  any  other 
vice,  we  must  declare  with  the  Scripture  that 
his  spirit  is  devilish,  and  his  life  hypocrisy. 
For  it  is  very  evident  that  the  whole  man 
must  be  regenerated,  sincere,  unsophistica- 
34 


ted,  spiritually  minded,  godly,  holy,  devout, 
united  and  subject  to  Christ ;  as  James 
says,  "Whosoever  shall  keep  the  whole 
law,  and  yet  oflend  in  one  point,  he  is  guilty 
of  all,"  James  2:  10. 

Yes,  worthy  brethren,  those  who  are  so 
far  taught  of  God,  that  they  are  able,  well 
and  truly  to  distinguish  between  Christ  and 
the  devil,  in  relation  to  their  nature,  dispo- 
sition, doctrine,  and  works,  and  thereby 
perceive  that  the  disposition  of  Christ  is 
productive  of  life,  and  the  disposition  of 
the  devil  is  productive  of  deatli,  shall,  and 
will  undoubtedly,  separate  and  depart  en- 
tirely, from  all  vain  and  unprofitable  dis- 
putation, schism,  separation,  contention, 
dissension,  sedition,  and  sectarianism,  and 
also  from  all  deadly  abominations,  sins,  and 
shameful  actions;  of  this  I  am  fully  con- 
vinced by  the  grace  of  God. 

My  third  request  is,  that  they  would  all, 
with  candor  and  sincerity  of  heart,  meditate 
upon  the  glorious  and  illustrious  names 
with  which  they  are  honored  in  the  Script- 
ures, namely,  Children  of  God,  saints  and 
beloved  of  God,  chosen  of  God,  regenerated 
seed  and  children  of  Abraham,  seed  of  peace, 
plants  and  scions  of  righteousness,  fruitful 
grafts  of  Christ,  members  of  the  body  of 
Christ,  flesh  and  bone,  mothers,  sisters, 
brothers,  disciples,  guests,  friends,  sons, 
daughters,  maiden,  virgin,  bride  and  spouse 
of  Christ,  His  holy  vineyard,  camp,  city, 
Jerusalem,  temple,  ark,  house,  abode,  cho- 
sen people,  citizens  of  heaven,  living  stones, 
companions  of  the  saints,  apostles  and 
prophets,  house-hold  of  God,  kings  and 
priests,  doves,  sheep,  the  light  of  the  world 
and  the  salt  of  the  earth,  &c.,  to  the  end  that 
by  such  meditation,  their  conduct  inwardly 
and  outwardly,  privately  and  publicly,  may 
be  such  in  aU  their  ways,  words,  and  works, 
before  God,  in  the  presence  of  the  church, 
and  before  the  whole  world  that  they  may. 
by  grace,  with  the  pious,  walk  worthily  of 
all  such  glorious  names,  in  love,  peace  and 
harmony,  and  by  his  paternal  bounty  for- 
ever escape  the  severe  curse  of  excommuni- 
cation, before  mentioned,  and  not  with  the 
goats  to  the  left  hand,  hear  the  stern  sen- 
tence. Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed,  but  with 
the  sheep  to  the  right  hand  the  cheering 
words.  Come  ye  blessed,  and  be  not  num- 


266 


EXCOMMUNICATION. 


bered  in  eternity  with  tliose  who  are  bound 
by  the  ban  of  the  word,  in  the  power  from 
God,  and  styled  in  Scripture,  a  cursed,  un- 
godly race,  cursed  children,  children  of 
wrath,  and  of  the  devil,  servants  of  sin  and 
perdition,  mockers,  revilers,  wicked,  carnal, 
perverse,  unrighteous,  ungodly,  stiff-necked 
sinners,  dogs  and  swine,  for  whom  are  re- 
served the  eternal  woe,  death,  tire,  lake  and 
torment  of  hell.     O,  brethren  take  heed! 

My  fourth  request  is,  to  all  those  to  whoin 
the  charge  of  the  word  of  the  Lord  is  com- 
mitted, who  are  fellow  laborers  with  me  in 
the  ministry,  that  in  all  their  actions,  they 
so  conduct  themselves  before  God  and  his 
church,  that  no  man  can  in  truth  censure  or 
speak  evil  of  them;  as  sincere  ministers  of 
Christ ;  faithful  and  true  in  all  things ;  men 
full  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  born  of  the  incor- 
ruptible seed  of  God;  encompassed  with 
heavenly  light;  transplanted  into  the  good 
disposition  of  Christ;  partakers  of  his  grace; 
taught  and  anointed  of  God;  having  their 
minds  upon  eternal  things;  hating  their  own 
fame,  vainglory  and  impure,  carnal  lusts; 
lowly  and  little  in  tlieir  own  eyes;  of  a 
meek  and  gentle  spirit ;  compassionate,  mer- 
ciful, paternal,  long-suffering,  friendly,  hum- 
ble, chaste,  given  to  hospitality,  submissive, 
mild,  courteous  and  peacful;  well  versed  in 
the  sound  doctrine ;  seeking  and  acting  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  good  nature,  disposition, 
character,  heart,  mind  andexample  of  Christ ; 
confirmed  in  spirit,  blamless  shepherds, 
taking  oversight  of  the  Mock  of  God,  not  by 
constraint,  but  willingly ;  not  for  filthy 
lucre's  sake,  nor  for  the  sake  of  their  own 
bellies,  but  of  a  ready  mind;  neither  as  be- 
ing lords  nor  rulers,  but  being  examj)les  to 
the  church  of  Christ,  that  in  consequence  of 
theii"  faitliful  ministry  they  may  run  in  full- 
ness of  joy  upon  the  mountain  of  the  Lord 
without  fear  or  shame,  and  escape  unharm- 
ed the  mouths  of  fierce,  ravenous  wolves. 

Yes,  my  brethren,  if  we  could  all  proceed 
according  to  this  rule  in  unity  of  spirit,  im- 
accomi^anied  by  the  destructive  foxes,  how 
soon  would  the  bride  of  the  lamb,  shine 
forth  in  costly  and  variegated  apparel, 
adorned  in  white  and  glittering  robes,  splen- 
did bracelets,  ear-rings  and  neck-laces  (un- 
derstand the  beauty  and  ornament  of  her 
virtues),  and  with  the  brilliancy  of  her  ap- 


j  pearance,  excite  the  admiration  of  the  whole 
I  world;  whereas  now,  in  consequence  of  de- 
ceitful workers,  cunning  wranglers  and  sow- 
'  ers  of  dissension,  she  must  sit,  at  times,  in 
'  rags  and  tatters,  and,  oh  God!  be  the  scorn 
'  and  derision  of  multitudes, 
i      The  anguish  of  my  soul  is  ofttimes  so 
!  great  that  I  am  unable  to  wTite;  God  om- 
!  nipotent,  strengthen  me.   And  this,  because 
:  I  see  that  the  house  of  the  Lord  has  to  en- 
!  dure  so  many  offences,  not  only  from  with- 
I  out,  but,  alas!  from  within  also.     O  men! 
I  men!  arm  yourselves!  for  the  words  of  Paul 
are  true,  that  the  ministry  of  the  New  Tes- 
j  tament  is  not  a  ministry  of  the  letter,  but  of 
I  the  Spirit.     Its  duties,  therefore,  cannot  be 
truly  discharged  to  the  glory  of  God,  by  the 
proud,  the  arrogant,  the  ambitous,  or  the 
self-willed,  who  wish  to  perform  every  thing 
after  their  own  mind,  humor  and  inclination, 
for  they  pull  down  more  tlian  they  build  up, 
and  do  more  injmy  than  they  do  good. 
This  is  a  necessary  consequence,  inasmuch 
as  according  to  the  tenor  of  the  doctrine  of 
Paul,  this  ministration  is  neither  the  depth 
of  wisdom  nor  eloquence,  nor  a  dead  letter, 
with  which  they  are  generally  replete,  but 
it  is  God,  Spirit,  truth,  power  and  life,  of 
which  they  are  entirely  destitute.     O  take 
heed. 

Arm  yourselves,  I  repeat;  for  true  teach- 
ers are  called  in  Scripture,  the  angels  of  the 
Lord  and  valiant  soldiers ;  be  therefore  man- 
ly; keep  the  commandment  of  God;  hold 
fast  and  waver  not.  They  are  called  watch- 
men and  trumpeters ;  blow  your  trumpet 
to  the  right  sound;  watch  over  the  city  of 
God ;  watch  wisely,  I  say,  and  neither 
slumber  nor  sleep.  Spiritual  pillars  they 
are  styled ;  O  be  steadfast  in  the  truth ; 
bear  your  burden  willingly,  waver  not,  nei- 
ther be  faint.  Messengers  of  peace  they 
are  called ;  Ah,  brethren  live  up  to,  and 
justify  your  name,  walk  in  peace,  maintain 
and  break  it  not.  They  are  called  bishops 
and  overseers ;  O  take  great  care  of  the 
fiock  of  Christ;  take  great  care  of  them,  I 
say,  and  see  that  you  neither  destroy  nor 
neglect  them.  Shepherds  they  are  called; 
O  keep  and  feed  the  lambs  of  Christ,  and 
leave  them  not  to  pine  away.  They  are 
styled  teachers ;  make  kno^vn  the  word  and 
truth  of  Christ;  publish  it  abroad  and  con- 


EXCOMMUNICATION. 


267 


ceal  it  not.  They  are  styled  spiritual  nurses 
and  fathers;  O  nourish  and  cherish  yoirr 
young  children;  vex  them  not,  neither  cast 
them  away.  They  should  be  as  the  parent 
bird  to  her  young ;  gather  together  the 
young  and  tender  ones  in  Christ,  and  scat- 
ter them  not,  nor  hiu-t  them.  They  are  called 
the  stewards  of  God;  O  perfect  the  mystery 
of  the  name;  abuse  it  not,  nor  disgrace  it. 
They  are  called  the  light  of  the  world ;  shine 
and  glitter  in  full  glory,  and  conceal  not 
the  brightness  of  your  vii-tue.  They  are 
called  the  salt  of  the  earth;  O  let  the  salt 
penetrate  thi'ough  and  through,  and  be  not 
ill  savored.  Ministers  in  Christ's  stead;  Ah, 
brethren  serve,  but  rule  not;  let  no  man 
glory  in  any  gift,  I  beseech  you.  We  are 
receivers,  not  givers  of  giace,  not  of  our- 
selves, observe;  we  are  servants,  and  not 
lords.  Ah  brethren,  bow  down  and  submit. 
My  chosen  in  love  and  truth,  the  joy  and 
delight  of  my  soul,  so  long  as  you  stand 
fast  in  the  Lord,  abide  in  the  way  of  peace 
and  are  faitliful  to  your  brethren.  Walk 
worthy  of  the  vocation  unto  which  you  are 
called ;  fear  your  God  with  all  your  heart ; 
love  the  brethren;  discharge  faithfully  the 
duties  of  your  ministry;  he  is  rich  from 
Avhom  you  will  receive  jowv  reward.  Watch 
and  pray.  Pray,  I  say,  and  that  with  con- 
fidence, and  so  the  Giver  of  every  good  and 
perfect  gift,  wUl  not  withdraw  from  you  his 
grace.  Spirit,  love  and  wisdom.  Doubt  not, 
neither  be  afraid.  Let  the  glorious,  typified 
breastplate  of  Aaron,  Christ  Jesus,  decora- 
ted with  its  beautiful  colors,  its  twelve 
pearls,  its  Urim  and  Thummim,  be  bound 
fast  to  the  breast  of  your  conscience,  with 
the  two  golden  chains  of  the  two  testaments, 
and  with  the  two  yellow  laces  of  pure  faith 
and  unadulterated  love;  wash  the  feet  of 
your  aflections,  purify  them  in  the  spiritual 
laver,  Chi'ist  Jesus,  with  the  living  water  of 
his  eternal  and  Holy  Spirit,  take  of  the 
blood  of  his  unspotted  oflering,  and  in  a 
true  spirit,  put  it  on  the  tip  of  your  right 
ear,  in  order  rightly  to  understand  his 
word,  and  upon  the  thumb  of  your  right 
hand,  and  upon  the  great  toe  of  your  right 
foot,  in  order  to  act  and  walk  uprightly 
before  him,  and  in  the  presence  of  his  con- 
gregation. Have  JOWV  spiritual  mitres,  gir- 
dles and  garments  made  for  glory  and  for 


beauty,  that,  like  verdant  olive  trees  and 
luxuriant  vines,  and  as  burning  torches  and 
brilliant  luminaries,  in  the  tu-mament  of  the 
holy  word,  you  may  serve  in  fullness  of 
glory,  with  all  the  faithful  servants  of  Christ, 
day  and  night  in  his  holy  temple,  to  the 
glory  of  God  and  to  the  reformation  of  Is- 
rael; bring  forth  abundance  of  fruit,  and 
when  he  shaU  appear  with  all  his  chosen 
saints,  apostles  and  prophets,  you  shall  re- 
ceive in  everlasting  joy  the  promised  re- 
ward. Sweet,  gracious,  and  full  of  conso- 
lation is  the  word  which  the  Lord  utters, 
''Well  done,  thou  good  and  faithful  servant; 
thou  hast  been  faithful  over  a  few  things,  I 
will  make  thee  ruler  over  many ;  enter  thou 
into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord,"  Matt.  25 :  21.  Ah 
brethren,  from  our  hearts,  let  us  be  admon- 
ished, that  we  be  faithful  to  Christ  and  his 
church. 

Brethren  and  sisters,  I  will  now  in  the 
peace  of  Christ,  commit  you  all  with  one 
accord  into  the  hand  of  the  King  of  peace, 
and  I  do,  with  Paul,  entreat  you  from  my 
heart.  "If  there  be  therefore  any  consola- 
tion in  Christ,  if  any  comfort  of  love,  if  any 
fellowship  of  the  Spirit,  if  any  bowels  and 
mercies,  fulfill  ye  my  joy,  that  ye  be  like 
minded,  having  the  same  love,  being  of  one 
accord,  of  one  mind,  let  nothing  be  done 
through  strife  or  vain  glory;  but  in  lowli- 
ness of  mind,  let  each  esteem  other  better 
than  themselves,"  Phil.  2:  1 — 3.  For  you 
well  know  by  whom  and  whereunto  we  are 
called.  Reflect  upon  this.  So  that  no  one 
may  lose  himself,  on  account  of  the  shame- 
ful actions,  and  abominations  of  another, 
nor  destroy  the  good  works  of  Christ,  dis- 
turb the  peaceable,  grieve  the  pious,  offend 
the  weak,  give  excuse  to  the  wanton,  drive 
the  wavering  again  to  the  world,  bring  re- 
proach upon  the  word  of  the  Lord  and  his 
church,  bring  revilers  into  repute,  and  en- 
courage the  blood-thirsty;  but  that  we  be 
careful  in  all  things  to  finish  with  joy,  our 
course  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  magnify  his  holy 
name,  refresh  one  another  in  the  peace  of 
Christ,  strengthen  our  sick,  weak  members, 
and  young  brethren,  reprove  the  disorderly, 
publish  abroad  the  tnith  of  the  Lord,  and 
show  unto  all  men,  a  blameless,  christian 
example.  To  this  end  may  the  eternal  God 
of  omnipotence,  gi'ant  us  all,  collectively 


268 


EXCOIklMUNICATION. 


and  individually,  tlie  active  spirit  of  his 
grace,  with  perfect  obedience  and  love  in 
Christ  Jesus,  oui-  Lord,  Amen.    Ah,  chosen 


children!  God  knows  this  is  my  final  adieu 
to  you  all.  Love  the  brethren,  and  beware 
of  dissension. 


A   PLEASING 


Instruction  and  Doctrine 

HOW  ALL  nous  PARENTS,  ACCORDING  TO  THE  SCRIPTURES, 


ARE  EEQUIKED   TO 


GOVERN,  CORRECT  AND  EDUCATE  THEIR  CHILDREN, 


IN    A 


PIOUS,  VIRTUOUS  AND  GODLY  LIFE. 


BY 


MENNO   SIMON. 


■  Withold  not  correction  from  thy  child ;  for  if  tliou  bcatest  him  with  the  rod, 
he  shall  not  die.  Thou  shalt  beat  him  with  the  rod,  and  shult  deliver  his 
soul  from  hell,"  Prov.  33  :  13,  14. 

'  Correct  thy  son,  and  he  shall  give  thee  rest."  "  The  rod  and  reproof  give  wis- 
dom ;  but  a  child  left  to  himself  bringeth  his  mother  shame,"  Prov.  29 :  17, 15. 

'  For  other  foundation  can  no  man  lay  than  that  is  laid,  which  is  Jesus  Christ," 
1  Cor.  3:  11. 


ELKHART,  INDIANA: 

PUBLISHED  BY  JOHN  F.   FUNK  AND  BROTHER. 

X87  1. 


"  Hast  thou  children  ?  Instruct  them,  and  bow  down  their  necks  from  their  youth.  Hast  thou  daughters  ? 
Have  a  care  of  their  body,  and  show  not  thyself  cheerful  towards  them,"  Eccl.  7  :  23,  24. 

"He  that  maketh  too  much  of  his  son  shall  bind  up  his  wounds.  Cocker  thy  son,  and  he  shall  make  thee 
afraid  ;  play  with  him,  and  he  will  bring  thee  to  heaviness.  Laugh  not  with  him,  lest  thou  have  sorrow  with 
him,  and  lest  thou  gnash  thy  teeth  in  the  end.  Give  him  no  liberty  in  his  youth,  and  wink  not  at  his  follies. 
Bow  down  his  neck  while  he  is  young,  and  beat  him  on  the  sides  while  he  is  a  child,  lest  he  wax  stubborn,  and 
be  disobedient  unto  thee,  and  so  bring  sorrow  to  thine  heart,"  Eccl.  30  :  7 — 13, 

"  Chasten  thy  son  while  there  is  hope,  and  le't  not  thy  soul  spare  for  his  crying,"  Prov.  19  :  18. 


PREFACE. 


To  THE  ELDERS  in  all  churches,  and  cho- 
sen of  God  in  Christ  Jesus ;  my  beloved 
brethren  in  tlie  Lord,  unto  you  be  grace, 
peace  and  mercy  from  God,  our  father, 
through  the  merits  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
in  the  power  and  operation  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  which  he  shed  on  us  abundantly, 
through  Jesus  Christ,  our  Savior;  that,  be- 
ing justitied  by  his  grace,  we  should  be  made 
heirs  according  to  the  hope  of  eternal  life. 
To  whom  be  praise  forever  and  ever.  Amen. 

My  dearly  beloved  brethren  in  the  Lord, 
we  tliank  the  Lord  always  for  you  in  all 
our  prayers,  and  pray  without  ceasing,  imto 
our  kind  Father,  in  the  name  of  his  Son, 
Jesus  Christ,  that  he  would  strengthen  you 
with  the  gift  of  his  Holy  Spirit,  that  you 
may  be  filled  with  all  knowledge,  wisdom, 
discretion  and  power,  necessary  rightly  to 
oversee  the  church  of  Chi'ist,  and  to  dispense 
the  word  of  God  to  sincere,  pious  souls,  ac- 
cording to  your  gift  and  calling,  and  that 
you  may  walk  worthy  of  the  vocation  where- 
to you  are  called  and  chosen  of  God  and  his 
holy  church,  as  shepherds  and  teachers,  to 
the  end  that  the  saints  may  be  kept  firmly 
united  by  the  common  service,  to  the  edifi- 
cation of  the  bod}^  of  Christ.  Take  diligent 
care  of  your  charge,  and  display  a  sincei'e 
concern  for  your  flock,  at  all  times  earnest- 
ly exhort  them  to  love,  to  good  works,  like 
Paul;  to  the  pure  fear  and  love  of  the  Lord; 
to  a  godly,  unblamable  conversation,  in  all 
humility,  righteousness,  love,  peace,  har- 
mony, mercy,  and  obedience  to  the  whole 
word  of  God.  Caution  them  against  all 
false  doctrine,  and  against  the  sword  of  evil 
tongues ;  for  if  a  man  bridle  not  his  tongue, 
nor  restrain  it,  his  worship  is  vain  and  un- 
profitable. Also,  that  they  take  heed  in 
their  whole  walk  and  conversation;  circum- 
cise their  hearts;  season  their  words,  and 
perform  all  their  actions  in  the  fear  of  the 


Lord;  that  they  may  procure  a  good  name 
for  the  gospel  of  Christ  and  his  holy  church ; 
comply  with  his  word  and  will,  and  thus 
attain  unto  salvation.  Beware  of  all  inno- 
vations and  strange  doctrines  not  contained 
in  the  word  of  Christ  and  his  apostles,  nor 
conformable  thereunto.  Show  forth,  at  all 
times,  Christ  and  his  word.  If  any  man  in- 
troduce a  doctrine  differing  from  that  taught 
by  Clirist  and  his  word,  let  him  be  excom- 
municated. "For  other  foundation  can  no 
man  lay  than  that  is  laid,  which  is  Jesus 
Christ."  He  is  the  precious  corner-stone  in 
Zion,  which  shall  abide  forever.  Hear,  be- 
lieve, trust,  follow,  hope  and  abide  in  him ; 
press  diligently  after  him,  conforming  your- 
selves unto  his  Spirit,  word  and  life,  and 
you  shall  neither  deceive  nor  be  deceived. 
My  dearly  beloved  brethren  in  the  Lord,  I 
beseech  and  admonish  you,  neglect  not  the 
ministration  of  youi-  brotherly  love,  but  at- 
tend faithfully  thereto.  Take  heed  unto 
yourselves  and  to  all  the  flock  over  which 
the  Holy  Ghost  has  made  you  overseers,  to 
feed  the  chm-ch  of  God  which  he  hath  pur- 
chased with  his  own  blood.  Again,  all  the 
elders  I,  who  am  also  an  elder,  exhort  vrith 
Peter,"  Feed  the  flock  of  God  which  is  among 
you,  taking  the  oversight  thereof,  not  by 
constraint,  but  willingly."  You  who  teach 
obedience,  be  yourselves  obedient  to  the 
church  of  Christ,  in  all  things  which  are 
good  and  expedient;  as  examples  for  the 
flock.  As  Paul  directed  Titus,  saying,  "In 
all  things  showing  thyself  a  pattern  of  good 
works;  in  doctrine,  showing  uncorruptness, 
gravity,  sincerity,  sound  speech  that  cannot 
be  condemned;  that  he  that  is  of  the  con- 
trary part  may  be  ashamed,  having  no  evil 
thing  to  say  of  you."  Also,  "Watch  thou 
in  all  things,  endure  afflictions,  do  the  work 
of  an  evangelist,  make  full  proof  of  thy  min- 
istry."   Do  all  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord  faith- 


2754 


PREFACE. 


fully,  and  with  obedient  and  perfect  hearts, 
for  you  are  made  keepers  of  the  charge  of 
the  house,  for  all  the  seiTice  thereof,  and  for 
all  that  shall  be  done  therein.  Study,  there- 
fore, to  show  yourselves  approved  of  God, 
workmen,  obedient,  blameless,  that  need 
not  be  ashamed,  rightly  dividing  the  word 
of  truth.  My  wish  and  desire  therefore  is, 
that  you  be  earnest  in  this,  so  that  they  who 
believe  in  God,  may  be  made  zealous  to  ex- 
cel in  good  works,  wliich  is  good  and  profit- 
able unto  all  men ;  instriict,  reprove,  rebuke, 
exhort  and  console,  as  occasion  may  require ; 
and  forsake  not  the  fi-aternal  assembling  of 
yourselves  together,  the  meeting  and  ordi- 
nance of  the  Lord.     Strengthen  one  another 


kindly  with  the  word  of  the  Lord,  that  you 
may  increase  in  faith,  love  and  righteous- 
ness, and  come  unto  a  perfect  man,  unto  the 
measure  of  the  stature  of  the  fullness  of 
Cluist. 

With  this,  dear  brethren,  I  will  commit 
you  to  Almighty  God,  with  the  earnest  de- 
sire that  you  propound  unto  all  the  breth- 
ren this  brief  admonition,  concerning  the 
education  of  children,  in  order  that  every 
one  may  observe  and  comply  with  the  same 
in  the  full  sense,  in  the  bringing  up,  teach- 
ing and  instruction  of  his  children.  The 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  my  beloved,  yea, 
dearly  beloved  brethren  throughout  eter- 
nity. Amen. 


THE  EDUCATION  OF  CHILDREN. 


Unto  all  eldees  and  joint-heirs  in  the  j 
faith  of  Christ,  grace  be  unto  yon  and  peace 
from  God,  onr  heavenly  Father,  through  his 
beloved  Son,  Christ  Jesns,  onr  Lord  and  | 
Savior,  by  the  power  and  co-operation  of 
his  Holy  Spirit,  to  his  everlasting  praise  and 
glory,  and  to  onr  edification  and  salvation,  ' 
Amen. 

You  are  aware,  beloved  brethren  and  sis- 
ters in  Christ  Jesns,  that  we  all,  withont  ex- ' 
ception,  inherit  from  Adam  an  ill-disposed, 
evil  and  sinful  flesh;  nay,  that  all  our  de-  '■ 
sires  from  our  youth  are  evil  continually,  as  ' 
Moses  writes;  also,  that  we  find  nothing  in  • 
ourselves,  as  the  treasure  of  our  first  birth, 
but  perfect  blindness,  unrighteousness,  sin  i 
and  death.    If  now  the  power  of  this  innate  , 
disposition  is  to  be  diminished,  suppressed  \ 
and  destroyed,  it  must  be  accomplished  by  ; 
the  pure  fear  of  the  Lord,  which  proceeds 
from-  a  tnre  faith  through  the  word  of  the  i 
Lord,  and  from  a  clear  perception  of  the  I 
righteous  judgment  and  terrible  wrath  of 
God,  which  will  burn  forever  against  all  im- 
penitent sinners.     For  the  fear  of  the  Lord 
is  the  beginning  of  wisdom ;   it  drives  out 
sin  and  makes  upright,  pious  children,  as 
we  learn  from  Jesus  Sirach,  Eccl.  12;  Prov.  9. 

Since,  then,  the  merciful  Father  of  our 
Lord,  Jesus  Christ,  the  great.  Almighty 
Lord,  has  encompassed  us  with  the  light  of 
his  grace,  and  through  faith  in  Jesus  Christ, 
has  awakened  us  from  iniquity  and  ungod- 
liness to  a  life  of  righteousness;  therefore, 
let  us  diligently  follow  the  glorious  example 
of  the  true  love  of  Matthew,  the  publican, 
who  was  not  satisfied  with  enjoying  the 
heavenly  calling  and  grace  himself,  but  went ' 
and  invited  other  publicans  and  sinners, 
that  they  might  also  be  saved  and  obtain 
the  like  sj)irit,  grace  and  mei-cy  from  the 
35 


Lord,  for  such  is  the  nature  and  disposition 
of  Christ,  Matt.  9. 

Trade,  therefore,  among  yourselves  with 
the  talent  given  you  from  on  high,  and  sin- 
cerely compassionate  your  unbelieving.blind 
parents,  brothers,  sisters,  husbands,  wives, 
servants  and  neighbors ;  do  not  conceal  from 
them  the  gift,  grace,  word  and  will  of  God; 
for  their  feet  are  in  the  way  of  death;  per- 
haps they  may,  at  some  time  or  other,  ex- 
tricate themselves  from  the  snares  of  un- 
righteousness in  which  they  are  bound  and 
entangled,  and  turn  themselves  to  the  Lord 
with  all  their  hearts.  My  dear  brethren, 
understand  this  as  regards  men  of  sense  and 
discretion.  Brethren  in  Christ,  if  we  should 
see  any  such  in  danger  of  being  drowned  or 
burned,  or  in  any  danger  that  threatened 
their  lives,  and  there  was  a  prospect  that  we 
could  render  them  assistance,  would  not  our 
inmost  souls  be  moved  with  compassion  to- 
wards them,  if  haply  we  might  afford  them 
relief?  Undoubtedly.  And  now  we  see  with 
our  own  eyes,  if  we  but  believe  the  Lord's 
word,  that  they  are  walking  in  the  shadow 
of  eternal  death,  are  already  committed  to 
the  grave  of  hell,  and  liable  to  be  devoured 
forever  by  the  eternal,  unquenchable  fire, 
unless  from  their  hearts  they  turn  unto 
Christ  and  his  word,  repent,  and  become  re- 
generated, as  the  Scriptures  teach.  There- 
fore, consider  serious].y  the  heartrending 
misery  and  wTetchedness  of  their  poor  souls 
which  must  live  forever,  either  in  heaven  or 
in  hell,  and  strive  diligently  and  faithfully 
whether  they  may  not  yet,  in  some  way,  by 
your  faithful  ministry  of  pure  love,  and  by 
the  direction  and  instruction  of  the  divine 
word,  be  rescued  and  delivered  from  ever- 
lasting destruction,  and  be  made  partakers 
of  etet^al  salvation.     For  genuine  charity 


374 


EDUCATION  OF  CHTLBBEN. 


is  of  such  a  nature  that  it  is  constantly  hiin- ' 
gering  and  thirsting  after  the  glory  of  God  ' 
and  the  salvation  of  all  men,  even  of  those 
who  are  strangers  to  lis  according  to  the  j 
ilesh.  ^  ; 

Beloved  brethren  and  sisters  in  Christ  Je- ' 
sus,  forasmuch  as  we  are  now  constrained, 
by  saving  charity,  with  benevolence  and 
sympathy,  and  know  through  the  unction 
of  the  Spirit  and  word  of  God,  that  the  nat- 
ure of  man  is  completely  corrupted  in  Adam,  [ 
and  is  opposed  from  5'outh,  to  the  word  of  i 
the  Lord,  as  aforesaid;  therefore,  let  us  be  | 
particularly  vigilant  and  solicitous  with  re- 1 
gard  to  our  own  children,  displaying  unto 
them  a  greater  degree  of  si^iritual  love  than 
towards  others ;  for  they  are  the  natural  off- 
spring of  our  flesh  and  blood,  a  serious  and 
precious  charge  committed  hy  God  to  our 
especial  care.  Be,  therefore,  particularly 
mindful,  that  you  instruct  them  from  their 
youtli  in  the  way  of  the  Lord,  that  they  fear 
and  love  God,  walk  in  all  modesty  and  sub- 
mission ;  that  the}'  be  genteel,  well-disposed, 
discreet,  honor  and  obey  their  father  and 
mother,  using  reasonable  language,  not  ly- 
ing, nor  damorous,  not  stubborn,  nor  self- 
v.'illed;  for  such  is  not  becoming  the  chil- 
dren of  the  saints,  Deut.  6;  Eph.  G.  The 
world  desire  for  their  children  that  which  is 
earthljr  and  perishable,  such  as  money,  hon- 
or, fame  and  wealth.  From  infancy  they  train 
them  up  to  vice,  pride,  haughtiness  and  idol- 
atry. But  with  you,  who  are  born  of  God, 
this  is  not  the  case;  for  it  behooves  3'on  to 
seek  something  else  for  your  children ;  name- 
ly, that  which  is  heavenly  and  eternal,  and 
hence  it  is  your  duty  to  bring  them  up  in 
the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord,  as 
Paul  teaches,  Eph.  C:  1 — 4.  Moses  com- 
manded Israel  to  teach  their  children  the 
law  and  commandments  of  the  Lord,  to  talk 
of  them  when  they  sat  down  in  their  houses, 
and  when  they  walked  by  the  way,  and 
when  they  lay  down,  and  when  they  rose 
up.  Now,  since  we  are  a  chosen  generation, 
a  royal  priesthood,  a  holy  nation,  a  pecul- 
iar people,  that  we  should  show  forth  the 
praises  of  him  who  hatli  called  us  out  of 
darkness  into  his  marvellous  light,  Deut.  6: 
7;  1  Pet.  2:  9;  therefore  it  behooves  us  to  \ 
show  ourselves  patterns  and  examples  in  all 
righteousness  and  blamelessness.  ai?8  to  ap-  { 


pear  unto  the  whole  world  as  we  are  there- 
unto called;  for  if  we  do  not  keep  a  strict 
eye  upon  our  own  children,  but  permit  them 
to  follow  their  evil  inclination,  corrupt  nat- 
m-e  and  disposition,  not  correcting  and 
chastising  them  according  to  the  word  of  the 
Lord,  we  may  with  the  greatest  propriety 
lay  onr  hands  upon  our  mouths,  and  remain 
silent.  For  why  should  we  teach  those  not 
of  our  household,  when  we  take  no  pains  to 
preserve  our  own  families  in  the  love  and 
fear  of  God?  Paul  says,  "If  any  provide 
not  for  his  own,  and  specially  for  those  of 
his  own  house,  he  hath  denied  the  faith,  and 
is  worse  than  an  iniidel,"  1  Tim.  5;  8. 

My  dearly  beloved  brethren  and  sisters  in 
Christ  Jesus,  take  heed  that  jon  do  not  ruin 
your  children  and  train  them  in  vice,  through 
carnal  love,  and  thus  give  offence;  lest  in 
the  day  of  judgment,  their  souls  be  required 
at  your  hands,  and  it  happen  unto  you,  on 
account  of  your  children,  as  it  did  unto  Eli, 
the  high  priest,  who  was  chastened  by  the 
hand  of  the  Almighty,  on  account  of  his 
sons,  1  Sam.  3:  11 — 18;  but  diligently  imi- 
tate the  testimony  declared  b}'  tlie  angel  of 
the  Lord  respecting  pious  Abraham,  "I 
know  him,"  says  he,  "that  he  will  command 
his  children  and  his  household  after  him, 
and  the}'  shall  keep  the  way  of  the  Lord,  to 
do  justice  and  judgment,"  Gen.  IS:  19.  This 
is  the  chief  and  most  important  care  of  the 
godly,  that  their  children  may  fear  God,  do 
good,  and  be  saved;  even  as  the  God-fear- 
ing Tobias  admonished  his  son's  children, 
saying.  My  son  hearken  unto  thy  father; 
serve  the  Lord  in  truth,  and  cleave  unto  him 
in  eqiiit}';  be  mindful  of  him,  and  let  not 
thy  will  be  set  to  sin  or  to  transgi'ess  his 
commandments;  teach  this  to  thy  children 
that  they  give  alms,  fear  God  all  their  days, 
and  trust  in  him  with  their  whole  hearts. 

My  beloved  brethren  and  sisters  in  Christ, 
who  sincerely  love  the  word  of  the  Lord, 
thus  instruct  your  children  from  youth  up, 
and  daily  admonish  them  with  the  word  of 
the  Lord,  setting  a  good  example.  Teach 
and  admonish  them,  I  say,  in  proportion  to 
the  development  of  their  understanding; 
constrain  and  correct  them  with  discretion 
and  moderation,  without  anger  or  bitter- 
ness. Col.  3;  lest  they  be  discouraged;  spare 
not  the  rod,  if  reason  and  necessity  require 


EDUCATION   OF   CHILDREN. 


275 


it,  and  reflect  ^^pon  what  is  written.  He  that 
loveth  his  son  causeth  him  oft  to  feel  the 
rod  that  he  may  have  joy  of  him  in  the  end. 
He  that  chastisetli  his  son  shall  have  joy  in 
him.  "  He  that  maketh  too  much  of  his  son 
shall  bind  np  his  wounds;  and  his  bowels 
will  be  troubled  at  every  cry."  A  horse  im- 
broken  becometh  headstrong:  and  a  child 
left  to  himself  will  be  wilful.  "  Give  him  no 
liberty  in  his  youth,  and  wink  not  at  his 
follies,"  Eccl.  30:  7,  11.  Bow  down  his  neck 
while  he  is  young,  lest  he  wax  stubborn, 
and  be  disobedient  to  thee,  and  so  bring 
sorrow  to  thine  heart.  Correct  thy  sou,  and 
keep  him  from  idleness,  lest  thou  be  made 
ashamed  on  his  account,  Prov.  29. 

Dearly  beloved  brethren  and  sisters  in  the 
Lord,  if  all  parents,  who  glory  in  the  name 
of  the  Lord,  would  deeply  impress  the  words 
of  Sirach  upon  their  hearts,  and  inscribe 
them  on  the  tablet  of  their  souls,  O  how  virt- 
uous, pious  and  devout  woiald  many  chil- 
dren be  raised,  who  now,  alas!  run  v/ild  and 
unrestrained,  honoring  neither  their  jiarents, 
nor  the  church  and  gospel  of  Christ.  "An 
evil-nui'tured  son,"  says  Sirach,  "is  the  dis- 
honor of  his  father ;"  again,  says  he,  "Though 
they  multiply,  rejoice  not  in  them,  except 
the  fear  of  God  be  with  them;  for  one  that 
is  just,  is  better  than  a  thousand;  and  better 
it  is  to  die  -without  children,  than  to  have 
thenithat  are  irngodly,"  Sir.  22:  3;  16:  2,  3. 

Beloved  brethren,  consider  these  words 
well,  and  revolve  them  in  your  minds.  Ne- 
cessity impels  me  to  write;  for  some,  alas! 
live  such  lives  with  their  children,  that  one 
is  constrained  to  write  and  reprove.  I  write 
and  admonish  you  again :  Take  heed,  lest 
the  blood  and  condemnation  of  your  chil- 
dren come  upon  you.  If  you  love  j^onr  chil- 
dren with  a  godly  love,  teach,  admonish  and 
instruct  them  in  God,  lest  the  word,  blood 
and  death  of  the  Lord  be  made  unto  them 
of  no  effect,  and  his  name  and  church  be 
blasphemed  by  the  unwise,  through  them. 

Beloved  brethren  in  Christ,  if  you  rightly 
Icnow  God  and  his  word,  and  believe  that 
the  end  of  the  righteous  is  everlasting  life, 
and  the  end  of  the  wicked  eternal  death,  en- 
deavor to  the  utmost  of  your  power,  to  con- 
duct your  children  in  the  way  of  life,  and 
divert  them  from  the  way  of  death,  as  far 
as  in  you  lies.    Pray  to  Almighty  God  for 


the  gift  of  his  grace,  that  in  his  great  mercy, 
he  may  guide  and  preserve  them  in  the 
right  path,  through  the  directing  influence 
of  his  Holy  Spirit.  Watch  over  their  salva- 
tion as  for  3'our  own  souls.  Teach,  instruct, 
admonish,  threaten,  correct  and  chastise 
them,  as  circumstances  require.  Keep  them 
away  from  naughty,  wicked  children,  among 
whom  they  hear  and  learn  nothing  but  ly- 
ing, cursing,  swearing,  lighting  and  knavery. 
Have  them  instructed  in  reading  and  wilt- 
ing, bring  them  up  to  habits  of  industry, 
and  let  them  learn  such  trades  as  are  suit- 
able, expedient  and  adapted  to  their  age 
and  constitution.  If  you  do  this,  you  shall 
live  to  see  much  honor  and  joy  of  your  chil- 
dren. But  if  you  do  it  not,  heaviness  of 
heart  shall  consume  you  at  last.  For  a 
child  left  to  himself,  without  reproof,  is  not 
only  the  shame  of  his  father,  but  he  bringeth 
his  mother  to  shame,  Prov.  29. 

This  brief  admonition  I  have  written  to 
my  beloved,  from  motives  of  sincere  love, 
and  not  without  a  reason ;  for  in  the  course 
of  my  ministry,  I  have  too  frequently  ob- 
served, how  disorderly,  improperly,  nay, 
heathenlUie,  many  persons  conduct  them- 
selves towards  their  children.  The  absurd, 
senseless  love  of  the  flesh,  has  such  an  in- 
fluence over  some,  and  they  are  so  blinded 
by  the  natural  aflection  for  their  children, 
that  they  can  neither  perceive  nor  observe 
any  evil,  error  or  defect  in  them,  notwith- 
standing they  frequently  abound  in  idle 
tricks  and  wantonness,  are  disobedient  to 
father  and  mother,  murmur  at  them,  collect 
and  carry  abroad  lies,  quarrel  and  fight 
with  other  children,  and  mock  people  as 
they  pass  by,  crying  and  calling  after  them. 

Brethi-en  in  Christ,  to  connive,  by  reason 
of  a  blind,  carnal  love,  at  these  and  similar 
disgraceful  tricks  of  children,  is  a  love  not 
to  be  applauded,  but  much  rather  to  be 
shunned  and  avoided;  for  it  is  earthly,  sen- 
sual, devilish.  And  forasmuch,  as  we  ought 
to  be  the  salt  of  the  earth,  the  light  of  the 
world,  the  holy  nation,  the  chosen  genera- 
tion, yea,  the  bride  of  Christ,  it  by  no  means 
becomes  us,  to  have,  or  to  bear  such  sen- 
sual love  or  preposterous  affection,  in  any 
circumstances,  towards  our  children ;  but 
it  is  our  duty,  as  far  as  in  us  lies,  dili- 
gently and  earnestly  to  instruct  and  govern 


276 


EDUCATION  OF  CHILDREN. 


our  childi-en  and  liouseliold,  as  well  as  otu'- 
selves,  in  conformity  to  the  sincerity  of  god- 
liness, a  life  of  virtue,  and  the  word  of  God. 
With  this,  I  will  have  delivered  and  pre- 
served my  soul  in  the  presence  of  the  Lord 
and  his  church,  and  I  do  desire,  for  the 
Lord's  sake,  that  this  epistle  may  be  taken 
in  good  part,  and  read  by  the  elders,  in  the 
hearing  of  all  the  bretlu'en,  to  the  end  that 
the  innocent  may  take  heed,  and  be  cir- 
cumspect, and  those  who  are  guilty  of  these 
mis-steps,  errors  and  failings,  may  reform, 
and  that  without  considering  me  as  being 
officious,  in  regulating  the  concerns  of  their 
household.  Ah  no!  in  the  presence  of  God, 
I  desire  nothing  in  this,  but  that  in  all 
things,  you  conform  yourselves  to  the  Script- 
ures, and  to  christian  gravity,  and  that  all 
the  concerns  of  the  Lord's  church,  may  be 


conducted  according  to  the  divine  will  and 
ordinance.  The  Searcher  of  hearts  and  reins 
knows  that  I  lie  not.  I  would,  therefore, 
that  you  also  accept  and  receive  it  in  love ; 
for  in  sincerity  have  I  -mitten  it. 

And  now,  beloved  brethren  and  sisters,  I 
commend  you  to  God,  and  to  the  word  of 
his  grace,  which  is  able  to  build  you  up, 
and  to  give  you  an  inheritance  among  all 
them  which  are  sanctified. 

The  very  God  of  peace  sanctify  you  whol- 
ly, that  your  whole  spirit,  soul,  and  body 
be  preserved  without  spot,  and  blameless, 
unto  the  coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
Faithful  is  he  who  called  you.  May  the 
merciful  Father,  through  his  beloved  Son, 
Jesus  Christ,  oiu*  Lord,  strengthen  you  all 
with  the  precious  gift  of  his  Holy  Spirit, 
Amen. 


LETTERS  WRITTEN  BY  MEMO  SIMON* 


FIRST   LETTER. 

A  Dissuasion  to  all  the  brethren  and  sisters  in  Christ,  living  at  Amsterdam  and 
there  about,  not  to  attend  the  papal  loorsJiip ;  because  they  do  not  feed  the  hungry 
souls  with  the  bread  of  the  divine  word,  but  with  the  leamn  of  human  doctrine. 


"  Thou  shall  rise  up  before  the  boary  head,  and  honor  the  face  of  the  old 
man,"  Lev.  19  :  33. 

"Look  at  the  example  of  the  old,"  Sirach  3  :  11. 

"  Whatever  you  hear  and  accept,  keep  that  in  your  heart,  and  you  shall 
have  peace,"  Laodis.  1 :  13. 

"  For  other  foundation  can  no  man  lay  than  that  i.s  laid,  which  is  Jesus 
Christ,"  1  Cor.  3:  11. 


To  ALL  the  true  children  of  God,  and  par-  \ 
takers  of  the  Promise  of  the  Kingdom  of 
Christ,  grace  and  peace  be  witli  you. 

My  beloved  in  Christ  Jesus,  I  am  troubled  | 
at  heart  for  your  sakes,  inasmuch  as  I  hear 
that  you  hunger  and  thirst  after  righteous- 
ness, and  that  there  are  so  few  carvers,  who 
rightly  cut  the  bread  of  the  divine  word  for 
the  hungry  consciences,  and  that  there  are 
so  few  shepherds  who  rightly  pasture  the 
sheep  of  Christ,  and  that  there  are  so  few 
masons  to  rightly  adjust  the  living  stones  in 
the  temple  of  the  Lord;    so  few  watchmen 
who  rightly  watch  the  city,  the  new  Jerusa- ' 
lera,  and  blow  the  trumpet;  that  there  are  so 
few  fathers  to  beget  the  children  of  God,  i 
and  so  few  to  nourish  and  feed  these  begot-  j 
ten  ones,  but  that  every  thing  is  to  the  con-  j 
trary.    For  those  who  truly  serve  in  that 
capacity  do  not  deny  the  bread,  nor  the 


*  The  first  two  of  these  letters,  in  the  complete  works 
of  ^lenno  Simon,  are  found  at  the  close  of  the  volume, 
but  as  one  of  those  to  the  brethren  in  Amsterdam  has 
appeared  at  the  close  of  both  the  English  and  German 
editions  formerly  published  we  give  them  both,  together 
with  two  other  of  Menno's  letters  a  place  here. 

The  Publisherp, 


children  to  whom  it  belongs.  And  had  they 
the  bread  by  which  the  soul  lives,  not  so 
many  children  would  famish,  while  they 
distribute  the  bread  once  or  twice  a  week 
(understand,  the  bread  necessary  to  support 
the  body).  Inasmuch  as  they  give  the 
eggs  of  cockatrices  unto  the  people,  there- 
fore observe  what  the  proj^het  says  concern- 
ing them,  "He  that  eateth  of  their  eggs 
dieth,"  Isa.  59:  5;  John  6:  58. 

Again,  concerning  the  shepherds  who  pass 
themselves  for  shepherds  of  Christ,  who 
pasture  the  sheep  for  the  sake  of  their  own 
selves,  as  Ezek.  34:  8  says.  For  you  see  how 
little  they  care  for  the  sheep ;  they  do  not 
care  whether  they  have  pasture  or  not.  If 
they  only  get  the  wool  and  milk  they  are 
satisfied.  They  pass  themselves  for  shep- 
herds, but  they  are  deceivers;  for  they  are 
widely  different  from  the  shepherds  of  which 
we  read  in  Jeremiah.  Shepherds  after  his 
heart,  whom  the  Holy  Spirit  has  sent;  for 
they  have  not  the  love  of  Christ  which  Peter 
had,  and  therefore  Christ  has  not  command- 
ed them  to  pasture  his  lambs;  if  they  are 
not  commanded  to  do  so,  namely,  if  they 
are  not  sent,  how  can  they  then  preach,  in- 


278 


LETTERS  BY  MENNO  SIMON. 


asmuch,  as  they  are  not  divine  shepherds 
who  lead  the  slieep  into  the  green  pastures 
of  the  divine  vrord,  but  let  them  famish. 
They  are  not  the  shepherds  who  lead  them 
to  the  limpid  waters,  but  they  lead  them  to 
the  stagnant  pools  which  they  have  clarified 
A\ath  their  feet,  tliat  is,  by  their  glazings  and 
good  opinions,  Ezek.  "34 :  19. 

They  also  pass  themselves  for  joiners 
who  build  the  Lord's  house;  but  they  know 
not  Chi-ist,  the  corner  stone;  they  never  ad- 
justed a  stone  in  the  house  of  the  Lord,  name- 
ly, of  the  living  stones  whicli  are  built  into  a 
spiritual  building,  which  building  is  the 
church  of  God,  Heb.  3:  0.  For  wherever 
there  are  two  or  three  stones  together,  ce- 
mented by  the  cement  of  love,  there  they  busy 
themselves  to  break  them  down,  and  to  de- 
stroy them,  as  you  may  see  verified  in  all 
countries  and  cities.  O,  how  difierent  are 
they  from  those  of  whom  Paul  says,  "Ye 
are  God's  husbandry,  ye  are  God's  build- 
ing," and  we  are  God's  laborers,  namely, 
such  as  shoiild  build  the  house  of  the  Lord 
according  to  his  word,  1  Cor.  3:  9. 

If  they,  then,  be  no  builders  they  must  be 
those  who  break  down.  They  also  pretend 
to  be  the  husbandmen  who  take  care  of  the 
vineyard.    How  they  take  care  of  it,  and 


how  can  they  beget  children,  when  they  have 
never  rightly  conceived.  O,  how  difierent 
they  are  from  the  fathers  of  whom  Paul 
speaks,  "Ye  have  not  many  fathers;  for  in 
Christ  Jesus  I  have  begotten  you  through 
the  gospel,"  1  Cor.  4:  15;  "My  little  chil- 
dren, of  whom  I  travail  in  birth  again  until 
Christ  be  formed  in  you,"  Gal.  4:  19.  Here 
observe,  who  are  the  fathers  of  the  true 
children.  Now  show  me  one  child  they 
have  begotten,  namely,  one  child  which  was 
born  of  God  through  the  gospel.  Paul  also 
says,  "I  have  fed  you  with  milk,"  1  Cor.  3: 
2,  "  even  as  a  nurse  cherislieth  her  children," 
IThess.  2:7. 

Behold,  sincerely  beloved  brethren  and 
sisters  in  Christ  Jesus,  you  will  obseiTe 
that  you  have  few  carvers  who  cut  the  sweet 
bread,  but  it  is  leaven  which  they  give  you; 
that  they  are  not  shejpherds  who  jiasture 
the  sheep,  but  wolves  that  destroy  them; 
that  they  are  not  builders  that  build  the 
temple,  but  they  break  down  that  which  was 
built;  that  they  are  not  husbandmen  Avho 
protect  the  vineyard  of  the  Lord,  and  give 
him  his  rent,  but  they  are  false  husbandmen 
which  scourge,  stone,  torture  and  Mil  the 
servants,  as  you,  alas,  may  plainly  see; 
that  they  are  not  the  watchmen  who  watch 


protect  it  against  all  wild  animals,  I  will  \  over  the  city  of  Jerusalem  and  warn  her  of 
leave  every  christian  to  consider  for  him-  i  the  enemy,  but  they  betray  the  citizens  and 
self.  How  they  seek  the  profit  of  the  Lord  j  kill  them ;  that  they  are  not  fathers  nor 
of  the  vineyard,  and  liow  they  give  him  the  nurses,  but  tliey  kill  that  which  was  begot- 
usury  or  honor,  the  Lord  of  the  vineyard  ;  ten  and  nourished,  as  Pharaoh,  king  of 
knows.  He  also  knows  how  they  scourge,  i  Egypt,  killed  the  tnie  Israelites  which  he 
rob,  hunt,  banish  and  kill  his  children,  for  !  could  lay  hold  on.  Therefore  it  is  necessary 
no  other  cause  than  tliat  they  neither  do  ;  to  separate  from  them  and  to  shun  them,  as 
nor  dare  consent  to  them,  inasmuch  as  they  |  we  read  in  Matt.  7:  15,  ."Beware  of  false 
see  that  they  are  not  the  true  husbandmen,  '  prophets;"  and  Paul  says,  "Beware  lest  any 
but  destroyers,  Matt.  10 :  17 ;  21 :  34.  ;  man  spoil  you  through  philosophy  and  vain 

Yet  they  pass  themselves  for  watchmen.  :  deceit,  after  the  tradition  of  men,  after  the 
If  they  are  watchmen  they  are  blind  watch-  rudiments  of  the  world,  and  not  after  Christ," 
men  and  dumb  dogs  which  cannot  bark,  ,  Col.  2 :  8. 


Isa.  56:  10.  Hosea,  the  prophet,  shows  what 
they  watch  for,  and  how  they  blow  the 
trumpet,  Hosea  4.  How  far  they  are  from  ' 
the  word  of  the  Lord,  which  says,  "Son  of 
man,  I  have  made  thee  a  watchman,"  Ezek. 
3:  17.  "Lift  up  thy  voice  like  a  trumpet, 
and  show  my  people  their  transgression," 
Isa.  58:  1. 

They  want  to  be  fathers  who  bring  forth 
the  children  of  God  and  nourish  them.  But 


The  church  of  Christ  is  the  bride  of  Chi-ist, 
and  he  will  not  that  his  bride  conceive  but 
of  the  incorniptible  seed,  1  Pet.  1 :  23,  as 
Paul  says,  "I  have  espoused  yon  to  one 
husband,  that  I  may  present  you  as  a  chaste 
virgin  to  Christ,"  2  Cor.  11:  2.  Yea,  Paul 
would  have  the  bride  or  church  so  pure, 
that  if  there  were  any  who  caused  divisions 
and  oftences  contrary  to  the  doctrine  which 
they  had  learned,  they  should  be  avoided. 


LETTERS  BY  MEKNO  SIMON. 


279 


Yea,  if  they  had  any  in  the  church  that  were 
drunkards,  covetous,  fornicators,  idolati-ous 
or  proud,  they  should  avoid  them  and  not 
eat  with  them,  1  Cor,  5 :  11.  How,  then, 
could  they  sutler  such  to  preach?  Yea,  if 
thej-  preached  any  other  gospel  than  that 
which  was  preached  unto  tliem,  they  should 
be  accursed.  Gal.  1 :  8. 

To  the  Philippians  Paul  says,  "Beware 
of  dogs,  beware  of  evil-workers,  beware  of 
the  concision,"  and  says,  "Brethren,  be  fol- 
lowers together  of  me,  and  mark  them  which 
walk  so,  as  3'e  have  us  for  an  example;  for 
many  walk,  of  whom  I  have  told  you  often, 
and  now  tell  3^ou  even  weeping,  that  they 
ai'e  the  enemies  of  the  cross  of  Christ;  whose 
end  is  destruction,  whose  God  is  tlieir  belly, 
and  whose  glory  is  in  their  shame,  who 
mind  earthly  things,"  Phil.  3:  2,  IT,  19. 
Mark  to  what  kind  of  i:)eople  he  refers. 

The  apostle  would  have  the  bride  so  pure 
that  no  difsension  was  allowed,  no  drunk- 
ards, covetous,  idolaters,  nor  those  that 
taught  any  other  doctrine  than  he  taught; 
and  Christ  himself  says  to  the  church,  "Be- 
ware of  false  prophets,  which  come  to  you 
in  sheep's  clothing,  but  inwardly  they  are 
ravening  wolves,  ye  shall  know  them  by 
their  fruits,"  Matt.  7:  15,  therefore  I  will 
leave  all  intelligent  christians  to  judge  what 
tlio^e  do  that  say  that  they  are  at  liberty  to 
do  as  they  do.  Shall  we,  who  pretend  to 
uphold  the  glory  of  God,  grant  it  as  a  lib- 
erty to  go  where  God  is  blasphemed,  and 
his  ordinances  broken?  It  was  commanded 
Aaron  to  serve  in  the  priest's  office.  When 
Datl^an  and  Abiram  would  serve  as  such, 
-why  did  the  earth  open  its  mouth  and  swal- 
low them,  if  it  was  free  to  them?  Num.  16 :  32. 
The  children  of  Aaron,  Nadab  and  Abihu 
would  always  let  the  fire  burn  on  the  altar. 
If  it  were  allowed  now,  to  put  strange  fire 
upon  it,  then  why  were  they  burned?  Lev. 
10:  1,  3. 

Read  how  the  worshipers  of  the  calf,  the 
murmurers  and  the  fornicators,  all  received 
tlieir  punishment.  Exodus  32;  Numb.  21:  5, 
6;  25:  8,  9.  Yea  the  man  of  God  at  Bethel, 
how  free  was  it  to  him,  when  God  had  said 
unto  him  that  he  should  not,  in  that  place 
eat  bread  nor  drink  water,  when  by  the  lies 
of  the  old  prophet  he  did  eat  and  drink 


contrary  to  God's  command?  It  was  so  free 
that  he  had  to  die  for  it,  1  Kings  13. 

There  are  very  many  Scriptures  upon  that 

j  point  which  I  will  leave  for  the  sake  of  brevi- 

■  ty.    But  I  would  that  every  christian  should 

i  do   as  Christ  teaches  us,  saying,  "  Search 

the  Scriptures,"  John  5:  39.  Those  of  Berea, 

searched  the  Scriptures  daily.  Acts  17:  11. 

j      If  you  search  the  Scripture  you  will  learn 

fi-om  it,  that  if  you  would  be  a  member  of 

the  holy  body  of  Christ,  you  must  follow 

the  Head  and  obey  him,  John  3:  36;  2  Thess. 

1:8. 

If  he  commands  you  to  beware  of  false 
prophets,  Are  you  tlien  at  liberty  either  to 
do  so  or  not?  What  kind  of  officers  would 
you  be,  if  the  emperor  should  issue  a  decree 
and  the  subjects  disregard  it  (take  it  as  a 
liberty),  if  you  did  not  punish  them  for  not 
regarding  it? 

Now,  the  chief  Emperor  (Christ),  has  is- 
sued a  decree,  which  decree  he  has  sealed 
with  his  blood,  and  in  this  decree  it  reads, 
that  we  must  be  born  again,  repent,  deny 
ourselves,  take  upon  ourselves  the  cross,  be- 
lieve on  Jesus  Christ,  and  on  our  faitli  be 
baptized,  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and 
of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  to 
obey  his  commandments.  Matt.  28:  19;  to 
"render  unto  Ca?sar  the  things  which  are 
Caesar's,  and  unto  God  the  things  that  are 
God's;"  to  love  the  Lord  with  all  our  heart 
and  with  all  our  strength,  and  to  love  our 
neighbors  as  ourselves ;  not  to  live  unto 
ourselves,  but  unto  him  who  died  for  us 
and  rose  again;  to  "beware  of  false  proph- 
ets," and  to  "abstain  from  all  appearance 
of  evil ,"  Matt.  22 :  21 ;  Luke  10 :  27 :  2  Cor.  5 : 
15;  Matt.  7: 15;  1  Thess.  5:  22. 

Now  say,  most  beloved,  which  of  these 
are  we  at  liberty  to  do  or  not  to  do?  Are  we 
at  liberty  to  be  born  again  or  not?  Are  we 
at  liberty  to  deny  om-selves,  or  to  believe 
on  Christ,  or  not?  To  be  baptized,  to  give 
unto  Csesar  that  which  is  due  him,  and  unto 
God  that  which  is  his,  to  beware  of  false 
prophets,  and  to  abstain  from  all  appear- 
ance of  evil  or  not?  If  we  are  at  liberty  to 
observe  these  or  not,  just  as  we  see  proper, 
why  does  the  Lord  Jesus  then  say  at  the 
conclusion,  And  teach  them  to  keep  my 
commandments?  Matt.  28  :  19.  If,  now,  he 
has  commanded  it,  he  desires  it  to  be  obey- 


280 


LETTERS  BY  MENNO  SIMON. 


ed.  That  wliicli  is  free  is  neither  command- 
ed nor  prohibited,  as  Paul  says  in  regard 
to  eating  and  the  keeping  of  certain  days, 
1  Cor.  10:  28.  Yet  he  commands  not  to  of- 
fend the  brethren  by  such  liberty. 

Now,  beloved  children,  if  yon  confess  that 
Christ  Jesus  is  the  Son,  in  his  house,  then 
let  him  be  wise  enough  to  rule;  for  he  has 
bought  this  house  with  his  blood,  and  has 
delivered  the  bondmen.  Some  he  has  made 
pastors  and  teachers,  and  Paul  teaches  us 
how  they  should  be  minded.  If  you  go  to 
the  papistic  teachers,  whom  you  know  be- 
forehand as  not  being  sent  of  Christ,  and 
therefore  bear  no  fniit,  are  you  then  obe- 
dient unto  the  voice  of  the  Lord?  O,  no, 
Eph.  4:  11;  1  Tim.  3;  Rom.  10:  15. 

Since  the  Holy  Spirit  directs  to  those  that 
are  unblamable,  and  since  you  go  to  those 
that  are  blamable  both  in  doctrine  and  in 
life,  and  since  Christ  has  commanded  to  be- 
ware of  such,  and  as  you  go  to  hear  them, 
saying,  I  am  at  liberty — therefore  judge  for 
youi-selves  whether  you  are  a  child  of  God 
or  not.  And,  if  you  say  thus  you  are  at 
liberty,  then  I  ask  you,  Who  gave  you  this 
liberty?  Paul  says,  "Ye  are  not  5'our  own, 
for  ye  are  bought  with  a  price;  therefore 
glorify  God  in  your  body  and  in  your  spirit, 
which  are  God's,"  1  Cor.  6  :  19.  By  what 
means  then  can  you  obtain  this  liberty? 

Christ  Jesus  has  also  commanded  his 
church  to  baptize  believers  on  the  confession 
of  their  faith.  If  I,  now,  do  not  believe, 
and  do  not  suffer  myself  to  be  baptized  in 
accordance  with  God's  word,  but  suffer  my 
little  children  to  be  baptized,  without  God's 
word.  Am  I  then,  obedient  unto  the  voice 
of  the  Lord?  Can  I  then  inherit  the  promise 
given  to  the  believing? 

Christ  ordained  in  his  chm-ch  the  Holy 
Supper,  bread  and  wine,  in  rememberance 
of  his  death;  now  it  is  changed  into  a  Ro- 
man mercery.  Is  a  christian  now  allowed 
to  keep  the  perplexing,  papal  day-meal, 
and  neglect  the  Lord's  Supper?  Judge  for 
yourselves,  since  Paul  says,  "Ye  cannot  be 
partakers  of  the  Lord's  table  and  of  the 
table  of  devils,"  1  Cor,  10:  21.  If  we  cannot 
partake  of  both,  then  we  must  neglect  one 
or  the  other.     O,  beware  of  them ! 


Behold,  beloved  children,  I  have  here 
given  you  some  instruction  according  to  the 
limited  talents  which  the  Lord  has  given 
me.  Judge  whether  it  would  be  becoming 
in  a  married  woman  to  be  with  another 
man,  if  it  were  but  once  a  year.  So,  if  you 
be  the  bride  of  the  Lamb,  then  yon  are  not 
allowed  to  conceive  of  any  bodj^  but  of 
Christ,  and  his  holy  word.  If  you  be  the 
body  of  Christ  then  you  must  have  the 
Spirit  of  Christ;  if  you  are  baptized  into 
the  bod}^  by  the  Spirit,  then  you  must  be 
obedient  unto  the  Head,  which  is  Christ.  If 
you  be  in  the  citj',  the  New  Jerusalem, 
whose  citizens  are  of  one  mind,  then  yon 
must  be  obedient  unto  the  King  of  that 
great  fity,  namel}^,  unto  Christ.  If  j'ou  be 
the  branches,  then  you  must  bear  fruit  like 
unto  that  of  the  stock.  If  you  be  the  vine- 
yard of  the  Lord,  then  beware  of  the  foxes. 
If  3^ou  be  the  temple  of  the  Lord,  then  you 
must  be  submissive  unto  your  High  Priest. 
If  you  be  the  ark  of  the  covenant,  then  the 
tables  of  the  covenant,  which  are  written 
with  the  finger  of  God,  namely,  the  com- 
mandments of  God,  must  be  engraven  in 
your  hearts,  that  all  men  may  read  that 
you  are  an  epistle  of  Christ,  2  Cor,  3:  2,  3. 

O,  beloved  children,  that  the  Lord  would 
grant  that  we  might  verbally  speak  togeth- 
er, we  trust  that  we  could  satisfy  you  on  all 
points.  Therefore  you  that  fear  God,  sepa- 
rate from  Babel,  and  go  to  Jerusalem,  and  do 
not  suffer  yourselves  to  be  ensnared  by  such 
light-minded,  artful  words  as,  "I  am  at  lib- 
erty." The  drunkard  may  drink  to  excess, 
the  gambler,  gamble,  the  whoremonger  in- 
dulge in  his  carnal  passions,  notwithstand- 
ing it  is  sin;  likewise,  we  are  at  liberty  to 
hear  false  doctrine,  or  to  suffer  infants  to  be 
baptized,  yet  it  is  unscriptural,  and  there- 
fore sin.  I  herewith  commend  my  beloved 
children  to  the  Lord.  May  the  rich  Word 
of  his  grace  enlighten  you  with  his  pure 
knowledge  and  grant  that  you  do  his  will 
in  all  things,  that  the  fallen  temple  may 
again  be  built  upon  its  true  foundation  and 
that  we  may  obtain  the  end  of  faith,  that  is, 
the  salvation  of  souls,  Amen. 

MENNO  SIMON. 
Noftember  14. 


LETTERS  BY  MENNO  SIMON. 


281 


SECOND  LETTEE. 

Second  Epistle  of  Menno  Simon.  Being  a  consolation  to  7ns  mucTi  beloved  breth- 
ren and  sisters  in  Christ  Jesus,  at  and  about  Amsterdam,  heseecldng  them  to  visit  one 
another  during  tlie  time  of  pestilence,  and  not  to  fear  death,  because  it  is  but  a  pas- 
sage into  a  better  life. 


"  O  man,  what !  art  joyful !  what !  dust  and  shadow  art  thou  !  Proud,  for 
thy  life  lies  buried  in  death!" 

"  For  other  foundation  can  no  man  lay  than  that  is  laid,  which  is  Jesus 
Christ,"  1  Cor.  3:  11. 


Mercy,  grace  and  peace  be  unto  yon.  The 
Lord  said  unto  Martlia,  "I  am  the  resur- 
rection, and  the  life;  he  that  believeth  in 
me,  though  he  were  dead,  yet  shall  he  live ; 
and  whosoever  liveth  and  believeth  in  me, 
shall  never  die,"  John  11:  25.  Chosen  breth- 
ren and  sisters  in  the  Lord,  whereas  I  hear 
that  the  fire  of  pestilence  is  raging  about 
you,  therefore  I  am  constrained  by  the  love 
I  bear  to  you  and  to  all  the  pious,  as  I  am 
aware  that  all  flesh  is  affrighted  at  death, 
and  that  the  death  of  friends  is  hard  to  our 
natural  feelings,  to  write  you,  who  are  over- 
shadowed by  the  heavenly  light  and  called 
into  the  communion  of  Chi'ist,  a  short  epis- 
tle of  consolation,  that  you  may  now,  and 
at  all  times  diligently  watch  for  the  coming 
of  the  Lord,  and  prepare  your  whole  life, 
heart,  mind  and  actions  for  death.  For 
Paul  says,  "It  is  appointed  unto  men  once 
to  die,"  Heb.  9:  27.  Also  Sirach  says,  "All 
flesh  waxeth  old  as  a  garment;  for  the  cov- 
enant from  the  beginning  is.  Thou  shalt 
die,"  Sii-.  14: 17. 

If  we,  with  a  new,  regenerated  and  peni- 
tent soul,  fh-mly  adhere  to  Christ,  truly  be- 
lieve his  word,  ifaitlifully  follow  his  foot- 
steps, are  governed  by  his  Holy  Spirit,  and 
die  unto  the  old,  sinful  life,  nay,  in  every 
manner,  die  unto  the  world,  flesh,  and  devil ; 
if  we  sincerely  seek  God's  kingdom,  right- 
eousness, word,  will,  truth,  praise  and  hon- 
or, and  walk  inofiensively  in  his  ways,  then 
we  shall  live  with,  in,  and  through  him  for 
ever,  John  11 :  25,  and  we  shall  not  be  hurt 
by  the  second  death.  Rev.  2 :  11,  notwith- 
standing that  we  were,  afortimes,  dead  in 
sins,  as  all  the  others,  Ml  of  covetousness, 
36 


unchastity,  pride,  hatred,  envy,  idolatiy, 
and  were,  by  nature,  children  of  wrath, 
Eph.  2:  3,  for  unto  the  truly  penitent  and 
believing  it  is  all  forgiven  through  the  death 
of  Chiist,  it  is  requited  by  his  blood,  and 
reconciled  by  the  only  }Deace-ofiering  of  his 
innocent,  bitter  death,  so  Paul  says,  "There 
is,  therefore,  now  no  condemnation  to  them 
which  are  in  Christ  Jesus,  who  walk  not  aft- 
er the  flesh,  but  after  the  Spirit.  For  the 
law  of  the  Spirit  of  life  in  Christ  Jesus  hath 
made  me  free  from  the  law  of  sin  and 
death,"  Rom.  8:  1,  2.  Therefore  be  of  good 
cheer  and  grateful;  praise  him  who  has  de- 
livered you  by  the  power  of  his  word  from 
the  dominion  of  sin  and  death,  and  has  thus 
called  you  to  the  inheritance  of  his  glory 
by  the  Spirit  of  his  grace.  Again,  I  say, 
give  him  the  praise,  and  that  with  a  godly, 
pure  conscience  and  with  an  unblamable, 
holy  life  in  faith,  wholesome,  tii-m  and  un- 
blemished in  love,  living  in  hope,  and  fer- 
vent in  prayer,  adorned  with  the  raiment  of 
righteousness,  and  girded  with  the  beauti- 
ful girdle  of  perfection  in  the  Spirit;  having 
oil  in  youi"  lamps,  sober  and  awake,  so  that 
when  the  true  Head,  the  glorious  King  and 
Bridegroom  of  our  souls  comes,  he  may  not 
find  you  asleep,  and  that  on  account  of  your 
not  being  ready,  he  does  not  cast  you  into 
eternal  darkness,  and  close  the  door  upon 
you,  and  thus  give  you  your  part  with  the 
hypocrites.  I  repeat  it,  be  sober,  and  awake; 
labor  while  it  is  day,  lest  the  dark  night 
overtake  you  O,  reflect  on  what  is  meant! 
Ps.  117:1,2;  Rom.  15:11;  Col.  3:14;  1  Pet. 
5:8;  John  12:  35. 
Beloved,  faithful  brethren,  be  strong  in 


2S2 


LETTERS  BY  MENNO  SIMON. 


the  Lord,  of  good  cheer,  and  consoled;  for 
your  whole  life  and  death  are  in  the  hands  of 
the  Lord.  Yea,  all  yonr  hairs  are  numbered, 
and  withoiit  him  not  one  shall  drop  fi'om 
yonr  head;  he  knows  the  number  of  yonr 
days,  nay  your  life  is  measured  as  a  hand 
breath.  Therefore  fear  not,  but  willingly 
serve  each  other  in  time  of  need.  O,  leave 
not  oflf  visiting  the  sick,  for  by  this  you 
shall  be  established  in  love,  as  Sirach  says, 
chapter  7:  35.  "And  it  is  also  the  nature  of 
time  love,  to  lay  down  our  lives  for  the 
brethren,"  1  John  3:  16.  Eeflect  on  what  I 
tell  you;  you  are  aware  of  one  thing,  that 
an  obedient,  virtuous  son,  servant,  or  bride, 
does  not  fear  the  coming  of  the  father,  lord 
or  bridegi'oom,  but  they  long  for  their  com- 
ing; "There  is  no  fear  in  love;  but  perfect 
love  casteth  out  fear,"  1  John  4 :  18.  You  are 
also  aware  that  a  fatigued  laborer  is  de- 
sirous of  rest,  and  an  afflicted  soul  of  con- 
solation. And  I  have  no  doubt  but  my  be- 
loved children  are  sealed  in  God  with  a 
good  conscience;  that  he  is  your  Father,  and 
you  are  his  children;  that  Christ  Jesus  is 
your  Lord,  and  you  are  his  servants;  that 
he  is  your  bridegroom  and  you  Ms  bride; 
and  that  you,  for  the  sake  of  his  blessed 
name,  will  unfeignedly  proclaim  and  teach 
it  to  the  whole  world  for  doctrine,  instruc- 
tion and  reproof,  that  they  may,  sincerely 
repenting,  be  gained  unto  God;  on  account 
of  which  you  must  suffer  such  excessive 
misery,  trouble,  privation  and  slander  from 
the  indolent,  wicked  generation,  as  may  be 
noticed  on  every  hand. 

Therefore  we  should  reasonably  not  be 
afraid  of  death,  which  is  but  a  rest  from  sin 
and  the  entrance  into  a  better  life,  nor  be 
sorrowing  about  the  friends  who  have  fallen 
asleep  in  God,  as  those  do  who  do  not  ex- 
pect the  reward  of  the  saints ;  but  we  should 
joyfully  raise  our  heads,  gird  our  loins  with 
truth  and  be  joyfully  taken  up  to  the  heav- 
enly Canaan  thus,  with  our  only  and  eternal 
(mark,  eternal),  Joshua,  Christ  Jesus,  to 
take  the  promised  inheritance,  and  thus  be 
freed  from  the  laborious,  troublesome  way 
of  our  hard  pilgrimage,  which  we  must  lead 
through  the  rough  desert  of  this  wild  world 
so  long  aa  we  shall  be  here ;  and  then  we 


shall  rest  in  eternal  peace,  Eph.  6: 14;  Luke 
22:  29;  Rev.  14:  13. 

O,  chosen  brethren  and  sisters '.how  glori- 
ously are  they  gifted  of  God,  who,  in  grace, 
are  delivered  from  the  body  of  sin,  and  from 
all  perishable  things,  and  are  taken  up  into 
the  holy  tabernacles  of  peace,  and  called  to 
the  eternal,  holy  sabbath-day! 

The  old,  crooked  serpent  shall  no  longer 
sting  them  in  their  heels;  yea,  no  pain  nor 
disease  shall  touch  them,  and  the  last  enemy, 
which  is  death,  is  already  overcome;  their 
tears  are  dried  up,  and  their  souls  are  at 
sure  rest  and  peace  in  the  paradise  of  gi'ace, 
in  Abraham's  bosom,  under  the  altar  of 
God,  Rev.  6:  9,  on  Mount  Zion,  delivered 
from  theii-  great  tribulation,  clothed  in  white 
robes,  worshiping  before  the  throne  of  God 
and  the  Lamb,  waiting  a  little  while  until 
the  number  of  their  brethren  shall  be  ful- 
filled. Rev.  6:  11,  to  be  fashioned  like  unto 
the  glorious  body  of  Chi-ist,  Phil.  3:  21,  to 
shine  forth  as  the  sun,  and  thus  joyfully 
enter  into  the  eternal  wedding  and  feast 
which  is  prepared  in  heaven  unto  all  the 
chosen  ones,  by  the  blood  and  death  of 
Christ. 

O,  how  holy  and  blessed  are  they  who 
are  called  of  Cluist  to  this  feast,  and  have 
come  to  it,  clothed  in  unspotted,  clean  gar- 
ments! O,  sing  the  pleasing  and  joyous  hal- 
lelujah in  j^our  hearts,  and  thank  him  who 
has  given  them  all  this  by  the  Spirit  of  his 
love,  in  eternal  grace,  and  who  has  chosen 
you  to  enjoy  the  same  part  with  them! 

Reflect  and  be  consoled.  No  more  at  pres- 
ent, but  sincerely  fear  God,  serve  him  in 
truth,  uphold  unity,  love  and  peace;  watch 
and  pray ;  walk  unblamably ;  fight  your  fight 
patiently;  strive  after  the  good;  be  friendly 
to  one  another;  willingly  submit  to  your 
elders  and  obey  them,  and  remember  them 
and  me  in  your  prayers.  May  the  God  of 
peace,  our  merciful  Father,  by  his  blessed 
Son,  Christ  Jesus,  bless  you  now  and  at  all 
times,  unto  more  righteousness,  in  perfect 
love. 

Your  brother  and  lover  of  your  souls  in 
truth;  at  present  enjoying  tolerable  health. 

MENNO  SIMON. 

November  14, 


LETTERS  BT  MENNO  SIMON. 


283 


THIRD   LETTEK 

An  Epistle  of  Menno  Simon,  to  tlie  brethren  at  FraneTter,  province  of  Friesland, 
NetTierlands . 


"  The  love  of  God  is  true  wisdom," 

"  For  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that 
whosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have  eternal  life," 
John  3 :  16. 


With  a  sorrowing  and  troubled  heart  I 
write  to  you,  because  a  letter  was  handed 
me,  signed  by  five  brethren,  in  good  stand- 
ing, from  which  I  learn  that  a  violent  dis- 
pute has  arisen  (God  better  it)  amongst  some 
of  you,  concerning  the  ban  (excommunica- 
tion). If  I  do  not  misunderstand,  one  party 
would  that  no  transgression  should  be  pun- 
ished with  excommunication  until  the  trans- 
gressor should  have  been  thrice  admonished. 
I  cannot  agree  with  this  doctrine.  For  there 
are  some  sins,  as  for  instance,  mui'der,  witch- 
craft, incendiarism,  theft  and  other  like  crim- 
inal deeds,  which  require  summary  punish- 
ment at  the  hands  of  the  magistracy.  If  we 
were  to  admonish  transgressors  thrice,  in 
such  cases,  before  they  were  punished,  then 
the  sweet  bread  of  the  church  would  be 
changed  into  som*  leaven,  before  the  whole 
world.  Therefore  act  with  discretion,  and 
do  not  treat  criminal  matters,  especially  if 
they  are  public,  the  same  as  you  would 
other  carnal  works  which  are  not  consider- 
ed, by  the  world,  as  requiring  disgraceful 
punishment. 

The  other  party  desires,  if  I  understand 
the  matter  right,  that  all  transgressions 
should  be  punished  with  excommunication, 
without  being  first  admonished  at  all;  and 
that  all  penance  should  be  outside  of  the 
church.  That  doctrine  is,  according  to 
my  humble  understanding,  erroneous  and 
against  the  word  of  Christ,  Paul  and  James. 
For  avarice,  pride,  hatred,  discord,  defama- 
tion and  quarreling  are  carnal  things  which 
work  death,  if  not  repented  of.  Gal.  5:  19, 
20;  James  3:  16;  notwithstanding,  they  are 
not  punished  until  after  halving  been  thrice 
admonished  as  the  Scriptures  command.  I 
wish  that  it  were  taken  into  consideration, 


that,  as  "the  wages  of  sin  is  death,"  so  also, 
the  repenting,  converted  heart  brings  forth 
life,  as  may  be  seen  in  the  case  of  David, 
Peter,  the  murderer,  Zaccheus  and  others. 

I  also  understand  that  these  same  breth- 
ren are  of  the  opinion  that  if  some  brother 
shoxild  secretly  have  transgressed  in  some- 


thing or  other,   and,  in 


SOITOW 


of  heart, 


should  complain  to  one  of  his  brethren  that 
he  had  thus  sinned  against  God,  that  then 
this  same  brother  should  tell  it  unto  the 
church;  and  if  he  should  fail  to  do  so,  that 
he,  then,  should  be  punished  with  the  trans- 
gressor. This  opinion  is  not  only  absurd 
but  it  sounds  in  my  ears  as  a  terrible  one. 
For  it  is,  clearly,  against  all  Scriptui-es  and 
love.  Matt.  18;  Jas.  5:  19,  20. 

Excommunication  was,  in  one  respect,  in- 
stituted for  the  pm-pose  of  repentance.  Now, 
if  repentance  is  shown,  namely,  the  contrite, 
sorrowing  heart,  how  can  excommunication, 
then,  be  pronounced  against  such  ?  O,  my 
brethren,  do  not  put  this  doctrine  in  force, 
for  it  will  lead  to  sin,  and  not  to  reforma- 
tion. 

If  we  were  thus  to  deal  with  poor,  repent- 
ing sinners,  whose  transgressions  were  done 
in  secret,  how  many  would  we  keep  from  re- 
pentance, through  shame.  God  forbid,  that 
I  should  ever  agree  with,  or  act  upon  such 
doctrine!  Lastly,  I  understand,  they  hold, 
that  if  any  one,  in  his  weakness,  transgress- 
es, and  openly  acknowledges  his  transgres- 
sion, that  they  should  consider  him,  then, 
as  a  worldling. 

This,  again,  is  an  absurd  doctrine;  for,  if 
the  transgression  was  done  through  weak 
ness,  then,  let  us  not  be  arrogant  and  too 
hard  on  the  poor  soul,  lest  we  commit  a 
worse  fault. 


m 


LETTERS  BY  MEKNO  SIMON. 


Not  tlie  weak,  but  the  corrupt  members 
are  cut  off,  lest  they  corrupt  the  others.  Of 
such  iTuscriptural  doctrines  and  practices  I 
want  to  be  clear.  I  desire  that  excommuni- 
cation be  practiced  in  a  sincere,  paternal 
spirit,  in  faithful  love,  according  to  the  doc- 
trine of  Christ  and  his  apostles,  as  I  have 
abundantly  declared  in  my  writings,  for 
over  five  years. 

My  chosen  brethren,  guard  against  inno- 
vations for  which  you  have  no  certain, 
scriptural  grounds.  Be  not  too  severe  nor 
too  lenient.  Let  a  paternal,  compassionate, 
prudent  and  discreet  heart,  and  the  Lord's 
holy  word,  actuate  you. 

Follow  this  my  brotherly  admonition  in 
this  respect,  which  has  been  acted  upon  for 
twenty  one  years.  I  could  give  you  no  other 
and  better  advice.  I  feel  constrained  to 
write  to  you,  for  the  above  mentioned  rea- 
son. I  have,  in  sincerity  of  heart,  sei-ved 
my  beloved  brethren  without  any  partiality, 
as  becomes  us  in  Christ.  I  was  asked  to 
give  my  grounds  for  my  doctrine,  which  I 
am,  at  all  times,  willing  and  prepared  to 
do;  not  to  the  pious  only,  but  also  to  the 
whole  world,  as  the  word  of  the  Lord  com- 
mands me  to  do.    I  do  not  teach  nor  live 


by  the  faith  of  others,  but  by  my  own  faith. 
O,  that  they  all  were  of  one  mind  with  me! 
How  paternally  and  discreetly  would  ex- 
communication, then,  be  practiced,  without 
all  offense;  while,  now,  it  is  sometimes  prac- 
ticed so  offensively. 

I  beseech  all  the  pious,  for  God's  sake, 
to  seek  peace.  And  if  you  have  offended  each 
other  in  the  least,  purify  your  hearts  and  be 
reconciled  in  Christ  Jesus.  Remember  that 
you  are  the  Lord's  people,  called  unto  peace, 
put  Tinder  the  cross,  separated  from  the 
world  and  hated  imto  death.  If  you  be  bap- 
tized in  one  spirit,  then  fulfill  my  sincere 
desire,  and  be  of  one  mind  with  me  in  Christ. 
Build  up  and  destroy  not.  Instruct  one  an- 
other in  love,  and  do  not  disrapt  so  that  di- 
vine peace  be  with  all  the  children  of  God, 
and  remain  whole  with  us  unto  eternal  life. 

May  the  peaceful  Spirit  of  Christ  protect 
you  all.  May  you  be  sound  in  doctrine,  ar- 
dent in  love,  and  without  ofiense  in  life,  to 
the  edification  of  his  church  and  to  the 
praise  of  his  holy  name. 

Your  unworthy  brother  and  servant, 

MENNO  SIMON. 
November  13th,  A.  D.  1555. 


FOURTH   LETTEE. 

An  Epistle  of  Ilenno  Simon,  to  the  church  at  Emden,  East  Friesland,  Germany. 


"For  other  foundation  can  no  man  lay  than  that  is  laid,  which  is  Jesus 
Christ,"!  Cor.  3:  11. 


With  a  sorrowful  heart  I  make  known  to 
the  brethren  that  I  receive  one  letter  after 
another  complaining  of  the  excommunica- 
tion, in  regard  to  husband  and  wife;  which 
causes  great  trouble  with  some,  at  which  I 
am  not  at  all  surprised.  Tor,  from  the 
commencement  of  my  service,  which  is  more 
than  twenty  years,  I  have  feared  this  issue, 
which  cannot  be  settled  under  such  excite- 
ment as  is,  at  present,  found  in  the  Nether- 
lands. Dietrich  Philip,  our  brother,  and  I 
counseled  with  the  elders,  in  regard  to  this 
matter,  as  far  back  as  1547  and  then  it  was 


resolved  that  we  should  act,  in  this  matter, 
according  to  circumstances ;  and  it  was  again 
so  resolved  at  Wismar,  two  years  ago. 
Therefore  we  should  admonish  according  to 
the  most  definite  and  plain  rules;  but  if  we 
cannot  thus  convince,  we  should  not  force 
any  one  beyond  what  he  conscientiously  be- 
lieves to  be  right,  but  bear  with  him  in  love 
and  patience.  I  hope  that  every  pious  per- 
son is  sufficiently  instructed  in  the  word  of 
the  Lord,  to  know  that  if  either  a  husband 
or  a  wife  commit  adultery,  theft,  witchcraft 
or  any  thing  else  that  is  criminal,  that  such 


LETTERS  BY  MENNO  SIMON. 


285 


criminal  misbehavior  is  summarily  punished 
at  the  hands  of  the  magistracy;  or,  to  know, 
that,  in  case  one  cannot,  undisturbedly  live 
up  to  his  faith,  on  account  of  his  consort, 
but  is  at  all  times  combated  with  false  doc- 
trine, beaten  and  abused,  and  thus  is  slid- 
ing back  in  faith,  through  the  obstacles  of 
such  fallen  consort,  one  should  abandon 
such  consort  if  he  would  stand  before  God 
and  the  church  and  save  his  soul.  But  if  he 
or  she  can  live  up  to  his  or  her  faith,  in  all 
things,  undisturbedly,  and  is  not  combated 
with  false  doctrine,  then  they  are  conscien- 
tiously bound  to  remain  together  undisturb- 
edly, for  they  are  one  flesh  and  live  together 
as  husband  and  wife  should  live. 

Since  there  are  many  dangers  and  oflenses 
connected  with  this  matter,  to  pimish  with 
excommunication,  the  souls  thus  bound, 
who  otherwise  walk  unblamably,  in  every 
respect,  before  God;  and,  since  we  all  are 
flesh,  therefore  I  pray  that  the  merciful  Lord 
may  keep  me  from  consenting  to  or  teach- 
ing such  doctrine.  In  view  of  this,  my  heart 
was  filled  with  sorrow,  on  hearing  that  a 
certain  length  of  time  was  given  to  Swaantje 
Rutgers,  in  which  to  leave  her  husband;  or 
that,  in  case  of  her  failure  to  leave  him,  she 
was  to  be  excommuned  and  delivered  over 
to  satan. 

Q,  my  chosen  brethren,  consider  weU  your 
actions.  What  slandering  words  will  you 
put  into  the  mouths  of  the  slanderers !  And 
what  bad  reports  you  will  spread  of  the  word 
of  the  Lord  and  his  church  !  How  many 
grieved  souls  will  you  afflict!  Yea,  how 
many  souls  will  you  separate  from  the 
truth,  and  what  dangers  will  beset  you!  We 


never  dared  foUow  such  doctrine,  for  we  fear 
the  consequences.  O!  that  you  would  de- 
sist from  it.  How  would  I,  afflicted  man, 
be  rejoiced  at  it!  My  heart  shall  never  con- 
sent to  such  indiscreet  action,  and  say, 
amen,  to  such  intentions. 

I  desire  to  teach,  according  to  my  humble 
talents,  a  gospel  that  builds  up,  and  not 
one  that  breaks  down.  One  that  is  accept- 
able, and  not  one  that  is  offensive;  and  I 
do  not  intend  to  encumber  the  service  of  God 
with  something  besetting,  for  which  I  have 
no  scriptural  grounds.  I  can  neither  teach 
nor  live  by  the  faith  of  others.  I  must  live 
by  my  own  faith,  as  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord 
has  taught  me,  through  his  word. 

Here  you  have  my  admonition.  The  Lord 
grant  that  you  may  follow  it  in  all  love, 
peace  and  unity.  Be  not  too  hard  nor  yet 
too  lenient.  Excommunication  is  instituted 
for  reformation  and  not  for  corruption.  O, 
that  all  were  of  one  mind  with  me  in  this 
matter.  How  discreetly  would  the  ban  be 
practiced  in  this  respect.  But,  as  it  is,  every 
one  follows  his  own  inclinations  and  imag- 
ines it  Spirit  and  Scripture. 

O  Lord !  grant  them  thy  Spu-it  and  wis- 
dom, that  they  may  see  and  judge  rightly, 
"Endeavoring  to  keep  the  unity  of  the  Spirit 
in  the  bond  of  peace,"  Eph.  4:  3.  Beloved 
brethren,  follow  my  advice,  for  God's  sake; 
for  it  will  cause  many  souls  to  rejoice.  The 
Spirit  of  wisdom  be  with  you  unto  eternity. 
Amen. 

Your  unworthy  brother, 

MENNO  SIMON. 

Novemter  the  nth,  A.  D.  1556. 


II D  E  X. 


Abraham  in  covenant  with  the  Lord, 33 

An  Admonition  to  the  Scorners  of  bap- 
tism,   38 

All  things  not  pnre  to  the  pure, 70 

A  Christian  and  affectionate  exhortation 

to  all  in  authority, 75 

Appeal  to  the  Learned 88 

To  the  Common  people, 92 

To  the  Corrupt  Sects, 94 

Apparel,  costly,  avoid, 96 

Admonition  to  strive  for  the  Crown, 100 

Adultery,  Menno's  views  of, 145 

An  Exhortation  to  the  dispersed  and  un- 
known children  of  God, 176 

Afflictions  of  the  flesh  beneficial, 205 

A  Pleasing  Meditation  on  the  Twenty- 
fifth    Psalm, 213 

B 

Baptism, 24 

Not  to  be  administered  to  infants,  25 

Not  a  substitute  for  circumcision,    ib 

A  washing  of  regeneration, 26  j 

Consists  of  more  than  water  or 

the  administered  sign, 27 

To  be  administered  to  those  who 

can  understand, 28 

Inward  and  not  outward  saves, . .  .ib 

A  sign  of  obedience, ib 

Luther  on  infant, 29 

Bucer  and  Luther  differ  on, ib 

Infant,  an  idolatrous  institution, .  .30 

Changed  as  to  its  mode  and  time,  ib 

Infant  confirmed  by  Pope  Inno- 
cent,   ib 

■ Menno's  reasons  for  opposing  in- 
fant baptism, 31 

—To  be  administered  to  the  believ- 
ing,   ib 

Counter  Arguments, 32 

No  saving  ordinance, ib 

Infant,  no  ceremony  of  God, 33 

Whole  families  baptized, 36 

Origen,  Augustine  and  others  on 

infant  baptism, 37 

Without  regeneration  of  no  avail, . .  38 

-=^-^ — The  application  of  a  handful  of 


PAGE. 

water, ib 

Birth,the  New,Fundamental  doctrine  of, 

from  the  word  of  the  Lord, 167 

The  fruits  of, 169 

Transforms  from  death  unto  life,  234 

Ban  or  Exclusion, 239 

C 

Conversion  of  Menno  Simon, 5 

Children  in  covenant  with  God,  though 

not  baptized, 34 

Circumcision  no  figure  of  Baptism, ib 

Children  have  the  promise  without  Bap- 
tism,   36 

Conduct  of  Preachers  and  their  qualifi- 
cations,   61 

Counter  Arguments  of  Babylon  and  its 

builders,  66 

Consoling  Admonition  concerning  the 
sufferings,  oppressions  and  per- 
secutions of  the  saints, 179 

Cross  of  Christ, 183 

Children,  Education  of, 273 

D 

Decrees  issued  against  Menno, 8 

Day  of  grace, 15 

Doctrine  of  the  Preachers, 57 

E 
Exhortation  to  take  heed  of  the  of  day 

Grace, 15 

Exhorts  to  observe  the  doings  of  the 

world, 17 

Erring  sects, 76 

Examples  from  the  Scriptm-es, 186 

Extracts  from  Eusebius,  &c., 191 

Excommunication, 245 

Meaning  of, ib 

Who  are  to  be  excommunicated,  246 

Reason  why  commandedin  Script- 
ure,   ib 

Has  no  respect  of  persons, 247 

Carnal  sinners  to  be  excommuni- 
cated and  directed  to  repent- 
ance,   251 

Of  secret  sinners,  who  are  again 

inwardly  admonisned  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  and  sincerely  and 


INDEX. 


287 


TAGE. 

truly  converted, 253 

-Matt.  18,  explained, 254 

-Not  to  pervert  the  Truth,  &c., ...  .256 
-Backsliding     and     recovery    of 

Peter, 257 

-James  5  :  19,  explained, 258 

-12th  and  13th  chapters  of  2nd 

Cor.,  explained, 259 

-The  Judgment  and  Keys  of  Christ 

used  in  a  proper  manner, 260 

-Conclusion, 264 


Faith, 20 

Foundation,  conclusion  of, 101 

Faith,  true  cliristian, 105 

Unfeigned  has  energy, 108 

Papistic  belief, Ill 

Lutheran, ib 

Belief  of  the  English  or  Zuingli- 

ans, 112 

True  Christian  belief, 113 

God's  ardent  care  for  believers, .  .  .114 

Noah's, 119 

Abraham's,  and  obedience, 121 

And  fidelity  of  Moses, 126 

Of  Caleb  and  Joshua, 127 

Of  the  pious  King  Josiah, 129 

Of  the  Centurion  of  Capernaum, .  .134 

Of  Zaccheus,  the  Publican, 136 

Of  the  Murderer, 139 

Of  the  Sinful  Woman, 143 

Of  the  Woman  of  Canaan, 148 

Conclusion, 164 

Fornication,  Menno's  views  of, 145 

G 

Gain,  unlawful,  avoid, 137 

K 
Koran,  Dathan  and  Abiram, 19 


Leading  Articles  of  a  Christian  Foun- 
dation,   75 

Law  of  Moses  could  not  be  changed  un- 
til Christ  Jesus  came, 97 

Letter  to  the  brethren  at  Amsterdam, . .  .277 

Second,  to  the  brethren  at  Amster- 
dam,   291 

To   the    brethren    at    Franeker, 

province  of  Friesland,  Nether- 
lands,   283 

To  the  Church  of  Emden,  East 

Friesland,  Germany, 284 

M 

Menno  becomes  a  Priest, 3 

Impressions  concerning  the  bread 

and  wine, .  * . .  * , ib 

• How  he  spent  hie  time, ib 

—Begins  to  read  the  Scriptures, ib 


PAGE. 

Begins  to  examine  the  merits  of 

infant  baptism, ib 

Interview  with  Luther,  Bucer  and 

BuUenger, ib 

Returns  to  Witmarsum, ib 

Is   deeply  grieved  over  the  con- 
duct of  the  Munsterites, ib 

Begins  to  preach  repentance, 5 

Receives  a  call  to  preach  from  a 

number  of  persons  who  were  of 

one  mind  with  him, ib 

Consents  to  do  so, 6 

Confesses  his  weakness  and  la- 
ments   over    his    persecutions 

and  poverty, 7 

Severe  persecutions,  &c., 8 

Removes  to  Woeste  Veldt, ib 

Protected  by  the  nobleman  van 

Vriesenburg, ib 

Death  &c., 9 

Marrying  out  of  the  Lord,  consequences 

of,  19 

Magistracy,  supplication  to  the, 22 

Munsterites  make  inroads  and  defend 

themselves  with  the  sword, 4 

P 

Preface,  The  day  of  Grace, 13 

Preachers,   sending, 53 

Must  be  called, 55 

Result  of  uncalled, 56 

Doctrine  of, 57 

Scriptures  show  who  are  the  true, . .  ib 

False,  likened  to  dry  wells, 59 

Conduct  of, 61 

Not  to  preach  for  money, 63 

Counter  Arguments,  &c., 66 

Preface   to    the    persecutions    of   the 

Saints, 181 

Twenty-iifth  Psalm, 214 

^Ban  or  Exclusion, 241 

Education  of  Children, 271 

R 

Repentance,  true  and  sincere, 17 

Not  to  be  practiced  as  the  world 

does, ib 

Examples  of  true, 18 

Fruits  of, ib 

To  be  practiced  by  those  who  can 

understand, ib 

Must  be  sincere, .19 

Rulers,  blood-thirsty,  their  end, 84,  85 

Reconciliation  does  not  depend  on  works 

alone,  but  on  grace, 158 

Resurrection,  spiritual, 229 

^Bodily  and  spiritual, 231 

Conclusion, 237 

S 

Sicke  Snyder  beheaded, 3 


INDEX. 


288 


Supper.    The  Lord's  Holy, 40 

Sign  used  for  the  reality, 41 

CoiTuption  of, 47 

Bread  and  Wine  not  the  flesh  and 

blood, 49 

Shunning  Babylon, 52 

Sending  Preachers, 53 

Salvation  ascribed  to  faith, 159 

Sufferings  for  the  Cross  of  Christ, 195 

Shunning,  Sis  reasons  for  it, 248 


To  the  Reader, 2, 12 


PAGE. 

The  time  is  fulfilled, 15 

The  Lord's  Holy  Supper, 40 

To    the   Bride,   Kingdom,    State    and 

Church  of  the  Lord, 98 

The  Twelve  Foundations  of  Zion, 100 

The  regenerated  have  a  spiritual  King, .  .  170 
The  Cross  of  Christ  a  source  of  delight, .  .209 

W 

Weapons,  carnal  not  to  be  used, .  .82,95,198 

Water,  A  handful, 38, 124 

"What  the  priests  will  do  for  a  guilder, .  .161 


A 

lUN   5  1910 


^^\r.n?  mics}^ 


REPLY  TO  A  PUBLICATION  "^^i;^ 


OF 


GELLIUS  FABER, 


MINISTER  AT  EMDEN, 


WHICH  HE  PUBLISHED  IN  THE  YEAR  1552 

(IF  I  MISTAKE  NOT),  TO  SLANDER  THE  PIOUS  CHILDREN 

OF  GOD,  AND  TO  EMBITTER  THEIR  CROSS ;    TO  ENSNARE  AND  DECEIVE 

THE  THOUGHTLESS,  AND  TO  COMFORT  AND  ENCOURAGE  THEM 

IN  THEIR  UNRIGHTEOUSNESS  AND  CORRUPTION. 


BY 


MENNO  SIMON. 

|!u0   ojrijo.ssita  (ittiiiiwit  ^JuIoisopHu.^)  juxt»  .Sf  posiita,  muBt.a'  elu.SfUrtt. 

(Two  facts  set  opposite  to  each  other,  says  the  philosopher,  become  the  more  apparent.) 

_^ Compie^E  works  o^ 

f^.9.r\r\o  Simon . 


SECOIsTID    IPJLIE^T. 


37 


ELKHART,  lE^DIANA: 

PUBLISHED   BY  JOHN  F.   FUNK  AND   BROTHER. 

18  7  1. 


May  God,  our  heavenly  Father,  through  his  beloved  Son,  Jesus  Christ,  our  Lord,  graciously  grant  spiritual 
enlightenment  and  salutary  understanding  to  all  the  pious  and  unprejudiced  readers  of  this  work,  of  whatever 
■class,  who  sincerely  seek  the  Lord  and  his  saving  truth,  Amen. 

"  For  other  foundation  can  no  man  lay  than  that  is  laid,  which  is  Jesus  Christ,"  1  Cor.  3:11. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1871,  by 

JOHN  F.  FUNK  &  BROTHER, 
In  the  oflRce  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington. 


PREFACE. 


PArx  writes  to  Timotliy,  and  says,  "This 
know  also,  that  in  the  last  days  perilous 
times  shall  come ;  for  men  shall  be  lovers  of 
their  own  selves,  covetous,  boasters,  proud, 
blasphemers,  disobedient  to  parents,  un- 
thankful, unholy,  without  natiwal  affection, 
truce-breakers,  false  accusers,  incontinent, 
tierce,  despisers  of  those  that  are  good,  trai- 
tors, heady,  high-minded,  lovers  of  pleas- 
ures more  than  lovers  of  God;  having  a 
form  of  godliness,  but  denying  the  power 
thereof;  from  such  turn  away,"  2  Tim.  3: 
1—5. 

Further  he  says,  "I  charge  thee  therefore 
before  God  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who 
shall  judge  the  quick  and  the  dead  at  his 
appearing  and  his  kingdom ;  preach  the 
word;  be  instant  in  season,  out  of  season; 
reprove,  rebuke,  exhort,  with  all  long  suf- 
fering and  doctrine,  for  the  time  will  come 
when  they  will  not  endure  sound  doctrine ; 
but  after  their  own  lusts  shall  they  heap  to 
themselves  teachers,  having  itching  ears; 
and  they  shall  turn  away  their  ears  from 
the  truth,  and  shall  be  turned  unto  fables," 
2Tim.  4:1— 4. 

Again  Daniel  says,  "There  shall  be  a 
time  of  trouble,  such  as  never  was  since 
there  was  a  nation,"  Dan.  12:  1. 

Beloved  reader,  if  you  will  pay  close  at- 
tention to  the  seeking,  teaching  and  cooduct 
of  the  preachers  of  the  present  day,  and  to 
the  deplorable  condition  of  the  common 
people,  you  will  be  convinced  that  the  teach- 
ers of  whom  Paul  speaks  are  here,  in  great 
numbers  and  that  the  abominable  time  has 
arrived.  O  reader,  take  heed!  It  is  such  a 
time  now,  that  if  Sodom  was  flourishing  as 
of  old,  it  would  compare  as  pious  and  right- 
eous with  the  present,  miserable  world.  Yet, 
through  the  just  punishment  and  wrath  of 
God,  Sodom  was  turned  into  ashes  and  siif- 
fered  the  vengeance  of  eternal  fire. 


"Behold,"  says  the  prophet,  "this  was 
the  iniqxiity  of  thy  sister  Sodom,  Pride,  full- 
ness of  bread,  abundance  of  idleness,  was 
in  her,  and  in  her  daughters;  neither  did 
she  strengthen  the  hand  of  the  poor  and 
needy;  and  they  were  haughty  and  com- 
mitted abomination  before  me;  therefore  I 
took  them  away  as  I  saw  good,"  Ezek.  16: 
49,  50. 

But  now  the  world  lives  as  if  they  were 
merely  born  to  ungodliness  and  sensuality; 
and  as  if  God  was  a  dreamer  and  his  word 
a  fable.  Say,  beloved,  is  it  not  so?  My 
kind  reader,  is  it  not  so  ?  Where  is  he  who 
sincerely  fears  God  and  seeks  after  the 
truth?  Wherever  we  turn  we  see  nothing 
but  unrighteousness,  idolatry,  deceit  and 
despising  of  God.  And  all  this  is  decked 
with  the  holy  name,  word,  death  and  blood 
of  Christ;  besides,  with  human  weakness 
and  with  false  freedom,  to  avoid  offence, 
O  Lord!  as  if  Christ  were  theJRedeemer  of 
all  the  impenitent  and  Mediator  of  all  per- 
verse sinners.  No,  my  reader,  no;  this  is 
not  the  case.  Beware!  Paul  says,  "If  ye 
live  after  the  flesh,  ye  shall  die,"  Eom.  8: 13. 

Inasmuch,  then,  that  the  world  is  so  cor- 
rupted, on  every  hand,  that  it  has  become 
a  double  Sodom,  nay  a  confused  Babel  or 
benighted  Egypt,  under  the  pretense  and 
name  of  christian  churches ;  and  since  the 
great  and  merciful  God  has,  in  these  latter 
days  of  unrighteousness,  again  revealed  un- 
to some  the  precious  word  of  his  divine 
grace  in  a  pure,  christian  understanding, 
and  placed  it  as  a  clear  light  amidst  the 
darkness,  wherewith  he  yet  in  everlasting 
love  will  assemble  unto  himself,  before  the 
dark  day,  an  obedient  and  willing  church 
through  the  revelation  of  his  holy  word  and 
the  enlightenment  of  his  eternal  Spirit;  and 
since  he  has  chosen  them  as  his  own  pecul- 
iar people  from  the  assembly  of  anti-christ, 


PREFACE. 


throngli  true  repentance  and  a  virtuons  walk 
(althougli  in  weakness),  tmder  tlie  cross  of 
Christ,  together  with,  a  salutary  use  of  the 
sacramental  signs  according  to  the  ordi- 
nance of  Christ  and  his  apostles  and  through 
a  free,  unfeigned  confession  of  faith  in  the 
precious  blood  of  Christ ;  therefore  all  the 
gates  of  hell  arise  and  rave,  so  that,  alas, 
true  christians  can  find  but  little  rest  upon 
earth,  as  may  be  seen. 

The  rulers  banish  and  persecute  them; 
drag  them  into  prisons  and  dungeons,  tort- 
ui'e  and  rob  them,  and  in  many  places  de- 
prive them  of  their  manhood,  possessions 
and  even  life. 

This  pei-verse  and  reckless  people  ever 
call  us  anabaptists;  heap  one  shameful  lie 
upon  another;  point  at  us  vdth  the  finger 
of  scorn,  as  if  we  so  behaved  that  fire  and 
sword  were  too  merciful  a  punishment  for 
our  bodies,  and  eternal  hell-fire  too  merci- 
ful a  punishment  for  our  souls. 

The  preachers  and  the  learned  "are  cor- 
rupt, and  speak  wickedly  concerning  op- 
pression ;  they  speak  loftily,"  as  the  prophet 
says,  Ps.  73:  S,  although  we  testify  by  so 
many  tribulations  that  we,  in  our  poor 
weakness,  sincerely  desire  to  fear  and  fol- 
low the  Lord,  and  that  we  seek  and  desire 
peace  with  all  mankind;  yet,  we  are  infa- 
mously slandered;  we  are  accused,  every- 
where, before  lords  and  rulers  of  cities  and 
countries,  that  we  are  imgodly  sects  and 
anabaptists;  that  we  are  seducing  the  pop- 
ulace; conspire  to  raise  mutiny  and  rebell- 
ion; and  are  falsely  accused  of  other  crim- 
inal intentions ;  that  they  may  thus  obscure 
and  obstruct  the  precious  word  of  God,  the 
word  of  true  repentance;  the  joyous  gospel 
of  grace ;  the  true  and  powerful  faith  in 
Christ  Jesus ;  the  pious,  unblamable  life, 
reqiiired  by  the  Scriptures;  and  destroy  the 
glorious  kingdom  of  Christ,  and  his  right- 
eousness; lest  their  cause  and  unfaithful- 
ness be  made  manifest  to  the  world;  as  may 
be  educed  from  their  fruits;  and  that  on  the 
other  hand,  the  corrupt  kingdom  of  anti- 
christ, the  kingdom  of  this  world,  may  be 
preserved  uninterruptedly  and  maintained 
without  shame  unto  the  end,  in  falsehood, 
impenitance,  open  idolatry,  a  carnal,  easy 
life  and  in  unrighteousness,  according  to 
the  desires  of  the  old  serpent. 


Behold  thus  works  the  "prince  of  the 
power  of  the  air,  the  Spirit  that  now  work- 
eth  in  the  children  of  disobedience,"  as  Paul 
says,  Eph.  2:  2;  as  may,  alas,  be  plainly 
seen  in  the  case  of  Gellius  Faber,  if  we  well 
consider  his  writings,  slanders,  bitter,  offens- 
ive words,  his  false  accusations,  his  vain 
boasting  and  gross  garbling,  and  judge 
them  according  to  the  Spirit  and  word  of 
the  Lord. 

Notwithstanding  that  it  is  well  known  to 
many  thousands  of  honest  and  reasonable 
people  (as  I  suppose)  that  we  seek  nothing 
else  upon  earth  but  that  we  may  in  our 
weakness,  willingly  walk  in  the  footsteps 
of  Christ,  in  obedience  to  his  word;  that  we 
may  again  light  the  extinguished  lamp  of 
truth,  may  call  many  unto  righteousness, 
and  that  we  may  save  our  souls  by  the  as- 
sistance and  grace  of  the  Lord,  on  which  ac- 
count we,  poor  ones  everywhere,  must  en- 
dure so  much  tribulation,  misery,  anxiety, 
cross  and  persecution ;  nevertheless,  the 
above  mentioned  Gellius,  who  in  this  case 
should  be  om-  assistant  and  fosterer  (for 
he  claims  to  be  a  servant  of  the  holy  word), 
still  increases  our  anxiety  and  sore  perse- 
cution, and  the  hatred  and  bitterness  against 
us,  by  his  unscriptural  arguments  and  hos- 
tility to  our  foundation  and  doctrine,  by 
his  covert,  malicious  complaints  to  the  mag- 
istracy, and  by  his  infamous  slanders  which 
he  publishes,  through  his  writings,  to  the 
world,  to  the  dishonor  of  God  and  his  holy 
word;  to  the  disgrace  of  all  the  pious;  to 
the  confirmation  of  his  own  condemnation, 
and  to  the  deceiving  of  the  simple.  There- 
fore, no  well-disposed  person  will  think 
hard  of  me,  that  I,  by  an  open  reply,  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  Spirit  and  word  of  my 
Lord,  defend,  to  the  best  of  my  ability,  the 
honor  of  God,  the  salvation  of  my  brethren, 
the  foundation  of  my  faith  and  the  praise 
of  Christ,  my  Lord,  whose  service  I  entered, 
unworthily,  by  his  grace  and  calling,  ac- 
cording to  his  divine  will. 

I  trust,  too,  with  the  gracious  help  of  God, 
that  I  shall  be  able  to  do  this  so  powerfully 
and  clearly,  with  so  many  plain  reasons 
and  Scriptures,  that  not  only  the  theologi- 
ans but  also  all  reasonable  and  impartial 
readers  and  hearers  will,  by  the  grace  of 
God,  clearly  understand  that  he  and  the 


P  E  E  r  A  C  B. 


preachers  of  his  class,  support  deceiving 
lies;  and  that  we,  through  the  grace  of  God, 
support  the  sure  foundation  of  truth.  I,  here- 
with, humbly  beseech  and  faithfully  admon- 
ish all  my  readers,  friends  and  enemies, 
that  they  will  attentively  read,  assiduously 
examine  and  judge  according  to  Scripture 
this  my  forced  reply  and  defense,  not  with 
partiality,  not  drowsily  and  spitefully  but 
with  care  and  impartiality.  This  matter  is 
of  like  importance  to  us  all,  namely,  the 
the  praise  of  God,  and  of  Clirist,  and  the 
salvation  of  our  poor  souls.  Let  none  im- 
agine that  he  is  not  accepted. 

There  is  but  one  road  and  gate  that  leads 
to  life,  which  is  a  strait  road.  Matt.  7:  13, 
also,  but  one  doctrine.  If  we  wish  to  enter 
with  Christ  into  the  kingdom  of  his  glory, 
we  must  all  walk  the  strait  way  and  enter 
in  at  the  narrow  gate  and  be  obedient  to 
his  word;  of  this  let  every  one  be  aware. 

Since,  then,  it  is  evident  that  Gellius,  and 
the  learned,  base  their  doctrines,  sacra- 
ments, &c.,  mainly  upon  human  wisdom, 
garbled  Scriptures,  upon  ideas  and  opin- 
ions; and  that  we  base  ours  upon  God's 
word;  that  he  and  his  followers  walk  upon 
the  broad  road,  and  that  our  followers  walk 
upon  the  strait  road;  that  he  is  not  perse- 
ciited,  but  does  persecute  by  his  writings; 


and,  on  the  other  hand,  that  we  are  perse- 
cuted and  do  not  retaliate;  therefore,  all 
right-minded  persons  must  admit  that  the 
truth  and  the  true  cluu-ch  is  not  with  them, 
but  with  us;  for  it  is  an  infallible  rule  as 
proven  by  the  word  of  God  and  the  exam- 
ple of  all  the  pious,  that  where  the  true 
chiu-ch  is,  there  also  are  and  necessarily 
must  be  the  saving  doctrine,  true  sacra- 
ments, unfeigned  love,  a  pious,  godly  life 
and  the  excommunion  or  separation  of  the 
impenitent  and  perverse,  according  to  the 
word  of  God;  as  may  be  clearly  educed, 
by  the  gi-ace  of  God,  from  the  following 
replication. 

I  would,  therefore,  earnestly  pray  all  the 
pious,  for  God's  sake,  that  they  would  as- 
sist me  by  their  ardent  prayers  to  the  Most 
High,  that  he  will  bestow  upon  me,  a  poor, 
weak  man,  together  with  my  beloved  breth- 
ren and  faithful  servants  in  the  Lord,  the 
gift  of  his  grace  and  the  power  of  his  wis- 
dom; so  that  we  may  silence  all  opponents, 
by  virtue  of  true  doctrine  and  an  unblam- 
able walk,  and  thus  maintain  to  the  end, 
the  house  of  our  God,  in  pure,  godly  zeal 
and  christian  love,  to  the  honor  and  praise 
of  his  great  name,  to  whom  be  praise  and 
the  eternal  kingdom,  Amen. 


REPLY  TO  A  PUBLICATION 


OF 


GELLIUS  FABER. 


Pure  and  dear  is  wisdom;  strong  and  powerful  is  truth;  simple  and  desirable 
is  righteousness;  happy  is  he  w7io  possesses  them,  for  his  heart  rejoices  in  the  Lord, 
Ms  mouth  speaks  what  is  right,  and  his  feet  are  iipon  the  way  of  peace. 


In  the  first  place,  Gellius  adduces  the  saying  of 
Christ,  as  a  -n-arning  to  all  his  readers,  where  he  speaks, 
"Beware  of  false  prophets,  who  come  to  you  in  sheep's 
clothing,  but  inwardly  they  are  rarening  wolves,"  Matt. 
7  :  15. 

Answer.  If  the  reader  can  rightly  distin- 
guish, according  to  the  Spu'it  and  word  of 
God,  between  the  nature  of  the  sheep  and 
the  wolves,  and  understands  what  this  sheep's 
clothing  means,  with  which  the  ravening 
wolves  are  covered,  then  the  saying  would, 
undoubtedly,  not  be  applied  to  ns,  but  to 
our  opponents;  for  in  what  kind  of  cloth- 
ing he  here  appears,  with  which  he  keeps 
the  simple  in  darkness  and  binds  their 
soiils  to  damnation,  will  be  plainly  and 
clearly  shown,  through  the  grace  of  God,  to 
all  the  pious  and  godly  readers,  in  the  fol- 
lowing reply,  if  they  compare  it  with  his 
writing. 

In  the  second  place  ho  adduces  Paul  and  says,  "  Now 
I  beseech  you,  brethren,  by  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  that  ye  all  speak  the  same  thing  and  that  there 
be  no  divisions  among  you ;  but  that  ye  be  perfectly 
joined  together  in  the  same  mind  and  in  the  same  judg- 
ment," 1  Cor.  1  :  10. 

Answer.  If  we  weU  consider  this  saying, 
we  wiU  find  that  it  admonishes  all  true 
christians  not  to  live  carnally  nor  to  be  sec- 
tarian; that  the  one  shall  not  boast  of  this 
and  another  of  that;  but  points  us  to  the 
only  and  true  Shepherd  and  Savior  of  our 


souls,  Jesus  Christ,  who  was  crucified  for  us 
and  in  whose  name  we  were  baptized;  all 
of  which  we,  in  our  weakness,  would  gladly 
and  earnestly  do,  by  the  grace  and  help  of 
God,  as  our  tribulation,  misery,  affliction, 
blood  and  death  abundantly  have  testified 
in  many  different  instances. 

But  Gellius  so  construes  it  as  to  keep  his 
readers  from  the  unity  of  the  Spirit,  word, 
house  and  body  of  Christ,  and  to  keep  them, 
through  his  deceitful  doctrine,  unscriptural 
infant-baptism,  &c.,  in  the  unity  of  the  spir- 
it, word,  house  and  body  of  anti-christ,  and 
undisturbedly  upon  the  broad  way. 

In  the  third  place,  Gellius  has  addressed  his  writing 
to  a  nobleman,  as  is  generally  customary  with  the  learn- 
ed ;  thinking,  perhaps,  that  by  this  means,  their  aim 
will  be  the  easier  attained,  through  the  favor  and  assisk- 
ance  of  such  high  oflBcials ;  something  which  the  pious 
testimonies,  prophets  and  teachers  of  God's  truth  and 
word,  especially  of  the  New  Testament  never  desired 
and  much  less  sought. 

In  the  fourth  place  Gellius  gives  his  two  principal 
reasons  why  he  has  published  his  writing.  The  first  is, 
he  says.  Because  I  see  that  these  anabaptists  are  daily 
coming  into  this  country,  secretly,  from  the  imperial  do- 
minion, where  they  do  and  can  do  the  most  damage,  and 
not  only  sow  here  anew,  their  pernicious  seed  by  hedge- 
preaching,  but  also  by  publications,  writings  and  pri- 
vate letters,  which  we  must  stop  and  silence  lest  the  un- 
wary be  deceived,  and  that  we  may  yet  redeem  some  of 
them  who  have  not  yet  become  slanderers,  &c. 

Ansicer.    These  very  offensive  words,  like 


8 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


anabaptists,  secretly  coming,  Tiedge-preach- 
ing,  pernicious  seed,  &c.,  alas,  plainly  show 
the  disposition  of  the  man  who  penned  them. 
Yes,  my  readers,  Gellius  knows  as  well 
as  I  do,  what  Christ  has  commanded  con- 
cerning baptism,  and  how  tlie  holy  apostles 
practiced  it.  Again,  that  Paul  rebaptized 
some  who  were  baptized  of  John  (although 
John's  baptism  was  from  Heaven)  only,  be- 
cause they  were  not  informed  concerning 
the  Holy  Ghost ;  that  the  worthy  martyr 
Cyprian  and  the  African  bishops,  together 
with  the  council  of  Nice,  did  not  acknowl- 
edge the  baptism  of  heretics,  as  baptism,  on 
account  of  their  being  outside  of  Christ's 
chui'ch,  and  without  his  Spirit  and  word. 

Notwithstanding  all  this,  we  must  be  call- 
ed anabaptists;  never  minding  that  we,  in 
our  infancy  were  baptized,  not  only  without 
the  Spirit,  faith,  word  or  divine  ordinance, 
but  also  without  all  reason  and  understand- 
ing, with  an  open,  anti-christian  baptism, 
by  such  as  he  and  the  learned  of  his  class 
themselves  call  anti-christians,  apostates, 
heretics  and  deceivers  who  neither  rightly 
understand  God  nor  his  word;  who  practice 
open  idolatry ;  who  bend  their  knees  before 
wood  and  stone ;  who  put  their  trust  in  idle 
doctrines  and  commands  of  men ;  who  unre- 
strainedly walk  according  to  the  lusts  of  the 
flesh,  and  who  worship  and  honor  a  creat- 
ure of  God,  namely,  a  piece  of  bread,  as 
the  only  and  eternal  Son  of  God. 

Although  we  have  before  us  as  a  pattern, 
Christ's  plain  word  and  the  salutary  doc- 
trine and  open  practice  of  the  apostles,  be- 
sides, Paul  and  both  the  councils,  as  heard; 
yet,  alas,  there  are  no  bounds  to  oifensive 
words,  such  as  anabaptists,  &c.,  which  Gel- 
lius uses  against  us. 

We  may  not  retaliate,  Rom.  12:  19,  else 
we  might  call  them  infant-baptists  with 
more  propriety  than  they  call  us  anabap- 
tists; for  we  have  the  wlxole  Scriptui-es  on 
our  side,  but  they  have  not  one  word  nor 
one  example.  But  his  saying  that  we  do 
and  can  do  most  damage  in  the  imperial 
dominion,  shows,  alas,  his  stupidity  and 
blindness. 

All  Scriptures  teach  us  that  idolaters  and 
carnally-minded  shall  die,  and  he  well 
knows  that  in  these  countries,  their  (the 
world's),  worship  is  nothing  less  than  open 


idolatry  and  gross  abomination  and  that 
their  life,  as  a  general  thing,  is  nothing  but 
a  reckless,  impenitent  and  carnal  life,  as  is 
the  case  at  Emden  and  everywhere.  Yet  he 
dares  to  write  that  there  they  do  most  dam- 
age. And  this  he  does  for  no  other  reason 
than  because  they  (the  pious)  storm  the 
kingdom  of  hell  with  the  Lord's  Spirit,  word 
and  power;  rebuke  open  idolatry ;  teach  the 
true  worship;  rightly  confess  Christ;  and 
because  they  point  out  the  true  way  to  this 
pen'erse,  impenitent  and  carnal  generation. 
If  this  is  damaging,  as  Gellius  calls  it,  then 
the  Scriptures  which  speak  so  over-much  of 
an  unblamable,  pious  life,  have  badly  de- 
ceived us;  this  you  must  admit.  O,  what 
a  wrong  judgment. 

Behold,  thus  does  the  god  of  this  world 
blind  such  rebellious  and  contentious  spirits, 
who  so  recklessly  contend  against  the  word 
of  God  and  who  do  not  obey  the  truth,  but 
obey  unrighteousness,  Rom.  2:  8,  that  they 
become  so  obdurate  and  perverse  that  they 
call  the  glorious  gain  in  Christ,  attained 
through  his  grace.  Spirit  and  power,  a  loss; 
and  call  good,  evil,  and  evil,  good;  woe  im- 
to  such,  Isaiah  5:  20. 

I  would  further  say,  that  he  also  says,  in 
other  places  that  we  are  the  only  ones  who 
obstruct  them  in  their  doctrine  of  impeni- 
tence and  offensiveness,  by  our  doctrine 
(which  is  not  ours  but  the  sound  doctrine  of 
Christ),  and  by  our  humble  and  unblamable 
walk  which  results  from  our  doctrine  through 
faith ;  and  that  we  are  thus  the  cause  of 
their  not  being  so  highly  esteemed  as  be- 
fore and  that  they  cannot  continue  in  their 
ways,  as  they  would  like  to  do ;  therefore, 
perhaps,  he  complains  that  we  do  most 
damage  there.  But  we  say.  It  is  because 
they  serve  the  world  under  the  semblance 
of  the  gospel,  only  from  carnal  motives ;  and 
flatter  the  rulers  that  they  may  aggrandize 
themselves  with  the  property,  church  and 
cloister,  which  was  intended  (though  wrong- 
fully), as  a  sacrifice  to  the  honor  of  God  and 
that  they  may  maintain  the  gospel  of  Christ 
by  force  of  arms;  because  they  flatter  the 
]Deople  with  the  idea  that  Christ  remitted 
our  sins;  that  faith  alone,  avails;  that  they 
are  poor,  weak  sinners  who  cannot  keep 
the  commandments  of  God,  and  other  like 
idle  consolations;  80  that  every  body  lives  ac- 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


9 


coi'ding  to  the  lusts  of  his  flesh,  singing  and  [ 
crying,  "  The  cord  is  loosed  and  we  are  free,"  \ 
and  turn  the  grace  of  God  into  unrighteous- , 
ness,  as  Jude  says,  1:4;  because  they  live  i 
in  the  old  state  of  sinfulness,  without  any 
fear  of  God,  as  if  they  never  in  their  lives  , 
heard  one  syllable  of  the  word  of  the  Lord,  j 
and  as  if  God  would  not  punish  ungodliness  : 
and  unrighteousness ;  therefore  the  just  Lord 
who  righteously  judges  all  things,  again 
takes  from  them  the  knowledge  which  they 
may  have  had,  because  of  their  ingratitude 
(for  they  only  teach  and  proclaim  the  gos- 
pel of  his  grace  according  to  the  lusts  of  the 
tiesh)  and  give  it  to  those  who  will  bring 
forth  fruit,  as  Christ  spoke  to  the  Pharisee, 
Matt.  21:  43. 

Again,  to  the  unreasonable  and  offensive 
word  "secretly  enter,"  I  reply  :  Moses  and 
Christ,  the  apostles  and  prophets,  as  also, 
natural  reason  unanimously  teach  us  that 
we  should  receive,  comfort,  help,  assist  and 
serve  the  miserable,  afHicted  and  needy  stran- 
ger ;  and  it  is  a  fact  well  known  to  Gellius 
that  these  poor  children  whom  he  afflicts, 
have  fled  in  unfeigned  fear  of  their  God  to 
a  foreign  country  for  protection,  with  their 
weak  women  and  little  children,  to  escape 
the  bloody  tyrannical  sword;  not  on  account 
of  crime  or  roguery,  but  on  account  of  the 
testimony  of  God  and  their  consciences; 
even  as  the  pursued  doves  flee  from  the  bird 
of  prey ;  and  that  we,  through  the  grace  of 
God  place  ourselves  under  the  protection  of 
this  or  that  merciful  and  kind-hearted  ruler; 
and  although  they,  for  the  sake  of  divine 
truth,  are  bereft  of  their  native  country,  pos- 
sessions and  earthly  comforts,  yet  they  can, 
through  God's  grace,  reasonably  support 
themselves,  as  is  promised  in  Scripture. 
If  he  were,  in  fact,  what  he  boasts  to  be, 
namely,  a  preacher  of  the  holy  word,  then 
his  inmost  soul  would  be  moved  to  compas- 
sion towards  these  afflicted  orplians  and 
innocent  hearts ;  he  would  be  kind  to  them 
and  assist  them  as  much  as  is  in  his  power; 
he  would  intercede  for  them  before  the  mag- 
istracy, since  he  may  observe  in  them  such 
a  moving  spirit  and  ardent  zeal,  that  they 
stake  their  possessions  and  blood  to  the 
praise  of  their  God,  as  may  be  openly  wit- 
nessed. But,  now,  this  misery  and  sore  af- 
fliction namely,  the  flight  from  the  gaping 
88 


lion's  mouth  and  from  fire  and  sword,  into 
more  merciful  countries,  must  be  called  by 
him  "secretly  entering."  O,  Lord! 

What  kind  of  a  preacher  and  christian  he 
is;  how  he  acts  according  to  love;  and  how 
he  walks  according  to  the  word  of  the  Lord 
in  this  respect,  all  reasonable  persons  who 
are  not  more  than  half  blind  may  judge 
from  these,  his  writings  together  with  his  dai- 
ly cries  of  the  same  kind.  To  the  slanderous 
sentence  " sowing  pernicious  seed,"  I  reply: 
Every  seed  bringeth  forth  fruit  after  its  own 
kind.  Gen.  1:  11. 

My  dear  reader  take  heed  to  what  I 
write.  God's  word,  on  every  hand,  requires 
a  pure  heart,  a  new  mind  and  a  penitent, 
christian  life,  dead  imto  sin.  John  the  Bap- 
tist says,  "Bring  forth  therefore  fruits  meet 
for  repentance,"  Jesus  says,  "Repent,  for 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at  hand,"  Matt. 
3:8;  4:  17.  Again,  I  am  come  to  call  sin- 
ners to  repentance.  Matt.  9:  13,  and  many 
other  Scriptures  of  the  kind  might  be  ad- 
duced. 

Inasmuch,  then,  that  the  Scriptiu-es,  on 
every  hand,  require  of  us  true  repentance, 
and  that  also  the  sacramental  signs,  as 
baptism  and  Holy  Supper  signify,  represent 
and  teach  to  all  true  christian  believers  a 
jDenitent,  unblamable  life ;  and  since,  ac- 
cording to  the  tenor  of  the  Scriptures,  no 
one  can  be  a  true  christian  without  true  re- 
pentance and  that  every  kind  of  seed  brings 
forth  fruit  after  its  own  kind,  as  ah-eady 
said,  namely,  lies,  childi-en  of  lies,  and 
truth,  children  of  truth;  and  since  it  is  a 
fact  well  known  to  many  reasonable  per- 
sons that  God  has,  through  us  and  our  fel- 
low-seiTants,  in  his  great  power  and  infi- 
nite grace,  turned  imto  the  true  and  living 
God,  many  a  proud,  avaricious,  unchaste, 
cruel,  lying,  carnal  and  idolatrous  heart 
and  has  so  humbled,  moved,  renewed  and 
changed  them  that  tliey  would  rather  die 
than  act  hypocritically,  or  willingly  speak 
or  countenance  any  falsehood  against  the 
well  being  of  their  neighbors,  as  is  testified 
in  oiu"  Netherlands  by  the  precious  blood 
of  so  many  pious  saints.  And  since  the 
fruits  of  Gellius'  seed,  that  is,  his  followers, 
remain  so  entirely  impenitent  in  their  lives 
and  unchanged  in  their  hearts  that  they  live 
in  pomp  and  splendor,  go  attired  in  silk 


10 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


and  velvet  and  are  decked  with  gold  and 
silver ;  live  in  all  manner  of  nnrigliteous- 
ness,  avarice,  caroiising,  hatred  and  envy; 
in  short,  live  according  to  the  lusts  of  the 
flesh,  and  would,  for  the  sake  of  a  penny, 
falsely  swear  by  the  Lord  or  by  their  soul, 
&c. ;  therefore  we  will  let  all  reasonable  and 
intelligent  persons  judge  who  of  us  bring 
forth  bad  fruits,  Gellius  and  his  followers, 
or  we  and  and  our  followers.  Whoever  sin- 
cerely seeks  and  loves  the  truth,  read  and 
ponder. 

O,  dear  Lord!  thus  thy  holy  and  precious 
wordi'the  word  of  thy  grace,  the  word  of 
thy  love,  by  the  power  and  grace  of  which 
we  will  live  eternally  with  thee,  is  called  by 
this  man  and  by  4thers  also,  deceit  and 
pernicious  seed;  and  their  open  lies,  obvi- 
ous error  and  unreasonable  adulteration  of 
Scripture,  of  which  more  will  be  said  here- 
after, is  called  the  true  doctrine  of  Christ 
and  the  holy  word  of  God.  If  it  be  wilful 
slander  and  perverseness,  then,  alas,  it  is 
too  bad.  But  if  it  be  ignorant  blindness  or 
misconception,  then,  the  gracious  Father 
grant  them  eyes  to  see.  This  is  my  sincere 
wish,  as  the  Lord  knows. 

Again,  he  writes,  "that  we  sow  anew  our 
pernicious  seed,  not  only  by  hedge-preach- 
ing, but  also  hy  publications,  letters  &c. 
To  this  I  reply  with  holy  David:  We  be- 
lieve, therefore  we  speak,  and  must  suffer 
tribulation.  For  since  God,  the  merciful 
Father,  has  given  us,  poor  creatures,  the 
Spirit  of  faith  and  bestowed  upon  us  the 
Spirit  of  his  love  from  on  high,  through  his 
Son  Jesus  Christ,  and  has  besprinkled  our 
hearts  with  the  heavenly  dew  of  his  love, 
has  opened  unto  us  the  seven  seals  of  the 
book  of  his  knowledge;  has  disclosed  unto 
us  the  mysteiy  of  his  divine  word  and 
pleasure;  has  awakened  us  from  the  dead 
and  given  us  life,  a  new  heart,  mind  and 
disposition,  and  has  nourished  us  with  the 
bread  of  life,  so  that  we,  through  his  grace, 
have  found  the  beautiful  pearl,  the  precious 
treasure  and  eternal  peace,  which  we  could 
not  possibly  acquire  through  the  deceiving 
doctrine,  subtle  sophistry  and  false  conso- 
lations of  the  learned;  therefore  we  would  I 
teach,  proclaim  and  imprint  on  the  hearts 
of  all  mankind,  to  the  best  of  our  ability, 
this  manifest  grace  of  his  gi-eat  love  toward 


us,  that  they  may  enjoy  with  us  the  same 
joy  and  renewal  of  spirit,  and  know  and 
taste  with  all  saints  how  sweet,  good  and 
kind  the  Lord  is  to  whom  we  have  turned. 

We  preach,  therefore,  as  much  as  is  in 
our  power,  both  day  and  night,  in  houses 
and  in  the  open  air,  in  forests  and  in  wil- 
dernesses, hither  and  thither,  in  this  and  in 
foreign  lands,  in  prisons  and  in  dungeons, 
in  water  and  in  Are,  on  the  scaffold  and  on 
the  wheel,  before  lords  and  princes,  orally 
and  by  writings  at  the  risk  of  possessions 
and  blood,  life  and  death;  as  we  have  done 
these  many  years ;  and  are  not  ashamed  of 
the  gospel  of  the  glory  of  Christ,  Rom.  1:16; 
for  we  are  a  living  fruit,  and  strongly  feel 
the  moving  power  in  our  hearts,  as  may  be 
seen  in  many  instances  by  the  commend- 
able submissiveness  and  willing  sacrifices 
of  our  faithful  brethren  and  joint-heirs  in 
Christ  Jesus. 

We  would  save  all  mankind  from  the 
jaws  of  hell;  deliver  them  from  the  chains 
of  their  sins,  and  by  tlie  gracious  help  of 
God,  win  them  to  Christ  by  the  gospel  of 
his  peace;  for  this  is  the  true  nature  of  the 
love  which  is  of  God. 

He  then  accuses  us  of  preaching  at  night, 
and  says  in  another  place  "That  we  secretl}^ 
enter  into  cities  and  towns,  from  fear  of  the 
cross;  that  we  sit  with  closed  doors  to  treat 
with  the  simple ;  not  to  convert  them  to  true 
clu-istianity  but  to  convert  them  to  anabap- 
tism,"  &c.  To  which  I  rej)ly  in  the  first 
place:  It  is  true  that  we  sometimes  have  to 
serve  the  Lord  and  preach  his  word  at  night 
(in  the  dead  of  night),  but  I  fear  that  Gellius 
and  the  learned  are  the  principal  cause  of 
this.  For  they  have  so  embittered  and  still 
embitter  all  lords,  princes,  rulers  and  mag- 
istrates against  us  by  their  fiendish,  unmer- 
ited upbraiding,  slandering  and  defaming 
that  we  cannot,  alas,  so  much  move  them, 
with  Scripture,  supplications,  tears,  misery, 
tribulation,  loss  of  possessions,  blood  or 
life,  that  we  can  safely  go  about,  verbal- 
ly to  defend  the  word  of  God,  before  these 
open  enemies  of  the  cross  of  Christ  and  of 
wholesome  truth;  but  we  must  (understand, 
we  teachers)  everywhere  conceal  ourselves 
in  shops  and  retired  places  to  escape  the- 
persecutors  and  blood-thirsty,  if  we  do  not 
wish  to  be,  at  once,  torn  up  and  devoured 


REPLY  TO   GELLIUS  FABER. 


11 


by  the  terrible  beasts  which  arise  from  the 
sea. 

Beloved  readers,  obseiTe  well  what  I 
wi'ite.  Gelliiis  accuses  us  of  "preaching  at 
night."  It  was  in  the  year  1543,  if  my  mem- 
ory serves  me  right,  that  a  decree  was  read 
throughotit  West  Friesland,  "That  crimi- 
nals and  even  manslayers  were  promised 
pardon,  imperial  grace,  freedom  of  country 
(in  those  times  banishing  was  in  vogue),  and 
besides  one  hundred  carl-guilders,  if  they 
would  betray  me  and  deliver  me  into  the 
hands  of  the  executioner." 

About  the  year  1589,  a  husbandman,  who 
was  a  very  pious  man,  named  Tjaert  Reyn- 
dertz,  was  seized  in  my  stead,  because,  out 
of  pity  and  compassion,  he  concealed  me  in 
his  house  while  I  was  hotly  piu'sued;  and 
was  a  few  days  thereafter,  put  on  the  wheel, 
after  a  free  confession  of  faith,  as  a  valiant 
soldier  of  Christ,  after  the  example  of  his 
Lord;  although  his  enemies,  even,  acknowl- 
edged that  he  was  an  unblamable,  pious 
man. 

Also,  in  1546,  at  a  place  where  they  boast- 
ed of  the  word,  four  houses  were  at  once 
confiscated,  because  the  owner  had  rented 
one  of  them  for  a  short  time,  to  my  sick  wife 
and  little  ones ;  although  the  neighbors  were 
not  aware  of  their  presence. 

What  decrees  have  been  issued  against 
some  of  us,  and  what  rewards  have  been  of- 
fered for  our  apprehension,  in  different  do- 
minions and  cities ;  what  imperial  man- 
dates and  Roman  condemnations  have  "been 
resolved  against  us ;  and  how  we  are  treated 
on  every  hand,  is  well  known  to  Gellius  and 
to  the  preachers  of  his  class.  That  they  are 
the  very  cause  and  the  authors  of  these 
things,  I  unreservedly  write  and  testify  with- 
out fear.  Behold,  thus  they  hate  all  those 
who  rightly  teach  God's  word. 

IN^otwithstandiug  this,  Gellius  and  others 
are  not  ashamed  to  say,  "That  we,  out  of 
fear  of  the  cross,  secretly  enter  cities  and 
towns,  sit  with  closed  doors,"  &c.,  as  if  we 
were  stones,  and  blocks  of  wood,  which  nei- 
ther do  nor  can  fear  any  deathly  evils; 
while  he  and  his,  well  know  that" the  chosen 
men  of  God,  Abraham,  Isaac,  Jacob,  Moses, 
and  Aaron,  besides  the  prophets  and  apos- 
tles, nay,  even  Christ  himself,  so  feared  to 
die  that  they  sometimes  took  to  flight. 


In  the  second  place,  I  say,  that  so  long  as 
I,  poor  weak  man,  have  served  the^pious 
with  my  small  talent,  I  have  taught  more, 
by  far,  in  day-time  than  at  night.  The  Lord 
is  my  witness  that  I  write  the  truth  Yet  we 
must  be  upbraided  by  these  perverse  people 
as  night  and  hedge-preachers,  as  if  the  word 
of  God  could  not  be  taught  any  where  but 
in  their  houses  of  abomination  (who  know 
not  the  Scriptures),  and  as  if  God  was  not  a 
God  of  the  night  as  well  as  of  the  day.  O, 
perverseness. 

Say,  reader,  was  not  the  night  pure  unto 
faithful  Moses,  and  all  Israel  to  eat  the 
passover  ?  Exodus  12  :  3—8.  Did  Christ 
think  it  wrong  to  exhort  Nicodemus  at  night? 
John  3:  2.  Did  he  not  pai-take,  with  his  dis- 
cii)les,  of  the  Holy  Supper,  at  night,  just  be- 
fore his  suflering.  Matt.  26:  26;  Luke  22: 19; 
1  Cor.  11 :  23.  Did  not  the  church  assemble 
at  night,  when  Peter  was  delivered  from  the 
hands  of  the  tyi-ant  by  the  aid  of  an  angel, 
out  of  fear  of  Herod  and  the  Jews?  Acts  12: 
7.  Did  not  holy  Paul  at  night  preach  the 
word  in  an  upper  chamber  at  Troas,  and 
break  the  Lord's  bread  with  the  disciples, 
just  before  his  leaving?  Acts  20:  7.  Did  not 
the  saints  of  the  primitive  church  sometimes 
meet  at  night  to  break  the  Lord's  bread  and 
drink  the  holy  cup?  for  which  they  were  sus- 
picioned  and  had  to  hear  and  bear  many 
hard  names.  Does  not  Hilarius  write,  that 
the  apostles  met  in  halls  and  retired  places, 
and  that  they  traveled  through  many  coun- 
tries and  nations,  by  water  and  by  land, 
against  the  prohibitions  and  decrees  of  the 
rulers. 

Behold,  my  readers,  whether  that  which 
was  allowable  and  free  to  Moses,  Israel, 
Christ,  the  apostles  and  to  the  primitive 
churches,  namely,  the  service  and  preaching 
of  the  word  of  God  at  night,  is  free  to  us  or 
not,  especially  in  these  critical  times  of  tyr- 
anny, we  will  let  the  intelligent  reader  judge 
according  to  Scripture,  in  the  fear  of  his 
God. 

O  Lord!  thus  they  (the  world)  seek  causes, 
encumbrances  and  complaints  to  offend  thy 
poor  children  more  and  more  and  to  bui'den 
them  with  the  cross,  that  they  may  perse- 
cute and  kill  them,  in  semblance  of  justice; 
for  they  are  an  obstacle  to  their  works  and 
a  smarting  to  their  eyes. 


12 


REPLY  TO   GELLIUS  FABER. 


In  the  third  plaoe  I  say,  that  I  have  here- 
tofore twice  offered  publicly  to  treat  with 
them  on  Scripture,  under  safe  conduct,  be- 
fore twenty  or  thirty  witnesses  or  before  a 
full  meeting.  But  what  kind  of  answer  I 
received,  their  message,  which  I  yet  possess, 
testifies.  Afterwards,  in  the  memorable 
times  of  bishop  Herman,  Elector  of  Ceulen, 
at  their  own  request,  I  offered  this  same 
thing  again  to  the  learned  men  of  Bon,  but 
my  offer  was  rejected,  on  account  of  these 
kind  gentlemen  being  dissuaded  by  John 
A'Lasco  and  A.  H.;  by  their  accusing  me  of 
three  falsehoods,  such  as  I  never  thought  of 
and  much  less  said  or  advised,  and  which  I, 
for  good  reasons  will  not  now  touch  upon, 
for  all  of  which  I  have  the  testimony  of  a 
manuscript  of  a  preacher,  named  Henricus. 
But  what  their  intentions  were,  in  regard  to 
this  matter,  I  will  leave  to  him  who  knows 
all  things.  Also,  the  preachers  of  Wesel, 
in  the  land  of  Kleef,  pretended  that  they 
would  furnish  me  safe  conduct  and  treat 
with  me,  &c. ;  but  when  I  signiiied  my  will- 
ingness, in  writing,  I  received  an  answer 
that  they  would  let  the  executioner  treat 
with  me;  and  other  tyrannical  and  unchris- 
tian words. 

I  will  yet  speak  of  what  I  asked  in  my 
"Foundation;"  in  the  "Preface  to  the  Twen- 
ty-fifth Psalm,"  many  years  ago;  also  in 
my  "Excuse,"  in  the  " Supplication  to  the 
Magistracy,"  and  also  in  my  "Message  to 
the  Learned  and  Preachers  of  the  German 
Nations,"  who  boast  of  the  word,  concern- 
ing a  fi'ee  Treatise  on  Scrij^ture,  published 
in  the  year  1552.  And  I  am  still  willing 
and  prepared,  at  all  times,  so  long  as  breath 
remains  in  me,  or  my  intellect  does  not 
fail  me,  and  so  long  as  I  can  sit  on  a 
wagon  or  lay  in  a  ship,  to  appear  before 
Gellius,  or  anybody  else,  verbally  to  defend 
the  foundation  of  our  faith  and  to  testi- 
fy to  the  truth  of  Jesus  Christ,  if  I  can  do 
so  in  safety,  in  good,  christian  faith  and 
in  sincerity  of  heart,  to  the  praise  of  our 
God,  to  the  extension  of  his  church,  to  the 
promulgation  of  his  holy  word  and  to  the 
salvation  of  our  neighbors.  This  is  the  main 
desire  of  my  heart,  that  I  may  preach  and 
promulgate  his  great,  adorable  name,  teach 
his  word,  seek  his  gain  and  honor  and  ex- 


alt and  defend  his  praise,  to  the  best  of  my 
humble  ability. 

Since  it  is  manifest  that  the  world  is,  un- 
justly, so  embittered  against  us,  that  we 
are,  alas,  not  suffered  to  be  heard  or  seen; 
and  that  many  an  innocent,  pious  sheep, 
who  is  not  a  teacher,  is  sent  hither  and 
thither  to  be  slaughtered  by  the  sword,  wa- 
ter or  fire,  without  any  mercy;  and  that  we, 
miserable  teachers,  are  not  allowed  to  live 
in  safety,  any  where  under  the  broad  can- 
opy of  heaven,  not  even  in  a  pig-sty  (so  to 
speak),  if  known;  but  that  we,  through  open 
mandates,  are  already  judged  before  we  are 
delivered,  and  condemned  before  we  are 
seized;  something  which  never,  as  far  as  we 
know,  transpired  since  the  apostolic  times; 
therefore,  I  pray  all  my  readers,  for  God's 
sake,  that  they  will,  in  the  fear  of  God, 
thoughtfully  consider  what  gross  injustice 
Gellius  and  his  followers  have  done  us,  by 
the  use  of  such  wrong  and  bitter  words,  as 
niglit-preaclting,  Tiedge-preacliing,  conspir- 
acy, secretly  entering,  &c.,  when  we  neither 
can  nor  dare  do  otherwise,  as  is  well  known. 
Besides,  we  have  on  our  side  Moses  and 
Christ,  the  apostles  and  also  the  example 
of  the  primitive  church ;  who  served  the 
Lord  at  night  as  well  as  in  day  time,  as  has 
been  already  heard;  and  we  are  also  pre- 
pared, at  all  times,  to  render  an  account  of 
our  faith  and  to  defend  the  truth;  if  we  can 
do  so  in  good,  christian  faith,  without  de- 
ceit and  shedding  of  blood,  as  has  been  al- 
ready said. 

I  say  further:  It  is  by  far  more  praise- 
worthy to  teach  the  genuine,  saving  truth, 
at  night,  in  a  secret  corner,  when  we  can  not 
openly  meet  in  day-time,  than  to  proclaim, 
in  day-time,  deceiving  lies  and  a  powerless 
doctrine  of  impenitence,  from  the  pulpit; 
as  has,  alas,  been  openly  done  these  many 
years  before  the  whole  world;  this  must  be 
acknowledged  and  admitted;  for  the  disor- 
derly state  of  affairs  and  the  impenitent  life 
of  this  generation  testify  to  it. 

At  his  saying,  that  we  should  be  stopped 
and  silenced,  lest  we  deceive  the  unwary 
(single)  as  he  calls  them,  I  reply:  A  better 
and  surer  way  than  the  one  we  have  by  the 
grace  of  God,  nobody  can  point  out;  of  this 
we  are  convinced  from  the  inmost  of  our 
soul.    For  we  acknowledge  and  feel  that  we 


REPLY  TO   GELLIUS   FABER. 


18 


have  the  word  of  God.  Nevertheless,  -we 
will  always  freely  accept,  and  willingly  fol- 
low the  instruction  of  any  pious  person, 
who  can,  in  the  fear  of  God,  convince  us  by 
the  Spirit,  word,  example,  commands,  ordi- 
nances, prohibitions  and  usages  of  the  Lord, 
and  not  by  tyranny  and  violence,  and  point 
out  any  thing  that  would  be  more  useful 
and  better;  to  greater  honor  to  God,  or  more 
to  the  edification  of  his  church,  than  we 
have  followed  and  confessed  during  several 
years  of  manifest  truth,  and  to  which  we 
have  unwaveringly  testified  in  so  exceeding- 
ly much  anxiety,  misery,  tribulation  and 
persecution.  For  all  things  in  Christ's  church 
that  shall  avail  and  stand  before  his  throne 
must  be  judged  by  the  Spirit,  word,  exam- 
ple, commands,  ordinances,  prohibitions 
and  usages  of  the  Lord.  I  trast  that  those 
who  seek  and  sincerely  fear  the  Lord,  will 
agi'ee  with  me  in  this  respect. 

But  with  this  writing  of  Gellius  he  will, 
surely,  not  convince  us ;  for  it  is  full  of 
brawling,  profanity,  defamation,  false  ac- 
cusations, tyranny,  sophistry,  A^Tong  ex- 
planations andfalsedoctrines  (if  I  am  wrong, 
rebuke  me) ;  so  that  it  does  not  silence  the 
pious,  as  was  his  intention,  but  makes  them 
still  more  active ;  and  it  will  be  the  cause  of 
strengthening  salutary  doctrine  and  truth, 
and  thus  be  the  cause  of  his  loss  where  he 
intended  to  make  gain.  For  I  trust,  when 
both  our  writings  are  compared  one  with 
another,  that,  through  the  grace  of  God,  a 
glorious,  clear  light  will  be  thrown  on  the 
church  of  Christ;  while  it  will  expose  to  the 
plain  and  humble  whom  he  intends,  by  it, 
to  dissuade  from  our  doctrine  wliat  liis  own 
nature,  works,  writings  and  fruits  are,  and, 
by  comparing  them  to  Christ's  plain  word, 
Spirit,  example,  ordinances  and  usages 
prove  to  them  how  earthly  and  carnal-mind- 
ed he  and  his  are;  how  he  exercises  his  pro- 
fession; what  he  seeks;  what  are  the  fruits 
of  his  doctrine;  what  sacraments  he  uses; 
what  ban  he  practices,  and  what  kind  of 
church  he  holds  to,  &c. 

I  would,  therefore,  faithfully  admonish 
and  pray  him,  not  to  undertake  more  than 
lie  can  accomplish ;  and  not  to  kick  against 
the  pricks.  Acts  9 :  5,  for  it  will  not  avail 
him.  But  he  should  remember  that  many 
a  learned  man  (not  that  I  esteem  learning, 


if  at  all  opposed  to  Christ),  in  past  times  as 
well  as  at  present,  has  industriously  tried 
it,  as  he  now  does;  but  what  has  been  ac- 
complished by  it,  the  fruits  openly  testify. 
For  some  of  them  have  become  such  zealots 
against  us  that  they  have  made  themselves 
guilty  of  innocent  blood;  they  have  gross- 
ly offended  and  condemned  to  the  judgment 
of  the  devil,  so  many  pious  and  faithful 
hearts,  who,  through  fear  and  love  of  their 
God,  dared  not  walk  with  them  on  the  broad 
road;  have,  besides,  written  and  contended 
so  much  for  the  unity  of  their  churches,  that 
they  have  brought  the  poor,  reckless  peo- 
ple to  such  a  disorderly  and  wild  state,  that 
they,  generally  speaking,  lead  such  a  fruit- 
less, impenitent  life  that  it  seems  as  if  never 
prophetic  or  apostolic  doctrine  had  been 
taught,  and  as  if  never  Christ  nor  the  holy 
Spirit  had  appeared  on  earth. 

Had  they,  now,  wisely,  obediently  and 
humbly  comprehended,  listened  to  and  fol- 
lowed the  word  and  ordinance  of  the  Lord, 
the  usage  and  example  of  the  apostles;  had 
they  sincerely  feared  their  God;  had  they 
not  acted  hypocritically  with  lords  and 
princes,  and  the  world  in  general ;  but 
taught  the  doctrine  in  true  zeal  without 
any  respect  of  persons  or  favors ;  had 
they  faithfully,  unto  death,  rebuked  the 
sins  of  all  mankind,  of  high  and  low  sta- 
tion alike,  with  doctrine  and  with  life;  had 
they  unwaveringly  served  God  and  obedi- 
ently proclaimed  the  gospel,  in  such  a  man- 
ner as  to  have  assembled  and  built  up  unto 
the  Lord  a  truly,  penitent  people,  that  is,  a 
true  church,  according  to  the  example  of 
the  apostles;  had  they  not  sought  their  own 
gain  and  ease  ;  and  had  they  also  not 
abused  and  slandered  the  pious  and  godly, 
by  their  crying  and  writing ;  then  the  pre- 
cious word,  Christ's  glorious  gospel  of  gi-ace 
never  would  have  been  profaned  so  light- 
mindedly ;  nor  would  this  poor,  unwary 
people  have  been  degenerated  into  this  wild 
and  reckless  state,  as,  alas,  may  now  be 
witnessed  in  all  parts  of  the  world. 

Thus,  I  fear,  it  will  be  with  Gellius;  for 
of  what  use  his  preaching  and  clmrch-sei-vice 
havebeen  these  many  years,  toward  bringing 
about  a  pious,  penitent  life  in  the  fear  of 
God,  I  will  let  the  world  jiidge  by  his  dis^ 
ciples,  who  are  the  fruit  of  his  seed, 


14 


EEPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABEE. 


O,  that  he  would  take  heed,  and  not  break 
God's  holy  and  precious  word ;  that  he 
would  not  slander  the  luous  and  godly,  who 
testify  to  it  with  their  heart,  mouth,  life  and 
death;  that  he  would  learn  to  know  his  own 
envious,  impure  and  bitter  heart;  his  de- 
ceiving, inconsistent  and  infamous  doctrine, 
and  his  selfish,  ambitious  flesh;  and  would 
humble  liimseK  under  the  mighty  hand  of 
God,  as  the  Scriptures  teach  us  to  do,  for 
then  he  might  yet  be  saved.  But  as  it  is,  I 
fear  that  his  brawling,  slandering  and  con- 
demning of  all  the  pious ;  together  with  his 
seeking  after  improper  gain,  favor  and  hon- 
or of  men  and  the  desire  of  an  easy,  care- 
less life,  will  so  entirely  close  his  heart  and 
bewilder  his  senses,  that  he  will  not  ac- 
knowledge or  desire  the  glorious  brightness 
of  Christ,  nor  the  wisdom  which  is  of  God. 
God  grant  that  my  apprehension  be  not 
realized,  and  that  he  may  yet  receive  grace; 
this  is  my  sincere  wish  toward  him  and  all 
of  our  opponents.  Amen. 

Gellius  says  further,  that  he  has  published  liis  writ- 
ing for  the  purpose  of  redeeming  some  of  our  followers, 
who  have  not  yet  become  slanderers;  and  he  says  also, 
that  some  have  been  redeemed  through  their  faithful 
services,  who  now,  with  united  hearts  and  spirits  adore, 
praise  and  thank  their  Lord  andGod,  at  the  public  meet- 
ings of  the  church  of  God  and  Christ  (these  are  his 
words),  because  they  have  been  delivered  from  death 
and  damnation,  and  now  feel  a  delight  in  Christ,  and 
penitence  and  peace  in  their  hearts. 

Answer.  If  we,  in  true,  christian  zeal  and 
imfeigned  love,  rebuke  or  reprove  their  false 
doctrine,  deceiving,  unscriptural  sacraments 
and  their  reckless,  carnal  life,  with  the  Spir- 
it, word  and  life  of  Christ,  and  point  them 
to  the  glorious  example  of  the  prophets,  of 
the  apostles,  of  Christ  and  of  all  the  true 
servants  of  God,  he  calls  us  slanderers. 
From  tliis  it  may  be  observed  that  our  work 
of  love  is  ever  interpreted  to  the  contrary. 
For  if  we  write  or  speak  mournfully,  it  is 
called  sighing  and  gToaning,  if  we  reprove 
sharply,  it  is  called  brawling  and  slander- 
ing. If  we  pipe,  they  dance  not ;  if  we  mourn, 
they  lament  not,  as  Christ  says.  Matt.  11 : 
17.  It  is  wrongly  spoken,  whatever  we  say 
to  the  perverse.  Although  they  commit 
abomination,  yet  they  are  not  ashamed, 
neither  do  they  blush,  Jeremiah  8:  12. 

If  the  reproof  of  open  sin,  in  true,  chris- 
tian love,  according  to  the  word  of  God,  is 


slander,  as  Gellius  calls  it,  then  all  the 
saints  of  God,  the  apostles  and  prophets, 
as  also  Jesus  Christ  himself  were  slander- 
ers; this  is  incontrovertible;  for  they  called 
the  false  prophets  and  preachers,  false 
teachers,  deceivers,  dimib  dogs,  blind  guides, 
hypocrites,  thieves,  miuxlerers,  wolves,  cun- 
ning devisers,  enemies  of  the  cross,  servants 
of  their  bellies,  children  of  damnation,  dry 
clouds,  dead  trees,  locusts,  &c.,  before  the 
whole  world.  But  no.  To  openly  reprove 
deceit,  transgressions,  blasphemy  of  God  or 
his  word  and  sin  in  general  is  not  slander- 
ing, as  Gellius,  through  perverseness  of 
heart,  pronounces  it  against  the  innocent; 
but  it  is  the  fruit  of  the  faithful  love  of  those 
who  would  oppose  evil  and  do  good  unto 
all.  I  will  leave  it  to  the  judgment  of  all 
pious  and  reasonable  persons,  if  he  is  not 
a  profaner  of  the  chui'ch,  a  brawler  and  a 
slanderer,  and  guilty  of  innocent  blood,  who 
calls  the  church  of  God  a  conspiracy;  the 
regenerated  children  of  God,  ajjostatical 
anabaptists;  the  salutary  doctrine  of  Christ, 
sectarianism  and  fanaticism;  who  slanders 
and  condemns  the  baptism  which  Chiist  com- 
manded, and  the  apostles  taught  and  prac- 
ticed, as  being  a  heresy;  and  falsely  main- 
tains and  practices  on  the  poor,  ignorant 
people,  tlie  baptism  of  anti-christ,  with 
many  high-sounding  words  and  phrases? 
Who  promises  grace  and  peace  to  the 
proud,  obdiu'ate,  avaricious,  carnal  and 
impenitent  boaster,  whom  all  Scriptures 
judge  unto  death;  because  he  can,  in  appear- 
ance talk  of  the  Scriptures,  although  with- 
out Spirit,  power  or  change  of  heart;  who, 
without  just  cause,  maliciously  slander, 
falsely  suspicions,  and  unjustly  condemns, 
the  poor  orphans  and  afflicted  christians 
who  sincerely  seek  and  fear  the  Lord;  and 
thus  delivers  them  to  the  magistracy  to  be 
put  in  dungeons,  and  to  the  executioner  to 
be  killed. 

But  as  to  his  boasting,  that  some  of  our 
brethren  have  again  associated  with  them, 
and  thus  others  may  be  yet  redeemed  by 
his  vFriting,  &c.  I  answer,  in  the  first  place: 
Christ  says,  "Wide  is  the  gate  and  broad 
is  the  way  that  leadeth  to  destruction,  and 
many  there  be  which  go  in  thereat;  because 
strait  is  the  gate,  and  naiTow  is  the  way 
which  leadeth  unto  life,  and  few  there  be 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


15 


that  find  it,"  Matt.  7:  13,  14.  My  readers, 
observe  that  all  who  wish  to  leave  the  broad 
way  and  enter  upon  the  narrow  one,  must 
enter  in  at  the  strait  gate,  must  forsake 
themselves,  take  iip  the  cross  and  follow 
Christ  Jesus ;  must  become  regenerated 
christians,  dead  unto  sin  ;  must  crucify 
their  flesh  and  subdue  their  lusts  ;  must 
give  up,  through  the  power  of  faith  all  vis- 
ible and  perishable  things,  as  gold,  silver, 
home  and  goods,  nay,  wife  and  children; 
together  with  all  they  are  and  have,  for  the 
victory  of  Christ,  if  circumstances  and  the 
honor  of  Christ  require  it ;  they  must  be 
prepared  to  endure  disgrace,  hunger,  mis- 
ery, pillage,  persecution,  bonds  and  death, 
for  the  sake  of  the  testimony  of  God  and 
their  consciences,  and  must  adliere  to  the 
word  of  God,  by  watching  and  praying; 
for  all  those  who  are  yet  laden  witli  the 
burden  of  unrighteousness  and  an  evil  con- 
science, as  with  avarice,  ungodly  desires, 
the  works  of  the  flesh,  &c. ;  or  who  feel  at 
all  doubtful  concerning  the  word  and  prom- 
ises of  the  Lord  cannot  enter  in  at  the  nar- 
row way  and  strait  gate.  Let  every  one  be 
aware  of  this. 

In  the  second  place  I  say,  that  the  edifi- 
cation and  faith  of  the  true  christians  is 
tempted  in  many  and  various  ways,  as  both 
Scriptures  and  experience  clearly  teach  and 
testify.  Now  they  are  tempted  by  flesh  and 
blood,  which  never  is  at  rest,  then  by  the 
lust  of  the  world,  and  the  lust  of  the  eyes, 
which  invitingly  tempt  the  selfish  flesh  in 
which  no  good  thing  dwelleth,  Rom.  7:  18. 
Again,  by  the  cross  and  tribulation,  which 
often  press  heavily;  and  lastly,  by  the  flat- 
tering preaching  of  peace  and  the  easy  doc- 
trine of  the  preachers  who  lustily  cry.  Peace, 
peace,  as  the  prophet  says,  Jer.  8:  11,  by 
means  of  which  they  console  the  timid  in 
their  faithlessness  and  disobedience  to  God, 
and  make  an  easy  way  for  those  who  would 
enjoy  the  world  according  to  the  lusts  of  the 
flesh.  It  is  as  Peter  says,  "AVhile  they 
promise  them  liberty,  they  themselves  are 
the  servants  of  corruption,"  2  Peter  3:  19. 
For  this  reason,  some  of  the  seed  which 
is  sown  by  the  way  side,  is  picked  up  by 
the  fowls  of  the  air ;  some  is  sown  on 
stony  places,  where  there  is  not  much 
earth,  and  although  it  springs  up  in  a  short 


time;  yet  it  can  not  stand  the  scorching  sun 
of  persecution,  and  some  is  choked  by  the 
thistles  and  thorns,  and  brings  forth  no 
ripe  ears,  Matt.  13:  4 — 7. 

Behold,  the  proper  reason  why  some  tim- 
id, light-minded,  carnal,  corrupt  and  selfish 
spirits  have  again  associated  themselves 
with  them,  is.  Because  the  way  was  too  nar- 
row and  the  gate  too  strait  for  them,  and 
they  could  not  withstand  the  storming  of  the 
flesh.  The  smiles  of  the  Avorld  were  too  in- 
viting, and  the  tyranny  too  oppressive.  The 
thousand  wiles  of  Satan,  by  which  all  the 
pious  alike  are  tempted,  succeeded;  because, 
alas,  they  preferred  earthly  to  heavenly 
things,  and  therefore  we  conld  no  longer 
live  in  unity  of  spirit  and  peace  with  them. 
For  they  would  not  be  thus  subjected,  as 
the  prophet  laments,  Jer.  2:  17;  but  would 
follow  their  own  inclinations  in  every  re- 
spect, and  walk,  without  the  cross,  on  the 
broad  way  of  the  flesh,  with  the  world.  But 
by  the  writings  and  services  of  Gellius,  they 
were,  surely,  not  redeemed,  as  he  l)oasts 
they  were. 

Behold,  these  people  of  whom  he  so  loud- 
ly boasts,  were  such  (we  regret  to  have  to 
say  it)  as,  with  Demas,  2  Tim.  4:  10,  loved 
the  present  world,  and  who  so  lived  with  us 
for  some  time  that  we,  according  to  the  di- 
vine word,  dare  no  longer  eat  and  drink 
with  them.  They  are  not  regenerated  as 
Gellius  claims,  but  they  are  degenerated  in 
their  faith  and  act  hypocritically,  with 
earthly-minded  hearts  under  the  feint  of 
prayer;  they  have  not  forsaken  the  broad 
way  which  leads  to  death  but  the  narrow 
way  which  leads  to  life ;  they  do  not  delight 
in  Christ  but  have  forsaken  him;  they  liave 
found  rest  for  their  flesh  but  not  for  their 
souls,  through  repentance,  as  GelliuG  pre- 
tends. For  facts  prove  whose  cause  is  right, 
theirs  or  oiu's;  whose  actions  are  hypocrit- 
ical, and  whose  are  not,  while  oui'  actions 
sacrifice  possessions,  blood  and  even  life 
for  their  cause;  but  what  theirs  do,  is  well 
known. 

This,  then,  is  my  conclusion  as  to  his 
first  reason  given,  why  he  published  his 
writing;  namely,  As  the  angel  of  darkness 
can  transform  himself  into  an  angel  of  light ; 
as  Paul  says,  3  Cor.  11:  14;  can  feign  love 
and  make  great  promises;  can  feign  true 


16 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


confession  of  Christ  and  can  use  Scriptures 
masterly,  so  also,  can  his  sei-vants  do,  as 
may  be  seen  by  this.  For  Gellius  says  he 
published  his  writing  that  he  might  redeem 
some  and  save  others  from  deceit;  to  silence 
the  anabaptists,  as  he  calls  them;  to  root 
out  the  pernicious  weeds ;  to  serve  the  church 
of  Christ;  to  keep  the  weak  of  the  Nether- 
lands in  the  right  understanding  of  evan- 
gelical doctrine  and  the  right  use  of  the  holy 
sacraments,  &c.  But  if  we  rightly  consider 
it,  and  judge  it  by  the  Spirit,  word  and  ex- 
ample of  Christ;  by  the  usage  of  the  holy 
apostles  and  primitive  apostolic  churches, 
we  find  it  to  be  nothing  but  an  institution 
of  the  flesh;  an  encouragement  to  the  im- 
penitent; an  inducement  to  the  broad  way; 
a  defence  of  the  churches  of  anti-christ;  a 
confusing  and  blind-folding  of  the  simple; 
a  covert  instigation  to  persecution  of  the 
pious;  a  destroying  of  the  church  of  Christ; 
a  dextrous  encumbering  of  the  godly;  an 
unreasonable,  envious  defamation  of  the 
saints;  an  adulteration  of  the  holy  word; 
yea,  an  open  encouragement  to  unright- 
eousness, impenitence  and  carnal  liberty. 
Behold,  this  is  the  efiect,  fruit  and  aim  of 
his  writing;  although  he  adorns  and  covers 
it  under  the  semblance  of  good  intentions 
and  love.  If  I  should  at  any  time  yet  meet 
with  him,  and  not  be  able  to  verify  these 
assertions,  by  their  fruits  and  by  virtue  of 
the  Scriptures,  then  I  will  be  willing  to  re- 
cant them  and  bear  my  shame;  for  I  trust 
that  I,  through  the  grace  of  God,  know  of 
what  I  write. 

An  other  reason,  says  Gellius,  why  he  published  his 
writing  is,  because  a  nobleman  to  whom  he  addressed  it, 
offered  to  bear  the  expenses  of  printing  it,  &c. 

Answer.  Zeal  is  a  good  thing  and  highly 
commendable,  if  in  a  good  cause  to  the  serv- 
ice and  glory  of  God.  But  let  every  one 
well  consider  how,  why  and  wherefore  he  is 
zealous;  lest  he  make  himself  guilty  of  in- 
nocent blood,  which  is  the  most  abominable 
sin  next  to  sinning  against  the  Holy  Ghost. 

If  his  honor  has  done  this  in  sincere  zeal 
and  with  good  intentions,  as  Paul  did  be- 
fore his  conversion,  and  meant  it  to  be  to 
the  honor  of  God  and  to  the  salvation  of 
his  neighbors,  then  I  hope  that  God  will 
give  him  more  light  and  make  truth  more 
manifest  to  him.    But  if  he  has  done  it  for 


the  sake  of  an  idle  name  or  fame,  or  for  the 
sake  of  carnal  profit  and  satisfaction,  some- 
thing which  the  learned  can  very  adroitly 
portray  to  sucli  high  persons ;  or,  if  he  con- 
tends against  the  people  of  God  with  a  bit- 
ter zeal,  which  I  trust  is  not  the  case,  as 
does  Gellius  and  the  preachers,  generally, 
then  his  action  has  become  such  a  gross  sin 
and  great  blindness  that  I  fear  he  will  never 
be  brought  to  confess  Christ. 

I  would  therefore  cordially  admonish  his 
honor,  and  beseech  him  in  christian  love 
that  he  no  more  burden  himself  with  the  sin 
of  others;  for  he  and  every -bodj^  else  will 
have  burden  enough  of  his  own,  at  the  day  of 
judgment.  All  misleading  of  the  miserable 
souls;  all  unbelief  and  idolatry;  all  light- 
mindedness  and  liberty  of  the  flesh;  togeth- 
er with  all  uproar  and  tyranny  which  are 
apt  to  be  the  result  of  his  writing  will  be 
required,  in  the  day  of  Christ,  at  his  hands 
as  well  as  at  the  hands  of  the  preachers,  if 
not  repented  of,  because  he  assists  and  sup- 
ports them  in  their  abomination  with  his 
advice  and  assistance,  with  money  and  ma- 
terial. 

Therefore,  in  my  opinion,  his  honor  would 
have  better  first  considered  the  matter  well 
and  laid  out  these  expenses  to  the  support, 
assistance,  consolation,  nourishment  and 
clothing  of  the  needy,  especially  in  these 
hard  times;  and  not  for  the  purpose  of  de- 
ceiving many  unwary  hearts  and  of  putting 
more  encumbrances  and  persecution  on  the 
pious. 

Again,  that  Gellius  has  published  his 
■vvriting  under  the  permission  of  the  said 
nobleman,  has  an  appearance  as  if  he  was 
one  of  those  who  honor  and  esteem  a  per- 
son according  to  the  measure  of  his  useful- 
ness. But  for  what  reason  he  has  done  so; 
what  his  seeking  and  how  his  heart  is,  in 
this  matter,  I  will  leave  to  tlie  Lord  who 
knows  all  things. 

Experience  sufficiently  teaches  of  what 
disposition  the  rich  are,  namely,  proud- 
liearted,  ambitious  and  covetous  of  honor. 
God's  wisdom  did  not  say  without  a  cause, 
Verily,  "I  say  unto  you.  It  is  easier  for  a 
camel  to  go  througli  the  eye  of  a  needle,  than 
for  a  rich  man  to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
God,"  Matt.  19:  24.  James  also  says,  "Go 
to  now,  ye  rich  men,  weep  and  howl  for 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


17 


your  miseries  tliat  shall  come  upon  you. 
Your  riches  are  corrupted  and  your  gar- 
ments are  moth-eaten ;  j^om-  gold  and  silver 
is  cankered;  and  the  rust  of  them  shall  be 
a  witness  against  you,  and  shall  eat  your 
flesh  as  it  were  fire,"  &c.,  James  5 :  1 — 3. 
Again,  Paul  says,  "For  ye  see  your  calling, 
brethren,  how  that  not  many  wise  men  after 
the  flesh,  not  many  mighty,  not  many  noble, 
are  called,"  &c.,  1  Cor.  1:  26. 

Since,  then,  the  mouth  of  the  Lord,  as  al- 
so his  faithful  servants,  James  and  Paul, 
liave  so  plainly  expressed  the  dangers  of 
the  rich  and  of  those  of  high  standing;  since 
experience  teaches  how  proiTd-hearted  they 
are,  as  may  be  educed  from  their  high  titles, 
houses,  shields,  medals,  clothes,  servants, 
horses  and  dogs ;  and  since  Christ  says, 
"  Verilj^  I  say  unto  you,  Except  ye  be  con- 
verted, and  become  as  little  children,  ye 
shall  not  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven," 
Matt.  18:  3;  therefore  it  would  be  more  in 
accordance  with  evangelical  righteousness, 
if  Gellius,  instead,  would  industriously  teach 
such  proud  hearts  and  high  persons,  the 
humility  of  Christ,  so  that  they  may  learn 
to  forsake  themselves ;  may  learn  to  know 
themselves,  of  what  they  are  born,  what 
they  are  and  what  they  will  be ;  that  they 
may  die  unto  their  excessive  pomp,  splen- 
dor, superfluity  and  ungodliness;  may  fear 
God  in  all  sincerity,  and  walk  in  his  ways ; 
that  they  may  faithfully  serve  their  neigh- 
bors, with  their  abundance,  in  true  humility 


of  heart,  and  not  continually  enkindle  the 
fire  of  pride,  fleshly  security  and  light-mind- 
edness, by  his  flattery  or  by  high-sounding 
and  supplicating  phrases  ;  for  the  inborn 
ambitioiis  nature  of  the  flesh  of  Adam's 
children  is,  alas,  already  too  apt  to  crave 
such  things  without  being  encouraged  by 
flattery  and  smooth  words. 

I  would,  therefore,  faithfully  admonish  all 
to  fear  God,  to  strive  after  truth  and  to  love 
theii-  neighbors;  for  the  time  is  coming,  and 
is  near  at  hand  that  we  all  shall  hear,  each 
one  at  his  time,  "Give  an  account  of  thy 
stewardship,  for  thou  may  est  be  no  longer 
steward,"  Luke  16:  2.  I  do  not  dedicate  this 
,  my  reply  and  defense  to  this  or  that  one, 
as  is  the  custom  of  the  learned,  but  dedicate 
it,  in  christian  humility,  "To  the  pious 
Reader,"  and  desire  to  subject  it  to  the 
judgment  of  all  the  godly  and  pious. 

If  any  one  under  the  broad  canopy  of 
heaven  can  teach  me  with  plainer  Script- 
ures or  with  more  powerful  truths,  Avhether 
he  be  learned  or  unlearned,  man  or  woman, 
I  will  gladly  accept  of  such  instruction  and 
obey  them.  But,  by  the  grace  of  God,  we 
are  convinced  that  we  are  on  the  sure  and 
true  way  which  Christ  has  prepared  for  us. 
Blessed  are  we  if  we  walk  in  it  and  enter  in 
at  the  strait  gate.  Let  all  of  understanding 
minds,  who,  in  true  zeal  and  in  the  fear  of 
God,  seek  the  praise  of  their  Lord,  read  and 
judge  that  which  now  follows. 


OF  THE  MISSION  OR  CALLIIG  OF  THE  PREACHERS. 


Gellius  complains  very  much  of  a  bitter  and  sneering  ■ 
epistle  of  the  anabaptists,  as  he  calls  them,  in  which  | 
they  are  said  to  have  given  five  particular  reasons,  as  I  < 
understand  from  his  writing,  why  they  cannot  conscien- 
ciously  accept  the  preachers  as  true  and  unblamable,  ; 
and  cannot  use  their  sacraments  as  true  and  Scrijjtural  l 
ordinances,  &c.     Of  which  the  vocation  of  their  preach- 
ers is  the  first  reason.    Gellius  assiduously  tries  to  main- 
tain that  their  calling  is  christian-like  and  according  to 
Scripture  and  says  that  ours  is  sectarian  and  not  accord- 
ing to  Scripture. 

AiisiDcr.  How  bitter  and  sneering  the  said 
epistle  may  have  been,  I  do  not  know,  for  I 
have  never  seen  it.  But  I  presume  it  was  not 
39 


so  bitter  as  Gellius  complains  that  it  was ; 
that  it  was  a  reproof  of  his  corruption,  his 
deceiving  and  unscriptural  sacraments  ; 
something  winch  he  ever,  maliciously,  calls 
brawling  and  sneering. 

Since  I  did  not  read  the  epistle  myself,  as 
said,  therefore  I  will  not  undertake  to  de- 
fend every  word  of  it;  but  will  undertake  a 
defence,  by  virtue  of  my  ministry  of  the  di- 
vine word,  and  becaiaso  I  have  been  dis- 
gracefully treated  in  regard  to  it,  so  far  as 
concerns  the  five  articles  in  which  the  preach- 


18 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


ers  are  reproved  or  accused,  whose  voca- 
tion Gellius  maintains  as  evangalical  and 
right.  And  I  tnist  that,  with  the  gi-acious 
assistance  of  God,  I  will  be  enabled  to  de- 
fend these  articles  with  such  power  and 
clearness  of  Scripture,  that  all  impartial, 
reasonable  readers,  on  comparing  our  writ- 
ings, will,  by  the  grace  of  God,  behold,  as 
in  a  mirror,  that  he  and  all  the  worldly 
preachers  are  not  the  called  preachers  and 
teachers  of  the  church  of  Christ,  to  whom 
the  Scriptures  point;  but  that  they  are  the 
open  preachers  and  teachers  of  the  world, 
or  of  the  church  of  anti-christ  against  whom 
the  Scriptures  on  every  hand  warn  us,  and 
in  many  places  terrifies  us  against  them.  He 
that  hath  ears,  let  him  hear  what  the  word 
of  the  Lord  teaches. 

Gellius  points  out  a  difference  between  the  calling  or 
sending  of  the  prophets  of  Christ  and  the  apostles  and 
between  the  calling  of  tlie  bishops,  pastors  and  other 
servants  of  the  church,  and  says,  "  That  the  sending  of 
the  prophets  of  Christ  and  the  apostles  was  done  with- 
out any  means  of  man,  solely  of  God ;  but  that  the  send- 
ing of  the  bishops  and  pastors  is  done  of  God  by  means 
of  man." 

Answer.  We  do  not  contradict  this,  but 
agree  with  him  in  this  respect.  But  we  con- 
tradict that  the  calling  of  which  they  boast 
is  done  in  accordance  witli  the  apostolic 
doctrine  and  usage;  and  would  say  that  we 
should  well  observe  these  five,  following 
points  or  articles,  according  to  the  Script- 
ures ;  namely.  Of  whom  they  are  called ; 
what  they  are  that  are  called;  to  what  pur- 
pose they  are  called;  what  fruit  the  called 
bring  forth ;  and  what  the  proper  desire  and 
seeking  of  the  called  is. 

In  the  first  place,  we  must  observe  that 
the  calling  which  was  done  in  the  primitive, 
apostolic  church,  by  means  of  man,  was 
not  done  of  the  world  but  of  the  true  chris- 
tians and  obedient  disciples  of  the  Lord 
and  his  word.  For  Luke  writes,  Acts  14: 
23,  "And  when  they  had  ordained  them 
elders  in  every  church,  and  had  prayed 
with  fasting,  they  commended  them  to  the 
Lord,  on  whom  they  believed."  Paul  also 
says  to  Titus,  "  For  this  cause  left  I  thee  in 
Crete,  that  thou  shouldst  set  in  order  the 
things  that  are  wanting  and  ordain  elders 
in  every  city,  as  I  have  apointed  thee,"'  Tit. 
1 :  5,  &c.    Read  also  1  Tim.  3:  12. 

Since  the  preachers,  then,  boast  of  a  call- 


1  ing  of  God,  by  means  of  man,  as  said,  there- 
fore I  would  ask  without  all  artifice,  "Wlio 
is  the  Paul  or  Barnabas,  or  Timothy  or  Titus 
that  has  called  and  ordained  Gellius  and 
his  like  preachers  to  the  service?  If  thej^  an- 
SAver,  the  magistracy ;  then  I  would  ask  in 
the  second  place.  If  the  magistracy,  who  as- 
sumes this  matter,  have  the  spirit,  calling, 
ministry,  ordinance  and  power  of  Paul, 
Barnabas,  Titus  and  Timothy?  If  they  an- 
swer in  the  affirmative,  then  I  would  like  to 
see  their  grounds  proven  according  to  Script- 
ure. If  they  say,  because  they  ai'e  part  of 
the  church,  as  Gellius  seems  to  have  it,  then 
I  would  ask  in  the  third  place.  Whether 
they  are  actuated  by  the  Spirit  of  God^ 
Whether  they  have  crucified  the  flesh  with 
its  lusts,  and  in  their  weakness,  walk  inno- 
cently and  christianly  according  to  Christ's 
example  and  teaching,  with  his  followers? 
Whether  they  have  become  new  creatures? 
Whether  they  are  in  Christ  and  Christ  in 
them?  &c.  If  they  say,  God  knows,  and  not 
we,  then  I  would  ask  in  the  fourth  place. 
Are  you  such  trees,  then,  that  we  cannot 
judge  your  fruits,  and  such  lights  that  we 
cannot  see  its  refulgence?  My  reader,  pon- 
der well  on  these  questions. 

Scriptures  plainly  testify  that  there  is  no 
chi'istian  but  who  is  in  Christ  and  has  his 
Spirit,  Rom.  8:9.  It  is  evident  that  the 
magistracy  does  not  conform  themselves  to 

1  the  example  and  Spirit  of  the  Lord,  as  may, 
alas,  be  perceived  on  every  hand  by  their 
fruits.  For  they  live  in  every  respect  ac- 
cording to  the  lusts  of  the  flesh;  seek  vain 
honor,  treasure,  pompous  living,  &c. ;  they 
are  earthly,  and  not  heavenly -minded ;  there- 

;  fore  we  should  consult  the  word  of  the  Lord 
whether  such  people  are  competent  to  or- 
dain preachers,  pastors  and  sei-vants  for  the 
church  of  Christ,  while  their  fruits  testify 
that  they  are  yet  without  Christ's  Spirit, 
kingdom,  church  and  word  themselves,  as 
said. 

If  they  should  say  that  they  are  not  called 
of  the  magistracy,  but  of  the  church,  then  I 
would  ask  in  the  fifth  place.  Whether  the 

'  church  which  has  called  them  is  flesh  of 
Christ's  flesh  and  bone  ofhis  bone?  Eph.5: 30, 
that  is,  a  church  which  sincerely  seeks  and 
fears  God ;  that  walks  in  obedience  to  his 

I  word;  loves  and  serves  his  neighbor;  con- 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


19 


trols  his  ungodly  Insts ;  strives  after  truth 
with  all  his  heart ;  leads  an  unblamable,pious 
life,  and  who  is  prepared  for  the  sake,  of  the 
will  and  word  of  the  Lord,  to  sacrifice  and 
abandon,  money,  goods,  blood  and  life,  nay, 
father,  mother,  life,  husband,  wife,  children 
and  every  thing  else,  if  the  honor  of  God  re- 
quires it  ?  If  they  answer  no,  whicli  is  the 
true  answer,  then  it  is  already  proven  that 
they  are  not  the  church  and  people  of  the 
Lord;  for  the  church  of  Christ  must  be  in 
unity  of  spirit  witli  Christ,  as  has  already 
been  heard.  If,  then,  they  are  not  of  Christ's 
church,  how  can  they  call  preachers  imto 
the  church  of  Christ,  as  Paul,  Barnabas, 
Timothy  and  Titus,  and  the  primitive  church 
have  done  ?  If  on  the  contrary  they  answer 
Yes,  then  I  say  again,  their  open  unright- 
eousness, slander,  godlessness,  avarice, 
pomp,  drunkenness,  superfluity,  unchas- 
tity,  hatred,  envy,  immercifulness,  violence, 
&c.,  testify  before  the  whole  world  that  the 
answer  is  not  the  true  one. 

Inasmuch  as  it  is  manifest  that  both  the 
magistracy  and  the  subjects  are  directly 
contrary  to  the  Spirit  and  word  of  Jesus 
Christ,  to  his  walk  and  actions;  and  have 
not  a  syllable  which  in  this  respect  agrees 
with  the  spirit  and  actions  of  Paul,  Barna- 
bas, Timothy,  Titus,  or  of  the  primitive 
church ;  therefore  I  am  very  much  surprised 
that  he  can  be  so  imprudent  and  inconsider- 
ate, or  so  very  bold  as  to  boast,  in  these  times 
of  grace  in  which  the  truth  has  become  so 
manifest,  that  he  and  the  preachers  of  his 
character  were  called  and  ordained  of  God 
by  the  means  of  man,  as  were  the  elders  of 
the  primitive  chui'ch,  by  Paul,  Barnabas, 
Timothy  and  Titus. 

O,  that  God  would  grant  that  he  would 
once  consider  and  not  compare  the  faithful 
men  and  dear  servants  of  God,  together 
with  the  zealous,  regenerated  communities 
and  pious  children  of  the  primitive  churches 
to  this  impenitent,  reckless  and  bad  world 
who  wish  to  be  considered  the  true  church; 
and  would  no  more  blind  the  poor  unwary 
hearts  who  little  regard  the  holy  word, 
with  such  a  semblance  and  quotation  of 
the  Scriptures;  for  it  would  be  of  infinite 
value  to  his  poor,  miserable  soul,  at  the 
time  of  his  dissolution. 

I  would  now  leave  it  to  the  reflection  of 


all  intelligent  readers,  how  the  calling,  of 
which  the  preachers  boast,  can  stand  the 
test  of  the  Scriptures,  while  those  of  whom 
they  boast  that  called  them,  are  found  to 
be  not  only  no  regenerated,  pious  christians, 
but  besides,  open  despisers  and  impenitent 
contenders  against  God  and  his  word,  as 
may,  alas,  be  seen,  on  every  hand,  by  their 
actions. 

In  tlie  second  place  we  should  observe  of 
what  disposition,  doctrine  and  conduct  the 
called  servants  of  the  word  should  be,  ac- 
cording to  the  testimony  of  the  Scriptures; 
namely,  "Blameless,  the  husband  of  one 
wife,  vigilant,  sober,  of  good  behavior,  given 
to  hospitality,  apt  to  teach;  not  given  to 
wine,  no  striker,  not  greedy  of  filthy  lucre; 
but  patient,  not  a  brawler,'  not  covetous ; 
one  that  ruleth  well  his  own  house,  having 
his  children  in  subjection  with  all  gravity;" 
not  a  novice;  he  must  be  holy,  just,  temper- 
ate, &c.  "Holding  fast  the  faithful  word 
as  he  hath  been  taught ;  that  he  may  be 
able,  by  sound  doctrine,  both  to  exhort  and 
to  convince  the  gainsayers."  "Moreover  he 
must  have  a  good  report  of  them  which  are 
without;  lest  he  fall  into  reproach  and  the 
snare  of  the  devil,"  &c.  "Even  so  must  their 
wives  be  grave,  not  slanderers,  sober,  faith- 
ful in  all  things,"  1  Tim.  3;  Tit.  1. 

My  reader,  observe,  this  is  not  my  word 
but  the  word  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  gives 
a  true  pattern  of  a  true  preacher,  bishop, 
pastor,  teacher  and  servant  who  will,  in  the 
church  of  Christ,  bring  forth  fruit  which  will 
remain,  John  15. 

The  Holy  Spirit  points  us  to  such  teach- 
ers, to  obey  and  follow  them.  Paul  says, 
"Obey  them  that  have  the  rule  over  you, 
and  submit  yourselves ;  for  they  watch  for 
your  souls,  as  they  that  must  give  account; 
that  they  may  do  it  with  joy  and  not  with 
grief,"  Heb.  13:  17.  In  another  place  he 
says,  "We  beseech  you,  brethren,  to  know 
them  which  labor  among  you,  and  are  over 
you  in  the  Lord  and  admonish  you,  and  to 
esteem  them  very  highly  in  love  for  their 
work's  sake,  and  be  at  peace  among  youi-- 
selves,"  1  Thess.  5:  12,  13. 

Such  teachers  are  compared  in  the  Script- 
ures, to  the  oxen  that  tread  out  the  corn, 
which  shall  not  be  muzzled.  They  are  the 
elders  worthy  of  double  honor,  and  the 


20 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


faithful  laborers,  worthy  of  their  hire,  Dent. 
25:  4;  Matt.  10:  10.  But  how  Gellius  and 
all  the  preachers  of  the  German  nations, 
whom  he  esteems  as  faithful  servants,  con- 
form to  this  I  will  leave  the  impartial  reader 
to  .judge  according  to  the  word  of  the  Lord. 

Faithful  reader,  consider  well  that  which 
I  write.  They  boast  that  they  are  called  in 
accordance  with  Scriptures,  as  you  may 
hear;  although  it  is  obvious  and  palpable 
that  they  lead  a  life  as  tlie  one  portrayed 
by  Peter  and  Jude.  Many  of  them  are  so 
fallen  in  the  fullness  of  Bacchus  that  they, 
alas,  live  night  and  day  as  swine  in  full 
rest;  their  tables  are  full  of  vomit  and  filth- 
iness,  so  that  there  is  no  place  clean,  as  the 
prophet  says,  Isa.  28 :  8;  they  fearlessly 
walk  after  their  own  lusts,  as  Jude  says; 
and  they  esteem  as  joy  the  temporal,  lusty 
life,  says  Peter;  they  are  spots  and  blem- 
ishes, sporting  themselves  with  their  own 
deceivings  while  they  feast  with  you. 

Some  of  them,  also,  are  open  fornicators 
and  adulterers.  How  their  wives,  as  a  gen- 
eral thing,  conform  themselves  to  Script- 
lu'es,  may  be  educed  fi-om  their  fruits.  Oth- 
ers are  so  avaricious  that  they  have  become 
open  usurers.  They  are  so  intent  upon  per- 
ishable lucre,  money  and  possessions  that 
I  dare  truthfully  say  that  they,  through  the 
easy  doctrine  of  their  gospel,  have  become 
lords  upon  earth ;  yet,  most  of  them  are 
loved  of  the  world  and  highly  esteemed  by 
the  ignorant.  Their  pomp,  laziness,  ease- 
seeking,  vanity,  light-mindedness,  pride, 
etc.,  baflle  all  description  to  say  nothing  of 
their  tyranny,  lying,  brawling,  slandering, 
betraying  and  uproaring  against  all  w^ho 
seek  and  fear  the  Lord. 

Reader,  it  is  as  I  write.  O,  how  willingly 
would  I  be  silent  and  close,  if  the  honor 
of  God  and  his  word,  and  the  love  for  your 
souls  did  not  compel  me  to  do  so;  but  as  it 
is  I  am  forced  to  touch  upon  their  abomin- 
able shame.  Their  abominations  are  so 
gross  and  terrible  that  my  soul  shrinks 
back  at  the  thought  of  them,  therefore,  im- 
agine how,  if  I  shall  treat  and  Avrite  of 
them.  How  their  actions  and  behavior 
agree  with  the  description  of  Paul,  who 
teaches  us  that  they  shall  be  unblamable, 
have  but  one  wife,  not  given  to  wine,  not 
avaricious,  nor  covetous  of  filthy  lucre;  that 


they  shall  be  temperate,  modest  and  amia- 
ble; have  a  good  report  of  those  that  are 
without;  this  I  will  leave  to  all  pious  hearts 
to  judge  in  the  fear  of  God,  according  to  the 
Scriptures.  Behold,  my  reader,  since  it  is 
manifest  that  they  are  quite  contrary  to  the 
word  of  the  Lord,  in  their  walk;  therefore 
it  is,  in  fact,  nothing  but  vain  hypocrisy,  to 
call  such  unfruitful,  offensive  actions,  evan- 
gelical edification  and  such  a  void  mockery, 
a  calling. 

But  Gellius  tries  to  clear  himself  of  this, 
and  lays  the  blame  on  those  who,  according 
to  his  writing,  lead  an  unchristian  life  after 
the  lusts  of  their  flesh,  against  the  ordinance 
of  the  apostles,  saying,  that  they  cannot 
weaken  the  cause  of  the  pious,  by  their  un- 
righteousness; I  would,  in  the  first  place, 
say,  Since  he  complains  of  them  so  much, 
in  his  book,  and  says,  that  they  would  bet- 
ter be  pastors  of  swine  than  pastors  of  the 
sheep  of  Christ;  and  wishes  that  they  would 
be  ex-officiated,  &c.;  and  since  these  con- 
stitute the  majority  of  them,  as  may  be 
openly  seen;  therefore  Gellius  should  ad- 
mit, that,  according  to  the  Scriptures,  we 
should  not  follow  such,  nor  partake  of  their 
sacraments,  even,  if  they  were  the  true  sac- 
raments; for  he  himself  admits  that  they 
are  useless  people  and  wishes  them  ex-offi- 
ciated. 

In  the  second  place  I  say.  Since  Gellius 
acknowledges  that  they  are  unfit  for  theu* 
offices;  and  since  he  and  they  are  of  one 
church,  calling  and  service,  why  does  he 
sufier  them  to  remain  in  their  offices,  and 
why  does  he  not,  by  virtue  of  his  calling, 
excommunicate  them  with  the  advice  and 
consent  of  his  church  ?  Since  they  are  a  hin- 
drance to  the  community  and  a  reproach 
and  disgrace  to  Gellius  and  his  brother- 
preachers,  whom  I  would  were  themselves 
pious  and  unblamable. 

If  he  says  that  the  magistracy  are  to 
blame,  he  then  admits,  that  those  magis- 
trates are  not  true  servants  and  members  of 
Christ,  who  admit  such  offensive  people,  as 
adulterers,  wine-bibbers,  covetous,  &c.,  as 
are  met  with  on  every  hand,  to  be  preach- 
ers, while  they  ruin  the  souls  of  the  poor 
miserable  people  by  their  wicked  offensive 
life,  to  say  nothing  of  their  doctrine ;  whom 


REPLY  TO   GELLIUS  FAJBER. 


21 


they  might  debar  with  a  single  word,  with- 
out blood-shed.  And  what  is  more,  Gellius 
himself  is  a  faithless  shepherd,  and  duTib 
watchman.  And  the  magistracy,  which  is  his 
elector  and  companion  in  church-service,have 
a  contempt  for  God  and  slander  his  word. 

In  the  third  place  I  would  say,  It  would 
be  well  for  Gellius  to  first  learn  to  know 
from  the  Scriptures  the  nature  of  Christ  and 
his  church  together  with  the  true  church- 
servants,  pastors  and  preachers;  to  rightly 
judge  all  things  by  the  Spirit,  word  and  ex- 
ample of  the  Lord ;  and  to  thoroughly  search 
himself,  his  brother  preachers  and  his  church 
before  contending  so  maliciously  against 
the  pious  and  accuse  them  before  the  whole 
world,  without  cause.  I  would  further  say, 
Since  (if  I  understand  him  aright)  he  admits 
that  we  should  not  hear  the  adulterers, 
wine-bibbers,  strikers,  &c.,  nor  partake  of 
their  sacraments  (something  which  was  in- 
tended, probably,  to  make  his  cause  have  a 
good  appearance);  therefore  we  are  forced 
to  view  in  a  Scriptural  light,  how  he,  accord- 
ing to  Paul's  doctrine,  can  stand  as  a  pastor 
of  the  cluu'ch  and  as  a  servant  of  Christ. 

Paul  says,  A  bishop  must  be  blameless; 
this  applies  also  to  a  true  preacher,  pastor 
and  teacher ;  and  it  is  obvious  that  Gellius 
is  not  unblamable,  but  blamable  in  many 
respects;  that  he  is  a  friend  of  the  world, 
who  seeks  to  please  the  world,  contrary  to 
the  word  of  God  and  the  example  of  Christ, 
the  apostles  and  of  the  prophets,  otherwise 
he  would  have  suffered  persecution,  2  Tim. 
3:  12,  and  not  have  exercised  his  sei-vice  at 
ease,  for  so  long  a  time,  as  is  testiiied  by 
the  example  of  Christ,  the  apostles  and  by 
all  the  true  witnesses. 

Again,  that  he  is  a  hireling  who  has  been 
hired  as  a  servant  at  certain  wages  and  a 
stipend,  contrary  to  the  example  of  Christ 
and  the  example  of  all  the  true  messengers 
who  hare  been  sent  by  him.  He  is  not  only 
not  persecuted  for  the  sake  of  the  testimony 
of  Jesus  but  he  himself  persecutes  the  god- 
ly, pious  hearts  who  have  neither  injured 
or  harmed  him  nor  any  body  else.  He  per- 
secutes them  wiKuUy  by  his  instigation,  ad- 
vice and  writings ;  contrary  to  the  example 
of  Christ  and  all  the  chosen,  as  may, 
alas,  be  seen  by  his  writings  here  cited. 
Besides  this,  his  doctrine  is  wrong  and  de- 


ceiving.    He  is  an  upbraider,  condemner, 

,  defamer  and  backbiter  of  the  innocent  who 
sincerely  fear  God  and  are  zealous  for  his 
word;  yea,  who  would  seal  it  with  their 
blood,  something  which  he  does  not.  This 
assertion  is,  alas,  made  good  by  his  writ- 

1  ing  in  which  he,  without  just  cause,  accuses 

i  and  condemns  the  god-fearing,  pious  hearts 
before  the  whole  world  as  being  apostates, 

j  anabaptists,  conspirers,  contrabands,  sow- 

I  ers  of  pernicious  seed,  excommuned  sects, 
servants  of  the  devil  and  tools ;  and  thus 
makes  them  the  objects  of  suspicion,  al- 

i  though  they  sincerely  seek  the  Lord  and  dai- 

'  ly  sacrifice  possessions  and  blood  for  the 

;  sake  of  his  holy  word. 

Besides,  he  is  a  supporter  and  defender  of 

1  the  kingdom  of  anti-christ,  a  falsifier  of  the 

t  Scriptures,  an  abuser  of  the  sacraments,  a 
strengthener  of  the  impenitent,  a  liar,  &c., 
as  will  be  plainly  shown,  by  the  grace  of 
God,  each  in  its  turn. 

In  the  third  place  it  should  be  observed 
for  what  pm-pose  the  true  preachers   are 

:  called,  namely,  that  they  should  teach  the 
word  of  the  Lord ;  rightly  use  his  sacra- 

!  ments ;  lead  and  rule  in  the  church  of  God ; 
gather  together  with  Christ  and  not  scatter; 
console  the  afflicted ;  admonish  those  not 
ordained;  seek  what  is  lost;  bind  up  what 
is  bruised;  separate  those  that  are  incur- 
able, without  any  respect  of  person,  and 

I  should  assiduously  watch  over  the  vineyard, 
house  and  city  of  God,  as  the  Scriptures 
teach.  Matt.  28:  19;  12:  30;  Mark  16:  15. 

Behold,  my  reader,  these  are  the  proper 
reasons  why  the  Holy  Ghost  has  ordained 
in  the  house  of  the  Lord  bishops,  pastors 
and  teachers,  according  to  the  precept  of 
Paul  saying,  "He  gave  some  apostles,  and 

'  some  prophets,  and  some  evangelists,  and 
some  pastors  and  teachers;  for  the  perfect- 

I  ing  of  the  saints,  for  the  work  of  the  min- 
istry, for  the  edifying  of  the  body  of  Christ; 

;  till  we  all  come  in  the  unity  of  the  faith,  and 

;  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Son  of  God,  unto  a 
perfect  man,  unto  the  measure  of  the  statiu-e 

i  of  the  fullness  of  Christ,"  Eph.  4:  11—13. 

j  But  for  what  purpose  Gellius  and  all  the 
preachers  of  the  world  are  called,  may  be 
educed  from  their  doctrine  and  work ;  name- 
ly, to  preach  to  suit  the  magistracy  and  the 
world.    Again,  to  offer  to  the  two  golden 


22 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


calves  of  Dan  and  Bethel  (understand  what 
I  mean);  to  keep  the  church  of  anti-christ, 
without  penance  and  regeneration  in  unity 
and  peace  of  the  tiesh,  on  the  perverted  and 
crooked  road  of  darkness  and  death,  under  j 
the  name  and  semblance  of  the  word,  con- 
trary to  the  Spirit,  doctrine  and  example  of 
Christ;  to  console  the  wilful,  reckless  world, 
who  wish  to  be  called  the  church  of  Christ, 
without  regeneration  and  obedience,  in  their 
impenitent  and  ungodly  nattu-e,  with  the 
death,  blood,  baptism  and  Supper  of  the 
Lord;  to  violently  oppose  Christ  Jesus  and 
his  word  and  Spirit,  so  that  the  world  may 
live  on  in  their  original  state  and  unright- 
eousness unrebuked  ;  that  the  preachers 
may  continue  in  their  improper  gain  and 
careless  life ;  and  that  the  ignorant  peo- 
ple, both  rich  and  poor  may  live  on  in  the 
lusts  of  their  flesh,  pomp,  splendor,  drink- 
ing, carousing,  in  avariciousness  and  hoard- 
ing, in  short,  may  continue  in  the  broad 
and  easy  way  of  the  flesh,  unreproved. 

This  is  made  too  manifest  to  be  denied, 
by  deeds  which  speak  for  themselves;  yet 
their  cause  is  artfully  adorned  with  the 
Scriptures;  they  talk  much;  boast  loudly 
of  the  grace  and  favor  of  God;  they  use 
baptism  and  supper  under  the  appearace 
of  truth,  as  if  they  were  the  church  of  Jesus 
Christ;  although,  in  fact,  they  are  nothing 
but  a  selfish,  refractory,  impenitent,  earthly 
and  sensual  people,  as  is  obvious  by  their 
fruits.  If  I  do  not  write  the  tnith,  reprove 
me. 

Since,  then,  it  is  clearer  than  day-light 
that  they  are  not  called  to  uphold  the  church 
of  Christ,  which  is  of  God  and  a  divine  nat- 
ure, with  salutary  doctrines.  Scriptural  sac- 
raments, an  unblamable  life ;  earnest  reprov- 
ing, without  favor  or  respect  of  persons; 
with  faithful  admonition  and  separation,  if 
necessary;  but  are,  under  false  pretenses  of 
the  name  and  church  of  Christ;  they  are 
servants  of  the  world;  receive  their  reward 
from  it;  honor  and  love  it;  speak  of  it,  and 
please  it,  and  whom  it  seeks  and  loves  to 
hear,  for  they  are  of  the  world,  as  John 
says,  1  John  4 :  5. 

Therefore  it  is,  in  the  third  place,  an  in- 
controvertible evidence,  that  they,  alas,  are 
no  called  servants  of  the  church  of  Christ, 
as  they  falsely  pretend,  but  are  the  servants 


and  supporters  of  the  kingdom  of  anti- 
christ, as  may  be  unmistakingly  learned 
fram  their  doctrine,  walk  and  fruits  if  we 
closely  examine  them. 

In  the  fourth  place  we  should  observe 
what  kind  of  fruits  they  bring  forth,  for 
Christ  says,  "I  have  chosen  you  and  or- 
dained you,  that  ye  should  go  and  bring 
forth  fi-uit,  and  that  your  fruit  should  re- 
main," John  15:  16.  We  confess  with  holy 
Isaiah,  as  does  also  Gellius,  that  the  doc- 
trine of  the  holy  gospel,  if  preached  in  the 
power  of  the  Spirit,  according  to  the  Spu-it 
of  Christ,  cannot  fail  to  bring  forth  fruit. 
"For  as  the  rain  cometh  down,  and  the  snow 
from  heaven,  and  returneth  not  thither,  but 
watereth  the  earth,  and  maketli  it  bring 
forth  and  bud,"  so,  also,  is  the  word  that 
goeth  forth  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  Lord, 
Isaiah  55:  10. 

But  Gelliirs  and  we  should  well  consider 
that  the  sowers  should,  by  the  power  of  true 
faith  and  the  co-operation  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
be  changed  into  tlie  Spirit  and  natui'e  of 
Christ,  and  should  then  teach  or  present  to 
the  people  the  pure,  unadulterated  seed, 
which  is  the  word,  without  all  abuse,  leaven 
and  hypocrisy,  for  where  there  are  such 
sowers,  there  it  will  bud  and  bring  forth. 
The  word  of  the  prophet,  which  the  mouth 
of  the  Lord  has  spoken  is  true  and  tu-m. 
But  where  there  are  not  such  sowers  there 
they  arise  too  early  or  start  out  too  late; 
labor  and  pains  will  be  in  vain;  for  God 
works  not  unto  repentance  but  through 
those  who  are  of  his  Spirit. 

Inasmuch,  then,  that  the  word  with  true 
preaching  does  not  remain  fruitless  as  we 
have  seen,  and  since  we  clearly  see  that  the 
seed  of  the  preachers  of  the  world  brings 
forth  no  fruit  unto  repentance,  but  alone 
hypocrisy,  therefore  it  is  an  indisputable 
fact  that  they  have  not  the  word  of  the  Lord 
in  power ;  but  that  they  are  artful  workers 
and  not  true  preachers,  or  else  the  word  of 
the  prophet  must  be  false,  which  says,  "If 
the}^  had  stood  in  my  counsel,  and  had 
caused  my  people  to  hear  my  words,  then 
they  should  have  turned  them  from  their 
evil  way,  and  from  the  evil  of  their  doings," 
Jer.  23:22. 

Since  then,  that  preachers  are  known  by 
their  fruits,  and  that  Gellius  and  his  like 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABEE. 


23 


preachers  have  preached  their  doctrine  and 
sacraments  so  many  years  to  the  whole 
world  (which  they  may  continne  to  do  with- 
out fear,  while  they  are  not  opposing  the 
impenitent  in  their  hypocrisy  and  uncon- 
trolled life,  but  rather  console  and  encoiu-- 
age  them),  and  yet  do  not  convert  a  miser 
nor  usurer  to  liberality;  do  not  bring  forth 
their  disciples  further  than  that  they  profess 
in  name  and  appearance;  remain  unchanged 
in  their  heart,  hate  and  oppose  true  right- 
eousness, walk  upon  the  broad  way,  and 
earnestly  strive  after  theworld,  flesh,  money 
and  possessions.  The  pomjjous  remain 
pompous ;  the  proud  remain  proud ;  and 
liars  continue  in  their  falsehood,  as  is  mani- 
fest ;  therefore  this  their  fruitless  preaching, 
vain  doctrine  and  church-service  fully  prove 
that  their  calling  is  not  of  God  and  his 
word,  but  of  the  son  of  the  abyss,  anti-christ 
and  of  the  world,  however  much  they  adorn 
and  boast  of  their  cause.  The  word  of  God 
is  and  will  remain  true,  Isaiah  55:  11. 

Gellius  then  refers  us  to  his  fruits,  and  says,  Is  not 
the  preaching  of  the  truth  and  the  light  of  tlie  holy 
gospel,  which  we  assiduously  preach  and  promulgate 
both  by  teaching  and  writing  a  good  fruit  and  glorious 
testimony  that  our  calling  is  of  God  and  not  of  the  dev- 
il ;  by  which  the  kingdom  of  the  devil  is  destroyed  and 
by  which  the  papistical  al^ominations,  idolatry,  masses, 
absolutions,  vigils,  &c.,  have  become  a  deadly  stench? 

Answer.  K  they  did  not  mix  the  dross 
with  the  silver  ancl  water  with  wine,  that  is, 
if  they  would  preach  the  truth,  without  false- 
hood, and  the  light  without  darkness  in  the 
power  of  the  Spirit,  and  would  testify  it  be- 
fore the  whole  world  by  a  pious  and  un- 
blamable life,  then  we  would  agree  with 
them  that  it  is  a  glorious  light  and  a  noble 
fruit.  But  while  they  practice  wi-ong  and 
pervert  truth  into  lies,  the  true  apostolic 
baptism  into  the  baptism  of  heretics,  the 
church  of  Christ  into  pernicious  sectarianism 
and  conspiracy,  &c.,  and  on  the  other  hand 
pei-vert  lies  to  truth,  the  anti-christian  to 
christian  baptism  and  the  reckless,  wild 
world  to  the  Lord's  church,  &c.,  we  say  that 
their  doctrine  is  deceiving,  offensive  and 
wrong,  and  is  not  the  true  doctrine,  as  Gel- 
lius boasts  and  pretends. 

Yea,  my  reader,  they  so  preach  the  word 
of  the  Lord  that  unrighteousness  and  abuse 
yet  remain  in  full  sway;  they  so  teach  the 
truth,  that  in  many  respects,  false  doctrine, 


lying  and  deceiving  is  not  yet  weakened 
nor  destroyed;  they  so  use  and  practice  di- 
vine service  that  the  high  places  are  hon- 
ored and  idolatry  is  not  avoided;  they  so 
preach  the  christian  church,  that  the  church 
of  anti-christ  remains  in  full  power,  as  is 
j  openly  manifested  to  the  whole  world  both 
j  by  their  work  and  their  tyranny. 

In  short,  it  is  manifest  that  they  so  preach 
and  promulgate  the  gospel  that  no  repent- 
ance follows  but  that  every  one,  alas,  re- 
mains as  he  is;  yea,  what  is  worse,  that  the 
people  are  not  only  not  regenerated  but 
I  are  daily  growing  more  wicked.  Neither 
'•  encomiums,  reasoning  nor  artful  demonstra- 
tions will  avail  here,  for  their  fruit  testifies 
that  their  doctrine  is  faithless  and  false,  as 
said  before,  Jer.  23. 

The  serpent  spoke  the  truth  when  he  said, 
j  "God  doth  know  that  in  the  day  ye  eat 
thereof,  then  youi"  eyes  shall  be  opened; 
and  ye  shall  be  as  gods,  knowing  good  and 
evil,"  Gen.  3:  5.  But  that  which  he  promised 
before  was  a  lie,  namely,  "Ye  shall  not 
surely  die."  Adam  and  Eve  were  thereby 
deceived.  Thus,  also,  do  those  who  teach 
j  the  serpent's  word.  They  so  teach  the  im- 
penitent, carnal  people,  concerning  the 
death  of  the  Lord,  by  their  unscriptural 
sacraments  of  impenitance,  and  so  console 
them  in  their  reckless,  Adaniic  nature  and 
life,  hy  false  promises  (although  they  do 
some  times  speak  the  ti'uth,  as  did  the  ser- 
pent, produce  Scriptures,  partly  reprove 
sin  and  praise  virtue)  that  there  is  no  body 
to  be  found  who  truly  feels  sorry  for  his 
sins,  who  sincerely  repents  of  his  wicked- 
ness, saying,  "What  have  I  done,"  Jer.  8: 
6.  Behold,  says  the  prophet,  so  they  prac- 
tice falsehood  and  strengthen  the  wicked 
that  none  repent  of  their- wickedness. 

That  some  of  them  have  thus  weakened 
the  papistical  abominations,  for  this  they 
and  we  give  praises  to  the  Lord.  But  what 
does  it  avail  if  they  renounce  the  pope  and 
they  themselves  step  in  his  stead  ?  It  is  true 
that  many  branches  of  the  tree  of  anti-christ 
are  hewn  off,  but  the  roots  and  body  still 
remain.  And  although  he  destroyed  some 
high  places,  yet  they  walk  in  the  ways  of 
Jeroboam  and  have  not  come  to  Jerusalem 
for  the  purpose  of  truly  worshiping. 
Yea,  kind  reader,  had  the  learned  firmly 


24 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


trusted  the  living  God,  faithfully  adhered 
to  his  word,  and  had  they  not  acted  hypo- 
critically with  the  world  and  had  they  them- 
selves, in  power  and  deeds  faithfully  prac- 
ticed, without  fear  of  the  cross  and  the  dis- 
favor of  the  magistracy,  what  they  have,  in 
some  of  their  writings,  i3ointed  out,  O, 
what  a  noble  and  clear  light  would  have 
shone  on  the  world,  which  now,  alas,  has 
become  such  a  pernicious  darkness  and  de- 
struction, and  a  broad  way,  through  the 
fear  of  the  cross,  through  hypocrisj^,  selfish- 
ness, desire  of  ease,  ambition  and  favor  of 
men. 

In  the  second  place  he  says,  Is  the  whole  Bible,  trans- 
lated (into  the  German  language)  by  the  memorable 
D.  Martinus,  a  despisable  fruit  ?  Are  the  songs  or  hymns 
composed  by  Luther  and  many  others  a  contemptible 
fruit  ?  Is,  also,  the  constancy,  which  exists  in  these  times 
of  peril  and  danger  of  body  and  possessions,  as  it  did  in 
the  beginning  of  the  gospel,  not  a  noble  and  genuine 
fruit  of  our  calling?  But  such  fruits  are  of  no  account 
in  their  sight  or  else  they  will  not  see  them ;  although 
they  are  the  surest  and  the  best  fruits,  &c.  The  fruits 
of  the  outward  life  and  dealings  with  men,  although 
often  mere  hypocrisy,  only  avail  in  their  sight. 

Ans^oer.  The  deceased  translators,  au- 
thors and  composers  we  will  leave  undis- 
turbed, for  they  have  already  found  their 
Lord  and  Judge;  but  we  will  turn  to  the 
living,  with  whom  we  have  to  speak.  His 
saying,  that  writing,  translating  and  com- 
posing are  the  surest  and  best  fruits,  is,  in 
my  opinion,  a  very  senseless  assertion,  for 
such  things  can  be  done  through  learning 
and  skill  in  languages,  without  regeneration 
and  change  of  heart,  as  he  himself  well 
knows.  Yea,  as  the  Bible  or  the  Scriptures 
are  read  by  the  greater  part  of  the  world, 
with  impure,  carnal  hearts,  so,  also,  they 
can,  undoubtedly,  be  translated,  through 
the  knowledge  and  skill  of  languages,  from 
one  language  into  another,  with  a  carnal, 
unregenerated  and  impious  heart. 

And  as  hymns  are  generally  sung  in 
God's  houses  or  temples,  carelessly,  and  are 
light-mindedly  sung,  here  and  there,  in  the 
sti-eets  and  in  riotous  taverns;  so,  also,  can 
they  be  composed  by  a  light-minded  heart 
without  spirit  or  regeneration?  These  are, 
therefore,  not  the  surest  and  best  fruits,  as 
Gellius  pretends  to  say,  for  they  do  not  re- 
main. But  whatever  some,  in  by-gone  times 
may  have  written,  in  true  zeal,  which  is 


Scriptiire  or  conformable  to  Scripture  and 
useful  to  the  regeneration  of  the  pious,  we 
should,  reasonably,  praise  and  esteem. 

However,  the  surest  and  best  fruits  are, 
to  so  preach  the  word  of  God  in  power,  that 
many  may  be  born  of  him  and  be  led  to 
sincerely  fear  and  love  him;  to  cordially 
serve  their  neighbors ;  to  die  imto  flesh  and 
blood;  to  believe  on  Jesus  Christ  with  all 
the  heart,  and  tremble  at  his  word;  that 
they  may  do  nothing  contrary  to  it;  may 
truly  worship  God  and  conform  their  whole 
life  or  walk  according  to  his  Spirit,  word 
and  example,  for  such  fruits  remain. 

I  would  further  say,  He  boasts  of  the  dan- 
ger and  constancy  (as  he  calls  it)  of  some  of 
their  niimber;  now,  in  these  times  of  war, 
which  he  calls  a  time  of  trial,  because,  (if 
we  understand  him  aright),  they  can  no 
longer  uphold  and  protect  their  cause  hj 
force  of  arms ;  and  consider  it  a  noble  fruit, 
although  they  have,  perhaps,  not  been 
tempted  unto  death  as  we  daily  are;  and 
therefore  he  so  indiscreetly  condemns  and 
profanes  our  cause,  which  the  Lord  knows 
we  have  maintained  and  will  maintain  in 
spite  of  sword  or  any  other  deadly  weapon, 
something  which  cannot  be  truthfully  re- 
futed. We  have  patiently  walked  accord- 
ing to  the  example  of  Christ;  sacrificed  our 
possessions  and  blood  which  might  have 
been  saved  by  a  single,  hypocritical  word; 
and  at  all  times,  for  our  invincible  constan- 
cy, we  sutfer  with  fire,  water  and  sword;  be- 
ing defenceless,  and  without  any  resistance 
"we  are  killed  all  the  day  long;  we  are  ac- 
counted as  sheep  for  the  slaughter,"  Rom. 
8:  36. 

But  we  give  praise  to  God,  that  some  of 
them  have  sacrificed  their  blood  for  the  sake 
of  the  testimony  which  they  had,  and  with 
James  count  them  happy;  j'ea,  that  they  are 
joint-heirs  in  the  sufi'erings  of  Jesus  Christ; 
for  their  deeds  have  proven  that  they  sought 
God  and  were  faithful  as  far  as  they  were 
enlightened.  But  what  will  that  avail  them, 
while  they  close  their  hearts  to  the  light  of 
truth ;  contend  against  the  Spirit,  word  and 
will  of  God;  preach  lies,  pervert  and  abuse 
the  sacraments,  and  console  and  encoiu-age 
the  wild,  wicked  world  in  their  impenitent, 
reckless  life?  Something  which  the  faithful 
heroes  have  not  done,  for  they  were  faithful 


REPLY  TO  GELLIDS  FABER. 


26 


in  every  thing  which  they  acknowledged  as 
the  truth.  If  they  had  acknowledged  more 
they  would,  doubtlessly,  have  died  for  the 
sake  thereof  as  well  as  for  that  which  they 
did,  at  the  time,  acknowledge. 

If  our  opponents  are  of  the  same  spirit 
then  they  may  boast.  But  their  fruits  open- 
ly testify  that  that  they  are,  alas,  very  dif- 
ferent. 

Again,  he  writes,  that  the  fruits  of  an  out- 
ward life,  alone,  avail  in  our  sight,  &c.  Do 
not  our  sore  oppression,  trials,  great  tribu- 
lation, misery,  possessions  and  blood;  be- 
sides, our  open  and  frank  confession,  open- 
ly testify  that  he  makes  this  assertion  with- 
out all  truth.  Yea,  that  he  openly  slanders 
and  wrongs  us?  0  mal/fiosam  calumniam 
ae  perversitatem,  (O  malicious  calumny  and 
perversity). 

My  kind  reader,  observe  that  all  Script- 
ures and  the  power  of  true  faith  constrain 
us  zealously  to  teach  an  upright,  pious, 
godly  and  penitent  life;  for  Jesus  Christ 
says,  "Let  your  light  so  shine  before  men, 
that  they  may  see  your  good  works."  Paul, 
also  teaches,  "That  ye  may  approve  things 
that  are  excellent;  that  ye  may  be  sincere 
and  without  offence  till  the  day  of  Christ." 
That  we  might  walk  worthy  of  the  Lord  and 
his  gospel.  Peter  says,  "Having  your  con- 
versation honest  among  the  Gentiles;"  and 
John  says.  That  we  should  walk  even  as 
Christ  walked,  Matt.  5:6;  Phil.  1:  10;  Col. 
1:  10;  1  Pet.  2:  12;  1  John  2:  6. 

Since  Scripture,  on  every  hand,  enjoin 
upon  us  a  pious  life,  as  has  been  heard; 
therefore  it  is  reasonable  and  just,  if  we  be- 
lieve the  word  of  God,  that  \ye  zealously  fol- 
low, in  our  weakness,  that  which  the  Spirit 
of  the  Lord  has  so  clearly  taught  and  en- 
joined in  his  holy  word. 

But  his  assertion,  that  such  fruits,  only, 
avail  in  our  sight  comes,  alas,  from  an  im- 
pure heart.  For,  I  presume,  he  well  knows, 
that  we  plainly  teach  that  we  cannot  be 
saved  by  outward  works,  however  great  and 
glorious  they  may  appear  or  that  we  can 
thus  entirely  please  God;  for  they  are  ever 
mixed  with  imperfection  and  weakness  and, 
therefore,  through  the  corruption  of  the  flesh 
we  cannot  acquire  the  righteousness  re- 
quired in  the  commandments ;  therefore  we 
point,  alone,  to  Christ  Jesus  who  is  our  only 
40 


and  eternal  Righteousness,  Reconciliation 
and  Propitiator  with  the  Father,  and  do  not 
at  all  trust  in  oiir  works.  My  reader,  I  write 
the  truth  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  lie  not. 

O,  that  Gellius  would  quit  his  unguarded 
talk,  and  speak  no  more  than  that  which  is 
true,  for  a  liar  is  a  disgrace  and  shall  not 
inlierit  the  kingdom  of  God;  and  that  he 
could  once  feel  what  a  true,  christian  faith 
is,  what  it  requires  in  its  nature  and  what 
it  produces  in  power;  he  would  then  know 
what  it  is  that  brings  forth  such  a  pious, 
penitent  and  unblamable  life  which  he  has 
in  times  gone  by,  so  disgracefully  slandered 
and  upbraided  as  devilish  fruits,  hypocrisy 
and  a  new  mockery ;  and,  as  appears,  would 
yet  upbraid,  if  it  was  not  for  the  experience 
of  many  and  the  great  quantity  of  innocent 
blood  which  has  been  shed. 

Behold,  dear  reader,  now  you  can  see  how 
they  adorn  and  deck  their  abominable  hy- 
pocrisy and  frxiitless,  impenitent  church-ser- 
vice with  writing,  translating,  singing,  &c., 
although  generally  alone  without  repent- 
ance and  regeneration,  as  heard;  and  how 
they  basely  construe  and  explain  the  sin- 
cere, pious  fruits  of  true  faith  which  are 
taught  and  represented  by  all  the  Scriptures, 
ceremonies  and  sacraments;  that  they. may 
daub  the  wall  with  untempered  mortar  and 
console  the  poor,  miserable  people  in  their 
disregard  of  the  word  of  the  Lord.  But 
when  the  Lord's  hurricane,  flood  and  great 
hailstones  shall  come  with  a  gi-eat  noise, 
then  they  will  break  down  the  wall  that  they 
have  daubed  with  untempered  mortar  and 
bring  it  to  the  ground  so  that  the  foundation 
thereof  shall  be  discovered,  &c.,  Ezekiel  13: 
13,  14. 

In  the  tliird  place,  Gellius  writes  that  the  office  of  a 
preacher  consists  of  two  parts,  namely,  in  rooting  out, 
destroying  and  opposing ;  also  in  sowing  and  building, 
&c.,  and  boasts  that  their  fruits,  especially  as  regards 
the  first  part,  cannot  be  denied  in  many  kingdoms  and 
principalities ;  and  that  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  (as  he 
says),  has,  through  their  services,  planted  sincere  repent- 
ance and  such  true  christian  faith  in  many  hearts,  that 
the  small  community  at  Emden,  in  sure  expectation  of  a 
reward  in  heaven,  willingly  supports  several  hundreds 
of  poor  people  by  their  alms,  &c. 

Answer.  We  admit  that  the  first  part  of  a 
preachers  office  consists  in  rooting  out,  de- 
stroying and  opposing,  and  the  other  of  sow- 
ing and  building  up,  and  this  is  a  proof  for 


26 


REPLY  TO   GELLIUS  FABER. 


us  that  tliey  are  not  the  preachers  to  serve  ! 
in  such  capacity.    Althotigh  they  have  re- ' 
nonnced,  in  diifereut  cities  and  countries, 
(for  whicli  we  praise  the  Lord),  some  abuses 
and  idolatries,  which  were  so  gross  that 
they  might  be  plainly  noticed,  without  Script- 
ures, to  be  abominations;  yet,  the  root  of  all 
deceit  remains  untouched,  namely,  the  false  ; 
doctrine  and  unscriptural  sacraments,  with 
which  they  console  the  world  and  encourage 
them  in  their  impenitence  and  natural  state 
or  Adamic  heart  which  is  the  source  of  all 
unrighteousness,  as  may,  alas,  be  seen  on  i 
every  hand  by  the  fruits.  i 

If,  then,  they  are  the  true  preachers  as 
they  pretend  to  be,  let  them  execute  the  first 
part,  namely.  To  break  in  pieces  with  the 
hammer  of  the  divine  word  the  proud,  obdu- 
rate hearts,  the  impure,  avaricious  hearts, 
the  blood-guilty,  tyrannical  hearts,  &c.,  of 
w^hom  it  is  written  that  they  are  worthy  of 
death;  to  humble  them  by  the  eternal  judg- 
ment and  punishment  of  Almighty  God;  to 
discover  to  them  their  ungodly  and  corrupt 
nature  and  flesh,  by  virtue  of  the  commands ; 
that  they  may  learn  to  know  themselves, 
see  their  shame  and  thus,  with  sorrowing 
and  repenting  hearts,  in  the  fear  of  the  com- 1 
ing  wrath  and  eternal  punishment  of  the 
just  and  great  God,  sincerely  and  trem- 
blingly repent  and  die  unto  their  sins,  cru- ' 
cify  their  flesh,  smother  their  lusts,  and 
walk  before  their  God  with  broken  and 
humbled  hearts.  Behold  this  is  the  true  j 
and  principal  rooting  out,  destroying  and 
opposing  to  which  Scriptures  say,  the  true 
preachers  are  called. 

Then  let  such  moved  and  humbled  hearts, 
such  penitent  and  sighing  sinners,  who  are, 
with  Peter  and  Magdalene,  heart  broken, 
bitterly  weep,  and  with  David  confess  their 
guilt;  then  point  them  to  the  only  and  eter- 
nal seat  of  grace, .Christ  Jesus;  teach  them 
the  eternal  mercy,  love,  favor  and  grace  of 
God,  according  to  the  Scrii:)tures ;  console 
them  with  the  gospel  of  peace ;  carefully 
anoint  their  wounds,  caused  by  the  sharp 
and  smarting  wine,  with  the  oil  of  the  jo.yful  \ 
promises  of  Christ,  that  they  may  thus,  i 
through  faith  arise  with  Christ  from  the  i 
death  of  their  abominable  sins  into  the  new 
life  of  all  virtue ;  that  they  may,  in  true 
faith  and  in  pure,  unfeigned  love,  ever  walk  i 


without  all  offence,  according  to  the  exam- 
ple of  Christ  and  all  the  pious;  and  give 
thanks  to  the  Lord  for  his  manifest  love. 
Behold,  thus  sow  and  build,  all  true  preach- 
ers who  are  called  of  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord 
and  are  tit  for  his  service. 

Dear  reader,  observe;  Since  Gellius  and 
the  preachers,  then,  are  not  such  destroj^ers 
and  builders,  rooters  and  planters,  as  their 
deeds  testify ;  but  destroy  that  which  is 
good  and  build  up  that  which  is  bad;  that 
they  root  out  truth  with  their  oifensive  doc- 
trine and  plant  falsehood  with  their  false 
sacraments  and  easy  life;  therefore  our  as- 
sertion is  incontrovertible,  that  they  are  not 
the  servants  of  Christ  nor  his  true  messen- 
gers. 

He  -writes,  "that  the  Lord,  through  their  service,  has 
])Iantcd  true  repentance  and  such  a  true  christian  faitli 
in  many  hearts,  that  the  small  congregation  at  Emdeu 
were  comforted  in  expectation  of  a  hearenlj'  reward." 

Ans2oer.  If  this  were  true  indeed,  as  he 
writes,  it  should  be  attested  by  the  fruits 
and  manifested  by  the  works.  Paul  says, 
"The  kingdom  of  God  is  not  in  word,  but 
in  power,"  1  Cor.  4:  20.  Let  nobody  falsely 
boast ;  we  will  be  judged  of  one  before  whom 
nothing  is  hidden.  Nobody  knows  what  true, 
christian  faith  and  and  true  repentance  are, 
but  he  who  has  truly  received  them  and  felt 
their  power.  If  God,  then,  plants  repent- 
ance in  so  many  hearts,  as  Gellius  pretends, 
why  is  he  and  his  like  preachers,  yet  so 
impenitent,  so  inimical  and  refractory  to 
truth,  and  so  offensive  and  blamable  in 
wholesome  doctrine?  If  those  of  whom  he 
speaks  are  of  the  same  mind  with  him, 
which  we  trust  they  are  not,  then  he  has 
not  written  the  truth ;  this  is  too  plain  to  be 
denied. 

Those  hearts  in  which  God  has  planted 
true  repentance  and  an  ardent,  true,  chris- 
tian faith  cannot,  especially  in  these  times 
of  manifest  truth,  long  be  hidden,  nor  re- 
main without  the  cross  promised  by  the  Ho- 
ly Scriptures,  if,  even,  their  own  preachers 
and  relations  are  to  persecute  them.  For  if 
they  would  testify  their  faith  by  a  frank 
confession,  by  a  pious  life  and  by  works, 
which  are  the  fruits  of  true  and  ardent  faith, 
they  would  soon  find  that  they  have  to  bear 
the  cross  with  Christ,  their  Lord.  However 
much  Gellius  may  garble  it  in  his  wi'itings. 


EEPLY  TO   GELLIUS  FABER. 


27 


the  word  of  Clirist  is  and  remains  the  word 
of  the  cross ;  all  who  accept  the  word  in 
power  and  in  truth  must  be  prepared  for 
the  cross;  this,  both  Scriptirres  and  experi- 
ence abundantly  teach  us. 

This  had  necessarily  to  be  said,  lest  we 
be  consoled  with  a  false  boasting  and  idea, 
and  lest  the  word  of  the  Lord,  spoken  to 
the  false  prophets,  be  applied  to  us;  say- 
ing, Ye  promise  life  to  those  souls  to  whom 
you  should  not  promise  it,  "By  your  lying 
to  my  people  that  hear  j'our  lies,"  Ezekiel 
13:  19. 

Notwithstanding,  many  are  suffered  in 
their  churches  who  wantonly  live  in  pomp, 
splendor,  carousing,  avarice  and  according 
to  the  lusts  of  the  flesh,  which  service  a 
true  and  faithful  preacher,  through  which 
God  works,  does  not  allow,  if  the  evangeli- 
cal Scriptures  and  apostolic  ordinances  and 
doctrine  shall  avail  and  are  true. 

But,  as  to  the  alms  and  support  of  the 
poor,  I  would  say,  that  it  is  a  good  and 
praise-worthy  work,  and  cordially  approve 
of  it.  Also,  that  many  pious,  gentile  phi- 
losophers, as  Aristotle,  Plato,  &c.,  have 
considered  it  as  right  and  just.  But  we  con- 
tradict that  sincere  and  true  repentance,  or 
the  true  seed  and  foundation  of  sincere  love, 
which  is  a  fruit  of  true  faith,  consists  there- 
in; for  we  may  give  in  hypocrisy,  as  well 
as  in  love,  as  may  be  seen  by  the  Scribes 
and  Pharisees,  by  the  open  heathens  and 
daily,  yet,  by  the  papists. 

Paul  also  agrees  with  this,  saying,  "And 
though  I  bestow  all  my  goods  to  feed  the 
poor,  and  though  I  give  my  body  to  be 
burned,  and  have  not  charity,  it  profiteth 
me  nothing,"!  Cor.  13:  3.  Therefore,  let 
every  one  take  heed  for  what  purpose  and 
with  what  heart  he  bestows  his  alms.  For 
the  love  which  is  of  God  and  of  a  divine 
nature  hates  all  boasting  and  hypocrisy, 
neither  does  it  know  them ;  of  this  I  am 
convinced. 

If  Gellius  points  to  the  support  and  serv- 
ice of  the  poor,  which  I  deem  praisewor- 
thy, as  a  fruit  of  true  repentance,  then  I 
would  ask  in  the  first  place,  Whether  he 
finds  a  lack  of  alms  with  our  church;  al- 
though they  are  exiled  to  foreign  countries 
and  live  in  poverty  and  misery  and  are 
partly  robbed  of  their  possessions? 


In  the  second  place  I  would  say,  that 
while  he  wants  to  boast  of  true  repentance, 
he  should  first  commence  with  the  repent- 
ance of  such  faith  as  brings  forth  the  love 
and  fear  of  God,  and  not  with  the  alms  for 
the  poor.  For  the  Lord's  own  mouth  speaks, 
That  love  is  the  keeping  of  his  command- 
ments; yea  that  it  is  the  greatest  command- 
ment, Dent.  6:5. 

Yea,  ray  reader,  if  he  and  his  could  fully 
comiDrehend  sincere,  true  repentance  and 
true  christian  faith,  which  he  thinks  has 
been  planted  in  their  hearts,  O,  how  cordi- 
ally would  they  fear  their  God,  love  and 
thank  him  for  his  favors  and  loving-kind- 
ness, and  how  willingly  would  they  follow 
and  obey  his  holy  word !  But  how  they  do 
love  and  thank  him  for  his  loving-kindness 
and  how  they  obey  and  follow  his  vrord, 
their  actions  and  fruits,  alas,  too  plainly 
testify. 

If  they  love  God,  and  if  a  true,  living 
faith  and  genuine  repentance  has  been  im- 
planted in  their  hearts,  as  he  boasts,  why 
do  they,  then,  yet  walk  after  the  manner  of 
the  Gentiles  in  pomp  and  splendor,  in  the 
lusts  of  their  eyes,  embellishment  of  their 
bodies  and  houses,  in  avariciousness,  ca- 
rousing, &c.?  and  why  do  they  not  heed  the 
words  of  Paul?  namely,  "If  ye  live  after  the 
flesh,  ye  shall  die,"  Rom.  8:  13. 

If  they  love  their  neighbors,  as  the  Script- 
ures command  and  true  repentance  brings 
forth,  why  are  they,  then,  so  usurious,  ava- 
ricious and  perfidious  amongst  themselves? 
j  Why  do  they  litigate?  Hatred,  envy,  lying, 
I  deceit,  backbiting  and  defamation  still  pre- 
vail amongst  his  followers ;  besides  they 
j  curse,  swear,  brawl,  fight,  war,  destroy,  rob 
I  and  some  of  them  are  fornicators,  perjur- 
ers, &c. ;   to  say  nothing  about  their  dis- 
t  graceful  iipbraiding,  profaning  and  defam- 
\  ing  of  all  those  who  seek  and  fear  the  Lord. 
'  What  sort  of  repentance  and  faith  it  is,  of 
I  which  he  so  loudly  boasts,  you  may  con- 
sider in  the  fear  of  God. 

O,  my  kind  reader,  it  never  fails  that 
where  true  faith  is,  there,  also,  is  the  right- 
eousness of  faith;  where  there  is  unfeigned, 
christian  love,  there  also  is  obedience  to  the 
!  holy  word,  and  where  there  is  true,  sincere 
repentance  there  also  is  an  unblamable  life. 


REPLY  TO   GELLroS  FABER. 


according  to  the  truth ;   this  is  incontro- 
vertible. 

Is  it  not  a  false  assertion  to  say  that  the 
giving  of  alms  shows  true  repentance:  since 
we  do  not  knovr  whether  it  is  done  in  sin- 
cerity of  heart  or  in  hypocrisy  and  vanity, 
while  he  can  plainly  see  that  those  who 
give  alms  generally  are  merely  of  the  world 
and  flesh,  jea,  without  regeneration  and 
repentance? 

It  would  be  well  if  he  could  take  to  heart 
what  stands  written:  The  alms  (gifts)  of  the 
ungodly  do  not  please  the  Most  High;  and 
sins  are  not  remitted  by  much  offering ;  iie 
who  offers  of  the  possessions  of  the  poor, 
does,  even  as  if  he  slaughtered  the  Son,  in 
the  sight  of  the  Father.  But  to  keep  God's 
commandments,  is  a  pleasing  offer  and  to 
do  according  to  the  command,  this  is  an  of- 
fer which  avails.  "To  depart  from  wicked- 
ness is  a  thing  pleasing  to  the  Lord;  and  to 
forsake  unrighteousness  is  a  propitiation."  ; 
Again,  "To  obey  is  better  than  sacrifice, 
and  to  hearken,  than  the  fat  of  rams,"  Eccl. 
85:3;  1  Sam.  iri:22. 

I  woiild  further  say  that  it  is  my  fixed 
opinion  that  the  beforementioned  alms,  of 
which  he  boasts,  are  not  the  two  mites  or 
pennies  of  the  widow's  necessaries;  but  only 
a  small  crumb  of  their  abundance,  riches 
and  wealth.  This  I  frankly  assert,  and  I 
have  not  the  least  doubt  that  if  they  would 
apply,  to  the  support  of  the  poor,  their  silk, 
damask  and  the  superabundance  of  clothes 
in  which  they  go  splendidly  attired,  the  orna- 
ments of  their  houses,  the  golden  and  silver 
rosaries,  the  useless,  costly  ornaments,  gold 
rings,  chains,  silvered  and  gilt  swords,  be- 
sides, the  booty  of  the  persecuted  which 
may  be  found  in  the  houses  of  some,  then 
the  poor  would  not,  in  the  least,  suffer  from 
want. 

O,  my  reader,  yet  by  him,  this  must  be 
called  true  repentance  and  a  highly  boast- 
ful work.  If  such  boasting  of  outward  works 
was  heard  from  our  side,  how  soon  would 
we  hear  that  we  are  work-saints,  and  that 
we  want  to  be  saved  by  our  own  merits. 

O,  Lord!  O  dear  Lord!!  thus  the  ignorant 
people  are  deceived  and  consoled  in  their 
impenitent,reckless  life  with  their  own  works 
and  merits.  I  think  that  such  preachers  may 
justly  be  called  peace-preachers,  bolsterers 


and  false  daubers  of  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord, 
since  they  praise  such  a  carnal  people  as 
penitent  and  happy  according  to  the  pro- 
phetic word,  while  they  are  still  quite  earth- 
ly and  carnally -minded;  as  their  daily  walk 
openly  testifies  before  the  whole  world. 

My  faithful  reader,  observe  the  word  of 
the  Lord,  and  take  heed;  for  it  is  not  al- 
ways a  true  christian  faith  nor  sincere  re- 
pentance which  the  children  of  the  world, 
who  are  prone  to  walk  upon  the  broad  way, 
sometimes  teach  and  represent  as  true  faith 
and  sincere  repentance.  But  this  is  true 
faith ;  which  cordially  accepts  all  the  words 
of  God,  the  threatening  commands  as  well 
as  the  consoling  gospel,  and  trusts  in  them 
as  the  siu'e  and  true  word  of  God,  &c.  Fi'om 
such  faith,  which  Paul  calls  a  gift  of  God, 
springs  the  fear  of  God  which  drives  out 
sin,  and  the  true  love  which  gladdens,  en- 
livens and  cheers  the  heart  and  leads  it  into 
the  obedience  of  the  word. 

Where  there  is  such  a  faith  which  brings 
forth  a  new,  converted  and  changed  mind; 
which  makes  us  dead  unto  sin  and  leads  us 
into  a  new  life;  changes  us  from  Adam  to 
Christ;  puts  off  the  old  man  with  all  his 
works  and  puts  on  the  new  man  with  his 
works  and  thus  conforms  all  his  thoughts, 
words  and  works  to  the  Spirit,  vrord  and 
ways  of  the  Lord,  behold,  there  is  true  re- 
pentance to  which  the  liolj^  prophets,  John 
the  baptist,  Christ  Jesus,  together  with  all 
the  apostles  and  pious  servants  have  so 
earnestly  pointed  us  and  so  faithfully  ad- 
monished us. 

All  those  who  would  rightly  preach  this 
faith  and  this  genuine  repentance,  and  would 
thereby  bring  forth  fruits,  must  themselves 
first,  truly  believe  and  sincerely  repent;  this 
is  too  obvious  to  be  denied ;  and  that  Gel- 
lius  and  his  like  preachers  do  not  yet,  in 
power  and  truth,  believe  and  sincerely  re- 
pent, I  will  leave  to  be  judged  by  their  own 
writings  and  fruits,  both  here  on  earth  and 
before  the  throne  of  God  and  Christ. 

GelHna  further  writes,  and  says,  If  it  were  true  that 
many  of  our  audience  turn  the  preaching  of  tlie  holy 
gospel  to  lasciviousuess,  as  in  Jude  4,  and  that  our 
preaching  avails  but  little,  although  many  pious,  peni- 
tent hearts  incoutrovertibly  prove  the  contrary,  then  the 
old  lamentation  of  the  prophet  Isaiah  were  but  verified, 
that  says,  Who  hath  believed  our  report,  &c.  ?  He  also 
points  to  the  saying  of  Christ,  namely.  If  they  have  kept 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


29 


my  word  tliey  will  also  keep  your  word ;  with  which  he 
doubtlessly  means  to  say,  as  the  world  has  not  kept  my 
doctrine,  therefore  they  will  not  keep  your  doctrine. 

He  also,  refers  to  the  four  kinds  of  seed  and  four 
kinds  of  earth.  Matt.  13  :  8,  19,  23. 

Ansioer.  God  has  never,  from  the  begin- 
ning, preached  repentance  through  the  im- 
penitent. The  mouth  and  wisdom  of  God 
say,  "Do  men  gather  grapes  of  thorns,,  or 
figs  of  thistles,"  Matt.  7:  16. 

Since,  it  is  clear  that  Gellius  and  his  like 
preachers  remain  so  earthly  and  carnally- 
minded,  and  are  driven  by  such  an  unmerci- 
ful, tyrannical  and  slandering  spirit,  which 
is,  properly,  the  inborn  spirit,  nature  and 
fruit  of  the  old  serpent;  how,  then,  can  they 
lightly  preach  the  penitent,  pious  life  and  , 
the  fruitful,  merciful,  amiable  spirit,  nature 
and  disposition  of  Christ,  which  they  not  > 
only  not  acknowledge,  but  upbraid  as  hy-  j 
pocrisy  and  which  they  sincerely  hate  in  I 
all  the  pious?  j 

In  the  second  place,  I  say,  that  the  preach- 
ing of  peace  and  the  making  of  cushions  of 
the  learned,  as  they  do,  will  bring  forth  but 
few  truly  repentant  persons.  For  although 
the  world  is  so  wicked  and  wild  that  we 
should  reasonably  be  terrified  at  their  very 
great  v/ickedness,  yet  they  are  so  comforted 
and  consoled  by  their  preachers,  with  their 
infant  baptism,  supper,  alms  and  with  the 
merits,  grace,  death  and  blood  of  the  Lord, 
that  they  presume  themselves  to  be  the  | 
Lord's  chosen  holy  church  and  people.  ! 

In  the  third  place  I  would  say,  because 
he  speaks  doubtfully,  saying.  If  it  were  true  ' 
that  many  of  his  audience  turn  the  preach- 
ing of  the  word  to  lasciviousness,  and  little  [ 
fruit  was  brought  forth  by  it,  something  ! 
which   he    however   does  not  admit,   &c.,  | 
the  reader  should  well  mark  how  assidu- 
ously they  defend  the  world  and  the  church 
of  anti-christ,  saying.  If  it  were  true,  &c. 
Yet  the  whole  German  nation  has  degener- 
ated to  such  a  wild  and  reckless  freedom, 
by  the  preaching  of  their  free  gospel  that  if 
we  reasonably  admonish  and  reprove  them 
for  their  open  unchastity,  carousing,  pomp 
and  splendor,  cursing  and  swearing,  lasciv- 
ious and  foul  words,  we  must  immediately 
hear  that  we  are  conspirators,  vagabonds, 
fanatics,  heaven-stormers,  anabaptists  and 
other  indecent,  disgraceful  slanders. 


But  in  regard  to  the  complaint  of  Isaiah 
and  the  saying  of  Christ,  If  they  have  kept 
my  saying,  <S:c.,  John  15:  20,  with  which  he 
wishes  to  cover  and  adorn  his  unscriptural 
practices  and  doctrine  of  impenitence,  I 
would  ask  him:  If  Christ  and  the  apostles 
have  received  those  who  lived  after  the  lusts 
of  their  flesh,  such  as  drunkards,  railers, 
extortioners,  avaricious,  fornicators,  adul- 
terers, &c.,  as  their  disciples,  so  long  as 
they  had  not  sincerely  repented  ? 

If  he  answers  in  the  aflirmative,  then  he 
speaks  contrary  to  all  Scripture.  For  Paul 
says.  That  we  shall  not  eat  with  such,  if  he 
does  call  himself  a  brother,  1  Cor.  5:  11,  and 
that  they  shall  not  inherit  the  kingdom  of 
God,  1  Cor.  6:  11.  If  he  answers  in  the 
negative,  then  I  would  again  ask,  "Why  they 
receive  them  as  disciples  while  they  are  not 
disciples  of  Christ,  ])ut  are,  according  to  his 
own  words.^  of  the  world  ? 

If  he  answers  that  they  do  not  receive 
them,  then  I  would  ask  him  why  they  bap- 
tize their  children  before  they  let  them  par- 
take of  the  supper?  And  wdiether  it  would 
not  be  better  if  he  would  separate  them,  ac- 
cording to  the  Scriptures  from  the  commun- 
ion of  those  whom  he  esteems  pious  ?  If  he 
answers  that  he  does  not  know  of  such, 
which  he  can  by  no  means,  truthfully  say, 
then  I  would,  lastly  ask,  if  he  does  not 
know  a  tree  by  its  fruits ;  if  he  cannot  see  a 
light  that  shines  in  darkness,  as  all  true 
christian  lights  are  called  in  the  Scriptures, 
nor  a  city  which  is  built  upon  a  high  mount- 
ain? Matt.  5:  14. 

Since  Gellius  and  all  the  preachers,  receive 
and  suflfer  such  impenitent  persons,  whom 
he  himself  calls  of  the  world,  as  heard,  in 
the  communion  of  their  churches,  against 
the  practice  of  Christ  and  of  the  apostles, 
therefore  they  must  thereby  acknowledge 
that  Christ's  church  is  of  the  world  or  the 
world  of  Christ's  church-,  that  they,  contrary 
to  the  apostolic  doctrine,  ordinance  and  ex- 
ample, dispense  the  sacraments  also  to  the 
world,  which  according  to  the  Scriptures 
properly  belong  to  the  penitent  alone,  who 
have  placed  themselves  in  the  church  of  the 
Lord,  in  obedience  to  the  word;  that  they, 
thereby,  include  the  penitent  (if  such  there 
be)  in  the  communion  of  the  impenitent; 
and  that  they  are  open  flatterers  and  ene- 


§0 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


mies  of  the  cross  of  Christ,  Phil.  3:  18,  who 
act  hypocritically  with  the  higher  class  and 
flatter  the  world,  lest  they  lose  their  favors; 
and  thus  openly  and  faithlessly  transgress 
the  Lord's  word  and  ordinance,  for  the  sake 
of  their  bellies  and  reject  it  as  powerless 
and  discouraging. 

Again,  as  to  his  reference  to  the  Lord's 
parable,  I  would  say,  That  I  would  have 
him  take  a  better  view  of  it  and  not  console 
himself  herewith;  for  it  has  reference  to  the 
true  preachers  and  disciples  who  have  been 
put  to  the  trial  of  the  cross  of  Christ,  in 
obedience  to  the  word,  and  not  to  tlie  cross- 
fleeing  preachers  and  the  world,  as  may  be 
learned  not  alone  from  the  Scriptures  but 
also  from  experience. 

For  some  reject  the  received  and  manifest 
truth,  and  the  sown  seed  is  devoured  of  the 
fowls  of  the  air  and  does  not  bring  forth 
fruit.  Some  are  withered  by  the  scorching 
sun  of  the  cross,  oppression  and  misery, 
which  proves  them  wood,  hay  and  stubble, 
1  Cor.  3:  12. 

Others  are  smothered  by  the  cares  of  this 
world,  and  by  deceitful  riches  and  the  lusts 
of  the  flesh,  so  that  the  received  knowledge 
dies  in  them,  and  the  lusts  and  love  of  this 
'Yorld  prevail,  which  in  our  times,  as  well 
as  in  the  times  of  the  primitive  church,  is  too 
often  the  case  with  those  who,  with  Demas, 
alas,  again  grasp  the  love  of  the  world. 

But  the  last  receive  it  in  a  sincere,  pious 
heart,  and  meekly  bring  forth  fruit  with 
patience ;  althougli  they  are  much  tempted 
by  all  kinds  of  trials,  anxiety,  oppression 
and  deadl}^  perils,  yet  the}'  are,  b}'  the  gra- 
cious help  of  God,  so  armed  with  a  true 
faith,  love,  hope,  and  patience  or  long-suf- 
fering; are  so  confirmed  in  God,  that  nei- 
ther the  fire  of  tribulation  can  consume  them 
(for  they  are  gold,  silver  and  precious 
stones),  nor  sword  and  pain  can  frighten  or 
deter  them  from  the  ways  of  the  Lord, 
Rom.  8:  38. 

That  the  beforementioned  parable  has  re- 
ference to  such  christians  and  not  to  the 
world  and  its  preachers,  is  too  clear  to  be 
controverted  or  denied.  And  Gellius  and 
his  like  preachers  of  the  world  remain  de- 
fenders of  unrighteousness,  comforters  of 
the  impenitent  and  servants  of  the  kingdom 
of  anti-christ,  who  not  only  pitifully  deceive 


their  own  souls  but  also  those  of  their  church, 
and  support  and  defend  them  in  their  gross 

j  abominations  and  impenitent  carnal  lives, 
bj'  their  perversion  of  Scriptures  and  use- 
less consolations,  to  their  eternal  destruc- 
tion. 

In  the  fifth  place  it  should  be  observed, 

:  what  the  preachers'  desire  and  seeking 
should  be.   The  Scriptures  teach  that  Moses 

i  and  Jeremiah,  Exod.  4:  10,  reluctantly  ac- 
cepted of  the  service  when  the3%  Jer.  1 :  6, 

I  were  called  and  sent  of  God,  as  Jeremiah 
laments  when  the  cross  bore  heavilj'  u]ion 
him,  Exod.  4:  10;  Jer.  1:  C;  Jer.  20:  8. 

All  that  the  prophets,  apostles  and  faith- 
ful servants  of  God  ever  souglit  and  desired 
was  nothing  else  than  that  they  might  pro- 
claim the  name  of  their  God  and  might 
point  their  neighbors  to  the  way  of  peace. 
They  did  not  seek  money,  gold,  honor  and 
an  easy  life,  but  they  executed  their  office 
to  which  tliey  were  appointed,  and  which 

t  was,  alas,  not  weighed  by  the  heedless  peo- 
ple, under  many  sore  trials,  miseries,  anxi- 

,  eties,  tribulations,  beatings,  poverty,  op- 
pression and  tortures,  and  at  the  risk  of 
life  even,  as  sacred  and  profane  histories, 
in  many  instances,  teach.     But  why  the 

,  preachers  of  the  world  have  hitherto  refused 

\  and  3"et  refuse  the  service,  and  what  thej' 
seek  tliereby ,  experience  and  the  Holy  Spirit 

j  plainly  teach  us,  saying,  that  they  promise 
death  to  the  pious  and  life  to  the  wicked, 
for  the  sake  of  a  hand-ful  of  barley  or  a 
piece  of  bread;  that  they  seek  the  fat  and 
the  wool,  milk  and  flesh;  that  they  eat  but 
do  not  feed  the  Lord's  sheep,  Ezekiel  34: 
3;  that  they  preach  peace  for  their  bellies' 
sake  (that  is,  if  well  paid),  and  war  if  not 
well  fed,  &c. 

Facts  testifj^  openly  that  it  is  true  that 
they  do  not  seek  the  salvation  of  souls,  but 
a  careless,  easy  life;  for  we  never  saw  in  all 
our  life  that  the  preachers  lived  where  there 

I  were  no  rents  or  liens.    That,  also,  Gellius 

I  does  not  seek  the  salvation  of  his  sheep, 
but  the  rents,  he  has  testified  when  he  left 
Norden,  where  he  was  called  by  the  same 
calling,  and  moved  to  Emden  where  the  an- 
nual income  was  greater;  something  wliich 
tlie  paters,  in  times  gone-by,  esteemed  as 

.  unjust  in  their  concilions  and  decrees,  and 

!  punished  with  excommunication. 


KEPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


31 


If  lie  sought  tlie  salvation  of  their  souls, 
and  not  the  rents,  as  becomes  a  good  and 
faithful  shepherd,  according  to  the  example 
of  Jesus  Christ  and  of  all  faithful  servants, 
why,  then,  did  he  make  void  his  first  call- 
ing, which  was,  according  to  his  assertion, 
divine,  and  leave  the  first  sheep  who  were 
no  less  delivered  through  the  death  of  the 
Lord,  and  bought  with  his  precious  blood, 
than  the  last,  of  which  he  now  has  the 
charge.     O,  hypocrisy  and  feigning ! 

Again,  Gellius  says  in  regard  to  the  sustenance  of  the 
preachers,  That  they  have  little  care  as  to  how  the 
community,  of  whom  the  magistracy  are  a  part,  provides 
them  the  necessaries  of  life,  while  it  is  certain  that  if 
they  serve  the  gospel,  as  he  says,  they  shall  also  live  of 
the  gospel ;  and  cites  Matt.  10  :  10  ;  Luke  10  :  7. 

Answer.  If  Gellius  and  the  preachers 
were  such  servants  as  are  referred  to  in 
these  Scriptiires,  then  it  is  plain,  that  the 
sustenance  of  the  gospel  was  promised 
them.  But  if  any-body  goes  into  the  service 
and  ixselessly  destroys  and  ruins  the  Lord's 
goods,  if  faithless,  seeks  his  own  self  in  all 
things  and  does  the  things  which  are  con- 
trary to  the  will  and  honor  of  the  Lord, 
should  such  a  faithless  servant  receive  the 
reward  which  is  reasonably  due  to  the  faith- 
ful, assiduous  laborer?  I  think  you  will  an- 
swer in  the  negative;  and  that  he  shotild 
rather  receive  the  displeasure  and  punish- 
ment of  the  Lord.  For  he  speaks,  "  When 
the  Lord  therefore  of  the  vineyard  cometh, 
what  will  he  do  unto  those  husbandmen  ? 
They  say  unto  him,  He  will  miserably 
destroy  those  wicked  men,  and  will  let  out 
his  vineyard  unto  other  liusbandmen,  which 
shall  render  him  the  fruits  in  their  seasons," 
Matt.  21:40,  41. 

"We  acknowledge  that  sustenance  has  been 
promised,  by  Scriptures,  to  the  true  and 
faitliful  servants.  But,  since  Gellius  and 
his  like  preachers  are  unfaithful  servants 
who  destroy  the  Lord's  goods,  steal  his  gain, 
scatter  his  sheep  and  do  not  gather  them 
together;  who,  alas,  fearlessly  lead  to  hell 
his  precious  treasure,  namelj'  the  poor'mis- 
erable  souls,  iu  great  numbers,  as  those  tru- 
ly regenerated  can  scripturally  judge  by 
the  testimony  of  their  open  deeds;  therefore 
their  sustenance  is  not  the  sustenance  of 
tnie  preachers,  but  an  unreasonable,  shame- 
ful gain;  an  unbecoming  livelihood  and  the 


reward  of  the  deceived  souls;  this,  aU  of 
sound  understanding  must  acknowledge 
and  admit. 

0,  my  faithful  reader,  remember,  so  lonj^ 
as  the  world  donates  such  splendid  houses 
and  large  incomes  to  their  preachers,  the 
false  prophets  and  deceivers  will  be  numer- 
ous. 

They  pretend  to  vindicate  by  Scripture 
all  heresy,  deceit,  idolatry,  pomp,  hypoc- 
risy, t5^ranny  and  drunkenness,  together 
with  their  unreasonable  and  shameful  serv- 
ice of  the  flesh  and  world,  and  make  the 
ignorant  and  blind  world  believe  that  it  is 
right. 

But  I  openly  testify,  I  testify  it  unreserved- 
ly that  the  preachers  of  the  world,  to  take 
them  all  in  all,  are  Balaamites,  who  love 
the  reward  of  unrighteousness,  and  serve 
for  the  sake  of  a  handful  of  barley  and  a 
piece  of  bread,  whereby  they  profane  the 
name  of  God,  Ezekiel  13:  19.  "Prophets 
which  eat  at  Jezebel's  table,"  1  Kings  18: 20, 
servants  and  defenders  of  Maaz,  1  Chron.  2: 
27,  who  are  honored  with  great  rewards  of 
Antioch,  that  is,  anti-christ;  Ahabites,  who, 
for  the  sake  of  an  acre,  stone  the  pious  ISTa- 
both,  1  Kings  21,  that  is,  who  advise  and 
instigate  the  world  by  their  speeches,  writ- 
ings, backbiting,  complaints  and  permis 
sion  to  the  killing  of  many  an  innocent,  pi- 
ous child  of  God. 

Again,  they  are  priests  of  Jeroboam,  who, 
contrary  to  the  example  of  Christ  Jesus  and 
his  holy  apostles,  hire  themselves,  for  an 
annual  stipend,  to  an  unevangelical  service 
of  impenitence,  which  is  practiced,  in  all 
respects,  without  power,  spirit,  repentance 
and  regeneration,  as  may  openly  be  seen; 
their  service  is  vain  labor  and  mockery,  be- 
sides, an  unbecoming  speculation. 

O,  how  distinctly  has  the  Holy  Ghost 
portrayed  them  before  our  eyes,  if  we  would 
but  see,  saying,  "And  through  covetousness 
shall  they,  with  feigned  words,  make  mer- 
chandise of  you."  Again,  "Having  men's 
persons  in  admiration  because  of  advan- 
tage," 2  Peter  2:3;  Jude  16,  and  other  like 
sayings;  For  that  they  have  sought  unrea- 
sonable gain  and  an  easy  life,  from  youth, 
and  yet  seek  it,  is  so  obvious,  that  it  can- 
not, at  all,  be  denied. 

Besides,  their  liens  and  properties  have 


32 


EEPLT  TO  GELLIDS  FABER. 


been  obtained  from  anti-clirist,  through  art- 1 
ful  dealings,  enchanting  roguery  and  cler-  ' 
ical  robbery,  and  are  yet,  daily,  thus  ob-  ' 
tained  from  those  who  walk  upon  the  broad  | 
way  without  repentance,  and  who  find,  alas,  \ 
no  pleasure  in  the  Lord's  holy  word.  \ 

They  act  hypocritically  and  flatter  the  j 
magistrates  and  those  of  high-standing; 
they  console  the  impenitent  and  persecute 
the  pious;  they  adulterate  the  plain  word, 
sacraments  and  ordinances  of  Jesus  Christ, 
by  which  the  church  should  be  gathered  and 
maintained  in  Him;  they  preach  to  suit  and 
please  the  world,  that  they  may  receive,  un- 
der the  semblance  of  the  gospel,  the  blood- 
reward  of  the  poor  and  miserable  souls,  for 
which  they  assiduously  strive;  that  they 
may  peaceably  possess  it  and  turn  it  to  the 
advantage  of  easy  times.  Yet  they  console 
themselves  with  the  idea  that  they  serve  the 
gospel  and  therefore  should  live  of  the  gos- 
pel. Behold,  thus  they  give  a  scriptural 
shape  to  all  kinds  of  false  doctrines  and 
works,  and  thus  they  give  a  fine  appearance 
to  hypocrisy. 

My  faithful  reader,  I  warn  you  in  sincere 
love,  take  heed.    Again,  I  say  unto  you. 
The  true  and  faithful  sei-vants  of  Jesus  did 
not  have  such  annual  stipends,  rents  and  j 
property  attached  to  the  apostolic  churches; 
but  the  greater  part  earned  their  livelihood  | 
by  their  own  labor;  yet  served  the  church 
of  Christ,  and,  in  all  love  and  humility,  I 
walked  before  them  with  true  doctrines  and  i 
an  unblamable  life.     They  have  diligently  \ 
watched  over  the  Lord's  house,  city  and 
vineyard;   opposed  all  evil  and  deceiving  i 
spirits  with  the  word  of  the  Lord;   admon-  \ 
ished  the  disorderly,  consoled  the  afilicted, 
reproved  the  transgressors,  excommunicated 
the  disobedient  and  refractory ;  served  rea- 
sonably, left  the  world  to  the  world,  and  : 
have  patiently  borne  its  cross ;   and  what : 
necessaries  they  needed  they  received,  not 
of  the  world,  but  at  the  hands  of  their  pious  j 
disciples,  in  humility,  without  avaricious- 1 
ness  or  on  desire  of  shameful  gain.     Script-  j 
tires  allow  this  much,  as  said  above,  for 
they  rightly  pastured  the  Lord's  sheep,  they 
faithfully  planted  the  vineyard,  assiduous- 
ly tilled  the  land,  and  stored  the  sheaves 
and  fruits  in  the  Lord's  barn,  as  the  exam- 
ple of  the  prophets  and  apostles  points  out 


and  the  Spirit  and  word  of  the  Lord  com- 
mand, and  enjoin  upon  all  faithful  serv- 
ants. 

I  will  conclude  my  remarks  in  regard  to 
the  calling  of  the  preachers,  and  would  yet 
say,  Since  the  Scriptures  teach  that  the  serv- 
ants of  the  holy  word  are  called  either  of 
the  Lord  himself,  or  by  means  of  the  pious, 
as  has  been  heard;  that  they  shall  be  un- 
blamable; able  rightly  to  rule  the  Lord's 
church,  bring  forth  permanent  fruits,  destroy 
and  build  up;  that  they  shall  not  seek  un- 
reasonable gain,  but  sincerely  seek  the  hon- 
or and  praise  of  God  and  the  salvation  of 
their  neighbors,  <S:c. ;  and  since  we  plainly 
see  and  palpably  feel  that  they,  alas,  are 
altogether  called  of  such  as  we  would  wish 
had  the  Spirit  of  Christ;  moreover  that  they 
are  blamable  in  all  things,  for  they  are  of 
an  unmerciful,  tyrannical  disposition,  and 
of  an  earthly,  carnal  life;  pervert  the  gos- 
pel, and  do  not  teach  it  in  power  and  true 
repentance;  wrongly  use  the  sacraments 
without  power,  spirit  and  repentance,  and 
dispense  it  to  those  who  are  not  disciples  of 
Jesus  Christ;  they  deceive  the  people;  do 
not  bring  forth  permanent  fruits,  plant  that 
which  is  evil  and  root  out  that  which  is 
good;  they  do  not  seek  the  honor  and  praise 
of  God  but  their  own  profit  and  gain,  the 
favor  of  the  world  and  an  easy,  careless 
life,  I  will  let  their  doctrines,  sacraments, 
fruits  and  life  testify  to  this ;  therefore  I  say 
without  any  reservation  that  they  are  not 
the  called  preachers  and  servants  of  the 
church  of  Christ,  whom  we  shall,  according 
to  the  Scriptiu-es,  obey,  accept  and  follow, 
as  they  pretend  we  should,  but  that  they 
are  preachers  for  the  sake  of  gain  and  serv- 
ants of  anti-christ,  against  whom  we  are, 
on  every  hand,  Avarned  by  the  word  of  God; 
not  to  hear  or  follow  them  nor  their  doc- 
trine but  to  flee  from  and  avoid  them  as  de- 
ceivers, false  prophets,  wicked  men  and 
faithless  servants. 

Yea,  my  reader,  what  can  they  say  about 
their  calling,  preaching  and  church-service  ? 
It  is,  briefly  stated,  not  possible,  according 
to  the  sure  promises  and  prophecies  of 
Christ  Jesus  and  the  prophets,  that  a  true 
and  faithful  preacher,  witness  or  teacher, 
especially  in  these  evil  times  and  in  this 
wicked  and  tyrannical  world,  can  faithfully 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  PABER. 


S3 


teacli  and  proclaim,  -without  respect  of  per- 
sons, the  pure  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  with- 
out being  exiled,  proscribed  or  killed;  much 
less  enjoy  life  at  ease  and  liberty,  as  they 
do,  without  persecution,  yea,  receive  annual 
stipends  of  the  world  and  be  highly  hon- 
ored and  loved  by  them. 

Peruse  all  the  Holy  Scriptures  and  see  if 
you  can  find  that  Christ  Jesus,  with  his  holy 
apostles,  true  witnesses  and  followers  fared 
as  they  do  and  received  as  they  do ;  wheth- 
er persecution,  cross,  tribulation,  anxiety, 
prison  and  death  were  not,  generally,  their 
lot  and  part.  Besides  experience,  yet  daily, 
teaches  this  abundantly. 

If,  then,  the  preachers  acted  rightly,  if 
they  were  walking  according  to  the  exam- 
ple of  Christ  and  his  apostles  ;  if  their 
teachings  and  dealings  were  right,  as  they 
pretend  them  to  be,  then  all  the  Holy  Script- 
ures must  be  wrong,  the  word  of  the  cross 
be  fulfilled  and  Christ  and  his  prophecies 
must  be  false,  this  is  incontrovertible.  There- 
fore, all  their  boasting  and  artful  citations 
concerning  their  calling,  office,  doctrine 
and  chiu'ch-service,  together  with  their  de- 
fense are,  in  fact,  wrong,  futile,  hypocritical, 
unjust  and  without  truth.  "For  all  seek 
their  own,  not  the  things  which  are  Jesus 
Christ's,"  Phil.  2:  21 ;  their  own  ease  and  not 
the  salvation  of  their  neighbors ;  they  are 
enemies  of  the  cross;  they  serve  their  own 
bellies,  Rom.  16.  If  they  would  rightly  re- 
prove all  the  ungodliness,  idolatry,  abuse, 
pride,  pomp,  splendor,  hypocrisy  and  un- 
faithfulness of  this  world,  without  respect 
of  persons  with  the  same  earnestness,  assid- 
uity, heart  and  mind,  &c.,  as  did  Christ 
with  his  holy  apostles  and  true  witnesses, 
and  in  other  respects  would  not  act  so 
freely  ;  if  they  would  hate  all  unright- 
eousness of  the  world  as  Christ  Jesus  and 
his  apostles  hated  it,  then  they  would  not 
long  remain  at  ease  in  their  comfortable 
houses;  they  would  not  have  such  incomes 
and  they  would  be  little  regarded  by  this 
reckless,  wild  world.  Of  this  I  am  con- 
vinced. 

But  they  do  difi"erently ;  they  make  the  gar- 
ment to  fit  the  man  (as  the  saying  is),  and 
they  so  teach  and  act  that  the  world  may 
suffer  them  and  love  them  and  that  they  may 
be  the  friends  of  the  world,  so  that  they 
41 


may  be  at  ease,  not  be  perseciited  and  enjoy 
good  times;  this  is  something  which  is  gen- 
erality well  understood,  and  a  sure  proof 
that  their  sending  or  calling  together  with 
their  doctrine  and  church-service  is  in  every 
particular  without  the  ordinance.  Spirit  and 
word  of  God,  as  said  before. 

Herewith,  Gellius'  article  on  the  calling- 
has  been  replied  to.  I  would  earnestly  be- 
seech him  and  all  the  preachers  to  reflect  in 
the  fear  of  God  for  before  the  flaming  eyes 
of  the  Lord,  which  search  heaven  and  earth, 
nothing  wrong  w411  be  hidden,  however  art- 
fully it  may  be  covered  before  man's  eyes, 
and  however  much  it  may  be  decked  and 
adorned  with  smooth  words. 

Next,  Gellius  denies  our  calling,  and  says.  Before  we 
can  agree  with  the  preachers  or  teachers  who  claim  that 
they  bring  forth  fruit,  they  must  first  be  rightly  called 
of  a  church  of  God,  and  not  from  a  collection  who  have 
been  deceived  by  false  prophets ;  and  then  come  boldly 
forward  and  preach  ;  or  they  must  show  by  facts  (as  he 
saysj  that  Christ  has  done  wrong,  and  that  he  should 
have  ratlier  preached  seecretly  to  avoid  the  cross  (as  he 
says  we  do)  than  in  public,  &c. 

Answer.  The  sending  or  calling  of  Moses, 
of  Christ,  of  Paxil,  of  the  apostles  and  proj)]!- 
ets  was  also  denied  by  the  perverse.  Moses 
had  to  hear  that  he  had  killed  the  Lord's 
people  and  that  he  had  led  them  into  the 
wilderness  that  they  might  perish  through 
want  and  misery.  Christ  Jesus  was  called 
a  wine-bibber,  blasphemer  and  one  possess- 
ed of  the  devil.  Matt.  11 :  19.  Paul  was  call- 
ed a  rebel  and  an  apostate  Jew,  &c.  Be- 
hold, thus  in  their  times  the  sending  of 
the  faithful  servants  of  the  Lord,  nay,  the 
the  Lord  and  Messiah  himself  was  despised, 
although  testified  by  many  miracles.  How 
much  more,  then,  shall  we  be  despised,  who 
are  such  weak  and  insignificant  instruments, 
and  live  in  seven  fold  worse  and  more  wick- 
ed times  than  those  in  which  they  lived. 

Inasmuch,  then,  as  we  are  accused  by  our 
opponents,  the  learned,  that  we  are  not  call- 
ed of  a  church  of  God,  but  of  false  prophets, 
or  of  a  false  church,  therefore  I  would  brief- 
ly admonish  the  reader,  to  weigh  well  with 
the  Scriptures  who,  how  and  what  the  church 
of  God  is ;  that  it  is  not  a  collection  of 
proud,  avaricious,  extortionate,  vain  per- 
sons,diainkards  and  imi^enitent,  as  tlie  church 
of  the  world  is,  of  whom  the  learned  are 
called  but  a  collection  or  congregation  of 


34 


EEPLY  TO   GELLIUS  FABER. 


saints,  as  the  Holy  Scriptures  and  the  Ni- 
cene  symbol  clearly  teach  and  represent, 
namely,  of  those  who,  through  true  faith, 
are  regenerated  of  God  unto  Christ  Jesus 
and  are  of  a  divine  nature,  who  will  gladly 
conform  their  lives  according  to  the  Spirit, 
word  and  example  of  the  Lord,  are  actuated 
by  his  Spirit  and  are  willing  and  prepared 
patiently  to  bear  the  cross  of  their  Lord 
Jesus  Christ. 

Behold  dear  reader,  such  were  they  whom 
the  apostles  and  faithful  servants  won  unto 
Christ  Jesus,  and  added  to  his  church  with 
his  Spirit  and  word,  nor  does  Scripture  ac- 
knowledge any  others.  From  such  and  of 
such  they  have,  with  fasting  and  prayer, 
chosen  and  called  unto  the  service  of  the 
Lord  the  pious  and  uiiblamable  pastors  and 
teachers;  and  not  of  the  world,  as  has  been 
heard. 

Since,  then,  the  preachers  of  the  world 
and  their  congregations,  are  not  the  church 
of  Christ  but  are  such  preachers  and  church- 
es as  shown,  by  their  spirit,  words  and  deeds 
that  they  are  of  the  world;  and  since  the 
mercifiil,  great  Lord  in  these  latter  days  of 
abominations,  graciously  gathers  together, 
by  his  Spirit  and  word,  many  faithful  hearts 
from  the  different  unscriptural  sects,  both 
great  and  small,  and  from  different  nations 
and  tongues,  in  one  faith ;  and  places  them 
as  an  admonition  to  sincere  repentance, 
with  their  doctrine,  life,  goods  and  blood, 
before  the  whole  world,  yea,  as  a  light  up- 
on a  candlestick  ;  therefore  these  must  be 
the  Lord's  church  and  people ;  or  else  the 
word  of  God,  which  is  and  remains  true, 
must  be  wrong  and  false.  And  some  from 
these  and  of  these  are  chosen  with  fasting 
and  prayer  and  ordained  to  the  service  of 
the  Lord  by  the  laying  on  of  hands  accord- 
ing to  the  example  and  doctrine  of  the 
apostolic  churches;  now,  all  of  sound  mind 
may  judge  and  weigh,  according  to  Script- 
ure whether  such  a  calling  or  choosing  is 
not  consistent  with  Scripture  and  according 
to  the  usage  of  the  primitive  chui-ches ;  and 
whether  it  cannot  stand  before  the  Lord  and 
his  church  as  divine,  holy  and  just. 

Further,  it  is  a  fact  well  known  to  me,  i 
that  the  preachers  tell  the  simple,  and  which 
Gellius'  wi'iting,  if  carefully  read,  also  in- 1 
sinuates  that  I  should  have  received  my 


faith,  doctrine  and  calling  of  a  deceiving, 
refractory  and  corrupted  sect,  by  the  seces- 
sion of  whom  the  Lord  intends  to  purge  his 
church.  For  this  reason  I  am  necessarily 
forced  to  explain  my  actions  briefly,  which 
I,  under  different  circumstances,  would,  for 
the  sake  of  modesty,  remain  silent;  namely, 
how  I  first  came  to  the  knowledge  of  my 
Lord  and  Savior,  Jesus  Christ;  and  how  I 
afterward,  unworthily,  became  one  of  his 
servants ;  and  I  hereby  beseech  all  my  read- 
ers, for  God's  sake  to  consider  well  this  my 
narration,  and  that  they  will  not  tliink  hard 
of  it,  nor  consider  it  as  vain  boasting  that  I 
here  tell  it;  for  the  honor  of  my  God  and 
the  love  for  his  church  ui'ge  me  to  do  so. 
Let  all  judge  me  as  they  will  He  who  has 
created  me  and  has  hitherto  graciously  de- 
livered me  from  my  enemies,  knows  me;  he 
knows  what  I  seek  in  this  life  and  what  my 
greatest  desire  is.* 

Again,  that  Gellius  wants  us  to  preach 
publicly,  has  been  sufficiently  replied  to 
above,  as  I  trust,  in  treating  of  night  preach- 
ing. Yet  I  would  propound  these  three 
questions. 

In  the  first  place,  Whether  a  person  would 
not  be  guilty  of  blood,  if  he  would  persuade 
somebody  by  artful  words  or  force  him  into 
a  deep  water  or  by  such  means  get  him  to 
take  poison,  if  he  knew  beforehand  that 
death  would  be  the  consequence? 

In  the  second  place,  Since  he  boasts  to  be 
a  called  preacher  and  preaches  in  public,  I 
would  ask.  Why  he  is  not  moved  to  love 
and  compassion  for  his  own  country?  "Wliy 
he  does  not,  amongst  the  papists,  openly 
proclaim  his  faith,  sacriiments  and  doc- 
trines, contrary  to  the  emperor's  decree, 
tyranny,  persecution  and  ill-will  as  he  would 
have  us  to  do? 

Thirdly,  since  he  will  admit,  as  I  suppose, 
and  must  admit,  if  he  judge  according  to 
the  Scriptures,  that  the  avaricious,  proud, 
haughty,  drunkards,  vain,  extortioners, 
liars,  unrighteous,  &c.,  can  not  inherit  the 
kingdom  of  God,  and  that  they  therefore 
are  not  christians;  I  would  ask  him,  Why 
it  is  that  he  does  not  lay  aside  the  fear  of 


*  Here  follows  in  the  original  works  of  Mcnno  Simon 
liis  remniciatinn  of  the  Churoh  of  Rome.  See  First  part, 
Pago  4. 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


35 


the  cross  (of  wliich  he  blames  us)  and  sepa- 
rate, withont  all  respect  of  person,  the  im- 
penitent of  his  church,  from  the  communion 
of  his  sacraments,  according  to  the  doctrine 
and  ordinance  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  since  it  is 
God's  express  word  and  ordinance  ?  He 
would  have  us  preach  publicly,  notwith- 
standing that  he  well  knows  that  we  can  no 
more  do  so  without  the  loss  of  life,  than  to 
go  on  the  water  without  sinking,  or  to  take 
poison  without  dying.  For  he  and  the 
learned  have  brought  about  such  a  state  of 
affairs,  by  their  disgi-acefol  slanders  and 
preaching,  that  we  are,  alas,  already  judged 
before  we  are  caught.  Besides  he  advises 
the  magistracy  to  stop  our  doings;  and  he 
well  knows  how  he  treated  a  certain  person, 
about  ten  years  ago,  who  would  gladly  pro- 
claim to  the  people  the  testimony  he  had, 
in  sincerity  of  heart,  and  that  he  refused  me 
a  discussion  of  Scripture  twice,  as  has  been 
heard.  Yet  he  says,  if  we  are  true  teachers 
we  should  preach  in  public ;  while  he  him- 
self, for  the  sake  of  a  livelihood  and  the  fear 
of  the  cross  does  not  preach  his  doctrine 
(whatever  it  amounts  to)  in  his  own  place 
but  has  moved  to  another  and  more  safe 
place,  and  there,  although  he  can  freely 
practice  his  doctrine  and  sacraments,  he 
neglects  separation,  scriptm'al  reproof  and 
the  ordinances  of  God  from  the  fear  of  the 
cross.  Now  the  reasonable  reader  may 
educe  from  all  this  what  kind  of  a  christian, 
not  to  mention  preacher,  he  is;  since  he 
would  have  us,  miserable  ones,  to  do 
that  which  he  himself  dares  not  do  nor 
touch,  as  you  may  see. 

If  Gellius  could  take  these  three  questions 
to  heart  and  would  consider  them  in  a  script- 
ural light  and  in  the  fear  of  God,  he  would 
be  ashamed  all  his  life  that  he  so  indis- 
creetly attacks  us,  against  all  love,  reason, 
intelligence  and  the  Scriptures  and  that  he, 
under  such  a  semblance,  so  tyrannically 
strives  after  the  ruin,  blood  and  death  of  i 
the  pious.  ' 

But  in  answer  to  this  writing  that  the  ' 
prophetic  and  apostolic  doctrine  and  sacra- 
ments should  not  be  taught  and  dispensed 
in  secret,  retired  corners  and  shops,  but  in 
public,  I  would  say,  We  admit  that  Christ 
Jesus,  generally  preached  in  public,  how- 
ever with  such  discretion  that  he  sometimes 


avoided  the  raving,  mad  people,  after  they 
had  resolved  upon  his  death,  until  the  time 
of  his  suffering  had  arrived  (which  time 
was  known  to  him  beforehand),  and  the 
prophecies  were  fulfilled,  Luke  21 :  33. 

Also,  that  although  Jesus  Christsent  his 
disciples  to  preach  the  gospel  to  all  people,  to 
Gentiles  as  well  as  Jews,  he  did  not  command 
them,  nor  would  he,  that  they  should  sei-ve 
and  dispense  his  sacraments,  namely,  bap- 
tism and  Supper  to  the  enemies  of  his  word, 
Matt.  28:19;  Mark  16:15.  Therefore  it  is 
obvious  that  he  accuses  us  of  this  without 
any  tnith  or  foundation  of  the  Scriptures.  He 
does  not  only  accuse  and  reprove  us  but 
also  Christ  Jesus,  God's  eternal  word  and 
wisdom  himself;  for  he  has  celebrated  his 
Holy  Supper,  at  night  in  a  secret  place,  with 
a  separate  people;  he  also  accuses  and  re- 
proves Paul  and  the  primitive,  apostolic 
church,  who  oft  held  their  brotherly  meetings 
at  night,  in  retired  places,  as  has  been  suffi- 
ciently adduced  above.  Observe  how  openly 
he  speaks  against  God's  word. 

He  writes  further,  that  our  calling  is  not  testified  by 
any  thing,  further  than  that  we  not  only  fill  the  hearts 
of  many  with  a  mad  and  irreconcilable  hatred  of  all 
church  ordinances  and  true  servants  of  the  church,  how- 
ever pious  they  be,  but  also  inspire  them  with  a  con- 
tentious, envious  spirit. 

Answer.  If  animosity  and  bitterness  of 
heart  had  not  so  entirely  blinded  him,  and 
if  but  a  small  spark  of  a  true,  christian 
spirit  were  in  him,  then  he  would  soon  ac- 
knowledge the  precious  fruits  of  true  repent- 
ance. But  as  it  is,  he  has  become  so  blinded, 
that,  alas,  he  calls  the  glorious  fruits  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  the  fruits  of  the  devil  and  new 
monkery;  and  the  burdensome,  pressing 
cross  of  so  many  pious  saints,  the  cross  of 
evil-doers  or  heretics.  Which  is  in  my 
opinion  an  abominable  sin  and  gi-oss 
slander. 

The  Pharisees  said,  "This  fellow  doth 
not  cast  out  devils,  but  by  Beelzebub,  the 
prince  of  devils,"  Matt.  12: 24,  although  they 
strongly  felt  in  their  hearts  that  it  was  the 
linger  and  power  of  God.  Christ  said  that 
it  was  blaspheming  against  the  Holy  Ghost, 
Luke  12 :  10.  But  what  Gellius  does  against 
us  I  will  leave  to  the  Lord. 

God  knows  that  I  wish  that  I  might  de- 
liver him  and  all  the  preachers  from  theu- 


36 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABEE. 


sore  damnation,  even  at  the  cost  of  my  own 
life.  Beliold,  thus  I  hate  him  and  all  those 
who  seek  my  life;  although  we  must  hear 
so  much  evil  spoken  against  us;  and  I  trust 
that  all  who  fear  the  word  of  the  Lord,  will 
be  of  one  mind  with  me  in  this  regard. 
Notwithstanding  this,  he  writes  that  we  fill 
many  hearts  with  anger  and  irreconcilable 
hatred  against  them,  &c.  By  no  means. 
And  this  for  no  other  reason  than  that  we 
in  sincere  and  faithful  love,earnestly  reprove 
the  hypocritical  deceivers,  whom  he  calls 
the  true  and  pious  servants  of  the  church, 
and  the  imscriptural  infant  baptism,  to- 
gether with  all  abuses,  which  he  calls  church 
ordinances  not  only  by  the  Spirit  and  word 
of  the  Lord,  but  also  by  our  possessions 
and  blood,  and  becaiise  we  point  them  to 
Christ  Jesus  and  him  crucified,  to  his  Spirit, 
word,  ordinances  and  to  the  doctrine  and 
usage  of  his  holy  apostles. 

I  truly  believe  that  a  spiteful,  envious 
person  has  no  part  in  God's  city.  And  if 
we,  who  are  daily  killed  for  our  love,  are 
yet  spiteful  and  envious,  then  much  suffer- 
ing is  in  vain.  I  trust  that  I  write  the  truth 
when  I  say  that  I  am  more  terrified  at 
hatred  and  envy  than  at  fire  and  sword. 
Yet  we  must  hear  that  we  are  spiteful.  Be- 
hold, thus  good  is  ever  turned  to  evil  and 
our  love  to  hatred.  AAHiat  sentence  the  Script- 
ures pronounce  against  such  may  be  seen 
in  Isaiah  5. 

He  also  accuses  us  That  we  are  uot  unanimous  but 
quarrel  amougst  ourselves  in  regard  to  many  articles  of 
christian  religion ;  namely,  in  regard  to  obedience  to 
the  laws  ;  to  the  justification  of  man  ;  to  the  Godhead  of 
Christ  and  his  becoming  man,  and  in  regard  to  the 
powers  of  the  magistracy,  &c. 

Anstoer.  I  trust  that  I  can  write  with  a 
clear  conscience  that  we,  who  are  grains  of 
one  loaf,  are  also  of  one  mind  in  Cluist 
Jesus.  But  as  in  the  times  of  the  apostles, 
false  teachers  arose  in  the  apostolic  church 
who  started  and  taught  false  doctrines  and 
who  were,  after  faithful  admonition,  sepa- 
rated from  the  communion  of  their  church, 
if  they  did  not  repent,  as  may  be  learned 
from  many  Scriptures;  so  also  it  is  in  our 
times.  Satan  is  ever  at  work.  Paul  says, 
"There  must  be  also  heresies  among  you, 
that  they  which  are  approved  may  be  made 
manifest  among  you,"  1  Cor.  11:19.    And 


if  such  be  deaf  unto  truth,  reject  admoni- 
tion and  start  perverse  sects,  then  we  may 
no  longer  receive  them  as  brethren,  as  the 
Scriptures  teach  us.  So  long  as  we  continue 
to  do  this  in  obedience  to  the  holy  word 
and  in  the  true  fear  of  God,we  are  convinced 
from  the  inmost  of  our  hearts,  that  we  will 
be  clear  of  all  sectarianism  as  also  of  blas- 
phemy and  perversity;  although  we  must 
innocently  liear  such  charges  from  the 
world. 

Since  it  is  a  fact  well  known  to  Gellius 
and  his  fellow-preachers  that  peace-break- 
ers and  sectarians  are  not  allowed  in  oiu" 
communion  at  all,  but  are  unanimously 
separated  from  us,  according  to  apostolic 
doctrine  and  usage,  Rom.  16:17;  Tit.  3:10, 
therefore  it  is  very  wrong  in  him  to  call  so 
many  pious  persons  contentious,  and  cause 
them  to  be  of  such  bad  report  with  the 
world,  without  truth;  while  they  hate  dis- 
cord and  strife  and  seek  nothing  but  that 
they  may  humbly  follow  the  crucified  Jesus, 
in  the  peace  of  their  hearts. 

If  he  should  say  that  he  accounts  them  as 
of  ITS  because  they  have  received  the  same 
baptism  with  us,  then  I  would  say  again 
that  Peter,  Simon,  Paul  and  &c.,  were  also 
one.  Then  all  papists,  Lutherans  and 
Zuinglians  besides  all  thieves,  murderous 
wizards,  buggerers  fornicators  and  rogues 
are  one;  for  they  have  received  one  bap- 
tism; this  is  incontrovertible. 

Again,  in  regard  to  his  accusation  that 
we  dispute  among  ourselves  in  regard  to 
obedience  to  the  laws;  the  justification  of 
man;  the  power  of  the  magistracy  &c.  I 
would  Say,  that  I  trust  I  can  testify  before 
the  Lord  and  his  church  with  a  clear  con- 
science, that  I  never  but  once  to  my  knowl- 
edge, disputed,  or  as  Gellius  calls  it  quar- 
reled with  any  one  in  regard  to  the  justifi- 
cation of  man,  and  this  one  has  already 
run  to  ruin.  Xor  have  I  ever  discussed  the 
questions  of  obedience  to  the  laws  or  the 
power  of  the  magistracy  other  than  by  way 
of  brotherly  instruction.  What  our  con- 
fession and  grounds  are  concerning  the 
before-mentioned  articles,  may  be  clearly 
educed  from  our  writings. 

O,  dear  Lord,  that  Gellius  wotild  once 
consider  his  own  words  when  he  writes  that 
the  calling  of  the  pious  should  not  be  nuUi- 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


37 


fied  on  account  of  the  impioxis,  and  wonld 
liave  sufficient  fear  of  God  in  him  to  feel 
concerned  about  the  lies,  violence  and  in- 
justice which  he  unreasonably  practices  on 
us.  For  what  else  does  he  but  wilfully 
defame  the  pious,  perhaps  against  his  own 
sentiments,  that  he  may  oppose  the  word, 
may  uphold  his  cause  by  making  ours  false 
and  suspicious,  lest  his  pharisaical  faith- 
lessness be  made  manifest.  Yea,  he  writes 
as  if  he  would  say,  Judas  was  a  traitor  and 
thief,  therefore  all  the  other  apostles  are 
traitors  and  thieves.  Again,  Simon  was  a 
rogue,  therefore  all  the  members  of  the  apos- 
tolic communities  were  rogues,  &c.  For  he 
well  knows  that  we  do  not,  may  not  suffer 
heretics,  peace-breakers  &c.  in  the  commu- 
nion of  the  peaceful  and  pious,  as  already 
heard. 

O,  that  he  would  leave  off  slandering  the 
jieaceable  and  could  rightly  see  into  the 
angry  quarreling,  bitter  hatred,  division, 
rupture  and  brawlings  of  all  those  who  up- 
hold infant  baptism;  could  see  how  dread- 
fully they  are  divided  amongst  themselves ; 
that  they  are  so  inflamed  by  envious  zeal 
one  against  another  that  they  not  only 
slander  and  adjudge  each  other  to  hell  by 
calling  each  other  fanatics,  jirofaners  of  the 
sacraments  and  anti-christians,  but  that 
they  also  take  up  the  sword  against  each 
other,  as  is  the  way  of  sectarians;  that  they 
utterly  destroy  coimtries  and  inhabitants, 
cities  and  towns,  against  the  meek  nature, 
doctrine  and  example  of  Christ  Jesus  and 
his  apostles. 

Besides  their  learned  men  are  so  divided 
amongst  themselves  that  we  can  scarcely  find 
five  or  six  in  one  country  who  agree  in  doc- 
trine. One  includes  every  thing  in  the 
providence  and  predestination  of  God, 
Quasi  necessariuon  (as  an  implied  necessity). 
Another  disputes  it;  the  third  includes 
Christ's  flesh  and  blood  in  the  bread  and 
wine;  the  fourth  understands  it  spiritually; 
the  fifth  baptizes  the  children  on  their  own 
faith;  the  sixth  on  the  strength  of  the  cove- 
nant with  Abraham  and  its  promise;  the 
sevenih  says  that  faith  is  no  obstacle  to 
persecution;  the  eighth  denies  it;  the  ninth 
believes  in  faith  without  fruits  or  work ;  the 
tenth  says,  that  faith  through  love  shall  be 
active;   the  eleventh  says,  that  the  sacra- 


ments may  be  dispensed  to  the  impenitent 
and  perverse;  the  twelfth  denies  it;  and 
other  like  differences  exist  among  them. 

Notwithstanding  they  call  the  godly, 
pious  hearts  and  peaceable  children  of  God, 
who  are  zealous  for  God  and  his  righteous- 
ness, as  much  as  is  in  their  power,  and  who 
do  not  countenance  quarreling,  a  conten- 
tious sect  and  ungodly,  deceiving  conspira- 
tors, while  they,  on  the  contrary,  are  peace- 
able, teachers  of  one  mind;  besides  they 
call  the  impenitent,  wicked  world  the  church 
and  people  of  the  Lord. 

Behold,  so  manifestly  the  Lord  "will 
destroy  the  wisdom  of  the  wise,  and  vdll 
bring  to  nothing  the  understanding  of  the 
prudent",  1  Cor.  1 :  18,  yea,  that  to  them  Christ 
Jesus  is  Belial,  and  Belial  Christ  Jesus; 
light,  darkness  and  darkness,  light,  2  Cor. 
6;  that  they,  alas  consider  the  doctrine, 
life,  power,  confession,  and  the  sacrifice  of 
possession  and  life  of  the  chosen  as  noth- 
ing; but  that  they  judge  every  thing  per- 
versely, unfavorably  and  with  partiality, 
according  to  the  flesh,  and  thus  construe 
every  thing  to  offensiveness ;  that  they  seek 
all  kinds  of  excuses  to  offend  the  pious,  to 
blaspheme  truth  and  to  uphold  unrighteous- 
ness, that  nobody  be  converted,  repent  and 
sincerely  seek  and  follow  the  word  of  the 
Lord.  O,  Lord!  gi-ant  that  this  may  be 
made  manifest  unto  them. 

He  further  writes  :  "  N'or  is  it  a  desirable  fruit,  but  a 
shameful  disgrace  that  they,  contrary  to  the  example  of 
Christ,  and  the  apostles  constitute  themselves  a  church, 
desecrate  the  Lord's  Sabbath,  leave  the  open  assembly 
and  service,  hate  and  upbraid  the  servants,  and  not  only 
not  examine  the  solicitous  laliors  and  prophecies  of  the 
servants  but  also  boldly  despise  them,  contrary  to  the 
command  of  the  Holy  Ghost  and  the  doctrine  of  the 
command  of  the  Sabbath." 

Answer.  Obsen-e,  reader,  how  adroitly 
they  can  adorn  lies,  and  how  frightfully 
they  can  suppress  and  despise  truth  under 
cover  of  virtue.  All  the  evangelical  Script- 
ui-es  teach  us  that  the  church  of  Christ  was 
and  is,  in  doctrine,  life  and  worship,  a  peo- 
ple separated  from  the  world.  It  also  was 
in  the  times  of  the  Old  Testament,  2  Cor. 
6:17;  1  Peter  2:9,  10;  Exod.  19:12. 

Since  the  church  always  was  and  shall 
be  a  separate  people,  as  has  been 
heard,  and  since  it  is  as  clear  as  the  meridi- 
an sun,  that  for  centuries  no  difference  has 


38 


REPLY  TO   GELLIUS  FABER. 


been  made  between  the  clinrcli  and  the 
world,  but  that  they  have  been  indiscrim- 
inately blended  together  in  baptism,  Supper, 
life  and  worship,  which  is  so  plainly  con- 
trary to  all  Scripture,  therefore  we  feel 
om-selves  constrained  by  the  Spirit  and 
word  of  God,  and  not  of  om-  own  account, 
to  gather  together,  to  the  praise  of  Jesus 
Christ  and  to  the  salvation  of  oiu'  neigh- 
bors, and  not  unto  us,  but  imto  the 
Lord  a  pious  and  penitent  church  or  com- 
munity from  all  untrue  and  deceiving  sects 
of  the  whole  world,  not  contrary  to  the  doc- 
trine and  example  of  Christ  Jesus  and  the 
apostles,  as  Gellius  falsely  accuses  us,  but 
according  to  the  Spirit,  doctrine  and  exam- 
ple of  Jesus  Christ,  manifested  unto  us; 
yea,  gather  them  "patiently  under  the  cross 
of  misery,  in  spite  of  all  the  violence  and 
gates  of  hell,  and  not  by  force  of  arms  and 
persecution  as  is  the  custom  of  the  world, 
but  sepai-ate  them  from  it,  as  the  Scriptm-es 
teach,  that  they  may  be  an  admonition, 
example  and  reproach  to  the  impenitent 
world  as  has  already  been  heard. 

They  keep  and  sanctify  the  Sabbath 
which  is  not  the  literal,  but  the  spiritual 
Sabbath,  which  never  ends  with  true  chris- 
tians, not  by  wearing  fine  clothes,  not  by 
carousing,  vanity  and  idleness,  as  the  reck- 
less world  do,  but  by  the  true  fear  of  God, 
by  a  clear  conscience  and  imblamable  life, 
in  love  to  God  and  their  neighbors ;  for  that 
is  the  true  religion,  Heb.  12:1,  and  in  the 
fear  of  their  God  they  do  not  attend  the 
public  Sabbath  and  holiday  gatherings 
which  are,  alas,  not  consecrated  to  Christ, 
but  to  anti-christ  in  all  manner  of  vanity 
and  hypocrisy,  in  pomp  and  splendor;  nor 
do  they  take  part  in  their  idle  chm-ch-service 
which  tends  to  nothing  but  deceiving  that 
they  may  thereby  attend  the  gathering  of 
the  saints  and  the  true  sei-vice,  convince  the 
erring,  and  thus  make  manifest,  truth  and 
the  true  doctrine,  to  the  reformation  and 
salvation  of  all  mankind. 

They  do  not  hate  and  envy  the  open 
deceivers  and  false  preachers  who  so  miser- 
ably deceive  the  poor  people,  as  Gellius 
accuses  us,  but  earnestly  reprove  them  in 
love  according  to  God's  Spirit  and  word, 
that  they  may  repent  and  be  converted,  as 
the  Scriptures  teach  us. 


In  short,  they  do  not  despise  the  solicit- 
ous labors  and  the  prophecies  of  the  trae 
and  faithful  servants  of  Clu'ist,  nor  the 
precious  gifts  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  against 
the  commands  of  the  Holy  Spirit  and  the 
doctrine  of  the  command  of  the  Sabbath, 
as  he  very  wrongly  complains  we  do,  but 
they  shun,  at  the  risk  of  possessions  and 
life,  according  to  the  advice,  doctrine  and 
admonition  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  the  doc- 
trine of  the  Sabbath,  the  false  labors,  and 
the  powerless,  impenitent  and  hired  proph- 
ecies of  the  anti-christian  servants,  who  do 
not  sei-ve  Christ  and  the  church,  as  they 
boast,  but  serve  their  bellies  and  the  world; 
and  they  dare  not  hear  and  follow  them 
because  their  doctrine  and  friaits  show  that 
they  are  those  whom  the  Scriptures  and 
divine  truth  forbid  us  to  follow. 

Their  priests,  says  the  Lord,  "teach  for 
hire,  and  the  prophets  divine  for  money." 
They  rely  upon  the  Lord,  and  say.  Is  not 
the  Lord  amongst  us?  No  evil  can  betide 
us;  therefore  "Zion  shall  be  plowed  like  a 
field,  and  Jerusalem  shall  become  heaps," 
Mic.  3:12;  Jer.  26:18.  It  is  also  manifest 
that  Gellius  and  his  like  preachers  have 
done  the  same  thing  of  which  he  accuses  us, 
for  they,  long  before  we  did,  have  separated 
themselves  from  the  papists  into  a  separate 
chm'ch,  as  is  known  to  all  mankind  to  be 
incontrovertible.  But  we  are  sorry  to  say 
that  our  separation  from  them  was  caused 
by  themselves.  For  if  we  would  have  found 
them  to  be  right  we  would  have  remained 
with  them;  but  as  it  is,  we  have,  alas,  to 
leave  them  at  the  cost  of  life  and  posses- 
sions, as  may  be  seen. 

Behold,  my  kind  reader,  here  you  have 
before  you,  raj  brief  rej)ly  to  the  main  arti- 
cles concerning  the  calling  of  preachers, 
which  Gellius  so  respectfully  brought  for- 
ward to  the  defense  of  his  cause  and  to  the 
detriment  of  ours. 

I  have  no  doubt  but  that  you,  by  the 
grace  of  God,  will  find  a  clear  difterence, 
explanation  and  foundation,  if  you  compare 
his  writing  with  ours  and  judge  according 
to  the  word  of  the  Lord  by  the  maHifest 
fruits  on  both  sides;  and  this  is  the  sum- 
mary of  my  writings,  that  nobody  can  be  a 
truly  called  preacher  and  God-pleasing 
servant  in  the  Lord's  house  and  church, 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


39 


without  having  the  Holy  Spirit  which  work- 
eth  in  all  true  christians;  without  regenera- 
tion which  transforms  the  heart  from  earthly 
to  heavenly  things,  through  faith;  nor  with- 
out unfeigned  love,   which  seeks  nothing 


but  the  praise  of  God  and  the  salvation  of 
his  neighbor,  nor  without  the  salutary, 
precious  Avord  which  cuts  and  cleaves  with- 
out respect  of  person ;  nor  without  the  pious, 
unblamable  life  which  is  of  God. 


CONCERNING  BAPTISM. 


I  deem  it  unnecessary  to  write  much  con- 
cerning the  baptism  of  the  believing,  in  this 
place;  why  we  teach  that  it  shall  be  re- 
ceived and  practiced  at  the  confession  of 
faith;  for  we  have  explained  this  matter 
before,  by  so  many  plain  Scriptures  and 
reasons,  to  the  intelligent  reader,  that  he 
can  plainly  see  and  palpably  feel  the  foun- 
dation and  truth. 

Therefore  I  will  refer  to  the  main  articles 
and  arguments  with  which  Gellius  under- 
takes to  defend  his  infant  baptism  as  apos- 
tolic and  christian,  and  will  rebut  them 
with  the  Scriptures ;  and  I  trust  to  be  enabled, 
by  the  grace  of  God,  to  do  this  with  such 
clearness  and  power  that  all  attentive,  intel- 
ligent readers  may  fully  perceive  that  he 
can  stand  before  the  holy  ordinance,  word  j 
and  truth  of  the  Lord,  with  his  infant  bap- 1 
tism,  as  little  as  he  can  with  Ms  calling.       j 

Before  I  enter  upon  the  examination  of  i 
the   matter,  I  would,    not  without   cause,  | 
first  relate  to  the  kind  reader,  that  some  i 
years  ago,  I  had  a  discussion  with  John  j 
A'Lasco,  Gellius  and  Herman;  and,  as  we 
had  a  lengthy  reasoning  concerning  bap- 1 
tism,  and  they  admitted  that  all  the  Script- 
ures which  I  adduced,  relating  to  the  mat- 
ter, were  spoken  by  the  ancient  or  believing,  i 
we  at  last  got  on  the  subject  of  infant  bap- 1 
tism,  which,  according  to  their  opinion  was 
also   right,    although  not    Scriptural.     At  I 
last,  after  having  had  a  lengthy  discussion 
and  after  they  had  made  many  uuscriptural 
assertions,  I  propounded  two  questions  and ' 
prayed  them  for  God's  sake  to  answer  them 
Scripturally.    The  first  question  was.  Has 
a  ceremony  any  promise,  which  is  practiced 
without  the  command  of  God?    They  an- 
swered that  it  had  not.     Then  I  asked  them, 
in  the  second  place.  Is  not  such  a  ceremony, 


which  is  practiced  v?ithout  the  command  of 
God,  idolatry  ?   They  answered  that  it  was. 
When  I  heard  them  answer  these  ques- 
tions thus  um-eservedly,  I  said.  Well,  dear 
I  men,  what  will  become  of  your  infant  bap- 
[  tism  ?   They  all  three  simultaneously  an- 
swer: Yea,  dear  Menno,  if  you  would  ask 
of  us  for  the  command,  then  show  us  first 
,  where  it  is  commanded  that  we  should  bap- 
tize the  believing.     "When  I  heard  this  I 
,  was  much  alarmed,  for  I  perceived  that,  in 
fact,   they  meant  nothing  but  party   and 
carnality.    I  pointed  them  to  the  sixteenth 
chapter  of  Mark,  where  the  Lord  speaks, 
"Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the 
gospel  to  every  creature.    He  tliat  believeth, 
and  is   baptized   shall   be  saved,''    Mark 
16:15,  16. 

But  this  was  no  command  to  them.  Then 
I  referred  them  to  Matthew  28: 
the  Lord  says,  "Go  ye 
teach  all  nations  baptizing  them  (or  as  the 
Greek  text  has  it :  Make  all  nations  disci- 
ples, and  baptize  them),  in  the  name  of  the 
Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost." 

This  did  not  avail  with  them,  for  it  reads, 
they  said,  "baptizing"  and  not  "baptize 
them;"  although,  alas,  they  well  knew  that 
the  siu-est  translation  is  the  Greek  text  in 
the  imperative  mode,  namely,  baptize 
them ;  something  which  I  had  till  then  never 
noticed  so  particularly. 

Behold,  they  contended  so  wilfully  against 
the  plain  word  and  truth  of  God,  that  they 
openly  denied  it  to  be  a  command;  while 
they  had  many  times  read  (also  according 
to  the  Lutheran  translation)  that  the  Lord 
had  commanded  it  in  an  express  command, 
saying,  "And  baptize  them."* 

*  German  Translation 


19,  where 
therefore,    and 


40 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


When  I  perceived  that  they  wanted  to  ' 
find  an  excuse  by  means  of  the  use  of  the 
participle,  I  proposed  the  following,  If  I 
command  my  servant  and  say,  Go  and  plow 
the  ground, sowing  it  with  wheat ;  as  the  Lord  | 
said,  "Go  and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  ' 
them,"  &c.,  have  I  not,  I  now  ask,  com-  , 
manded  my  servant  to  plow  the  land  and  | 
to  sow  it  with  wheat,  although  I  use  the  par- ; 
ticiple  sowing,  the  same  as  baptizing  was  , 
used.    They  answered  that  this  was  using  I 
philosophy  and  not  the  Scriptures.  Behold 
my  reader,  thus  boldlj^  they  sought  to  deny  . 
the  truth. 

Seeing  that  they,  although  convinced,  ob- 
stinately persevered  in  falsehood  and  would 
not  receive  the  powerful  and  plain  truth,  as 
did  the  Pharisees,  I  was  much  grieved 
and  said,  Men!  men!!  Since  I  find  it  to  be 
a  fact  that  you,  in  perversity  of  heart, 
reject  God's  truth,  and  delight  in  false- 
hood, I  will  be  silent  and  not  speak  an- 
other word  with  you  concerning  this  mat- 
ter; for,  alas,  it  is  all  in  vain!  Reader,  in 
the  day  of  the  appearance  of  Jesus  Christ, 
before  his  impartial  and  eternal  judgment, 
it  will  be  found  true  as  I  here  write. 

Behold,  so  dishonestly  do  they  deal  with 
God's  precious  and  eternal  truth,  that  they 
then  pretended  that  there  was  no  command 
to  baptize  the  believing,  and  now  they  have 
an  abundance  of  commands  to  baptize  the 
unconscious  childi-en.  O,  God !  thus  they 
mock  with  the  souls  of  men,  and  they  know 
not  how  much  to  garble,  bend  and  break 
the  sure  foundation  of  truth,  that  they  may 
remain  on  the  broad  road,  without  the  cross, 
that  they  may  please  the  world  and  that 
they  may  lead  a  careless  life  according  to 
the  lusts  of  the  flesh. 

Gellius  first  says  in  regard  to  tliis  matter,  That  we 
blasphemously  speak  against  the  holy  church,  because 
we  say  that  the  children  cannot  believe,  cannot  repent 
and  cannot  obey  the  word  of  the  Lord,  while  they  (as  he 
says)  constitute  a  great  part  of  the  church,  and  that  they 
are  referred  to  in  plain  and  clear  words  by  the  prophet 
Joel,  in  the  preaching  of  repentence,  &c. 

Answer.  His  commencement  is  unscript- 
ural  and  his  end  will  be  unscriptural.  Ob- 
sei-ve,  the  word  of  God  shall  be  oiu-  judge. 
Say,  beloved,  is  it  not  a  great  blindness  in 
him  to  undertake  to  include  unconscious 
children  in  the  preaching  of  repentance?  and 
a  little  further  on  admits  himself  that  they 


cannot,  in  their  feeble  understanding,  un- 
derstand the  doctrine,  which  is  a  doctrine 
of  penitence.  If  they  cannot  understand  the 
doctrine  liow  can  they  then  believe;  if  they 
do  not  believe  how  can  they  then  repent, 
and  if  they  do  not  repent  how  can  they  be 
included  in  the  preaching  of  repentanceVlf 
they,  then,  have  neither  doctrine,  faith  nor 
repentance,  which  he  admits  they  have  not, 
on  account  of  their  feeble  i;nderstanding, 
and  which  is  not  necessary  for  them  to  have, 
while  they  are  God's  own  and  while  sin  has 
not  become  alive  in  them  to  bring  forth 
fruit,  therefore  all  of  sound  judgment  must 
admit  he  reproves  himself  and  acknowl- 
edges that  he  Avrongfully  accuses  us,  when 
he  says,  that  we  speak  blasphemously 
against  the  holy  church, because  we  say  that 
the  unconscious  children  cannot  repent,  be- 
lieve nor  obey ;  for  he  admits  that  they,  in 
the  feebleness  of  their  imderstanding,  can- 
not understand  the  doctrine,  from  which 
faith,  repentence  and  obedience  originate, 
as  has  been  already  said. 

In  the  second  place  he  writes.  That  there  is  one  church 
and  one  faith,  both  under  the  Old  and  New  Testaments, 
from  the  time  of  Adam  to  the  end  of  the  world ;  and 
that  from  the  time  of  Abraham,  under  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, preaching  and  circumcision  was  commanded  for 
the  purjjose  of  the  gathering,  edification,  growth  and 
extension  of  the  church,  and  under  the  New  Testament, 
preaching  and  baptism,  without  regard  to  the  age  of 
persons. 

Answer.  I  understand  it  that  all  those 
who,  from  the  time  of  Adam  to  the  pres- 
ent time,  and  also  hereafter,  had,  have 
and  shall  have  the  Spirit,  mind  and  nature 
of  Jesus  Christ,  and  who  did,  do  and  shall 
walk  as  obedient  children  by  virtue  of  such 
a  spirit,  in  truth,  were,  are  and  shall  be  the 
Lord's  church,  kingdom  and  people.  But 
we  would  have  reasonably  expected  that 
Gellius  would  have  added  that  each  in  his 
times  had  a  peculiar  doctrine,  ordinance 
and  usage.  That  from  the  time  of  Adam  to 
Abraham  no  ceremony  was  practiced  on 
the  children  because  the  Lord  had  not  com- 
manded it;  and  that  circumcision  was  com- 
manded from  Abraham  to  the  time  of  Christ. 
But  now  we  have  Christ,  the  promised  proph- 
et, Deut.  IS:  15;  Acts  7:  37,  to  whom  all  the 
Scriptures  pointed  that  we  should  obey  and 
follow  him.  He  is  the  eternal  Word  and 
AVisdom  of  God;  all  that  abide  in  his  doc- 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


41 


trine,  walk  in  the  truth,  for  his  word  is 
truth,  and  his  command  is  eternal  life. 
What  ordinance  this  wise  counsellor  has 
commanded  us  concerning  the  children,  un- 
der the  New  Testament;  what  he  has  com- 
manded us  and  what  he  has  not,  concerning 
them,  all  pious,  faithful  hearts  may  learn 
from  his  holy  word. 

But  what  he  says  in  regard  to  them,  that 
in  the  New  Testament  no  regard  is  made  as 
to  age,  but  that  we  should  preach  to  all  and 
baptize  them,  is  in  my  opinion  so  directly 
contrary  to  Scripture,  common  sense  and 
his  own  words,  that  he  should  reasonably 
be  ashamed  of  the  assertion.  For  how  can 
we  teach  a  little,  unconscious  child  repent- 
ance according  to  the  word  of  God?  Christ 
commanded  that  we  should  preach  the  gos- 
pel to  those  who  have  understanding,  and 
those  who  believe  are  to  be  baptized.  Nor 
has  he  left  in  his  gospel  any  other  com- 
mand, ordinance  or  example  concerning  this 
mattefix 

Besides,  he  acknowledges  that  the  chil- 
dren, on  account  of  their  feeble  understand- 
ing, cannot  understand  the  doctrine,  as  al- 
ready heard.  Yet  he  writes,  in  the  face  of 
this  plain  ordinance  of  the  Almighty  God, 
and  his  own  confession,  that  in  the  New 
Testament,  teaching  and  baptizing  are  com- 
manded, without  respect  to  age. 

Behold,  thus  grossly  err  all  who  reject 
the  word  of  the  Lord.  Is  this  not  violently 
rejecting  Christ  and  accepting  anti-christ, 
and  is  it  not  plainly  wrong?  I  must  admit 
that  I  have  never  read  a  word  in  the  Script- 
ures with  such  misunderstanding. 

In  the  third  place  Gellius  -nrites,  That  the  church 
should  give  the  seal  of  the  covenant  of  grace  to  chil- 
dren according  to  the  command  of  God  because  they  are 
participants  in  the  covenant  or  promise  of  God,  and  in 
the  sanctity  of  the  church  and  in  eternal  life  ;  for  the 
covenant  is  not  altered  and  God  is  no  less  gracious  to 
our  children,  who  are  born  under  the  promise,  than  to 
the  children  of  Israel  who  were  born  according  to  the 
flesh  ;  for  it  is  written,  I  will  be  thy  God  and  thy  chil- 
dren's after  thee ;  and  that  therefore,  in  the  gathering 
of  the  churches,  under  the  Old  and  New  Testaments  the 
same  command  obtains,  both  as  regards  the  preaching, 
and  the  use  of  the  holy  sacraments. 

Answer.    Gellius  does  even  as  all  the  false 

prophets  have  done  who  miserably  deceived 

the  people,  and  pretended  that  the  Lord  of 

lords  said  so,  although  the  Lord  had  not 

42 


spoken  it,  as  Scripture  informs  us,  Jer.  23  : 
17;  Ezek.  13:7. 

Say,  reader,  is  it  not  an  intrepid  deed 
and  a  condemnable  boldness,  that  he  dares 
publish  to  the  whole  world  that  God  has 
commanded  it;  since  eternal  Wisdom  has 
neither  commanded  it  by  word  nor  deed? 
Peruse  the  whole  New  Testament  from  be- 
ginning to  end,  and  if  a  word  can  be  found 
that  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  has  commanded 
it,  or  that  the  apostles  have  anywhere 
taught  or  practiced  it,  then  we  will,  by  the 
grace  of  God,  unanimously  admit  that  he 
is  right. 

Inasmuch,  as  it  is  clear  that  nothing 
has  been  mentioned  concerning  it  in  all  the 
Holy  Scriptures,  as  has  been  said,  and  that 
he,  in  the  face  of  this,  dares  write  that  they 
do  it  according  to  the  command  of  God, 
then  the  pious  reader  may  imagine  how 
abominably  he  sins  against  his  God,  es- 
pecially since  truth  is  manifest,  and  how 
lamentably  he  deceives  the  poor  souls  by 
open  falsehood  when  he  writes  that  God 
commanded  it;  since  the  Holy  Spirit,  I  say, 
has  not  expressed  it  in  a  single  word,  nor 
manifested  it  unto  the  church  of  God  by 
word  or  practice  of  the  true  witnesses  of 
Christ. 

His  assertion  that  the  command  is  not 
altered,  is  so  diametrically  opposed  to 
truth,  that  we  may  well  wonder  at  it.  The 
Scriptures  clearly  testify  that  God  promised 
Abraham  the  multiplying  of  his  seed,  and 
the  land  of  Canaan  as  an  eternal  inher- 
itance, and  commanded  him  that  he 
should  circumcise  himself,  his  son  Ish- 
mael,  &c.;  also  all  male  children  of  the 
age  of  eight  days ;  for  it  was  a  covenant  in 
the  flesh,  Gen.  17. 

And  thus  was  commanded  to  Abraham, 
at  the  promise  of  the  multiplication  of  his 
seed  and  the  possession  of  the  land  of 
Canaan,  the  blood-sign  of  the  circumcision 
of  the  foreskin,  on  the  eighth  day  of  their 
age,  of  all  the  male  children  and  not  the 
female  children.  But  to  us  the  blood-sign 
of  circumcision  is  not  commanded,  but  bap- 
tism in  the  water.  Now,  observe  the  first 
difference.  Not  on  the  eighth  day,  but  when 
we,  thi'ough  the  spirit,  in  faith,  are  born  of 
God,  and  have  become  followers  of  Abra- 
ham.    Observe  the  second  distinction.    Not 


49 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


alone  the  males,  but  both  males  and  females,  I 
who  through  the  preaching  of  the  holy  j 
word,  have  died  unto  the  old  life  and  have 
arisen  with  Christ  in  newness  of  life;  who 
are  pricked  in  their  hearts ;  who  circnmcise 
their  hearts  and  minds;  who  put  on  Christ,  : 
and  who  have  the  testimony  of  a  clear  con- 
science, before  God,  Rom.  6;  Acts  3:  37; 
Col.  2;  11;  Gal.  3:  27;  1  Pet,  3:  21.  Obsei-ve 
the  third  difference.  Not  to  possess  a  lit- 
eral kingdom  and  land,  and  to  become  a 
great  people  npon  earth,  as  was  promised 
to  Abraham  and  his  seed;  but  to  bear  all 
manner  of  anxiety,  affliction,  tribulation 
and  misery  npon  eartli,  for  the  sake  of  the 
testimony  of  the  word  of  God;  to  turn  the 
heart  away  from  all  visible  and  perishable 
things;  to  die  unto  pomp,  splendor,  the 
world  and  tiesh,  and  thus  to  walk  in  our 
weakness  as  Christ  has  walked  in  his  per- 
fection, &c. 

Behold,  reader,  how  openly  he  adulterates 
the  Scriptures,  and  how  gi-ossly  he  perverts 
the  truth  when  he  writes  that  the  command  is 
unchanged,  and  that  the  gathering  of  the 
churches  under  the  Old  and  New  Testa- 
ments are  the  same,  and  that  no  different 
commands  are  given,  both  as  regards 
preaching  and  the  use  of  the  sacraments; 
for  it  is  all  changed  and  renewed  as  may 
be  clearly  educed  from  the  foregoing  refer- 
ences. I  will  leave  to  your  reflections  if 
such  a  thing  may  not  be  called  perverting 
truth  into  falsehood. 

Again,  from  his  saying  that  the  church  is 
no  less  gracious  to  our  children  than  to  the 
children  of  Israel,  born  in  the  flesh,  I  un- 
derstand him  to  say.  If  God  will  not  have 
our  children  baptized,  that  he  is  less  gra- 
cious to  them  than  he  was  to  the  children 
of  the  circumcision;  by  which  he  openly 
testifies  that  he  couples  the  kingdom,  grace 
and  promise  of  God  with  that  sign. 

If  God  is  only  gracious  to  such  childi-en 
as  have  received,  or  may  receive  that  out- 
ward sign,  then  it  must  necessarily  follow 
that  God  has  been  ungracious  to,  and  dis- 
pleased with  all  the  children  before  the  law  of 
circumcision;  besides  to  all  children  who 
died  before  the  eighth  day,  and  during  the 
forty  years  they  passed  in  the  wilderness, 
together  with  all  the  maids  and  women,  be- 
cause they  were  not  circumcised;  then  he 


must  also  be  displeased  vrith  all  the  children 
under  the  New  Testament,  for  they  are  not 
commanded  to  be  baptized. 

O  no,  to  children  belongs  the  kingdom  of 
God.  Not  by  virtue  of  any  sign,  but  alone 
by  grace  through  Christ  Jesus,  Matt.  19: 14. 
And  as  to  his  calling  infant-baptism  a  seal- 
ing of  the  covenant  of  grace,  I  would 
reply,  If  he  can  show  me  a  place  in  all 
the  New  Testament  where  the  baptism  of 
the  believing  is  called  a  sealing  of  the  cove- 
nant of  grace,  then  I  will  admit  that  he  is 
right.  But  I  know  to  a  certainty,  that  he 
cannot  do  so.  If  the  baptism  of  the  heliev- 
inff,  which  is  ordained  of  God  himself,  is 
not  called  such,  how  can  infant  baptism, 
then  be  called  such,  which  is  not  ordained  of 
God,  but  is  merely  self-chosen  fiction  in- 
vented of  man  ? 

If  he  should  allude  to  the  circumcision,  I 
would  say  that  they  are  two  distinct  and 
difterent  signs,  and  that  the  fii'st  has  no  re- 
lation whatever  to  the  second ;  for  these  fol- 
lowing reasons:  Firstly,  because  all  the 
signs,  before  and  under  the  law,  given  to 
the  patriarchs,  as  the  coats  of  skins  to 
Adam;  the  rain-bow  to  Noah;  the  circum- 
cision to  Abraham ;  the  yearly  offering  of 
the  high  priests,  &c..  Gen.  3:21;  9:  IG; 
17:  10,  11;  Lev.  16,  all,  unitedly  pointed  to 
Christ  who  has  now  appeared,  and  in  whom 
all  the  preceding  signs  are  fulfilled ;  and  we 
now  have  no  sealing  or  assm-ance  through 
outward  signs  and  symbols,  but  through 
the  true  Sign  of  all  signs,  Christ  Jesus,  as 
he  himself  says,  "As  Moses  lifted  up  the 
serpent  in  the  wilderness,  even  so  must  the 
Son  of  Man  be  lifted  up,  that  whosoever  be- 
lieveth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have 
eternal  life ;  for  God  so  loved  the  world  that 
he  gave  his  only -begotten  son,"  John  3:  14 
— 16.  Secondly,  because  we,  now,  are  not 
a  people  according  to  the  letter,  as  was 
Israel,  but  are  a  j)eople  according  to  the 
spirit;  who,  before  they  receive  the  sign, 
are  turned  to  God  through  the  preaching  of 
repentance;  who  die  unto  the  old  sinful 
life;  who  receive  the  light  of  grace  in  their 
hearts;  who  accept  the  true  Sign  of  peace, 
Christ  Jesus,  through  faith ;  arise  with  him 
into  a  new  life  and  are  thus  sealed  in  their 
hearts,  through  the  promise  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  and  the  eternal  covenant  and  the 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


43 


grace  of  God.  For  if  we  were  not  sealed  in 
onr  hearts  "before  the  sign,  then  we  coiild 
not  truly  repent  before  the  sign;  nor  could 
we  burden  ourselves  with  disesteem,  dis- 
gi-ace,  anxiety,  tribulation  and  misery 
which  are  connected  with  the  cross. 
'But  by  the  sign,  which  we  accept  in  obe- 
dience to  the  holy  word,  we  testify  thfft  we, 
through  Christ,  the  true  Sign,  given  us  by 
the  Father,  and  made  known  to  us  through 
the  word,  have  peace  with  God,  and  that 
we  are  assured  of  the  spirit  of  his  grace,- 

Behold,  my  reader,  here  you  may  now 
observe  that  the  signs  of  the  New  Testament 
do  not  seal  or  assure  us,  as  the  learned 
teach  the  poor  people;  but  that  our  only, 
eternal  sm-ety,  is  Christ  Jesus;  that  the 
sealing  of  our  hearts  is  the  Holy  Spirit; 
and  that,the  signs  or  sacraments  are  noth- 
ing more  than  that  they  are  given  to  the 
penitent,  sealed  and  assured  christians,  for 
the  purpose  of  admonishing  and  reminding 
us  that  we  should  walk  in  continual  repent- 
ance; that  we  should  practice  oiir  faith,  and 
that  we  should  eternally  give  praise  to  the 
Lord  for  his  inexpressibly  great  kindness 
and  gi'ace,  through  Jesus  Christ". 

All  who  teach  differently,  and  point  you 
to  water,  bread  and  wine  as  a  sealing  or  as- 
surance, as  Gellius  does,  jDoints  you  away 
from  the  true  Being,  to  the  signs;  from  Christ 
to  Moses  again;  give  you  a  vain  hope  and 
a  false  surety  and  cause  you  to  remain  im- 
penitent and  without  Christ  all  your  life- 
time; for  you  console  yourself  so  much  with 
the  signs,  that  you  remain  without  the  sig- 
nified truth,  as  may,  alas,  be  plainly  seen 
by  the  whole  world. 

For  however  drunken,  covetous,  pompous 
vain  and  given  to  lies  they  may  be,  they 
still  boast  themselves  christians.  They  are 
so  consoled  ■with  this  ungodly  sealing  of 
the  idolatrous  water  (I  say  ungodly  sealing 
because  it  is  so  directly  contrary  to  the 
word  of  God)  and  with  the  bread  and  wine 
of  the  preachers,  that  they  all  walk  upon 
the  broad  road,  and  remain  without  the 
word  of  God. 

Behold,  this  is  the  proper  fruit  and  effect 
of  the  sealing  of  Gellius,  which  he  so  highly 
praises  and  so  artfully  teaches.  But,  as 
regards  the  saying:  I  will  be  your  God  and 
your  seed's  after  you,  fi-om  which  they  con- 


clude that  as  the  children  of  Abraham  were 
circumcised  with  him  on  account  of  the 
promise;  that  also  our  children  should  be 
baptized  on  account  of  the  same  promise,  I 
would  reply.  Firstly,  God  promised  Abra- 
ham to  be  his  God  and  his  children's  God. 
In  this  promise  the  females  were  included 
as  well  as  the  males;  this  must  be  admitted. 
Notwithstanding,  Israel  did  not  circumcise 
the  females  biit  only  the  males,  although 
the  females  were  included  in  the  promise; 
and  that  because  God  had  so  ordained  it. 
From  which  it  may  be  safely  educed  that 
the  male  children  of  the  seed  of  Abraham 
were  not  circumcised  for  the  sake  of  the 
promise  but  for  the  sake  of  the  ordinance 
which  was  commanded  to  Abraham  and  hia 
seed.  For  if  it  had  been  done  for  the  sake 
of  the  promise,  and  not  for  the  sake  of  the 
ordinance,  then  the  females  should  also 
have  been  circumcised,  as  joint  participants 
and  joint  heirs  of  the  same  promise.  This 
is  incontrovertible. 

In  the  second  place  I  would  say.  That  if 
Israel  had  followed  the  doctrine  of  Gellius, 
and  some  other  preachers,  in  respect  to  this 
matter,  then  they  wordd  also  have  circum- 
cised the  females,  notwithstanding  they 
were  not  commanded  to  do  so;  for  they 
were  joint  heirs  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  as 
our  children  whom  they  want  to  have  bap- 
tized, are  joint  heirs  of  the  promise. 

If  they  should  answer,  that  the  ordinance 
referred  to  the  males  and  not  to  the  females, 
although  the  females  were  joint  heirs  of  the 
covenant  of  grace,  then  I  would  reply  that 
their  cause  is  already  lost. .  For  as  the 
command  of  circumcision  at  that  time,  had 
only  reference  to  the  males  and  not  to  the 
females,  although  the  females  were  joint 
heirs  of  the  promise,  so  also  does  now  the 
ordinance  of  baptism  have  reference  to  the 
believing  and  penitent,  and  not  to  the  un- 
conscious children,  although  they  are  joint 
heirs  of  the  promise,  as  heard. 

They  further  say,  If  infant  baptism  is  not 
commanded  neither  is  it  jwohibited.  To 
this  I  reply :  The  circumcision  of  the  females 
was  neither  ordained  nor  prohibited,  even 
as  infant  baptism  is  neither  ordained  nor 
prohibited,  yet  they  did  not  cii'cumcise  the 
females,  and  that  Ijecause  they  were  not 
commanded  to  do  so.    Therefore,  aU  who 


44 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


blame  ns  because  we  do  not  baptize  oiir 
children,  who  are  joint  heirs  of  the  promise 
and  are  not  prohibited  from  being  baptized, 
also  blame  Israel  because  they  did  not  cir- 
cumcise their  female  children,  who  were 
joint  heirs  of  the  promise  and  were  not  pro- 
hibited from  being  circumcised. 

Thirdly,  I  would  say,  since  I  observe  that 
Gellius  only  includes  the  children  of  believ- 
ing, and  not  of  unbelieving  parents  in  the 
baptism,  and  since  he  Avell  knows  that  the 
proud,  avaricious,  pompous,  envious,  blood- 
guilty,  whoring  and  idolatrous  are  not  be- 
lievers, nor,  according  to  Scripture,  joint 
heirs  of  the  promise,  therefore  I  cannot  stop 
wondering  at  his  inattention,  that  he, 
against  his  own  belief  and  doctrine,  yet 
baptizes  the  children  of  such  parents,  whom 
he  must  acknowledge,  as  being  without 
God  and  Christ,  and  therefore  having  no 
promise.  If  he  says  that  he  does  not  know 
the  faith  of  others,  then  I  would  say  again, 
that  he  then  acknowledges,  in  the  &st  place, 
that  his  infant  baptism  has  an  unstable 
foundation,  if  we,  according  to  his  own 
words,  are  to  baptize  them  on  account  of 
the  promise  to  the  parents,  while  he  does 
not  know  whether  the  parents  believe  or 
not;  and,  in  the  second  place,  that  such 
parents  are  not  fruitful  trees  nor  shining 
lights. 

But  what  shall  we  say!  If  Gellius  were  to 
tell  all  his  pompons,  drunken,  usurious, 
and  unrighteous  members,  without  respect 
to  person,  that  they  are  without  Christ  and 
have  no  promise,  and  would  not  baptize 
their  children,  he  would  not  long  remain  a 
preacher  at  Emden,  nor  enjoy  his  easy, 
careless  life  in  peace. 

He  further  writes,  That  Paul  testifies  that  baptism 
has  talicn  the  jilace  of  circumcision,  has  the  same  sig- 
nification and  is  called  the  circumcision  of  Christ. 

Answer.  In  this  instance  Paul  liimseK 
rebukes  him,  that  he  has  mistaken  his  word ; 
for  he  says,  "Beware,  lest  any  man  spoil 
you  through  philosophy  and  vain  deceit, 
after  the  tradition  of  men,  after  the  rudi- 
ments of  the  world,  and  not  after  Christ, 
for  in  him  dwelleth  all  the  fullness  of  the 
God-head  bodily;  and  ye  are  complete  in 
him,  which  is  the  head  of  all  principality 
and  power;  in  whom  also  ye  a.re  circum- 
cised with  the  circumcision  made  without 


hands,  in  putting  off  the  body  of  the  sins 
of  the  flesh  by  the  circumcision  of  Christ. 
Buried  with  him  in  baptism,  wherein  also 
ye  are  risen  with  him  through  the  faith  of 
the  operation  of  God,  who  hath  raised  him 
from  the  dead;  and  you,  being  dead  in 
your  sins,  and  in  the  uncircumcision  of 
y  oui*  flesh,  hath  he  quickened  together  with 
him,  having  forgiven  you  all  trespasses," 
Col.  2:8— 13. 

My  faithful  reader,  observe  the  word  of 
the  Lord;  the  doctrine  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment, and  his  sacraments  treat  of  none  but 
those  who  have  ears  to  hear  and  hearts  to 
understand.  For  it  is  a  service  of  the  Spirit, 
and  not  of  the  letter^as  Paul  says,  3  Cor. 
3:6. 

Inasmuch  as  the  preachers  ever  point  the 
poor,  simple  people  to  the  elementary  wa- 
ter, bread  and  wine,  and  teach  that  baptism 
is  our  seal  which  assures  us  that  we  are 
heirs  of  the  covenant  of  grace;  that  God 
operates  through  his  sacraments,  &c.,  and, 
since  we  find,  however,  that  neither  the  seal- 
ing, surety  nor  power  are  found  in  their 
hearts,  as  the  fruits  testify,  but  that  they 
are  led  by  the  preachers  to  a  false  profes- 
sion, vain  hope  and  an  unstable  surety, 
under  the  semblance  of  the  gospel;  there- 
fore I  would  faithfully  admonish  all  my 
readers  and  hearers  with  these  words  ad- 
duced from  Paul,  not  to  be  at  all  deceived 
by  such  high-sounding,  smooth  words  of 
the  philosophy  and  artful  fictions  of  men, 
nor  by  the  hypocrisy  and  worldly  institu- 
tions of  the  learned,  but  to  follow  after  the 
perfect  Institutor,  Christ  Jesus,  in  whom  is 
embodied  the  perfection, of  the  God-head, 
truth,  light,  power,  righteousness,  &:c.,  and 
who  therefore  does  not  point  to  uncertain, 
deceitful,  dark  and  unrighteous  ways,  but 
in  him  all  true  christians  are  perfect  and 
full  of  his  grace.  Spirit,  love  and  power. 

He  is  the  head  of  all  principalities  before 
whom  every  knee  shall  bow,  and  whom  all 
tongues  shall  confess  that  he  is  the  Lord, 
and  that  besides  him  there  is  no  other, 
Isaiah  45:23;  Phil.  2:10.  Therefore  his 
word  shall  avail,  and  his  command  shall 
stand,  and  not  that  which  the  world  adds 
to  his  kingdom  or  church,  in  which  all  re- 
generated children,  who  are  of  his  Spirit, 
are  not  now  circumcised  unto  Chiist,  with 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


4g 


hands,  as  was  the  case  with  literal  Israel, 
but  the  impure  foreskins  of  their  hearts  are 
circumcised  with  the  Lord's  word,  Spirit 
and  power,  that  they  may  become  in  spirit 
a  new,  regenerated  Israel  and  people  of 
God,  by  dying  unto  their  sinful  flesh,  and 
by  smothering  the  old  man  through  the  cir- 
cumcision of  Christ,  which  ptuifies  and 
changes  their  hearts  through  his  word  and 
Spirit.  For  the  penitent  are  buried  with 
him  in  baptism,  die  unto  the  old  sinful  life, 
and  arise  in  the  new  life  of  righteousness 
and  virtue,  by  means  of  faith,  through  which 
God  operates  by  the  preaching  of  his  pow- 
erful word,  and  the  inspiration  of  his  Holy 
Spirit.  The  faithful  God  and  Father  who 
has  resurrected  his  Son  from  the  dead,  has 
also  bestowed  his  power  upon  us,  poor  sin- 
ners, and  has  graciously  resurrected  us, 
who  were  dead  in  so  many  gi'oss  sins  and 
tresspasses,  into  a  new  life  with  him;  has 
called  us  from  darkness  unto  light,  and  has 
placed  us  with  him  in  a  celestial  being,  in 
Christ,  Eph.  2:1;  1  Pet.  3,  &c. 

Behold,  dear  reader,  this  is  the  proper 
ground  and  meaning  of  the  words  of  Paul, 
by  which  Gellius  tries  to  show,  that  bap- 
tism has  taken  the  place  of  circumcision 
and  is  called  the  cii'cumcision  of  Christ. 

Judge  now,  if  you  fear  God,  whether  you 
find  a  word  in  the  writings  of  Paul,  that  has 
reference  to  unconscious  infants.  That  this 
saying  of  Paul  has  reference  to  the  believing 
and  penitent,  and  not  to  unconscious  chil- 
dren, all  reasonable,  to  say  nothing  of  spir- 
itual persons,  must  acknowledge  and  ad- 
mit. Notwithstanding,  he  writes  that  this 
saying  implies  that  baptism  has  taken  the 
place  of  circumcision  and  is  called  Christ's 
circumcision.  He  does,  or  will  not  observe 
that  the  circumcision  of  Jesus  Christ  to 
which  Paul  alludes,  is  done  without  hands, 
and  that  he  daily  serves  with  his  hands  the 
infant  baptism  which  he  calls  the  circum- 
cision of  Jesus.  Behold,  thus  lamentably 
does  he  satisfy  Paul,  and  thus  violently 
break  the  word  of  God. 

If  he  seeks  an  evasion  to  adorn  his  cause, 
and  say,  that  God  works  through  his  sac- 
raments invisibly  in  the  heart,  which  the 
sign  represents,  then  the  deceit  will  be  more 
distinct.  For  how  shall  God  operate  through 
a  sign  v/hich   is  an   abomination   before 


Him  ?  I  say  an  abomination,  because  he 
has  not  commanded  it,  and  because  neither 
doctrine,  confession,  faith  nor  repentance 
precede  it,  which  these  signs  represent,  in 
the  New  Testament.  Then,  also,  the  sign 
and  the  signification  must  be  one  and  the 
same,  which  never  was  nor  ever  will  be 
the  case  unless  the  letter  becomes  spirit. 
This  is  incontrovertible.  Yea,  my  reader, 
how  the  baptized  children  are  circumcised 
with  the  circumcision  of  Christ  Jesus  in  the 
foreskin  of  their  hearts,  which  is  the  circum- 
cision of  the  New  Testament,  the  deeds  and 
the  fruits  of  the  world,  alas,  plainly  show. 

In  the  fourth  place  he  writes,  As  in  the  Scriptures, 
which  testify  that  women  are  participants  in  the  merits 
of  Christ,  and  arc  disciples,  a  command  is  implied  that 
the  Holy  Supper  shall  be  dispensed  to  them,  so,  also,  a 
command  is  implied  in  the  Scriptures,  which  testify 
that  children  are  of  the  church  of  Christ  and  of  the 
Kiugdom  of  God,  that  they  should  be  baptized. 

Answer.  The  words  of  Gellius  prove 
clearly  that  women  are  participants  of  the 
Lord's  Supper;  for  he  acknowledges  that 
they  are  disciples.  If  they  are  disciples, 
as  they  are  in  fact,  then  it  is  manifest 
that  they  hear  the  word  of  God,  be- 
lieve, repent,  suffer  themselves  to  be 
baptized,  and  that  they  are  gifted  of  God 
in  power  with  the  representation  of  the 
Holy  Supper,  and  that  they  are  participants 
of  his  mystery  no  less  than  the  men.  Since 
they  are  believing  and  penitent  disciples, 
as  heard,  therefore  it  is  reasonable  and 
right  that  they  should  partake  of  the  sign, 
whereby  this  mystery  of  faith  and  of  the 
holy  gospel  are  represented  to  the  believing, 
and  admonished  to  the  repenting.  As  we 
cannot  deny  but  that  the  believing,  repent- 
ing women  understand  and  realize  the  rep- 
resentation of  the  Holy  Supper — namely, 
the  remembrance  of  the  offering  of  the  flesh 
and  blood  of  Christ,  the  love  of  God  and 
one's  neighbors,  &c.,  for  which  purpose  it 
was  instituted  by  the  Lord,  therefore  they 
should  have  a  place  at  the  Lord's  table,  as 
believing,  penitent  disciples  and  guests. 
Now,  Gellius,  to  make  his  infant  baptism 
of  effect,  must  prove  and  show  to  us  'bj 
works.  Scriptures  and  truth,  that  little,  un- 
conscious childi'en  realize  the  effect  of  holy 
baptism,  namely,  faith,  repentance,  obe- 
dience to  the  word,  a  clear  and  peaceable 
conscience,  &c.,  for  which  purpose  the  sign 


46 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


of  baptism  was  instituted  of  the  Lord,  as 
the  believing,  penitent  women  realize  the 
signification  of  the  Holy  Supper.  But  if 
he  cannot  prove  this,  then  it  is  sufficiently 
plain  that  this,  his  assertion  and  argument 
are  not  according  to  the  Scriptures,  but 
that  it  is  deceitful,  false,  and  contrary  to 
God's  word. 

He  fiuiher  says,  If  such  a  command  to 
I'aptize  children  is  not  sufl[icient,  as  the  one 
he  has  adduced  from  the  Scriptures,  then  he 
wants  us  to  point  him  out  a  i^rohibition  (as 
he  says),  or  sufiiciently  prove  that  God  wills 
that  w^e  shall  not  baptize  children. 

In  the  first  place,  I  reply:  Gellius  here- 
with openly  betrays  that  his  reference  to 
the  command  of  infant  baptism  can,  in  his 
own  opinion  not  stand,  according  to  the 
Scriptures.  For  he  turns  from  the  doctrine  of 
commands  and  wants  us  to  point  out  a  pro- 
hibition, never  observing  that  if  one  wants 
to  partake  of  anything  (that  is  a  ceremony), 
he  must  first  adduce  and  point  out  the  com- 
mand of  the  institution. 

If  he  wants  to  make  good  the  infant  bap- 
tism which  he  teaches  and  practices,  then 
he  must  prove  that  it  is  commanded,  and 
not  ask  us  to  point  oiit  or  show  where  it  is 
prohibited . 

We  practice  baptism  in  a  manner  as  the 
mouth  of  the  Lord  has  commanded,  for  we 
know  that  it  stands  written,  "What  things 
soever  I  command  j^ou,  obseiTe  to  do  it; 
thou  shalt  not  add  thereto  nor  diminish 
from  it,"  Dent.  13:  32-,  Prov.  30:  6.  Tea, 
my  reader,  I  would  say  to  Gellius  and  the 
learned  that  if  they  can  find  an  instance  in 
all  the  Scriptures  where  the  pious  and  faith- 
ful servants  of  God  have  changed  a  word  of 
the  commands,  and  ceremonies,  and  prac- 
ticed them  differently  than  God  had  com- 
manded them,  then  we  will  further  reflect 
tipon  the  matter.  But  we  know  it  to  a  cer- 
tainty that  it  cannot  be  done. 

The  Lord  commanded  Israel  that  they 
should  circumcise  their  male  children  on 
the  eighth  day,  there  was  no  command  that 
they  should  not  do  it  on  the  fifth,  or  on  any 
other  day.  Yet  they  never  circumcised  a 
female;  nor  did  they  circumcise  on  any 
other  day  but  the  eighth.  For  the  ordi- 
nance and  command  of  the  Lord  was  on  the 
eighth  day,  to  the  male  children,  and  not 


on  the  seventh  or  ninth;  nor  to  the  female 
children  as  has  been  heard. 

If  they,  now,  had  circumcised  the  females, 
or  if  they  had  circumcised  the  males  be- 
fore, or  after  the  eighth  day,  although  it 
was  not  expressly  forbidden,  they  would 
have  committed  an  abomination,  as  did 
Nadab  and  Abihu  with  the  strange  fire, 
and  circumcised  without  God's  word;  by 
the  grace  of  God,  no  man  can  Scripturally 
convince  me  to  the  contrary. 

It  was  also  commanded  Israel  that  they 
should  eat  the  Passover  in  remembrance  of 
their  deliverance  and  departure  oxit  of 
EgyiDt,  on  the  fourteenth  day  of  the  first 
month,  in  the  evening;  it  had  to  be  a  male 
lamb,  without  blemish,  of  the  first  year,  «S:c., 
Ex.  12:  5.  Israel  did  just  according  to  the 
command,  and  never  offered  a  female  lamb, 
but  in  every  instance  a  male,  although  the 
Lord  had  not  expressly  prohibited  the  of- 
fering of  a  female  lamb,  for  if  they  had 
offered  a  female,  they  would  have  offered 
contrary  to  the  command,  which  stipulated 
that  it  should  be  a  male. 

In  the  second  place,  I  would  say  that  I 
would  refer  to  the  testimony  of  the  Almighty 
and  great  God,  who  says,  "This  is  my  be- 
loved Son  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased,  hear 
ye  him,"  Matt.  17:  5.  K  Gellius,  now,  can 
point  to  a  single  word  of  divine  truth  and 
unadulterated  testimony  of  the  Holy  Script- 
iires,  that  this  Son  of  God,  Christ  Jesus,  the 
Father's  eternal  Tnith  and  Wisdom,  has 
taught  or  commanded  one  word  of  infant 
baptism,  or  that  his  holy  apostles  and  mis- 
sionaries have  taught  or  practiced  it,  then 
I  will  recall  my  doctrine,  willingly  sub- 
mit to  dungeons  and  bonds,  confess  my 
guilt,  repent  and  stand  before  the  wliole 
world  conquered  and  abashed;  this  I  prom- 
ise in  sincerity  of  heart. 

But,  if  he  cannot  do  so,  as  he  never  can, 
and  still  professes  that  infant  baptism  is 
apostolic  and  right,  whereby  he  forsakes 
the  ordinance  of  Christ  and  the  apostles 
doctrine  and  usage;  consoles  the  people  in 
their  impenitence — then  it  is  manifest  that 
he  is  a  deceiver  of  the  poor  souls  and  an 
adulterer  of  the  holy  word,  who  would 
be  wiser  than  the  Son  of  God  himself;  for 
he  says  that  it  is  a  sealing  of  the  covenant 
of  grace,  an  embodiment  into  the  church  of 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


47 


Christ,  &c.  And  the  great  Lord  has  not  at 
all  commanded  that  he  should  reprove  the 
Holy  Spirit  which  has  not  manifested  unto 
us  in  the  Scriptures  this  doctrine  and  usage; 
nor  the  apostles  that  they  did  not  at  all 
disclose  unto  the  pious  such  an  important 
matter,  as  he  says,  and  that  they  have  not 
given  a  word  in  all  their  writings,  in  testi- 
mony thereof,  and  thus  manifested  it  unto 
their  descendants. 

In  the  third  place  I  would  refer  Gellius, 
and  all  his  preachers,  to  Luther,  who  writes 
very  clearly  that  we  should  renounce  not 
only  that  which  is  contrary  to  the  word  of 
the  Lord,  but  also  that  which  is  beside  it, 
and  advises  every  body,  although,  alas,  he 
himself  did  not  follow  the  advice,  to  follow 
certainties  and  not  uncertainties;  for  the 
Scriptures  admit  of  no  addition  nor  dimin- 
ishing, by  which  he  has  caused  c^uite  a 
rupture  in  popery.  If  the  Scriptures  admit 
of  no  additions,  and  we  find  nowhere  a 
word  in  Scripture  commanding  infant  bap- 
tism, as  Luther  himself  admits,  then  I  would 
leave  it  to  the  impartial  judgment  of  all 
who  have  understanding,  whetlier  infant 
baptism  is  not  prohibited. 

lu  the  fifth,  place,  Gellius  writes,  They  say  that  the 
children  have  no  ears  to  hear ;  and  cannot  distinguish 
between  good  and  evil.  But  it  does  not  follow  from  this, 
he  says,  that  the  sacrament  of  the  embodiment  into  the 
church  should  not  be  practiced  upon  children  ;  for  the 
children  of  the  ancient  church  had  no  such  ears  that 
they  could  hear,  and  they  could  as  little  distinguish 
between  good  and  evil,  as  our  children  can. 

Ansicer.  If  Gellius  will  show  us  the  com- 
mand, ordinance  or  usage  of  the  Lord,  that 
we  shall  take  them  in  by  such  sign,  then  we 
vsdll  consider  the  matter  further.  But  he 
cannot  do  so. 

We  say  with  holy  Paul,  "Blessed  be  the 
God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
who  has  blessed  us  -Rdth  all  spiritual  bless- 
ings in  heavenly  places  in  Christ,  according 
as  he  hath  chosen  us  in  him  before  the  foun- 
dation of  the  world,  that  we  should  be  holy, 
and  without  blame  before  him  in  love; 
having  predestinated  us  unto  the  adoption 
of  children  by  Jesus  Christ  to  himself,  ac- 
cording to  the  good  pleasm-e  of  his  will,  to 
the  praise  of  the  glory  of  his  grace,"  &c., 
Eph.  1:3—6. 

My  faithful  reader,  understand  well  what 
these  words  of  Paul  mean.    This  paternal 


adoption  unto  membership ;  this  great  favor, 
love  and  grace  through  Christ  Jesus;  this 
holy,  unblamable  life  in  love,  of  which  Paul 
speaks,  is  taught  by  the  gospel.  All  who 
rightly  believe  this,  and  who  are,  through 
faith,  trtily  converted,  changed,  renewed 
and  born  of  God,  and  have  the  Holy  Spirit, 
are  children  of  the  covenant,  are  gi-aciously 
accepted  of  God,  and  are  blessed  with  all 
spiritual  blessings  in  heavenly  places  in 
Christ;  even  before  they  have  the  sign  of 
baptism. 

Behold,  thus  we  are,  by  God's  choice 
through  faitli  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  through 
the  inspiring  j)ower  and  renewing  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  embodied  into  the  body  of 
Christ,  which  is  the  true  church,  and  be- 
come flesh  of  his  flesh  and  bone  of  his  bone; 
and  not  through  any  outward  sign. 

But  this  rule  does  not  applj^  to  uncon- 
scious childi'en;  for  they  have  no  ears  to 
hear  nor  hearts  to  understand.  They  are, 
however,  in  grace,  children  of  the  kingdom, 
panrticipants  in  the  promise;  not  through 
any  outward  sign,  I  say,  but  in  the  adop- 
tion of  Grace  through  the  reconciliation, 
mediation  and  merits  of  the  death  and 
blood  of  Christ,  as  the  Scriptures  teach. 
The  Xew  Testament  treats  with  those  of  un- 
derstanding minds,  and  its  sacraments  be- 
long to  the  penitent.  Let  this  be  to  you  a 
sm-e  and  eternal  reference  and  doctiine. 

All  those  who  give  a  different  meaning  to 
the  signs  of  the  New  Testament,  by  their 
philosophy,  and  teach  you  that  they  should 
be  dispensed  before  faith,  deceive  you,  how- 
ever much  they  may  adorn  it  with  choice 
words,  such  as,  sealing,  sign  of  grace,  em- 
bodiment, &c.,  for  it  is  in  fact,  nothing  but 
human  wisdom,  deceiving  of  souls  and  hy- 
pocrisy. If  the  childi'en  under  the  old  cov- 
enant were  incorporated  by  circumcision, 
and  the  children  under  the  new  covenant 
are  incorporated  through  baptism,  as  he 
says  they  are,  then  we  are  forced  to  conclude 
that  the  children  which  died  before  the 
eighth  day  and  those  who  were  left  in  the 
wilderness,  besides,  all  the  females,  were 
not  in  the  Israelitic  church,  and  consequent- 
ly had  no  share  in  the  gi-ace,  covenant  nor 
promise. 

The  same  would  also  apply  to  our  chil- 
dren which  are   hindered    from    baptism, 


48 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FAEER. 


through  death.  O)  abomination  and  blas- 
phemy !  If  that  is  not  attaching  God's  se- 
lection, grace,  favor,  love,  kingdom,  cove- 
nant and  salvation,  to  the  element,  water, 
and  to  works,  I  will  leave  to  the  judgment 
of  all  the  god]y  and  pious. 

In  the  sixth  place  lie  writes,  and  says,  We  have  ever 
received,  in  return  for  our  assiduity  and  clear,  convin- 
oing  explanation  of  the  Scriptures,  yea,  for  our  solicitous 
care,  to  again  gain  them,  nothing  Ijut  anathemas.  For 
■what  else  do  we  hear  from  them  than  that  we 'are 
wolves,  blood-hounds,  deceivers,  &c.,  who  run  their  own 
course  and  bring  fortli  no  fruit  ? 

Answer.  All  those  who  rightly  seek  our 
salvation,  who  rightly  teach  the  word  of 
the  Lord,  and  who  walk  before  us  with  an 
unblamable  life,  understand,  according  to 
the  doctrine,  Si^irit,  and  example  of  Christ 
Jesus,  are  not  reproved  by  lis,  nor  by  the 
Scriptures ;  but  we  sincerely  thank  and  love 
them  and  will  by  the  grace  of  God,  never 
despise  their  fraternal  assiduity  and  pa- 
ternal solicitude,  but  will,  in  sincere  love 
and  very  thankfully,  accept  them,  and  as 
much  as  we,  in  our  weakness,  are  able  to 
do,  follow  them.  But  we  are  not  to  blame 
that  Gellius  and  the  preachers  are  called 
deceivers,  false  prophets,  ravening  wolves, 
men  guilty  of  blood,  &c.,  by  the  Scriptures, 
but  they  themselves,  are  the  cause;  because 
they  so  lamentably  adulterate  the  Script- 
ures, reject  Christ  Jesus  and  his  Spirit, 
word  and  walk;  because  they  preach  ac- 
cording to  their  own  pleasure,  seek  improp- 
er gain;  because  they  teach  and  walk  to 
suit  the  world,  destroy  the  poor  sheep  by 
their  false  doctrine  and  deceiving  practices ; 
and  because  they  upbraid,  blaspheme,  belie, 
betray  the  pious,  faithful  hearts  and  thus 
deliver  them  to  the  sword  of  the  magistracy 
and  executioner,  as  may,  alas,  be  too  clear- 
ly witnessed  at  many  different  places. 

Yea,  reader,  if  he  cannot  bear  to  be  called 
by  such  hard  names,  of  which  he  is  guilty, 
according  to  the  Scriptures,  then  he  should 
reasonably  consider  how  shamefully  he  ac- 
cuses, in  his  writings  and  conversations, 
the  poor,  miserable  souls  who  are  quite  in- 
nocent, as  being  ungodly  heretics,  apostles 
of  the  devil,  deceived  conspirators,  hedge- 
preachers,  sneaks,  adulterators,  &c.,  and 
how  he,  by  his  rebellious,  fiendish,  bloody 
doctrine,  deprives  the  innocent  of  their 
property,  welfare,  honor,  blood  and  life; 


and  instigates  the  unmerciful  cruel  tyrants 
to  robbery,  imprisoning,  banishing  and 
murder.  My  faithful  reader,  reflect,  and 
see  if  I  do  not  write  the  truth. 

In  the  seventh  placs  he  writes.  The  example  of  the 
apostles  shows  that  it  is  a  command;  for  the  Holy 
Spirit  testifies  that  the  apostles  Ijaptized  whole  fami- 
lies ;  no  children  are  excepted,  which,  surely,  would 
have  been  excepted  if  it  were  wrong  to  baptize  them. 

To  this  I  reply,  in  the  first  place,  that 
Gellius  hereby  testifies  that  there  is  no 
command  for  infant  baptism;  for  he  here 
founds  his  doctrine  and  faith  upon  pre- 
sumption and  not  upon  imperative  words, 
according  to  which  all  things  should  be 
judged  that  are  to  be  a  pleasure  in  the  sight 
of  the  Lord.  In  the  second  place  I  would 
say,  that  the  Holy  Spirit  has  testified  in 
plain  words,  that  the  three  families  of  which 
the  Scriptures  make  mention  in  particular, 
to  have  been  baptized,  were  all  believing 
persons  as  may  be  plainly  understood 
from  reading  Acts  10:  16. 

But  as  to  the  house  of  Lydia,  it  is  plain 
that  she  at  that  time  had  no  husband;  for 
the  house  is  called  after  her  name,  which  is 
neither  the  custom  of  the  world  nor  of  the 
Scriptures,  if  the  husband  is  alive.  Since 
the  New  Testament,  then,  makes  mention 
of  but  four  households  in  particular,  to 
have  been  baptized,  and  three  of  them 
were  believing,  and  the  fourth,  as  appears, 
had  no  husband,  as  has  been  heard,  how 
much  then  should  we  rely  on  it,  that  there 
were  little  children  in  these  households, 
both  nature  and  the  Scrip tm-es  teach  us. 

He  further  writes,  That  it  cannot  be  gainsayed  that  the 
children,  all  through  the  Scriptures,  are  always  included 
in  the  household,  for  a  household  or  family  includes 
both  young  and  old ;  therefore  also  children  should  be 
baptized  because  the  Scriptures  mention  that  whole 
households  were  l^aptized,  which  includes  children. 

I  reply:  If  Gellius  proves  to  us,  by  the 
testimony  of  God's  word,  that  the  uncon- 
scious children  have  faith,  then  we  would 
gladly  include  them  in  the  believing,  bap- 
tized households  and  allow  them  to  be  bap- 
tized. But  as  he  cannot  possibly  do  so,  we 
would  faitlifully  admonish  him  and  all  the 
preachers  to  take  heed,  how  and  what  they 
say  concerning  this  matter  ;  for  all  they 
philosophize  and  teach  about  it,  is  mere 
deceit.  Besides,  I  would  yet  ask,  if  we 
can  also  cause  unbelief  in  small  children  by 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


49 


false  doctrine,  or,  if  we  can  teach  them 
faith,  through  God's  word?  If  he  answer 
in  the  affirmative,  then  his  answer  is  con- 
trary to  all  the  Scriptures,  common  sense, 
and  contrary  to  his  own  words ;  for  he  ad- 
mits, that  thej',  through  their  feeble  under- 
standing, can  not  comprehend  the  word. 
But  if  he  answer  in  the  negative,  then  he 
admits,  himself,  that  his  including  both  old 
and  young  in  one  household,  is  contrary  to 
Paul.  For  Paul  says,  that  the  vain  talkers 
and  deceivers  subvert  whole  houses.  Tit. 
1:  10,  something  which  cannot  be  done  to 
little  children,  on  account  of  their  not  hav- 
ing sufficient  understanding,  as  he  himself 
admits.  He  also  says  that  we  too  boldly 
exclude  the  children,  which  the  Holy  Spirit 
has  not  excepted,  &c.  To  this  I  reply :  The 
Holy  Spirit  has  commanded  and  ordained 
that  we  should  teach  the  understanding,  and 
baptize  the  believing,  and  this  ordinance 
we  follow.  Therefore,  it  is  not  boldness, 
but  obedience  to  do  as  the  mouth  of  the 
Lord  has  commanded  us.  But  whether  the 
preachers  are  not  boldly  opposing  the  Holy 
Spirit,  who  reject  his  doctrine,  advdce  and 
ordinance  as  heretical  and  sectarian,  and 
institute  instead  a  doctrine  and  ordinance 
to  suit  their  own  taste,  of  which  we  find  not 
a  single  word  in  the  Scriptures,  I  will  leave 
all  the  pious  to  judge  according  to  the  word 
of  the  Lord. 

As  to  his  reference  to  Tertullius,  Cyprian, 
Origenes  and  Augustinus,  I  would  reply: 
If  these  writers  can  support  their  assertions 
by  the  word  and  ordinance  of  God,  then  we 
will  admit  that  they  are  right.  If  they  can- 
not do  so,  then  it  is  a  doctrine  of  men,  and 
condemned  by  the  Scriptures,  Gal.  1:8.  In 
the  second  place  I  say,  Rhenanus  annotates 
on  Tertullius  that  it  was  customary  with 
the  ancients  to  baptize  adults  with  the  bap- 
of  regeneration. 

Cyprian  left  infant  baptism  optional. 

Erasmus  writes  that  the  ancients  have 
disputed  much  concerning  infant  baptism, 
and  never  came  to  a  conclusion. 

Zuinglius  writes,  Although  we  are  aware 
that  the  ancients  laaptized  children,  yet  it 
was  not  practiced  so  commonly  as  it  is  in 
our  times.  They  were  openly  instructed  in 
faith;  and  when  they  verbally  confessed 
their  faith  which  was  imprinted  in  their 
43 


hearts,  they  were  allowed  to  be  baptized. 
This  doctrine  (he  says)  I  wish  to  have  again 
resuscitated.  Lib.  Art.  18. 

Bucer  writes  that  the  ancients  generally 
baptized  adults  and  not  children. 

Oecolamj^adius  writes,  I,  in  my  weakness, 
cannot  yet  find  Scriptures  which  command 
infant  baptism. 

Luther  admits  that  they  have  no  express 
command  to  baptize  children. 
I     Wliat  Martin  Cellarius  and  others  vsrite, 
concerning  this  matter,  is  too  lengthy  to  be 
here  reproduced. 

j  Since  it  is  plain  that  few  children  were 
baptized  of  the  ancients,  as  the  above  men- 
tioned Rhenanus,  Zuingli  and  Bucer  show, 
that  Cyprian  left  infant  baptism  optional, 
and  the  others  acknowledge  that  there  is  no 
express  command  for  it;  how  can  Gellius, 
then  trutlifully  write  that  they  received  in- 
fant baptism  from  the  apostles;  that  it  is 
an  incorporation  into  the  church,  and  a 
sealing  of  the  covenant  of  grace  ? 

Yea,  my  reader,  if  infant  baptism  has 
the  virtues  which  Gellius  ascribes  to  it, 
then  our  ancestors  grossly  sinned  to  have 
baptized  so  few  children;  and  also  because 
they  left  optional  that  which  (he  says)  the 
apostles  practiced  and  taught  to  be  an  in- 
corporation into  the  church,  a  sign  of  grace 
and  a  sealing  of  the  covenant  of  grace. 

In  the  third  place  I  answer.  If  we  consider 
the  confession  and  doctrine  of  the  learned 
in  regard  to  infant  baj^tism,  we  find  it  to  be 
such  a  Babel  that  we  are  forced  to  acknowl- 
edge that  it  is  not  of  God.  For  some  of  the 
ancients  (not  the  apostles)  as  appears, 
baptized  some  children,  but  not  a  consider- 
able number.  Some  said  they  had  received 
it  from  the  apostles;  others,  again,  denied 
it.  Some  have,  and  some  still  baptize  them 
to  wash  off  hereditary  sin ;  others  because 
they  are  children  of  the  covenant.  Some 
baptize  them  for  the  sake  of  the  faith  of  the 
church;  others,  again,  for  the  sake  of  the 
faith  of  their  parents.  Some  on  the  strength 
of  the  faith  of  the  patriarchs;  others  on  the 
strength  of  their  own  faith;  and  again, 
others  that  better  care  shall  be  taken  of 
their  education.  Behold,  thus  the  defenders 
of  infant  baptism  are  divided  among  them- 
selves. 

Inasmuch,   then,  as  they  do  not  teach 


80 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


one  doctrine  and  are  not  of  one  mind  in  re- ! 
gard  to  infant  baptism,  therefore  it  is  man- 
ifestly  proven  that  they  baptize  them  with- 
out the  word  of  God.     For  if  their  cause 
had  a  foundation  in  Scripture,  then  they  . 
would  baptize  to  the  same  purpose  or  end,  | 
according  to  tlio  same  ordinance,  rule  and  \ 
doctrine.    This  is  incontrovertible. 

In  the  eighth  place  he  writes  "that  it  is  not  prohibit- 
ed at  all,  in  Scripture,  nor  testified  that  infant  baptism  is 
wrong.  And  that  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  testifies  tliat  it 
is  not  his  word  and  will,-  but  the  will  of  his  Father 
who  is  in  heaven." 

Answer.  Peruse  all  the  Scriptures — Moses 
and  the  prophets,  Christ  Jesus  and  the 
apostles,  and  diligently  meditate  iipon  them, 
and  you  will  find  different  instances  that 
God  was  not  only  displeased  at  unbidden 
ceremonies  and  worship,  but  that  he  has 
often  severely  punished  such.  O,  dear  Lord, 
what  blind  reasoning  !  If  they  can,  with  a 
clear  conscience  do  so  because  it  is  not  ex- 
pressly forbidden  that  infants  shall  be  bap- 
tized, then  they  may  as  well  accept  holy 
water,  candles,  palms,  clocks,  confession 
before  a  priest,  masses,  the  building  of 
convents,  altars,  the  becoming  of  monks, 
pilgTimages  and  the  praying  for  the 
departed  souls,  &c.,  as  just  and  right;  for 
there  is  not  a  word  to  be  found  in  the  Script- 
ures which  expressly  prohibits  these  works; 
or  which  says:  You  shall  not  do  these 
things. 

If  he  should  say  that  the  circumstances 
of  Scripture  and  its  fruits  testify  that  they 
are  contrary  to  the  word  of  God;  then  I 
would  again  say:  Still  clearer  do  the  cir- 
cumstances of  the  Scriptures  and  the  fruits 
testify  that  infant  baptism  is  contrary  to 
God's  word.  For  the  mouth  of  the  Lord 
has  not  commanded  so  at  all.  All  those 
who  practice  it,  misuse  the  name  and  ordi- 
nance of  God,  and  act  hypocritically,  and 
those  that  receive  it,  console  themselves, 
when  they  come  to  years  of  understanding, 
that  they  are  baptized  children,  although 
their  whole  walk  is  manifestly,  for  the 
greater  part,  quite  impenitent,  ungodly, 
earthly  and  carnal. 

In  the  second  place  I  answer :  Clirist  Jesus 
has  testified  and  said,  "Go  ye  into  all  the 
world  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creat- 
ure.   H«  that   believeth  and  is  baptized, 


shall  be  saved,"  Mark  16:  15,  16.  Behold 
this  is  the  express,  eternal  and  unchange- 
able ordinance  of  the  Lord,  which  he  has 
commanded  and  left  for  his  church  to  follow. 
Also  have  the  apostles  so  taught  and  prac- 
ticed it. 

.  If  now  the  unconscious  children  have 
faith,  that  is,  if  they  are  penitent,  Rom.  6; 
have  circumcised  the  foreskin  of  their  hearts 
by  the  circumcision  of  Christ,  Col.  2:  11;  if 
they  have  a  clear  conscience  before  the 
Lord,  if  they  have  a  new  mind,  which  are 
all  the  result  of  faith,  and  which  are  repre- 
sented by  baptism — then  baptism  can  not 
be  refused  them.  But  while  it  is  plain  that 
they  have  not  one  of  the  beforementioned 
qualities,  therefore  we  say  that  infant  bap- 
tism is  a  self-chosen  superstition,  an  abuse 
of  the  glorious  and  holy  name  of  God,  an 
adulteration  of  the  ordinance  of  Christ,  a 
vain,  hypocritical  consolation  to  the  impen- 
itent, a  sacrament  of  the  church  of  anti-christ, 
nay,  an  open  deceit,  blasphemy  and  idol- 
atry. Notwithstanding  all  this,  this  thought- 
less man  writes  that  it  is  the  word  and  will 
of  the  Father,  and  then  uses  the  eternal 
Father  and  his  beloved  Son  and  Holy  Spirit, 
together  with  the  chosen,  holy  apostles,  as 
a  cover  for  his  deceitful  abomination  and 
wicked  blasphemy.    O  Lord  ! 

In  the  ninth  place  he  writes :  "  That  they  have  the 
promise,  that  God,  the  Father,  Son  and  Holy  Ghost,  a 
true  and  living  God,  is  powerful  in  his  command  and 
works;  and  will,  through  his  power,  sanctify  the  children 
of  the  church  and  bestow  on  them  his  Spirit." 

Ansioer.  If  he  could  prove  that  infant 
baptism  was  commanded  by  the  word  of 
God,  by  apostolic  doctrine  and  usage,  or 
by  the  example  of  Christ,  as  he  pretends 
that  it  was,  then  we  would  gladly  admit  it 
to  be  a  holy  rite,  and  pleasing  to  God,  and 
that  it  would  be  a  blessed,  admonishing, 
useful,  fruitful  and  powerful  thing,  for  God 
commands  nothing  in  vain.  But  since  it 
cannot  be  proven  that  it  was  commanded, 
and  since  baptism  cannot  apply  to  little 
children,  because  the  signs  of  the  New  Test- 
ament are  applied  to  the  penitent,  therefore 
we  say  again,  that  it  is  not  a  God-pleasing 
ceremony,  but  according  to  all  Scripture,  a 
wicked  blasphemy  and  abomination,  as  has 
already  been  heard.  And  how  powerfully 
God  works  through  such  abominations,  may 


KEPLT  TO   GELLIUS  FABER. 


e» 


be  plainly  seen  in  the  cases  of  Nadab,  Abi- 
bn,  Jeroboam,  Uzza  and  others. 

The  pious  reader  shoiild  also  know  that 
the  children  of  the  chnrclies  are  not  sancti- 
fied by  means  of  ceremonies,  words  and 
water,  but  solely  through  the  grace,  favor, 
merits,  blood  and  death  of  the  Lord,  anc: 
by  no  other  work  nor  means,  at  all.  But 
as  to  his  writing  that  God  bestows  upon 
the  baptized  children  his  Spirit,  we  would 
say  that  we  would  have  him  consider  more 
deeply  and  learn  to  know  what  the  work  of 
the  Spirit  is,  before  he  teaches  such  doctrine. 

Is  it  not  deeply  to  be  regretted  that  such 
people  dare  take  upon  themselves  the  care 
of  souls,  while  they  have  not  yet  learned 
what  is  the  nature,  fruit  and  power  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  ?  For  wherever  the  Holy  Spirit 
is,  there  also  must  be  its  fruits;  this  is  in- 
controvertible. And  what  fniits  we  find  in 
children  when  they  begin  to  become  of  un- 
derstanding minds,  we  may,  alas,  educe 
from  their  words,  works  and  life. 

I  would  further  say,  that  if  the  Spirit  is 
bestowed  upon  children,  through  baptism, 
as  he  says,  and  since  the  Scriptures  teach 
that  the  Holy  Spirit  is  given  to  the  believ- 
ing, then  it  must  follow  therefrom,  since  the 
children  do  not  believe,  that  the  Holy  Spirit 
is  not  given  them  through  faith,  but  that  it 
is  given  through  the  merits  of  the  ceremony 
of  baptism,  which  the  preachers  practice. 
And  what  is  worse,  such  a  spirit,  which  in 
every  respect  is  without  knowledge,  intelli- 
gence, inspiration,  power,  fruit  and  work, 
as  may  be  seen.  O,  great  blindness  and 
error ! 

lu  the  tenth  place  he  writes :  "  The  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
commanded  that  the  children  should  be  brought  to  him 
(which  tlie  anabaptists  do  not  at  all)  and  that  he  em-  ' 
braced  them,   laid  his  hands  upon  them  and  blessed  I 
them,  that  is,  baptized  them  with  the  Holy  Spirit ;  and  , 
all  this,  done  by  Christ,  is  not  powerless."  | 

Ansicer.  Here  I  would  ask  Gellius,  and 
all  who  jDractice  infant  baptism.  Firstly,  If 
all  the  believers  brought  their  children  to 
Christ  when  he  was  preaching  ?  If  they  an- 
swer in  the  affirmative,  tlieu  they  ought  to 
be  ashamed;  for  they  can  not  prove  their 
assertion  by  the  Scriptures.  But  if  they 
answer  in  the  negative,  then  they  acknowl- 
edge that  they  in  the  first  place,  are  wrong 
to  teach  and  practice  that  children  should 


be  brought  to  him,  that  is  (according  to 
their  understanding),  to  baptize  them. 

In  the  second  place  I  ask,  whether  in  any 
part  of  Scripture  bringing  to  Christ  is  called 
baptism  ?  If  they  answer  in  the  affirm  ative, 
then  they  can  not  produce  proof.  If  they 
answer  in  tlie  negative  then  they  admit  that 
they,  in  the  second  place,  adulterate  the 
word  of  God,  by  explaining  and  construing 
bringing  to  Christ  to  mean  baptizing. 

In  the  third  place  I  ask,  whether  Christ 
baptized  the  children,  brought  to  him,  with 
water?  If  they  answer  in  the  affirmative, 
then  I  would  answer  with  John,  that  Christ, 
himself,  did  not  baptize,  John  3:  5.  But  if 
they  answer  in  the  negative,  then  they  ac- 
knowledge, in  the  third  place,  that  it  is  a 
false  doctrine  to  try  to  defend  infant  bap- 
tism on  the  strength  of  this  bringing  to  him. 

In  the  fourth  place  I  would  ask,  because 
he  says  that  Christ  baptized  the  children 
with  the  Holy  Spirit.  If,  then,  baptizing 
with  the  Spirit  is  the  same  thing  as  bap- 
tizing with  water?  If  they  answer  in  the 
affirmative,  then  Spirit  must  be  letter,  or 
letter,  Spirit.  But  if  they  answer  in  the 
negative,  then  they,  themselves,  pronounce 
sentence  against  infantbaptism ;  that  Christ's 
action  with  the  children  does  not  teach  nor 
imply  it. 

In  the  fifth  place  I  would  ask.  How  we 
are  to  understand  this  bringing  to  him — in 
a  carnal,  or  spiritual  way  ?  If  they  answer 
in  a  carnal  way,  then  I  would  say,  that  it 
cannot  now  be  the  case,  since  Christ,  in 
body,  is  taken  from  us  and  removed  hence, 
where  we  cannot  approach  in  the  body,  1 
Tim.  6:  16.  But  if  they  answer,  in  a  spirit- 
ual way,  then  I  woidd  again  ask  why  Gel- 
lius so  shamefully  abuses  the  pious,  whom 
he  calls  anabaptists,  by  writing  that  they 
do  not  at  all  bring  their  children  to  Christ 
(■something  which  could  not  have  been  writ- 
ten in  purity  of  heart),  while  many  of  them 
are  so  solicitously  caring  for  the  salvation 
of  their  children  by  teaching,  admonishing 
and  punishing  them,  and  by  having  a  con- 
stant solicitude  for  them,  as  God's  word 
and  the  love  of  their  children  command  and 
teach  all  christian  parents  to  do. 

O,  that  God  would  grant  that  Gellius  and 
his  followers  would  more  deeply  consider 
this  spiritual  bringing  to  Christ,  as  I  tnist 


5»- 


REPLY  TO   GELLIUS  FABER. 


that  many  of  ours  do,  by  the  grace  of  God; 
and  that  they  would  abandon  this  unscript- 
lural  infant  baptism,  of  which  they  mal^e  so 
much  ado.  This,  in  my  opinion,  would  be 
a  very  desirable  thing.  For,  as  a  general 
thing,  they  abandon  their  childi-en,  from 
the  cradle  on,  to  the  wiles  of  the  devil,  by 
educating  them  in  ignorance,  blindness, 
pomp,  splendor,  vanity  and  idolatry,  as 
their  fruits  plainly  show  to  all  of  under- 
standing minds.  Behold,  my  reader,  from 
these  questions  and  answers  you  may  con- 
clude whether  Gellius  and  the  learned  can 
stand  on  the  strength  of  the  saying,  "  Sutler 
the  little  children  to  come  unto  me,"  with 
their  doctrine  and  practice  of  infant  bap- 
tism, which  they  practice  so  indiscriminate- 
ly, and  about  which  they  make  so  much 
ado? 

Observe,  too,  that  Gellius,  by  his  writing 
that  we  do  not  bring  oiu-  children  to  Christ, 
at  all,  not  only  judges  and  disgraces  us, 
but  also  Christ  Jesus,  because  he  has  not 
commanded  us  such  bringing  to  him;  he 
also  judges  the  holy  apostles  who  have  not 
testified  nor  taught  us  a  word  in  regard  to 
this  matter  neither  by  word  nor  practice  in 
the  whole  Scriptures. 

In  the  eleventh  place  he  writes :  Since  Luke  testifies 
that  John  the  baptist  was  sanctified  in  his  mother's 
womb,  and  leaped  in  the  presence  of  Christ  (which,  he 
says,  doubtlessly,  was  caused  by  a  spiritual  movement), 
and  as  also  Jacob,  &c  ,  therefore  it  is  manifest  that  God 
also  works  in  the  children  of  the  church  according  to 
their  measure,  through  his  Holy  Spirit,  and  that  infant 
baptism  is  a  command  and  has  the  promise. 

Answer.  If  these  particular  miracles  of 
God,  which  were  wrought  in  the  case  of 
John  and  of  Jacob,  are  to  be  a  common 
rule,  then  these  following  mii-acles  were  also 
common  rules,  namely,  that  Sarah  and 
Elizabeth,  two  barren  women,  conceived  in 
theii-  old  age,  and  that  Balaam's  ass  spoke; 
Num.  22:  28;  and,  therefore,  all  aged,  bar- 
ren women  should  conceive,  and  all  asses 
speak.  O  no.  That  such  miracles  of  God 
were  no  common  rule  things,  maybe  educed 
from  the  floating  of  iron  at  Helizeum ;  from 
the  passage  of  the  Israelites  through  the 
Red  Sea,  and  from  the  standing  still  of  the 
sun  and  moon,  2  Kings  6:0;  Ex.  14:  21; 
Joshua  10:  13. 

I  would  further  say,  if,  according  to  the 
doctrine  of  Gellius,  it  follows  from  the  case 


of  John,  that  all  the  children  of  the  church, 
or  of  the  believing  members,  have  the  Holy 
Spirit,  then  the  greater  part  of  his  fellow- 
believers  of  the  German  nation  (whom  alone, 
he  esteemed  as  faithful  servants,  and  who, 
with  him,  are  of  the  same  calling,  office  and 
service)  are  greatly  contemned  in  their  doc- 
trine, faith  and  usage;  for  he  writes  that 
the  children  of  the  holy  chmch  have  the 
Holy  Spirit,  and  they  believe  and  teach  that 
they  have  the  evil  spirit,  for,  before  they 
baptize  them,  they  say,  Depart  thou  evil 
spirit,  and  give  room  to  the  Holy  Spirit. 

Behold,  thus  it  is  generally  with  all  who 
teach  and  practice  this  shameful  doctrine. 
And,  although  they  are  unanimous  in  the 
practice,  yet  they  are  so  divided  in  opinion 
as  to  the  grounds  of  this  doctrine,  that  we 
are  forced  to  say  that  it  is  nothing  but  a 
vain  mask  and  infernal  mockery.  N otwith- 
standing  he  writes  that  infant  baptism  is 
commanded,  and  that  it  has  the  promise; 
while  he  well  knows  that  he  cannot  advance 
one  plain  word  from  all  the  Holy  Scriptures, 
to  show  that  the  wisdom  of  God  has  com- 
manded it,  or  that  the  apostles  have  taught 
or  practiced  it;  or,  moreover,  that  its  sig- 
nification, penitence,  regeneration,  &c.,  can 
apply  to  children.  To  say  nothing  of  the 
author  mentioning  that  the  primitive,  in- 
corrupt chm'ch  did  not  practice  it,  as  has 
been  heard 

Is  not  this  adulterating  the  word  of  God, 
breaking  the  Scriptures,  pei-verting  truth 
into  lies,  stealing  the  honor  and  praise  of 
God,  killing  souls  and  defending  the  church 
of  anti-christ  ?  I  say  again,  as  I  did  before, 
I  have  never  read  a  word  in  the  Scriptures 
with  such  misunderstanding. 

In  the  twelfth  place  he  writes:  " That,  according  to 
Matthew,  baptism  was  not  first  instituted  by  Christ. 
For  it  was  before  commanded  of  John  and  practiced  by 
the  disciples  of  Jesus  Christ ;  so  that  we  are  not  ob- 
liged to  follow  one  rule." 

Answer.  Let  every  one  take  heed,  and  ob- 
serve what  the  word  of  the  Lord  teaches. 
Gellius,  alas,  is  not  at  all  ashamed  to  deny 
the  plain  word  of  God,  and  writes:  "That 
we  are  not  obliged  to  follow  one  certain 
rule  in  regard  to  baptism;  that  Christ  did 
not  command  to  baj)tize  the  believing 
persons  alone;  nor  that  his  heavenly  Fa- 
ther did,  when  he  commanded  John  that  he 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


5& 


should  baptize;  and  that  it  was  not  Clirist's 
meaning  that  such  and  such  persons  should 
be  baptized."  Behold,  thus  the  Lord's  holy 
word  is  perverted. 

Inasmuch  as  Gellius  so  degi-ades  his 
Lord's  mouth,  and  so  lamentably  adulter- 
ates his  word,  therefore  I  will  place  the 
words  of  Christ,  according  to  Matthew  and 
Mark,  before  the  reader,  that  he  may  see 
what  rule  and  law  he  has  made  concerning 
baptism,  and  what  command  he  has  given. 
Christ  says,  "All  power  is  given  unto  me  in 
heaven  and  in  earth.  Go  ye,  therefore,  and 
teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them  (under- 
stand, whom  you  make  disciples,  by  your 
doctrine)  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of 
the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  teaching 
them  to  observe  all  things  whatsoever  I  have 
commanded  you,"  Matt.  28.  Again,  "  Go  ye 
into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the  gospel  to 
every  creature.  He  that  believeth  (namely, 
the  gospel)  and  is  baptized,  shall  be  saved; 
but  he  that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned," 
Mark  16:  15,  16.  Behold,  this  is  the  word 
and  ordinance  of  the  Lord,  how  and  when 
we  are  to  baptize.  I  think  these  words  are 
too  plain  to  admit  of  perversion  by  fine 
words  and  accnteness— -preach  tJie  gospel 
and  baptize  those  that  believe. 

But  that  John  taught  and  practiced  bap- 
tism before  Christ,  is  evidence  for  us  and 
not  against  us,  for  he  practiced  upon  those 
who  confessed  their  sins,  Matt.  3:  6,  and 
not  upon  unconscious  children,  as  the  diso- 
bedient, offensive  preachers  do. 

Since  John  did  not  baptize  any  but  the 
penitent,  before  Christ;  since  Christ  com- 
manded it  at  the  confession  of  faith,  the 
apostles  taught  and  practiced  it  so,  and, 
also  the  primitive  church,  as  heard,  there- 
fore, the  reasonable  reader  may  reflect,  in 
the  fear  of  God,  how  miserably  and  lament- 
ably the  poor  souls  are  deceived  by  these 
degenerated  men  who  so  boldly  adulterate 
the  pointed,  plain  words  of  Chi-ist  concern- 
ing baptism,  and  his  pleasing,  salutary  or- 
dinance, and  thus  destroy  it  and  found  it 
upon  an  unstable  foundation  and  wrong 
meaning. 

But  his  writing,  "That  the  apostles  were 
commanded  to  gather  unto  Christ  a  church, 
from  all  nations,  and  to  teach  them,  not 
that  which  Moses,  biit  that  which  Christ 


had  taught,"  we  admit.    Yet  through  no 
other  command  nor  ordinance  than  that 
:  they  should  preach  the  gospel,  make  disci- 
I  pies  through  the  doctrine,  baptize  these  dis- 
ciples, and  thus  to  gather  unto  the  Lord  a 
I  peculiar  people,  who  should  walk  in  Christ 
!  Jesus  in  righteousness,  truth  and  obedience, 
as  the  regenerated  children  of  God,  and 
give  eternal  praises  to  his  great  and  glorious 
name.    And  with  such  a  people,  who  walk 
in  his  fear,  love,  word,  ordinances  and  com- 
;  mands,  he  will  be,    always  to  the  end  of 
I  the  world.    But  of  infant  baptism  not  a 
I  word  is  mentioned. 

I  In  the  thirteenth  jjlacc,  he  Tvrites, "  That  the  apostles, 
some  of  -whom  were  bajjtized  of  John,  and  those  who 
came  to  him  from  the  cities  and  from  Jerusalem  were 
indiscriminately  baptized  of  Jolm,  and  could  not  have 
had  much  knowledge  of  Christ,  or  a  true,  strong,  sin- 
cere faith  in  him." 

Answer.  If  I  understand  him  aright,  he 
would  conclude  fi-om  this,  that,  as  the  bap- 
tized disciples  were  not,  before  baptism, 
thoroughly  fitted  in  the  doctrine,  faith  and 
'  repentance,  but  had  to  exercise  themselves 
in  continual  penitence,  and  to  die  unto  sin, 
as  baptism  represents,  that  also  the  chil- 
dren, although  they  have  no  faith  before 
baptism,  will,  after  baptism,  when  they  be- 
come of  understanding  minds,  study  the 
doctrine,  repent,  die  unto  sin,  and  walk  in 
newness  of  life. 

To  which  opinion  (if  this  be  his  opinion) 
I  would  reply :  The  prophets  prophesied  of 
John,  Isa.  40:3;  Mai.  3:  1.  His  birth  was 
made  known  by  an  angel;  Ckrist  testified 
of  him,  that  he  was  the  second  Elias,  a 
shining  light,  not  clothed  in  soft  raiment 
and  not  like  the  waving  reed;  that  he  was 
the  greatest  of  all  cliildren  born  of  woman, 
&c.  From  which  it  may  be  safely  educed 
that  he  was  no  light-minded  nor  reckless 
preacher,  but  that  he  earnestly  and  valiantly 
executed  his  office,  according  to  the  pleas- 
m'e  of  God,  and  that  he  rightly  practiced 
the  commanded  baptism  according  to  the 
ordinance.  And,  although  his  disciples 
were  not  so  thoroughly  instructed  in  all 
things,  yet  he  did  not  baptize  any  but  those 
who  confessed  their  sins,  as  said.  Matt.  3, 
Acts  19. 

But,  as  to  his  explanation  of  the  words : 
"If  thou  believest  with  all  thine  heart," 
which  Philip  spoke  to  the  Ethiopian,  that 


84 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


they  mean  to  believe  without  deceit  and  I 
hypocrisy  which  he  rightly  asked  of  the  Ethi-  , 
opian;  and  of  Luke,  to  leave  an  example  to 
all  servants  of  the  church,  how  those  of  ma- 1 
tui-e  years  should  be  baptized,  he  has  right- 
ly pointed  out,  since  he  also  had  arrived  to 
years  of  maturity.     We  say,  that  this  is  : 
right.    We  would  also  state  what  we  desire 
of  all  baptizers,  is:  That  they  first  examine 
well  the  faith  and  foundation  of  those  who 
wish  to  be  baptized,  before  they  baptize 
them,  that  they,  in  their  Avork  and  service, 
may  not  prove  hypocrites. 

I  think  that  this  is  a  plain  example  that 
the  servants  of  the  church  should  not  ask 
the  confession  of  faith  from  others,  but 
from  those,  themselves,  who  wish  to  be  bap- 
tized, as  also  Otto  Brunsu.  says  concern- 
ing this :  lie  says  not  (he  Aviites),  If  you  ! 
do  believe  or  answer  for  your  child,  it  is  j 
then  permitted  to  be  baptized. 

Since  Gellius  refers  us  to  the  disciples 
and  to  those  baptized  of  John,  and,  as  ap- 
pears, would  thereby  demonstrate  that  bap- 
tism does  not  require  true  faith,  and  that  it 
makes  no  difference  whether  faith  comes 
before  or  after;    and,  since  we,   also,   are 
called  anabaptists  by  him,  therefore  I  in 
my  weakness,  would  ask  him,  If  the  com- 
mand of  Christ  and  the  example  of  the  eu- 
nuch are  not  sufficient  to  show  that  faith 
should  precede  baptism,  and  that  baj^tism 
requires  true  faith,  and  why 'Paul  re-baptized 
the  disciples  of  John,  who  had  before  been 
baptized  with  the  baptism  of  John,  while 
John's  baptism  was  not  of  men,  but  from 
heaven?  Matt.  21:25.    He  cannot,   script- 
urally,  answer  it  otherwise,  than  that  it 
was  done  because  they  had  never  known 
that  there  was  a  Holy  Ghost.    Inasmuch, 
then,   as  these   disciples   were   once  bap- 
tized in  their  years  of  maturity,  with  divine 
baptism,  and  lacked  nothing  but  that  they 
did  not  have  an  understanding  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  were,  on  that  account,  re-bap- 
tized of  Paul — therefore  Gellius  should  con- 
sider whether  or  not  true,  christian  baptism 
requires  true  faith,  and  whether  he  does 
not  wrong  us  by  contemptuously  calling  us 
anabaptists   becaiise   we   re-baptize  those 
who  were  not  baptized  with  a  divine  bap- 
tism, as  were  the  disciples  of  John,  but 
with  an  anti-christian  baptism,  without  any 


knowledge,  faith,  command  or  word,  as  the 
reckless,  ignorant  world,  in  part,  can  judge 
and  see. 

If  we,  then,  are  anabaptists  because  we 
re-baptize  those  who  received  a  baptism 
instituted  of  man  and  which  was  practiced 
upon  those  who  had  no  knowledge  whatever, 
how  much,  then,  was  Paul  an  anabaptist 
since  he  re-baptized  those  who  were  of 
understanding  minds  and  baptized  with  a 
baptism  which  was  from  heaven  and  or- 
dained of  God. 

In  the  second  place  I  would  ask,  since  he 
calls  us  anabaptists,  as  has  been  heard. 
Why  he  still  adheres  to  Cyprian,  together 
with  both  the  Concilions — the  African  and 
the  Nicene?  which  unanimously  resolved: 
"That  heretics  have  no  baptism,  and  that 
therefore  those,  who  have  been  baptized  of 
heretics,  should  be  baptized  with  the  true 
baptism."  If  he  says  that  it  is  according 
to  the  Scriptures  and  right,  then  he  admits 
that  he  was  not  baptized  with  the  right 
baptism,  and  that  we  are  right  in  re-bap- 
tizing those  who  have  been  baptized  of  such 
who  are  not  alone  by  Scripture,  but  also  by 
Luther,  Zuingli  and  the  learned,  pro- 
nounced anti-christian  servants  and  the 
root  of  all  heresy,  before  the  whole  world, 
as  we  may  on  every  hand  see  in  their 
writings. 

But  if  he  pronounce  it  offensive  and  sec- 
tarian, then  he  thereby  testifies,  in  the  first 
place,  that  the  church,  or  at  least  a  great 
part  of  it,  was  at  that  time  offensive  and 
sectarian. 

In  the  second  place,  That  he  couples  God's 
Spirit,  word,  work,  ordinance  and  command 
with  the  anti-christian  and  heretical  service 
and  works. 

In  the  third  place,  That  he  is  an  anti- 
christian  and  heretic  himself,  since  he  was 
baptized  with  an  anti-christian  and  hereti- 
cal baptism,  and  that  he  yet  defends  it  as 
the  true  baptism. 

0,  my  reader,  that  Gellius  had  but  half 
an  understanding  of  the  word  of  God,  and 
could  but  see  a  little  of  the  truth,  he  would, 
all  his  life-time  lament  to  God  that  he  has 
so  lamentably  profaned  the  Lord's  express 
command  and  ordinance,  given  through 
John,  Christ  and  the  apostles;  that  he  has 
so  inimically  slandered  the  pious,  and  that 


REPLY  TO   GELLIUS  PABER. 


55 


he  passes  such  a  thoughtless  and  ungodly 
sentence,  by  his  writings  that  he  not  only 
pronounces  us,  but  also  Cyprian,  all  the 
African  bishops,  the  Mcene  Fathers,  be- 
sides also,  holy  Paul  himself  open  ana- 
baptists, nay,  heretics. 

In  the  fourteenth  place  be  writes,  "That  it  is  with 
baptism  as  it  was  with  circumcision.  As  God  com- 
menced circumcision  witb  Abraham,  upon  preceding 
instruction,— and,  for  the  purpose  of  tlie  sealing  of  the 
promise,  it  was  practiced  upon  Abraham's  seed  and 
children — so  John,  the  baptist  and  the  apostles  com- 
menced baptism  with  those  of  mature  years,  and  it  was 
gradually  practiced  upon  the  children,  since  it  could  not 
be  otherwise  on  account  of  circumcision," 

Answer.  That  it  is  with  baptism  as  it 
was  with  circumcision  before,  namelj^,  in 
this  respect;  that  it  was  commenced  on 
previous  instraction — is  our  ground  and 
doctrine;  for  Christ  Jesus  has  so  ordained 
it  and  his  holy  apostles  have  so  taught  and 
practiced  it.  But  that  it  should,  by  the 
command  of  Christ  and  by  the  teaching 
and  practice  of  the  apostles,  grit'dually  have 
been  practiced  upon  the  children,  is  mere 
conjecture  and  not  Scripture. 

For  if  it  were  so,  then  the  apostles  did 
wrongly  that  they  did  not,  according  to  the 
manner  of  circumcision,  commanded  of  God, 
baptize  both  the  believing  and  the  children 
(something  which  they  did  not  do),  as  Abra- 
ham circumcised  himself  and  his  house  to- 
gether with  the  males  of  eight  days  old 
after  him,  according  to  the  command  of 
God,  and  did  not  gradually  institute  cir- 
cumcision, as  Gellius  maintains,  and  would 
make  us  believe,  that  the  apostles  should 
have  done  with  baptism. 

But  that  he  writes  that  this  should  have 
been  done  on  account  of  circumcision  is 
conjecture  and  not  Scripture;  for  as  the 
apostles  and  also  John  served  on  the  be- 
lieving ones  of  the  Jews  the  sign  of  baptism, 
why  not,  then,  on  their  children,  if  God  had 
so  ordained  and  commanded  it,  as  Gellius 
pretends  he  did  ? 

No,  no,  the  command  of  the  Lord  con- 
cerning circumcision  expressly  applied,  first 
to  Abraham  and  his  household,  and  then 
directly  to  the  males  of  eight  days  old. 
Gen.  17:  14;  but  this  is  not  so  with  regard 
to  baptism,  for  it  applies  only  to  the  be- 
lieving and  not  to  the  unconscious  children, 
Matt.  28;  Mark  16.    Therefore  baptism  was 


j  not  gradually  practiced  upon  the  children, 
as  Gellius  pretends;  but  it  was  afterward  in- 
stituted without  the  word,  ordinance  and 
command  of  God,  by  disobedient  and  self- 
conceited  men,  who,  alas,  have  considered 

,  a  wi-ought  ceremony  above  the  Lord's  com- 
mand and  its  representation,  as  is  general- 

j  ly  the  case  with  the  learned  and  worldly- 
minded. 

Again,  as  to  his  writing  '"that  the  prom- 
ise is  sealed  by  baptism,  and  that  it  is 
given  not  only  to  the  aged,  but  also  to  the 
children" — the  reader  should  observe  that 
the  promise  of  the  grace  of  God,  and  of  the 

I  eternal  covenant,  is  not  sealed,  now  any 
more,  by  the  perishable  blood  of  oxen  and 
rams,  nor  by  visible  water  and  ceremonies, 
but  solely  by  tiie  precious  blood  of  Christ 
on  the  cross.  Blessed  is  he,  who  believes 
it,  and  cordially  accepts  it.  This  promise 
is  made  to  the  unbaptized  children,  no  less 
than  to  the  baptized  believing,  so  long  as 
they  are  clothed  with  childish  innocence, 
and  continue  in  simplicity.  But  when  they 
come  to  maturity  and  accept  the  dispensed 
gospel  of  grace  through  faith,  then  the 
Scriptures  teach  us  that  we  should  baptize 
them,  Matt.  28:19;  Mark  16:15.  But  if 
they  reject  grace,  and  lead  an  easy,  impen- 
itent life,  neither  Christ's  blood  nor  death 
will  avail  them;  much  less  will  word  and 
water  avail  them.  For,  "he  that  believeth 
not"  (the  Scripture  means  those  of  under- 
standing minds)  "is  condemned  already," 
John  3:  18. 

In  the  fifteenth  place  he  writes,  "  They  err  abomina- 
bly, because  they  conclude,  from  the  Scriptures  and 
examples  which  have  reference  to  those  of  mature  years, 
to  a  certainty,  that  it  is  an  ordinance  of  God  that  the  chil- 
dren should  not  be  baptized,  notwithstanding  that  there  is 
not  a  tittle  in  the  whole  New  Testament  which  forbids 
it.  And  therefore  they  are  no  less  wrong  than  I  should 
be  if  I  would  not  feed  my  children  that  cannot  labor, 
because  Paul  says,  he  that  does  not  labor  shall  not  eat, 
which  is  incontrovertibly  spoken  in  regard  to  thoso  of 
mature  years,  and  not  to  children. 

Anstcer.  In  my  opinion,  Gellius  wilfully 
intends  to  uphold  the  things  contrary  to 
Christ  and  truth,  that  he  may  execute  the 
office  of  an  anti-christian  preacher,  accord- 
ing to  the  pleasure  of  the  world.  For,  when 
he  should  write  that  we  act  rightly  according 
to  the  Scriptui'es,  and  that  there  is  not  a 
tittle  in  the  New  Testament  that  children 


56 


REPLY  TO  GELLITJS  FABER. 


should  be  baptized — lie  writes  that  we  err 
abominably,  and  that  there  is  not  a  tittle 
that  forbids  infant  baptism,  &c. 

Inasmuch  as  he  so  willfully  and  violent- 
ly contends  against  the  Lord  and  his  truth, 
and  Since  he  in  various  ways  seeks  to  give 
his  cause  a  fine  appearance  by  the  use  of  i 
many  borrowed  words,  lies,  conjectures  and  ^ 
perversion  of  the  Scriptures,  and  says  that  ■ 
we  err  abominably,  &c.,  therefore  I  would  ' 
briefly  state:  That  if  he  can  at  any  time 
prove  to  us  by  the  unadulterated,  divine 
Scriptures  and  truth,  that  John  the  Baptist 
practiced  infant  baptism  any  where;  or  that 
it  was  commanded  of  Christ  and  taught  and  \ 
practiced  by  the  apostles;  or,  that  it  was,  \ 
through  the  ordinance  of  the  Lord,  grad- 
ually practiced  upon  children,  as  he  writes  | 
it  was ;  or,  that  bringing  to  him  is  called 
ed  baptism  and  baptism  bringing  to  him,  ' 
in  the  Scriptures ;  or,  that  Christ  and  the  ! 
apostles  have  baptized  the  children  that 
were  brought  to  them;  or,  that  Christ  bap- 1 
tized  them  with  a  spirit  that  was  powerful 
in  works  (the  Spirit  of  God  is  never  idle); 
or,  that  small  children  have  faith,  or  that 
they  are  penitent,  that  they  bury  their  sins 
and  are  circumcised  through  faith  and  there- 
by arise  with  Christ  in  newness  of  life;  or, 
that  circirmcision  is  called  baptism,  and 
baptism  circumcision ;   or,  that  they  have 
the  answer  of  a  good  conscience ;  or,  that 
baptism,   anywhere   in  the   Scriptures,   is 
called  a  sign  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  a 
sealing  of  the  promise,  and  an  incorpora- 
tion into  the  church,  or  that  unconscious 
children  speak  with  tongues  as  the  believ- 
ing members  of  the  house  of  Cornelius  did, 
of  whom  Peter  says,  "Can  any  man  forbid 
water,  that  these  should  not  be  baptized, 
which  have  received  the  Holy  Ghost  as  well 
as  we?"  Acts  10:  47,  or,  that  the  true,  prim- 
itive church  practiced  it  by  the  apostolic 
doctrine,  usage  or  command;  or,  that  God 
is  powerful  through  works  which  he  has 
not  ordained,  then  we  will  lay  aside  our 
pen,  repent  and  confess  before  the  whole 
world  that  our  cause  is  mere  deceit,  and 
nothing  but  falsehood,  in  this  respect. 

But  if  he  cannot  do  so,  as  it  is  impossible 
for  him  to  do,  then  I  would  faithfully  ad- 
monish and  fraternally  beseech  him  to  con- 
sider earnestly  and  thoroughly  how  shame- 


fully he  reflects  on  God,  the  Father,  Son  and 
Holy  Spirit,  John  the  Baptist  and  the  apos- 
tles, in  this  matter  of  infant  baptism;  how 
lamentably  he  adulterates  the  plain  Script- 
ures and  deceives  the  poor  souls ;  what  gross 
falsehoods  he  teaches  the  poor  people;  how 
deceitfully  he  teaches  the  accursed  abomina- 
tion and  passes  it  for  a  holy,  glorious  work; 
and  also,  how  unjustly  he  acciises  us  of 
abominably  emng,  we,  who  clearly  have  on 
our  side  Christ's  plain  word,  the  apostolic 
doctrine  and  usage,  the  signification  of  bap- 
tism, and  the  usage  of  the  true,  primitive 
churches ;  while  he  cannot  show  by  a  single 
word  of  all  the  Scriptures,  that  his  infant 
baptism  has  any  foundation  in  the  ordi- 
nance and  command  of  God.  My  faithful 
reader,  beware;  fear  God;  act  justly;  search 
the  Scriptures;  shun  falsehood  and  follow 
the  truth. 

Again,  by  undertaking  to  draw  the  say- 
ing of  Paul,  "  That  if  any  would  not  work, 
neither  should  he  eat,"  into  his  argument, 
he  contradicts  himself,  and  is  unworthy  of 
a  reply.  For,  as  Paul  thereby  commands 
the  idlers  and  busy-bodies  to  earn  their  own 
bread  by  honorable  labor,  lest  they  become 
an  ofiense,  and  troublesome  to  others,  and 
since  such  cannot  apply  to  children,  there- 
fore such  labor  was  not  thereby  commanded 
them.  Neither  does  Paul  say,  he  who  does 
not  work,  &c.,  as  Gellius  writes;  but  he 
says,  "If  any  would  not  work,  neither 
should  he  eat."  So,  too,  baptism  is  not 
commanded  to  be  practiced  on  unconscious 
children,  but  it  is  commanded  in  the  Script- 
ures to  be  practiced  upon  those  who  believe 
the  word  of  the  Lord,  lead  a  penitent  life 
and  who  have  a  sound  understanding  and 
comprehension  of  baptism,  as  has  been  said 
several  times. 

In  tlie  sixteenth  place  he  writes,  "That  in  Christ 
Jesus  no  respect  of  persons  or  time  is  made.  For  the 
glory  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ  is  not  limited  to  any 
cities,  times  or  persons ;  so,  neither  to  any  age  nor  gen- 
eration." 

Ansvuer.  Herewith,  if  I  understand  it,  he 
would  assert  that,  although,  according  to 
his  assertion,  baptism  has  taken  the  place 
of  circumcision,  and  the  males  only  were 
circumcised  in  Israel,  that  notwithstanding 
this,  both  males  and  females  are  to  be  bap- 
tized, now,  be  they  believers'  children,  and 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


67 


born  of  believing  parents  or  not.  If  that  is 
his  meaning  and  foundation,  then  he  should 
know  that  as  the  grace,  favor,  love,  cove- 
nant and  promise  of  God  under  the  New 
Testament,  extended  to  both  men  and 
women,  so,  also  did  it  extend  to  all  under 
the  Old  Testament.  For,  if  God  had  coupled 
his  covenant  of  gi-ace  and  all  to  signs, 
whether  it  be  circumcision  or  baptism,  and 
if  those  alone  were  in  the  church  who  had 
received  the  sign,  then  the  Israelitic  women 
and  maids,  and  also  the  children  of  the 
primitive  churches,  were  in  a  bad  situation; 
since  the  first,  according  to  tlie  Scriptures, 
were  not  circumcised,  and  the  latter,  ac- 
cording to  the  ancient  authors,  were  not 
baptized,  as  has  been  already  said. 

No,  reader,  no.    Abraham  and  all  his  j 
seed,  I  mean  both  men  and  women,  young  j 
and  old,  were  the  Lord's  people  and  church.  ' 
But  the  males  only,  were  circumcised,  and  ^ 
not  the  females,  the  male  children  of  eight  j 
days  old,  and  not  the  female  children,  ac- : 
cording  to  the  ordinance  of  God ;  yet,  they  ; 
all,  both  men  and  women,  were  members  of  j 
the  church  under  the  covenant  of  God,  and 
were  children  of  the  promise,  although,  I 
repeat  it,  the  males  only  were  circumcised, 
and  not  the  females. 

So  it  is  under  the  New  Testament.  The 
gospel  is  preached,  and  all  who  believe  it 
and  are  baptized,  shall  be  saved;  be  they 
males  or  females.  They  are  members  of 
the  church  of  Christ  under  God's  covenant 
and  grace;  they  are  joint  heirs  of  the  king- 
dom of  God,  and  children  of  eternal  life; 
also  the  children,  although  they  are  not 
baptized,  Mark  16:  16;  Acts  5:  14;  1  Cor. 
12:13;  Rom.  8:  14. 

For,  as  God  would  have  his  ceremonies 
under  the  Old  Testament,  such  as  circum 
cision,  the  passover,  sin-oflfering,  burnt-of- 
fering, &G.,  practiced  just  as  he  ordained 
and  commanded  them  through  Moses,  in  the 
same  manner  he  will  have  his  signs,  under  \ 
the  New  Testament,  such  as  baptism  and 
Supper,  practiced  in  no  other  way  than  he 
has  commanded  and  ordained  through  his 
Son. 

For  he  says,  "This  is  my  beloved  Son  in 

whom  I  am  well  pleased;  hear  ye  him."  If, 

now,  this  Son  had  ordained  infant  baptism, 

then  we  should  practice  it,  if  we  would  be 

44 


his  disciples;  but  since  he  has  not  done  so, 
we  pronounce  it,  according  to  the  Script- 
ures, accursed,  as  said,  Gal.  1:  8. 

I  further  say.  If  thej',  now,  place  the 
children  of  both  believing  and  unbelieving 
parents,  on  the  same  foundation,  which,  ac- 
cording to  my  opinion  would  not  be  con- 
trary to  the  Scriptures,  tlien  they  must  re- 
call their  doctrine  whereby  they,  before, 
applied  the  grace  and  covenant  of  God, 
with  many  words,  to  the  children  of  believ- 
ing parents,  and  admit  that  their  doctrine 
in  regard  to  Abraham  and  his  seed,  where- 
by they  make  baptism  take  the  place  of 
circumcision,  has  no  similarity  to,  nor  con- 
nection with  it,  at  all ;  for  it  was  not  com- 
manded of  Abraham  to  circumcise  all  the 
children  round  about  him.  Avho  were  not  his 
seed,  but  only  those  which  were  of  his  seed/ 
as  may  be  learned  from  Genesis  17. 

In  the  seventeenth  pUice  he  writes,  Would  to  God 
that  they  could  once  rightly  understand  the  5th  chapter,of 
Paul's  letter  to  the  Epliesians,  wherein  he  describes  the 
church,  sayiug,  Christ  loved  the  church,  and  gave  him- 
self for  it,  that  he  might  sanctify  and  cleanse  it  witU 
the  washing  of  water  in  the  word,  or  as  Erasmus  says, 
through  the  word.  Then  he  goes  on  and  says.  This  in- 
controvertibly  includes  the  children  along  with  their 
parents,  that  is,  the  believers  aud  their  seed,  nay,  the 
whole  church.  How  should  they,  then,  be  excluded 
from  the  word,  while  it  reads,  He  has  cleansed  the 
church  with  the  washing  of  water  by  the  word  ? 

Answer.  I  trust  that  we,  through  the 
grace  and  enlightenment  of  the  Lord,  in  our 
weakness,  do  not  misunderstand  these 
words  of  Paul,  but  that  we  do  rightly  un- 
derstand the  meaning.  We  offer  Gellius 
and  all  the  learned,  the  use  of  all  the  Script- 
ures, besides  all  reason  and  experience,  if 
they  can  show  one  tittle  in  the  Holy  Script- 
ures to  prove  that  reason  and  experience 
teach,  that  we  can  teach  little  children  the 
word  of  God,  from  which  originates  the 
true  cleansing  of  the  heart,  or  that  the 
Scriptures  of  the  New  Testament  any  where 
apply  the  word  and  sacraments  to  them ;  if 
they  can,  then  we  will  admit  that  they  are 
cleansed  by  baptism  through  the  word,  or 
in  the  word.  But,  if  they  can  not  do  so, 
then  it  is  already  proven  that  these  words 
of  Paul  are  not  -wiltten  in  regard  to  little 
children. 

It  is  true,  Christ  has  so  loved  his  church, 
that  he  has  given  himself  for  her,  and  has 
sanctified  her  through  the  power  and  merits 


58 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


of  Ms  innocent  blood,  and  cleansed  her  by 
water,  whicli  is  a  sign  of  a  new  and  peni- 
tent life,  bnt  not  otherwise  than  in  the  word, 
or  through  the  word,  which,  preached  iu 
the  power  of  the  Spirit,  and  accepted  in  true 
faith,  is  followed  by  tlie  ordained  baptism 
as  commanded. 

Christ  said,  "Ye  are  clean  through  the 
word  which  I  have  spoken  unto  3'ou,"  John 
15:  3;  not,  my  reader,  that  they  were  clean 
on  account  that  it  was  outwardly .  spoken 
unto  them,  but  because  they  believed  that 
which  was  sj^oken  unto  them.  For  God 
does  not  cleanse  the  hearts  through  any 
literal  water,  word  or  ceremonj-,  but  through 
faith  in  the  word;  otherwise  all  who  out- 
wardly hear  the  word  and  receive  the  out- 
ward sign  of  the  water,  would  be  holy  and 
clean;  this  is  incontrovertible. 

In  the  eighteenth  place,  He  advances  an  argument 
and  syllogism.  Whatever  pertains  to  the  church,  also 
pertains  to  the  members  of  the  church.  Baptism  per- 
tains to  the  whole  church,  both  old  and  young — thei'e- 
fore  baptism  pertains  to  all  the  members  of  the  church. 

Answer.  In  my  opinion  it  were  better 
for  Gellius,  since  he  })oasts  himself  a  preach- 
er of  the  holy  word,  to  leave  his  logic  to  the 
wise  of  the  world,  who,  alas,  seek  their  own 
praise  and  honor  more  than  they  do  God's: 
and  satisfy  himself  with  the  true  doctrine, 
foundation  and  truth  of  Christ,  and  with 
the  unpretentious,  plain  testimony  of  Mat- 
thew, the  publican,  and  of  Peter  and  John, 
the  lishermen,  &c.,  that  he  does  not  deceive 
the  unlearned  by  such  accute  reasoning  and 
lead  them  oflFthe  true  way. 

As  to  his  major  proposition  (as  he  calls 
it),  I  would  say,  that  if  Gellius  had  applied 
it  to  grace,  reconciliation,  promise,  eternal 
life,  &c.,  which  were  bestowed  upon  the 
whole  church,  young  as  well  as  old,  for 
Christ's  sake,  and  not  upon  the  ordinance 
of  the  church,  then  he  would  have  been 
right;  but  as  it  is,  he  will  have  to  admit 
that  it  is  wrong,  and  contrary  to  the  word 
of  God.  For,  as  regards  the  ordinances  of 
which  he  speaks,  in  wliich  baptism  is  in- 
cluded, I  would  say,  that  all  the  members 
of  the  church  are  not  of  one  and  the  same 
calling,  service  and  work,  and  are  not  under 
one  and  the  same  ordinance;  for  the  Lord 
has  ordained  apostles,  prophets,  evangel- 
ists, pastors  and  servants,  in  his  church. 


and  all  are  not,  on  that  account,  apostles, 
prophets,  evangelists,  pastors  and  servants. 
Thus  it  is  v/ith  the  ordinances  of  baptism 
and  the  Holy  Supper,  in  his  chui'ch;  not 
that  we  should  therefore  serve  them  to  the 
unconscious  childi-en,  but  only  to  the  be- 
lieving and  penitent,  according  to  the  Script- 
ures. 

As  to  his  minor  proposition,  I  would  say, 
our  doctrine,  belief,  foundation  and  confes- 
sion is,  that  our  unconscious  children,  so 
long  as  they  live  in  their  innocence,  are, 
through  the  merits,  death  and  blood  of 
Christ,  in  grace,  and  joint  heirs  of  the  prom- 
ise, as  has  already  been  heard.  The  doc- 
trine of  the  New  Testament,  which  is  a 
doctrine  of  the  Spirit,  does  not  include  them 
with  those  who  are  ruled  and  governed  by 
the  word  and  sacraments  of  God,  and  who 
are  properly  called  the  church  of  Christ  in 
Scripture. 

That  the  children  should  be  counted  into 
the  church  on  account  of  the  promise,  we 
consent  to,  but  we  controvert  that  they 
should  be  included  in  the  ordinances  of  the 
church ;  for  this  is  contrary  to  all  Scripture 
and  common  sense,  as  we  will  prove  by 
Christ's  own  words.  He  also  openly  re- 
proves Christ  and  tJie  apostles,  together 
with  the  Holy  Spirit.  For  he  writes,  "Bap- 
tism pertains  to  both  young  and  old;" 
while  they  have  not  left  us  a  single  exam- 
ple, nor  one  word  in  all  the  Scriptures 
whereby  it  is  taught  or  commanded,  as  may 
be  seen. 

Since  both  his  major  and  minor  proposi- 
tions are  not  consistent  with  the  word  and 
command  of  God,  as  shown,  how  then,  his 
conclusion,  that  baptism  pertains  to  all  the 
members  of  the  church,  can  be  consistent 
with  the  word  and  ordinance  of  God  is  suf- 
ficiently clear  to  the  kind  reader. 

I  would  further  say,  that  if  this,  his  syl- 
logism, is  right  and  true,  namely.  Whatev- 
er pertains  to  the  church,  must  pertain  to 
all  the  members  of  the  church,  &c.,  which, 
however,  is  not  so,  then  it  would  also  be 
true  that  as  doctrine,  faith,  knowledge  of 
Christ,  true  repentance,  a  regenerated,  new 
life,  the  circumcision  of  the  heart,  a  clear 
conscience,  baptism.  Lord's  Supper,  the 
love  of  one's  neighbor,  a  living  hope,  ar- 
dent thankfulness,  &c.,  pertain  to  the  church 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


59 


— therefore  they  pertain  to  all  the  members, 
both  yonng  and  old. 

If  he  denies  this  first  proposition  of  mine, 
then  he  denies  his  own,  for  it  is  like  his. 
If  he  denies,  besides,  the  second,  because 
children,  on  account  of  their  weak  under- 
standing, as  he  admits,  cannot  understand 
the  word,  and  that  they,  therefore,  cannot 
repent  nor  be  admitted  to  the  Supper,  &c., 
then  he  testifies  that  the  children  do  not  be- 
long to  the  church  which  is  governed  by 
tlie  Lord's  word  and  sacraments;  and  that 
his  syllogism,  wherewith  he  includes  all  the 
members  of  the  church,  both  young  and 
old,  in  one  and  the  same  ordinance,  is  wrong 
and  false,  nay,  contrary  to  God's  word. 
This  is  my  answer  to  the  argument  of 
Gellius  and  his  fellows.  How  they  can 
stand  with  this,  according  to  the  Scriptures, 
you  may  reflect  upon  in  the  fear  of  your 
God. 

In  the  ninetceuth  place,  lie  makes  a  long  discourse  in 
regard  to  the  child  which  was,  according  to  Mark  and 
Luke,  called  to  Christ ;  and  will  thereby  prove  and 
teach  that  children  believe,  or  if  they  do  not  believe, 
that  they  are  accounted  as  believing,  be  they  of  what- 
ever age  they  may.  He  further  writes  that  a  child 
of  two,  three  or  four  years  old  may  be  corrupted  by 
bad  examples ;  and  that  we  are  too  timorous  because  we 
dare  not  baptize  those  whom  Christ  accounts  as  believ- 
ing (as  he  says). 

Ansicer.  If  Gellius  and  the  learned  had 
received  but  a  little  understanding  of  the 
nature,  power  and  properties  of  true  faith, 
they  woiild  be  ashamed  all  their  lifetime  to 
have  such  a  poor  idea  of  that  precious  faith 
which  is  a  power  and  gift  of  God.  Moses 
says  that  the  children  have  no  knowl- 
edge of  good  and  evil.  The  wise  man 
says,  that  they  have  no  understanding. 
Paul  says,  "Brethren,  be  not  children  in 
understanding,"!  Cor.  14:  20,  andyet  Gellius 
dares  wTite  that  they  believe;  as  if  faith 
were  but  a  dead  thing  that  has  no  motive 
power  or  work. 

O  no,  true  faith,  which  avails  before  God, 
is  a  living  and  saving  power  which  is,through. 
the  preaching  of  the  holy  word,  bestowed  of 
God  upon  the  heart;  that  moves,  changes 
and  regenerates  it  to  newness  of  mind ;  that 
smothers  all  ungodliness;  that  destroys  all 
pride,  ambition  and  sellishness;  that  in 
malice,  makes  us  lilie  children,  &c.  Be- 
hold, such  is  the  faith  which  the  Scriptui'es 


teach  us,  and  not  a  vain,  dead  and  iinfruit- 
ful  conjecture,  as  the  world  pretends  it  to 
be.  And  that  such  faith  is  not  to  be  found 
in  children  of  two,  three  or  four  years  old, 
both  the  Scriptures  and  common  sense  teacli 
us. 

O,  dear  Lord'!  what  great  blindness,  that 
this  thoughtless  man  does  not  observe  that 
he  and  his  like  preachers,  some  of  whom 
have  grown  already  gray,  who  daily  read 
the  Scriptures  after  their  manner,  are  yet 
so  unbelieving  that  they  dare,  for  the  sake 
of  a  piece  of  bread,  adulterate  the  plain 
word  of  God,  lead  the  poor,  miserable  souls 
to  hell,  in  great  numbers,  upbraid,  slander 
and  hate  all  the  pious,  and  innocently  heap 
upon  them  slanderous  lies  and  disgraces, 
incite  the  magistracy  to  tyranny  and  blood, 
and  that  they  delight  in  pomp,  splendor, 
the  lusts  of  the  flesh,  avarice,  &c.,  which  is 
such  clear  proof  that  they  are  not  alone  un- 
believing, but  that  they  are  also  quite 
earthly  and  carnally-minded;  and  yet  they 
assert  that  a  child  of  two  or  tliree  years  of 
age  has  faith.     O,  folly  and  error  ! 

The  reason  that  Christ  called  unto  him- 
self the  child,  and  placed  it  in  the  midst  of 
his  disciples,  was  because  the  disciples 
were  casting  about  as  to  who  would  be  the 
greatest.  He  set  the  child  as  an  example 
to  them,  and  said,  "Verily  I  say  unto  you, 
Except  ye  be  converted,  and  become  as  lit- 
tle children,  ye  shall  not  enter  into  the 
kingdom  of  heaven."  And  that  we  must 
inherit  the  kingdom  of  God,  as  a  child  (in 
malice,  understand),  as  Mark  and  Luke 
write.  Paul  says,  "In  malice  be  ye  chil- 
dren." Christ  says,  "Whosoever  therefore 
shall  humble  himself  as  this  little  child,  the 
same  is  greatest  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven; 
and  whoso  shall  receive  one  sucli  little  child 
in  my  name,  receiveth  me.  But  whoso 
shall  offend  one  of  these  little  ones  which 
believe  in  me,  it  were  better  for  him  that  a 
mill-stone  were  hanged  about  his  neck,  and 
that  he  were  drowned  in  the  deptli  of  the 
sea,"  Matt.  18:4—6.  Behold,  Christ  him- 
self explains  to  what  children  w^e  should 
apply  this. 

As  to  his  writing  that  children  are  ac- 
counted believing,  is  merely  a  conjecture 
and  opinion  which  cannot  be  substantiated 
by  a  single  word  of  the  Scriptures.    Again, 


60 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


as  to  his  assertion  that  a  child,  two,  three 
or  four  years  old  may  be  offended,  I  would 
say,  first,  If  we  were  to  applj^  as  Gellius 
does,  this  saying,  "Whoso  shall  otfend  one 
of  these  little  ones  which  believe  on  me,"  &c., 
to  young  children  (to  which  I,  on  my  part, 
do  not  consent),  then  the  whole  world  might 
well  be  astounded  at  these  words,  from  the 
inmost  of  their  souls.  For  how  they  edu- 
cate their  young  children,  and  with  what 
ungodly,  olfensive  life  they  walk  before 
them,  their  disgraceful  ill-manners  and 
roguery,  alas,  teach  us,  both  in  city  and 
country.  O,  reader,  that  the  world  would 
take  to  heart  the  salvation  of  their  children, 
and  not,  from  the  cradle  on,  lead  them  in 
the  way  to  hell,  by  their  doctrine  and  ex- 
ample; what  a  blessed  thing  it  would  be 
for  their  souls  at  the  day  of  judgment ! 

Second,  If  the  preachers  and  magistrates 
would  rightly  understand  this  saying  of 
Chi-ist,  and  believed  it  just  and  true,  then, 
in  my  opinion,  the  offensive,  deceiving  doc- 
trine would  soon  be  at  an  end,  and  the 
tyrannical  sword  be  put  into  the  sheath,  by 
which,  now,  alas,  hundreds  of  thousands  of 
souls,  a/e  offended  to  everlasting  destnic- 
tion,  and  consigned  to  the  kingdom  of  the 
devil.  O,  Lord!  "Woe  unto  the  world  be- 
cause of  offences,"  says  Christ,  God's  mouth 
and  wisdom. 

To  his  writing  that  we  are  too  timorous, 
because  we  dare  not  baptize  children,  I 
would  say  this,  that  the  Scriptures  teach  us 
not  to  do  that  which  we  see  proper,  but 
that  which  is  commanded  us,  Deut.  4:  2; 
12:  32. 

Nadab  and  Abihu,  the  sons  of  Aaron, 
offered  strange  fire  before  the  Lord,  which 
he  commanded  them  not.  And  there  went 
out  a  fire  from  the  Lord  and  devoured  them, 
Lev.  10:1,2. 

Jeroboam  was  chosen  king  of  the  ten  re- 
volted  tribes  of  Israel,  worshipped  in  a  man- ' 
ner  not  commanded  of  God,  and  therefore 
he  was  told  by  the  prophet  that  God  would  ; 
take  awaj^  the  remnant  of  his  house,  as  a  ' 
man  taketh  away  dung,  till  it  be  all  gone, 
1  Kings  14:  10.    '  | 

Uzziah  was  smitten  for  life  because  he  ; 
burned  incense  upon  the  altar  of  incense,  to  ' 
which  the  Lord  had  not  called  him,  2  Chron. 
26:16. 


Luther  writes  in  his  preface  to  Isaiah 
and  says,  "God  will  not  be  told  how  he  is  to 
be  served.  He  will  teach  and  lead  us.  His 
word  should  be  our  guide;  for  without  his 
word  it  is  all  idolatry  and  vain  falsehood, 
however  fine  and  pleasing  it  may  appear." 
Again,  in  the  3rd  chapter  of  Daniel,  "  Wor- 
ship without  God's  word  is  ever  idolatry." 

I  would  further  say,  All  those  who  seek 
God,  and  sincerely  fear  him,  obey  his  ordi- 
nance and  word. 

Israel  never  circumcised  a  female,  nor  of- 
fered a  ewe  for  the  passover;  for  God  or- 
dained that  the  males  should  be  circumsised 
on  the  eighth  day,  and  that  rams  should 
be  offered.  Gen.  17:11;  Exod.  12:5,  as 
heard  before. 

Since  we  clearly  learn  from  the  Holy 
Scriptures  that  Moses  and  the  prophets  and 
besides,  the  Father,  himself,  imanimously 
point  to  Jesus,  who  is  AYisdom  and  Truth, 
to  obey  him ;  and  since  we  surely  know,  by 
the  grace  of  God,  that  he  is  the  true  Prophet 
and  perfect  Teacher,  whose  word  is  truth, 
and  whose  command  is  eternal  life,  and 
since  he  has  not  commanded  us  a  single 
word  of  infant  baptism,  nor  his  true  wit- 
nesses, the  holy  apostles  have  taught  it  or 
left  an  example,  and  since  we  also  find  that 
the  signification  is  not  applicable  to  chil- 
dren, and  besides,  that  the  Scrij^tures  do 
not  admit  of  strange  worship,  self-chosen 
ceremonies,  nor  addition,  nor  subtraction, 
and  that  God  has  several  times  punished 
such  self-chosen  righteousness  and  worship, 
as  heard;  and  further,  that  the  primitive 
church  did  not  practice  infant  baptism,  as 
has  been  often  heard,  therefore  we  are  so 
timorous,  that  we  dare  not  baptize  our  little 
children;  for  these  cases  to  which  we  have 
referred,  together  with  the  unfeigned  love  of 
salutary,  divine  truth,  the  sincere  fear  of 
our  God,  and  the  power  of  our  faith,  al- 
though in  weakness,  prevent  us. 

O,  reader,  would  God  grant  that  our  op- 
ponents could  rightly  understand  what 
frightful  abominations  they  commit  on  every 
hand  with  their  infant  baptism,  and  how 
they  practice  it  to  the  dishonor  of  God  and 
corruption  of  their  neighbors,  then,  I  trust, 
this  matter  would  soon  be  reformed,  and  by 
the  help  of  God,  he  changed  to  a  scriptural 
usage. 


REPLY  TO   GELLIUS  FxiBER. 


61 


In  the  first  place,  they  falsify  God  and 
the  Holy  Scriptm-es  by  their  infant  baptism; 
for  they  assert  that  it  is  God's  ordinance, 
while  there  is  not  a  single  word  or  example 
to  be  found  in  all  the  Scriptures,  that  teach- 
es infant  baptism. 

In  the  second  place,  they  thereby  destroy 
the  true  church  of  Christ,  and  establish  an 
anti-christian  one  which  bears  the  name 
and  semblance  of  the  chiistian  church ;  al- 
though it  hates  and  despises  its  doctrine, 
spirit,  ordinances  and  usages,  taught  by 
the  Scriptures. 

In  the  third  place,  they  thereby  console 
the  world  in  their  imrighteousness ;  for 
however  imgodly,  adulterous,  perjurious, 
covetous,  pompous,  envious,  blood-thirsty, 
greedy,  drunken,  carnal,  idolatrous  and 
hypocritical  they  be,  yet  they  boast  that 
they  are  baptized  christians. 

In  the  fourth  place,  they  hate  and  perse- 
cute all  those,  who,  out  of  pure,  godly  zeal, 
avoid  this  deceitful  abomination,  reprove 
their  damnable  worship,  and  point  them  to 
Jesus  and  his  word  alone.  Nay,  they  are 
called  their  apostate  anabaptists,  apostles 
of  the  devil,  deceived  heretics,  otf-scourings 
and  booty. 

In  the  fifth  place,  although  they,  and  their 
authors,  in  the  past,  have  condemned  unto 
hell  the  institutions  and  commands  of  men, 
and  have  written  one  vohime  after  another 
against  it,  yet  they,  alas,  altogether  ad- 
here, to  this  abhorrible  abomination,  be- 
cause they  want  to  avoid  the  cross,  and 
gain  the  favor  of  the  world;  they  act  hypo- 
critically in  all  things,  and  do  the  things 
which  are  pleasing  to  the  world ;  they  heap 
one  abominable  error  upon  another;  hang 
crosses  upon  the  child's  breast  and  forehead; 
they  conjure  and  ask  the  parents  if  they  be- 
lieve, &c.,  drive  out  devils,  and  commit  other 
disgraceful  acts;  so  that  we  are  forced  to  say 
that  all  the  infant  baptizers  are  hypocrites  of 
all  hypocrites,  and  that  infant  baptism  is 
an  open  incorporation  into  the  church  of 
anti-christ,  the  beginning  of  all  deceit,  and 
an  accursed  blasphemy  and  enchantment, 
which  is  not  only  contrary  to  the  plain 
word  and  ordinance  of  the  Lord,  but  also 
against  all  reason,  nature  and  common 
sense.  For  who  that  has  read  the  word  of 
the  Lord  at  all,  does  not  know,  that  a  cross 


!  made  with  the  fingers  cannot  help  or  save  a 
,  child?  That  the  innocent  creature,  the  uncon- 
scious child,  which  is  cleansed  by  the  blood 
of  the  Lord,  is  not  possessed  of  the  devil, 
and  that  one  cannot  insure  the  faith  of 
others,  since  it  is  a  gift  of  God? 

Say,  kind  reader,  AMiat  worse  mockery 
and  hypocrisy  could  be  imagined,  than  to 
ask  of  one  in  the  name  of  another:  Do  you 
believe  ?  Do  you  renounce  Satan,  &-c.  ?  and 
on  an  affirmative  answer,  to  baptize  an  im- 
conscious  child  that  knows  nothing  of 
neither  yes  nor  no,  of  God  nor  devil,  of  trath 
nor  falsehood,  of  life  nor  death?  O  blas- 
phemy and  shame ! 

O,  Lord !  O,  dear  Lord  ! !  how  long  shall 
this  gross  deceit  and  vile  abomination  be 
practiced  !  I  think  it  were  high  time  that 
the  world  should  take  heed,  and  learn  to 
know  such  open  deceivers  and  their  doctrine, 
baptism,  supper,  life  and  fruits,  and  that 
they  would  pay  more  attention  to  the  ordi- 
nance, will,  word,  ways  and  works  of  the 
Lord. 

In  the  twentieth  place,  he  accuses  us  of  a  false  securi- 
ty, as  he  calls  it,  because  we,  or  ours,  say  that  we  are 
assured  in  our  hearts  that  they  err,  and  that  we  arc 
right,  &c. 

Answer.  The  Lord  speaks  through  Moses, 
"Whosoever  will  not  hearken  unto  my 
words  which  he"  (that  is  Christ)  "shall 
speak  in  my  name,  I  will  require  it  of  him," 
Deut.  18:  19. 

The  Father  says,  "This  is  my  beloved 
Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased;  hear  ye 
him,"  Matt.  17:5. 

Christ  says,  "Teach  them  to  observe  all 
things  whatsoever  I  have  commanded  you," 
Matt.  28:29. 

Paul  says,  "  Though  we,  or  an  angel  from 
heaven,  preach  any  other  gospel  unto  you 
than  that  which  we  have  preached  unto  you, 
let  him  be  acciu'sed,"  Gal.  1:8. 

John  says,  "Whosoever  transgresseth, 
and  abideth  not  in  the  doctrine  of  Christ, 
has  not  God.  He  that  abideth  in  the  doc- 
trine of  Christ,  he  hath  both  the  Father  and 
the  Son,"  2  John  1 :  3,  and  other  like  say- 
ings. 

Since  ail  the  Scriptures  point  us  to  the 
Spirit,  gospel,  com_mand,  ordinance,  usage 
and  example  of  Christ;  and  since  we,  in 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


our  worship,  do  not  follow  conjectures,  our 
own  desires,  false  explanations  and  doc- 
trines of  men,  as  we  are  accused  of,  Christ's 
plain  word  and  command,  the  doctrine  and 
usage  of  the  holy  apostles,  and  of  the  true, 
primitive  church;  and,  as  they  (our  oppo- 
nents) are  no  more  commanded  to  baptize 
children  than  Israel  was  to  circumcise  fe- 
males, or  that  they  should  found  churches, 
altars  and  places  of  worship  on  hills,  or  in 
dales,  or  that  they  should  offer  their  chil- 
dren as  burnt-ofierings,  or  that  the  papists 
should  baptize  bells  as  they  are  accustomed 
to,  and  since  they  call  and  persecute  the 
baptism  ordained  of  Christ,  as  the  baptism 
of  heretics,  and  esteem  and  practice  infant 
baptism,  which  was  instituted  tlu'ough  hy- 
pocrisy, as  a  christian  baptism,  and  since 
they,  besides,  boast  that  they  do  right  by 
not  abandoning  this  practice;  therefore  I 
would  gladly  leave  it  to  the  judgment  of 
all  reasonable  and  impartial  readers,  who 
of  us  are  the  Sanherib,  Holofernes,  Pharisa- 
ical, and  deceiving  sects,  mentioned  as 
trusting  in  false  security. 

He  further  writes,  What  else  has  deceived  the  ana- 
baptists iu  the  past,  tliat  they  took  up  the  sword,  than 
just  such  security.  They  imagined  that  they,  as  the 
people  of  God,  were  marked  with  the  sign,  Tau ;  should 
subdue  the  whole  world,  and  hang  us  jsreachors,  who 
they  said  knew  better,  to  our  own  door-posts? 

Ansicer.  Reader,  observe,  What  else 
does  he  hereby  say  than.  Beloved  lords, 
will  you  yet  be  merciful  unto  such  an  offens- 
ive people  and  wicked  heretics?  Persecute, 
imprison,  banish  and  destroy  them.  They 
are  deserving  of  it.  You  may  consider  and 
judge  whether  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  the  Reve- 
lation does  not  call  this  the  sting  of  scor- 
pions, Rev.  9:  10.  Further  on  he  says  that 
our  church  was  originated  by  me;  some- 
thing which,  as  will  be  hereafter  shown,  I 
do  not  admit.  He  knows  very  well  that  I 
never  was  found  in  the  company  of  the  re- 
bellious; but  that  I  reproved  their  doctrines 
and  abominations  with  the  word  of  the 
Lord,  as  much  as  I  ever  did  those  of  the 
preachers.  Notwithstanding,  he  accuses  us 
of  these  ungodly  practices  and  wicked 
deeds;  that  he  may  thereby  make  us,  who 
are  innocent,  suspicioned  of  all  the  world, 
and  deliver  us  unto  the  sword  of  the  magis- 
ti-acy.    I  wUl  leave  it  to  the  consideration 


of  all  the  pious  and  good-fearing,  if  this  is 
not  seeking  the  blood  of  the  innocent. 

O,  that  he  would  have  sufficient  discretion 
not  to  mix  the  innocent  with  the  guilty. 
For  what  else  does  he  seek  than  to  change 
Simon  Peter  into  Simon  Magus,  and  John 
and  James  into  Judas  ? 

If  I  should  say,  I  have  known  some  infant 
baptists  which  were  open  perjtirers  and 
thieves,  therefore  Gellius  and  all  the  infant 
baptists  are  perjurers  and  thieves.  Would 
not  that  be  wrong  ?  O,  faithful  reader,  how 
justly  has  holy  David  portrayed  such  slan- 
derers, saying,  The  wicked  murder  the 
innocent  in  secret  places;  his  eyes  are  privily 
set  against  the  poor.  He  lieth  in  wait  se- 
cretly, as  a  lion  in  his  den;  he  lieth  in  wait 
to  catch  the  poor,  &c.,  Ps.  10:  8,  9.  For,  by 
such  murderous  cries,  it  is  caused,  that  in 
different  places,  the  pious  and  faithful  hearts 
— men  and  women,  youths  and  virgins,  the 
gray-headed,  the  lame  and  halt  are  pit- 
ilessly and  mercilessly  imprisoned  and 
robbed,  their  children  sent  abroad  in  the 
world,  homeless  and  penniless,  as  the  most 
wicked  upon  earth.  Some  are  thrown  into 
boiling  oil;  others  are  hanged,  racked, 
drowned,  strangled,  burned,  beheaded  or  tor- 
tured by  some  other  heathenish  and  tyranni- 
cal means.  Behold,  such  are,  alas,  the 
consequences  of  the  deceiving  and  false 
writings  of  such  blood-thirsty  preachers,  in 
some  countries. 

Would  to  God,  that  he  and  liis  preach- 
ers, together  with  all  the  papists  and  monks, 
who  are  guilty  of  innocent  blood,  may  find 
mercy  and  grace  before  the  ey  es  of  the  great 
and  Almighty  God,  in  the  day  when  the 
fearful  sound  of  the  last  trumpet  shall 
sound,  and  that  the  innocent  blood  of  which 
they  are  guilty,  be  not  counted  against 
them.  This  is  my  sincere  wish  and  prayer. 
But  if  they  continue  in  their  present  minds, 
and  do  not  turn  from  ungodliness,  then, 
says  the  Sjairit  of  God,  the  fiery  pool  will 
be  their  reward  and  part.  Rev.  19:  21. 

Fiu'ther,  I  would  say.  Just  as  we  hate 
and  reprove  (understand  this  in  a  gospel- 
like way)  the  bitter  and  inimical  heart,  and 
the  bloody  and  fiendish  crying  and  writing 
of  Gellius  and  all  the  contentious — so,  also, 
do  we  hate  and  reprove  those  that  take  up 
the  sword,  steal,  rob,  or  in  any  manner 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


63 


wrong  any  one  on  earth,  be  he  friend  or  foe.  1 

In  this  we  should  pay  no  respect  as  to  i 
persons,  be  it  father,  brother,  emperor,  king, 
neighbor,  friend,  great  or  small,  baptized  or 
not  baptized.  All  those  who  shed  human 
blood  against  the  word  of  God,  who  act 
contrary  to  love,  who  wrong,  offend  or  af- 
flict their  neighbor,  can  not  be  our  brethren, 
for  they  plainly  show  that  they  are  not 
christians. 

We  must  ever  hear  that  the  rebellious 
and  their  aiders  at  Munster,  have,  in  the 
past,  alas,  taken  up  the  sword,  contrary  to  : 
God's  word,  as  if  we  were  one  with  them  in 
that  abomination;  although  we  are  quite 
innocent  in  the  matter.  But  they  do  not 
see  that  they  arm  whole  countries  and  cor- 
rupt them;  that  they  destroy  one  principal- 
ity after  another,  that  they  use  all  manner  ' 
of  violence,  and  thus  cause  affliction,  misery 
and  sorrow,  every  where.  Yea,  this  is, 
alas,  called  doing  right.  | 

Since  it  is  manifest  that  not  only  France, 
Italy,  Spain  and  Burgundy,  but  also  all 
the  German  nations,  and  the  rest  of  the 
world  who  boast  of  the  word  are  guilty  of 
the  same  deeds,  as  regards  lighting,  warring,  ; 
robbing  and  shedding  blood;  why  do  they,  , 
then,  reprove  the  crimes  of  the  rebellious, 
while  the}^  are  so  far  from  being  innocent, 
yea,  have  done  the  same  criminal  deeds  as  , 
those  they  reprove  ?    Paul  says,  "  Therefore  \ 
thou  art  inexcusable,  O  man,  whosoever  : 
thou   art,  that  judgest;  for  wherein  thou  , 
judgest  another,  thou  condemnest  thyself; 
for  thou  that  judgest,  doest  the  same  things,"' 
Rom.  2:  1.  | 

In  the  last  place  he  writes,  Our  eyes  have  seen  better  ; 
than    the   eyes  of  the   anabaptists   in  regard   to  wil- 
ful sinning,   because  they   have   made   many   doubtful 
and  caused  some  to  recede,  &c. 

Answer.  If  he  aims  this  at  us,  then  he 
should  know  that  he  has  written  more  than 
he  should  have  done.  For  I  can  say  with 
a  clear  conscience,  that  I  never  was  troubled 
concerning  this  matter  by  the  brethren,  and 
that  the  doctrine  has  not  been  broached 
among  us  in  my  time. 

I  have  ever  taught  that  all  sins  which  are 
repented  of  are  pardoned  in  the  blood  of 
the  Lord,  be  they  what  they  may.    David's  | 
adultery  and  shedding  of  innocent  blood, 
is  to  me  a  sure  testimony.    Yet  everybody  | 


should  take  heed  that  he  sincerely  fears  God, 
acts  riglitly ,  and  that  he  does  not  wilfully  sin 
against  his  God,  that  he  does  not  pervert 
falsehood  into  truth,  nor  truth  into  false- 
hood, as  did  the  scribes.  For  who  knows 
but  that  he  who  wilfully  sins  against  his 
God,  will  never  truly  repent  and  receive 
grace?  Christ  says,  "Whosoever  commit- 
teth  sin,  is  the  servant  of  sin,"  John  8:  34. 

I  fear  that  if  his  imperial  highness  were 
to  present  to  me  many  costly  gifts,  and  I 
should  ungratefully  squander  them,  or 
trample  upon  them,  or  cast  them  from  me, 
his  imperial  liiglmess  would,  undoubtedly, 
severely  punish  me  for  such  ingratitude, 
and  would  probably  not  again  offer  me 
such  favors  and  costly  presents. 

Therefore,  take  heed  that  you  do  not  wil- 
fully despise  and  adulterate  your  Lord's 
word,  nor  walk  according  to  the  pleasure 
of  a  carnal  mind ;  lest  the  manifest  grace  at 
once  be  withheld  from  you,  and  you  are  led 
into  perverse  ways.  Qui  timet  Denm,  reeedit 
amalo,  he  that  fears  God,  shuns  evil. 

As  Gellius  exerts  himself  to  adulterate, 
by  his  false  doctrine,  the  word  of  the  Lord, 
to  render  of  no  avail  his  precious  blood, 
and  to  harden  and  console  the  impenitent, 
reckless  world  in  their  wild  and  wicked 
ways,  under  an  appearance  of  the  holy 
word;  so  he  also  exerts  himself,  in  my  opin- 
ion, to  root  out  the  salutary,  pure  trutJi 
fi-om  earth,  and  to  deliver  the  pious  and 
godly  children  into  the  hands  of  the  execu- 
tioner, by  all  manner  of  false  defamations 
and  criminal  accusations.  If  I  am  wrong 
rebuke  me. 

If  the  name,  "gi'aspingkite, "  is  not  more 
applicable  to  him  than  a  gathering  hen,  by 
which  name  he  would  like  to  be  called,  I 
will  leave  to  himself  and  the  Lord. 

But  the  Lord,  who  is  the  shield  and  surety 
of  all  the  oppressed,  defends  them  against 
the  ungodly.  He  destroys  the  liars.  He 
abhors  the  bloodj'  and  deceitful ;  "  There  is 
no  faithfulness  in  their  mouth ;  their  inward 
partis  very  wickedness;  their  throat  is  an 
open  sepulchre;  they  flatter  with  their 
tongue,"  Psalm  5:  9. 

Therefore  they  shall  not  stand  before  the 
storm;  their  light  shall  be  extinguished, 
and  their  glory  shall  vanish.  For  the  Lord 
is  strong,  who  shall  judge  them,  and  he 


64 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


will  require  the  poor,  deceived  souls,  and 
the  innocent  blood  at  their  hands,  and  he 
will  crive  them  their  reward. 

Behold,  dear  reader,  from  this  yon  may 
see  that  the  doctrine  and  confession  of  the 
preachers  in  regard  to  infant  baptism,  can 
not  stand,  according  to  the  Scriptures;  that 
it  is  not  founded  upon  the  Lord's  command, 
nor  upon  the  doctrine  or  practice  of  the 
holy  apostles,  as  is  the  baptism  of  the  be- 
lieving, but  merely  upon  logic,  opinion, 
conjecture,  falsehood,  borrowed  names  and 
custom.     If  you  be  of  reasonable  mind,  then 


let  the  infallible  and  true  word  of  the  Lord, 
and  your  impartial  heart  judge  between  us 
and  the  learned. 

I  would  hereby,  for  God's  sake,  beseech 
all  readers  not  to  think  hard  of  it  that  I  re- 
prove falsehood,  according  to  the  Script- 
ures; defend  truth  with  truth,  point  out  the 
right  way,  seek  the  salvation  of  your  souls, 
controvert  the  false  prophets,  expose  their 
deceiving,  secret  snares  and  defend  the 
Lord's  praise.  He  who  seeks  the  Lord  in 
sincerity  of  heart,  read  and  judge. 


THE  LORD'S  SUPPER. 


We  will  very  briefly  review  and  reply  to  ' 
the  treatise  of  Gellius  on  the  sacrament 
called  the  Lord's  Supper,  because  we  have 
pirblished  our  foundation  and  belief  of  this 
matter,  and  referred  to  many  Scriptures,  in  ^ 
the  past.  Whosoever  finds  a  delight  in  the  j 
truth,  may  read  them  and  reflect  on  them 
in  the  fear  of  God.  Yet  we  would,  in  our 
weakness,  remind  the  pious  reader,  before 
we  commence  our  reply  to  Gellius'  publica- 
tion, that  it  is  wi-itt  en,  "For  we,  being  many,  : 
are  one  bread  and  one  body;  for  we  are  all ; 
partakers  of  that  one  bread,"  1  Cor.  10:  17. 
Since  we  learn  from  the  Scriptures  that  the 
Holy  Supper  was  instituted  of  the  Lord  as 
a  sign  and  testimony,  not  to  the  world  but 
to  the  church  of  God,  that  all  of  us  who  are 
one  bread  are  members  of  one  body,  name- 
ly, of  the  body  of  Clu'ist;  and  since  we 
plainly  see  that  both  the  dispensers  and 
partakers  of  the  worldly  supper,  are  not 
true  members  of  the  Lord's  body,  because 
the  dispensers  are  all  hirelings,  thieves  of 
the  honor  of  God,  and  murderers  of  our 
souls,  who  retain  the  thoughtless,  reckless 
people  in  all  manner  of  unrighteousness, 
blindness,  and  in  an  unbridled,  carnal  life, 
by  their  promises,  philosophy  and  logic; 
who  deceive  all  the  world  and  hate,  upbraid, 
belie,  apprehend,  banish  and  exterminate 
the  pious,  who  renounce  evil,  follow  the  word 
of  the  Lord,  and  ever  eat  of  his  bread;  and 
because  the  partakers,   general  1}',   are   an 


impenitent,  light-minded  and  vain  people, 
nay,  worldlings,  part  of  whom  not  only 
little  regard  the  Spirit,  word  and  knowl- 
edge of  the  Lord,  but  trample  it  under  foot, 
as  may  be  seen — therefore  we  abstain  from 
their  supper;  for  the  sincere  fear  in  our 
hearts,  caused  by  the  word  of  God,  pre- 
vents us  from  partaking  of  it  with  such  dis- 
pensers and  partakers,  lest  we  also  partake 
of  their  deceiving  actions  and  abominable 
abuse,  and,  at  the  day  of  Christ,  receive  the 
same  reward  with  them. 

He  boasts  a  great  deal  of  his  admonition, 
yet  all  his  admonition  is  nothing  but  vain 
boasting,  without  all  power;  for  how  can 
he  and  his  like  preachers  rightly  teacli 
Christ,  and  admonish  others,  while  they  are 
yet  filled  from  the  top  of  their  heads  to  the 
soles  of  their  feet,  with  all  manner  of  un- 
righteousness, blindness  and  disgrace  ? 

They  would  do  well  to  reflect  upon  the 
words  of  Sirach,  and  rightly  learn  to  know 
themselves,  because  many  of  them  are  as 
j^et  such  useless  people,  that  they  are  more 
fit  to  be  herders  of  swine  than  to  be  shep- 
herds of  the  sheep  of  Christ,  as  he  writes. 
And  becaiise  Gellius  is  not  only  an  adul- 
terer of  the  Scriptures  and  deceiver  of  souls, 
but  also  a  very  cruel,  profane  and  defaming 
man,  as  may  be  very  clearly  educed  from 
his  writings. 

He  writes  that  they  admonish  them  in  the  first  place, 
what  should  bo  the  qualifications  of  the  partakers,  ac- 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


65 


cording  to  the  doctrine  of  the  law,  and  especially  of  the 
holy  gospel. 

Answer.  ^^Hieiever  tlie  law  is  preached 
rightly  and  taken  to  heart,  through  faith 
and  manifested  in  Spirit  and  power,  there 
we  find  a  subdued  mind,  a  penitent,  humble 
heart,  and  a  conscience  which  trembles  be- 
fore the  word  and  true  fear  of  God,  and 
which  allays  and  disperses  sin,  as  Sirach 
says. 

This  is  the  real  intention  and  object  of 
the  law:  To  reveal  imto  us  the  will  of  God, 
to  discover  unto  us  sin,  to  tlireaten  us  with 
the  wrath  and  punishment  of  the  Lord,  to 
proclaim  death  and  to  point  us  to  Christ, 
that  we  may,  before  the  eyes  of  God,  be 
humbled  in  heart,  die  unto  sin,  and  seek 
and  find  the  only  and  eternal  medicine  and 
remedy  for  our  souls,  Jesus  Christ. 

In  the  same  manner  it  is  in  regard  to  the 
gospel.  Wherever  it  is  preached  in  true 
zeal,  according  to  the  pleasure  of  God,  and 
unblamabl}^  in  the  power  of  the  Spirit,  so 
that  it  penetrates  the  hearts  of  the  hearers, 
there  we  find  a  converted,  changed  and  new 
mind,  which  joyfully  and  gratefully  gives 
praises  to  his  God  for  his  inexpressibly 
great  love  towards  us,  miserable  sinners,  in 
Christ  Jesus,  and  tlnis  enters  into  ne\vness 
of  life  willingly  and  freely,  by  the  power  of 
a  true  faith  and  a  new  birth. 

If  Gellius  would  knock  at  the  innermost 
heart  of  his  followers,  and  of  himself,  with 
the  hammer  of  the  law,  and  zealously  en- 
kindle in  them  the  tu'e  of  the  holy  gospel, 
so  that  they  would,  in  true  repentance, 
change  their  unclean,  obdurate  hearts,  and 
abandon  their  heathenish  pomp  and  splen- 
dor in  theii-  houses,  and  clothes,  their  vain 
show  of  gold  and  silver,  their  extravagance, 
avariciousness,  drinking  and  carousing, 
and  would  enter  with  Clii'ist  into  newness 
of  life,  then  I  would  admit  that  that  which 
he  has  written  here  concerning  the  Lord's 
Supper,  did  well  compare  with  their  walk. 
But  as  it  is,  he  consoles  the  poor  with  an  i 
empty  purse,  only,  and  acts  in  a  manner  I 
entirely  contrary  to  that  in  which  he  sliould. 
For  the  signs  of  the  New  Testament  are  in 
themselves  quite  powerless,  vain  and  use- 
less, if  the  signification,  namely,  the  new, 
penitent  life,  is  not  there,  as  has  been  said 
above  in  treating  of  baptism.  I 

45  ' 


He  further  writes,  that  they,  in  the  second  and  third 
place,  admonish  them  (their  hearers)  that  it  is  not 
enough  to  know  and  understand  the  doctrine,  but  that 
it  should  be,  also,  manifested  in  their  walk,  yea,  at  the 
risk  of  body  and  life,  that  they  should  be  prepared  for 
the  cross  and  temptation,  that  they  should  patiently 
and  obediently  bear  it,  and  follow  their  bridegroom, 
for  the  devil  dislikes  such  confession  and  therefore 
hates  and  persecutes  them. 

Answer.  Caiaphas  said  unto  the  Phari- 
sees and  Scribes,  "It  is  expedient  for  us 
that  one  man  should  die  for  the  people,  and 
that  the  whole  nation  perish  not,"  John 
11 :  50. 

His  intentions  sounded  right,  yet  his  cruel, 
blood-thirsty  heart  did  not  perceive  that  it 
was  he,  who,  through  bitter  zeal,  sought  the 
life  of  the  king  of  all  glory. 

We  do  not  controvert  but  that  Gellius 
and  his  fellow  preachers  sometimes  talk  of 
a  pious  life,  according  to  the  Scriptures, 
and  admonish  their  hearers  of  the  cross; 
but  how  they  love  true  righteousness,  which 
true  doctrine  brings  forth,  and  how  they 
treat  the  confessors  thereof,  may,  alas,  be 
educed  from  their  indiscreet  and  disgrace- 
ful writing  and  crying. 

Since  he  writes  that  he  thus  admonishes 
them,  as  heard,  and  that  it  is  plainly  man- 
ifest that  he  not  only  hates  the  true  right- 
eousness, power,  fruit  and  obedience  which 
true  preaching  brings  forth,  but  also  cruci- 
fies it,  I  fear,  by  his  indiscreet  and  dis- 
gi'aceful  writing,  therefore,  the  godly,  pious 
reader  may  consider  if  he  is  not  like  unto 
the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  in  this  respect, 
who,  although  they  understood  the  law, 
yet  so  hated  righteousness,  that  they,  by 
their  connivance  and  advice,  crucified  him 
who  was  promised  in  the  law,  the  Fulfiller, 
Christ  Jesus. 

Dear  reader,  understand  what  I  write. 
Outward  preaching,  hearing,  baptism  and 
Supper  do  not  at  all  avail  before  God;  but 
before  him  avail  teaching  and  believing, 
faith  and  works,  outwardly  baptism  and 
Supi)er,  according  to  the  letter,  and  inward- 
1}^  according  to  the  Sjairit  and  truth.  Be- 
hold, this  is  what  God's  word  and  ordinance 
teach  us. 

So  long  as  such  impenitent,  carnal  people 
are  the  dispensers,  and  such  vain,  pompous, 
covetous,  extortionate,  carousing  and  drink- 
ing people  the  jiartakers,  so  long,  I  say,  it 


REPLY  TO  GELLITJS  FABER. 


is  not  the  true  Supper  of  the  Lord,  but  it  is  j 
a  supper  of  the  impenitent,  an  encourage- 1 
ment  to  the  unrighteous,  and  an  enchanting 
mockery,  however  much  it  may  be  adorned 
and  decked,  before  men,  with  liigh-sound- 
ing  words  and  praises ;  for  outside  of  the  1 
church  of  Christ,  which  is  a  gathering  of' 
the  penitent,  there  is  neither  baptism  nor  | 
Holy  Supper.  Again  understand  that  wliich  : 
I  A\Tite,    Neither    water,   bread    nor  wine 
avail  in  Christ  without  true  repentance,  if 
they  were,   even,   served  by  the  apostles 
themselves;  before  him  avail,  alone,  a  new 
creature,  a  converted,  changed  and  broken 
heart,  a  sincere  fear  and  love  of  God,  un- 
feigned love  of  one's  neighbors,  a  sober, 
humble,  peaceable  and  converted  life,  ac- 
cording to  the  word  and  example  of  the 
Lord.    Where  there  is  such  a  new  being,  lo, 
there  is  true  baptism,  and  the  true  Supper. 
But  to  be  baptized  outwardly  and  partake 
of  the  Supper,  according  to  the  letter,  and 
not   inwardly    before    God   in   Spirit   and 
truth,  I  repeat,  is  nothing  more  nor  less 
than   a  shadow,  vain    mockery  of  God's 
work,  nay,  hypocrisy  and  deceit. 

Is  it  not  a  lamentable  blindness,  that 
these  poor,  misled  people  attach  so  much 
value  to  the  outward,  visible  sign,  and  do 
not  observe  that  they  are,  with  all  their 
heart  inimical  to  the  invisible  signification, 
for  which  the  visible  sign  was  commanded 
in  the  Scriptures  ?  as  if  God  had  a  special 
pleasure  in  the  mere  elements,  water,  bread 
and  wine,  and  not  in  the  proper  significa- 
tion, which  is  represented  and  admonished 
thereby. 

O  no,  reader,  we  can  not  please  nor  serve 
God  with  mere  water,  bread  and  wine;  for 
by  his  hand,  it  was  all  created.  But  we 
can  serve  and  please  him  with  the  significa- 
tion of  his  baptism  and  Supper,  namely, 
that  we  thereby  testif}^  our  faith  and  obe- 
dience, that  we  will  walk  in  continual  and 
eternal  penance,  that  we  will  remember  his 
inexpressibly  gi-eat  love  and  blessings,  that 
we  are  thereby  admonished  that  he  has  of- 
fered for  us  his  spotless,  pure  body,  and 
that  he  has  shed  his  precious  blood  for  the 
reconciliation  of  our  souls,  in  his  ardent 
love  for  us;  that  we  will  ever  walk  with  him 
in  unity  of  the  Spirit,  and  follow  him ;  that 
we  will  love,  assist,  console,  reprove,  bear, 


admonish  and  serve  each  other  as  members 
of  one  body;  and  that  we  will  prove  our- 
selves unto  death,  as  the  newly  born  chil- 
dren of  God  in  all  righteousness,  holiness 
and  truth.  Behold,  dear  reader,  for 
this  purpose  the  signs  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment were  instituted.  If  Gellius  and  his 
like  preachers  were  to  use  the  Holy  Slipper 
in  such  heart  and  spirit;  if  the  signification, 
fruit,  spirit  and  power,  although  in  weak- 
ness, were  found  in  them  and  their  disciples, 
as  it  is  represented  and  taught  by  the  sign, 
then  we  would,  l\y  the  grace  of  God,  soon 
meet,  and  not  dispute  about  the  use  of  the 
sign.  But  so  long  as  they  walk  on  the 
broad  road,  practice  and  uphold  infant 
baptism,  defame  the  baptism  of  the  believ- 
ing, do  not  separate  their  disciples  and 
church  from  the  world,  and  teach  an  un- 
blamable doctrine  and  life,  so  long  we  can- 
not unite  with  them  in  doctrine  and  sacra- 
ments, whether  this  is  attended  by  prosper- 
ity or  adversity,  as  God  pleases.  For  we 
know  to  a  certainty,  that  the  Lord's  invinci- 
ble, strong  truth  is  on  our  side,  and  the 
damnable,  w^eak  falsehood  on  theirs. 

My  faithful  reader,  reflect  upon  what  I 
write.  Our  separation  from  tlie  doctrine 
and  sacraments  of  the  preachers  is  princi- 
pally for  two  reasons.  In  the  first  place, 
because  we  can  plainly  see,  from  the  Script- 
ures and  by  their  actions,  and  are  assured, 
that  they  are  not  pastors  but  deceivers. 
All  the  Scriptures  teach  us  that  we  shall  not 
hear,  but  shun  such  preachers.  For  if  we 
are  afraid  of  thieves,  murderers  and  wolves, 
according  to  the  flesh,  how  much  more 
should  we  fear  those  who  so  jiiiserably  de- 
vour our  poor  souls,  who  retain  us  in  dark- 
ness, deprive  us  of  the  light  of  Christ,  and 
fearlessly  lead  us  to  the  firightful,  indissolu- 
ble darkness  of  everlasting  and  infernal  tor- 
ment, for  the  sake  of  a  meal  of  bread.  For 
God's  sake,  dear  reader,  do  not  think  hard 
of  me.  Behold,  before  God  it  is  true  what 
I  write. 

The  second  reason  is,  that  we  may,  hy 
such  shunning,  testify  to  you  and  all  otliers, 
by  open  deeds,  that  you  are  outside  of  the 
Spirit,  word,  kingdom  and  church  of  Christ, 
that  you  walk  upon  the  wrong  way  and 
that  you  are  miserably  deceived  by  your 
preachers — so  that  you  may  yet  awaken  in 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


67 


time,  depart  fi-om  evil,  walk  in  truth  and 
be  eternally  saved. 

If  you  are  of  reasonable  minds,  then  con- 
sider well  what  we  hereby  seek,  and  think 
not  that  we  are  so  thoroughly  deprived  of 
reason  that  we  walk  this  narrow  way, 
through  contentiousness  and  partizanism. 
O,  how  gladly  would  we  save  our  weak 
bodies,  oirr  wives  and  small  childi'en,  our 
possessions  and  lives,  and  live  peaceably 
with  the  world,  if  we  were  not  constrained 
by  the  love  of  God,  and  the  eternal  salva- 
tion of  your  souls  and  our  own.  But,  as  it 
is,  we  should,  for  the  two  mentioned  reasons, 
sacrifice  all  to  robbery,  and,  if  the  case  re- 
quire, to  death,  in  sincere,  genuine  love. 
For,  as  a  general  thing,  truth  is  maintained 
dearly;  and  sincere,  faithful  love  crowned 
with  a  crown  of  thorns.     O,  Lord ! 

In  tlie  last  place  he  writes,  "  From  this,  every  pious 
christian  may  educe,  how  unreasonably  these  people, 
who  accuse  us  of  enmity,  contention  and  discord,  and 
who  quarrel  about  the  articles  of  faith  among  them- 
selves, and  thus  sow  enmity,  contention  and  discord,  as 
said,  Yea,  who  never  thoroughly  searched  our  doctrine, 
and  who  have  scarcely  seen  us  j)artakc  of  the  Supper, 
notwithstanding,  they  reprove  us  of  our  Holy  Sujjper, 
and  leave  the  assembly  of  ChrLst's  church." 

Ansioer.  To  this  I  Avould  reply  in  the 
first  place :  The  unrighteousness  which  shuts 
us  out  from  the  kingdom,  church,  body  and 
Supper  of  Christ,  is  not  merelj''  included  in 
enmity,  contention  and  discord,  but  also  in 
all  other  kinds  of  works  of  the  flesh,  such 
as,  pomp,  splendor,  avariciousness,  drink- 
ing and  carousing. 

Although  enmity  and  discord  are,  by  the 
use  of  theii"  supper,  partially  appeased 
among  some  of  them,  as  he  writes,  yet  all 
the  other  abominable  sins  and  unrighteous- 
ness remain  untouched  as  may  be  very 
plainly  and  publicly  seen  by  their  fruits. 
The  heathens,  too,  conclude  peace  among 
themselves,  when  they  are  at  variance  with 
each  other,  yet  they  are  not  the  right  grains 
of  the  Lord's  bread,  and  the  true  members 
of  his  bod}^.  Let  every  one  of  sound  mind 
reflect  ui^on  what  I  say. 

In  the  second  place  I  say,  He  can  not  with 
truth  substantiate  his  accusation  against 
us,  that  enmity,  contention  and  discord 
exist  among  us. 

But  as  he  and  his  feUows  berate  our 


christian  doctrine  and  faith,  our  sacraments 
and  actions  before  the  whole  world,  cause 
much  trouble  and  affliction;  and  we,  by  the 
grace  of  God,  do  not  treat  them  inimically, 
but  patiently  bear  with  them,  teach,  reprove 
and  admonish  them;  maintain  truth  with 
truth;  and  in  sincerity  of  heart,  show  and 
point  out  to  them  the  right  way,  at  the  risk 
of  blood  and  life,  for  which  they  so  hate  us, 
so  also,  some  raise  up  among  us,  as  was 
the  case  in  the  times  of  the  apostles,  who 
would  rather  follow  their  own  opinion  than 
the  Scriptures;  who  again  return  to  the 
broad  road,  seek  honor  and  a  name,  and 
therefore  make  unscrijstural  pretensions. 
AVith  such  we  entreat  and  reason,  admonish 
and  reprove  them,  as  the  Scriptures  teach 
us,  and  I  trust  we  do  this  reasonably  and 
in  love.  If  they  suffer  themselves  to  be 
taught,  change  their  ways  and  strive  after 
peace,  then  we  thank  the  Lord  for  his  bless- 
ing. But  in  case  they  despise  fi-aternal  ad- 
monition, remain  obclui-ate  in  their  ways 
and  cause  contention  and  discord,  then  they 
cannot  be  our  fellows  and  brethren,  until 
they  acknowledge  their  faults,  and  return 
to  the  Lord's  people  in  peace,  1  Tim.  6:5; 
2  Tim.  2:  17;  Tit.  3:  11.  If  this  should  be 
called  causing  contention,  enmity  and  dis- 
cord about  the  articles  of  faith,  or  whether 
it  should  be  called  purification  of  the  house 
of  the  Lord,  all  the  right-minded  may  judge, 
both  by  their  common  sense  and  the  Script- 
ui'es. 

In  the  third  place  I  say,  the  reason  why 
we  do  not  hear  their  doctrine,  and  do  not 
see  their  partaking  of  the  supper,  as  he 
complains,  is,  because  we  have  for  a  long 
time  witnessed  by  their  fruits,  that  their 
doctrine  is  vain  and  powerless,  and  their 
sacraments  are  not  according  to  the  word. 
For  of  what  spirit  both  their  preachers  and 
disciples  are,  may,  firstly,  be  educed  from 
the  dishonest,  infamous,  bitter,  false,  spite- 
ful and  incentive  vsritings  of  the  preachers, 
and,  secondly,  from  the  abominable  show 
of  clothes,  the  extravagance  about  their 
houses,  and  from  the  superfluous,  carnal 
life  of  the  best  of  their  disciples.  What 
does  their  fine  appearance,  their  ornament- 
al logic  avail,  while  they,  in  fact,  forsake 
the  Scriptures  and  the  signification,  fruit 
and  power  of  the  holy  sacraments,  nay, 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


hate  and  persecute  it  ?  If  I  do  not  write  the 
truth,  reprove  me. 

In  the  fourth  place  I  would  say,  Gellius 
accuses  us  that  we  forsake  the  church  of 
Christ.  But  I  say  that  we,  according  to  the 
teaching  of  the  word  and  ordinance  of  God, 
and  to  the  example  of  the  holy  apostles, 
forsake  the  world  and  their  false  prophets, 
and  that  we,  through  the  Spirit  and  grace 
of  God,  rid  the  church  of  Christ  from 
snares,  faithfully  admonish  her  members, 
and  in  our  weakness,  establish  and  edify 
them,  according  to  the  command  of  the 
holy  word,  Isaiah  53: 11;  2  Cor.  6: 17;  Acts 
2:40;  Rev.  18:4.  What  shall  this  poor 
man  say  and  boast  of  the  church  of  Christ, 
while  she  is  yet  quite  iinknown  to  him  ?  I 
voluntarily  make  this  offer:  If  they  allow 
me  a  discourse  with  them  under  safe  con- 
duct, either  privately  before  witnesses,  or 
publicly,  before  a  full  assembly,  and  if  I 
cannot  prove  or  maintain,  by  the  j^ower  of 
the  truth  that  the  preachers,  in  general,  are 
deceivers  and  not  pastors,  and  that  their 
pompous,  avaricious,  extortionate  swear- 
ing and  cursing  disciples,  are  of  the  world 
and  are  not  christians,  then  I  will  publicly 
acknowledge  before  all  the  world,  that  we 
not  onlj"  have  forsaken  the  church  of  Christ, 
but  also  lamentably  destroy  her  and  cause 
many  a  pious  heart  much  misery,  aifliction 
and  trouble,  in  vain. 

But,  as  we  can  substantiate  these  asser- 
tions by  the  power  of  the  truth,  why,  then, 
must  we  yet  hear  so  many  evil  words  ?  It 
were,  indeed,  high  time  that  the  preachers 
would  quit  their  deceiving,  that  they  and 
their  disciples,  who,  where  and  what  they 
be,  would  awaken,  that  they  would  tremble 
at  the  wrath  and  punishment  of  God,  would 
repent,  conform  themselves  to  the  Spirit, 
word  and  example  of  the  Lord,  and  estab- 
lish a  true  christian  chmch,  in  accordance 
to  the  command  of  the  Scriptures,  and 
that  they  disclaimed  and  abjured  their  bor- 
rowed names  and  false  boastings,  as  evan- 
gelical teachers,  faithful  shepherds,  soul- 
savers,  and  preachers  of  the  holy  word, 
which  they,  to  the  dishonor  of  God,  merely 
claim  in  appearance. 


Behold,  reader,  I  write  to  you  the  truth 
and  lie.not  I  seek  nothing,  before  my 
God,  but  that  I  may  gain  Gellius  and  all 
the  preachers,  wherever  they  may  be,  to 
Christ,  by  the  Spirit  and  word  of  God;  or 
that  I  may  be  vanquished  of  them  and 
stand  abashed  before  all  the  world,  as  an 
open  deceiver.  If  they,  now,  be  of  chris- 
tian disposition,  and  preachers  of  the  holy 
word  who  are  desirous  of  unity,  as  they 
pretend  to  be,  then  let  them  agree  to  what  I 
desire  they  should,  namely,  a  free  discus- 
sion of  the  grounds  and  doctrines  of  both 
sides;  that  thereby  the  pure,  saving  truth 
of  Christ  may  be  maintained,  and  the  im- 
pure, damnable  falsehood  of  anti-christ  be 
destroyed. 

But  in  case  they  refuse  this,  as  they  have 
before  twice  refused  me,  and  continue  their 
infamous  defamation  and  upbraiding  as 
they  have  ever  done  before,  and  acciise  us 
with  all  manner  of  accusations  before  the 
common  people,  that  we  forsake  the 
church  of  Christ;  that  we  are  a  misled,  de- 
ceived people,  and  that  we  pervert  good  into 
evil;  what  else  can  we  then  do  biit  leave 
them  to  the  Lord  and  his  judgment;  and 
willingly  submit  to  the  cross,  as  we 
have  done,  possess  our  souls  in  patience, 
admonish  those  of  imperverted  heart, 
as  much  as  possible,  minutely  consider 
what  kind  of  preachers  and  pastors  they 
have,  what  great  injustice  they  do  us,  poor 
miserable  ones;  how  scornfully  they  reject 
truth,  and  maintain  falsehood,  since  we,  in 
all  humility  and  true  love,  invite  them  to 
this  free,  christian  discussion  of  the  Script- 
ures, to  the  praise  of  Almighty  God,  and 
his  eternal  truth,  and  to  the  beneiicial  re- 
freshment of  all  the  oppressed  and  afflicted 
souls.  But  they  refuse  us  this,  and  besides, 
slander  and  defame  us  by  their  in- 
famous publications  without  discretion, 
and  withoiit  all  foundation  and  truth,  and 
thus,  disgi-acefully  accuse  its  before  the 
whole  world,  and  cause  many  pious,  inno- 
cent children  to  be  deprived  of  their  posses- 
sions, honor  and  lives,  even,  as  may,  alas, 
be  witnessed  in  many  different  localities  of 
the  Netherlands. 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


69 


EXCOMMUnCATION,  BAN  OR  SEPARATION. 


Befoke  I  commence  a  reply  to  Gellhis'  ex- 
cuse why  they  do  not  practice  Excommuni- 
cation, Ban  or  Separation  in  their  church,  I 
would  briefly  refer  the  kind  reader  to  differ- 
ent passages  of  the  Scriptures  to  show  that 
the  Excommunication,  Ban  or  Separation 
was  not  always  practiced  in  the  same  man- 
ner, nor  according  to  the  same  ordinance, 
by  the  Lord's  people.  The  ban  of  Moses  was 
punishment  with  death,  Dent.  13;  Lev.  16; 
Numb.  31;  Josh.  7.  This  ban  was  in  force 
until  the  Roman  dominion.  At  that  time  a 
change  was  made;  for,  under  the  Roman 
scepter,  they  were  not  allowed  to  put  the  law 
in  force,  in  regard  to  capital  punishment  as 
before.  But  they  separated  those  who  dis- 
obeyed the  law;  that  is,  they  ejected  them 
from  their  synagogues  and  assemblies, 
shimned  their  daily  intercourse,  neither  ate 
nor  drank  with  them,  as  may  be  learnedfrom 
many  of  the  Scriptures  of  the  apostles, 
Luke  15:2;  Matt.  18:17;  1  Cor.  5:11;  2 
Thess.  3:6— 14. 

To  this  shunning,  rule  and  usage,  the 
doctrine  and  example  of  Christ  Jesus,  and 
the  holy  apostles  unanimously  point  us; 
and  these  two  following  benefits  are  derived 
from  them. 

In  the  first  place,  that  we  be  not  deceived 
by  the  erroneous  doctrine  of  false  spirits, 
and  weakened  by  their  carnal,  vain  life,  2 
John  1:  10.  "Know  ye  not,"  says  Paul, 
'"that  a  little  leaven  leaveneth  the  whole 
lump  ?  Purge  out,  therefore,  the  old  leaven," 
&c.,  1  Cor.  5:6,  7. 

Yea,  my  reader,  wherever  this  excommu- 
nication, ban  or  separation  is  zealously  and 
earnestly  taught  and  maintained  in  the  fear 
of  God,  without  respect  of  persons,  there, 
doubtlessly,  the  church  of  the  Lord  will  be 
maintained  unprofaned,  in  salutary,  pure 
doctrine,  and  in  an  offensive  life.  But 
where  this  is  neglected,  v/e  find  nothing  but 
vanity  and  worldliness,  as  may  be  plainly 
observed  by  all  the  churches  and  sects  which 
are  not  of  us. 

Reader,  observe,  so  long  as  the  literal 
Israel,  in  this  respect,  followed  the  ordi- 
nance of  the  Lord,  and  punished  those  de- 


serving of  the  ban,  according  to  the  word 
of  the  Lord,  they  remained  upright  and 
pious;  but  when  they  neglected  it,  inclined 
their  ears  to  falsehood,  and  gave  way  to 
false  prophets,  they  deviated  from  the  way 
of  life,  and  degenerated  into  all  kinds  of 
wickedness  and  idolatry,  as  the  prophetical 
Scriptm-es,  on  every  hand,  complain  and 
testify. 

It  was  also  the  case  with  the  primitive 
church ;  for  so  long  as  the  pastors  and  teach- 
ers strictly  required  a  godly,  pious  life, 
served  baptism  and  Supper  to  the  penitent 
alone,  and  rightly  practiced  separation, 
according  to  the  Scri23tm-es,  they  remained 
the  church  and  community  of  Christ.  But 
as  soon  as  they  commenced  to  seek  an  easy, 
careless  life,  and  to  shun  the  cross  of  Christ, 
they  laid  aside  the  rod,  preached  peace  to 
the  people;  gi-adually  abandoned  the  ban; 
and  thus  established  an  anti-christian 
chui'ch,  a  Babel  or  worldly  chm-cli,  as  may, 
alas,  be  noticed,  to  look  back  over  the  last 
several  centuiles.  Yea,  my  reader,  if  we 
had  not  until  now  strictly  maintained  this 
means  ordained  of  God,  then,  we  and  ours, 
at  this  day,  would  have  been  a  reproach 
and  curse  to  the  world,  while,  now,  I  trust, 
they,  in  their  weakness,  will  be,  by  the  grace 
of  God,  an  example  and  a  light  to  many 
men;  althougli  the  world  will  not  acknowl- 
edge it.  In  short,  a  church  without  ban  or 
separation,  is  like  a  vineyard  without  an 
enclosm-e  and  trenches,  or  a  city  without 
walls;  for  the  enemies  have  free ingTess  into 
it  to  sow  and  plant  their  pernicious  tares 
unhindered. 

In  the  second  place,  that  the  wicked,  by 
a  reasonable  admonition,  and  sepai-ation 
from  the  pious,  may,  at  heart,  become 
ashamed,  humble  themselves  and  sincerely 
repent  before  God  andthechurch.  Therefore, 
Paul  delivered  the  Corinthian  unto  Satan 
for  the  destruction  of  the  flesh,  that  the 
spirit  might  be  saved  in  the  day  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  1  Cor.  5:  5.  He  also  thus  delivered 
Hymeneus  and  Alexander,  that  they  might 
no  longer  blaspheme,  1  Tim.  1 :  20.  At  an- 
other place  he  writes,  "If  any  man  obey 


70 


KEPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


not  our  word  by  this  epistle,  note  that  man, 
and  have  no  company  with  him,  that  he 
may  be  ashamed;  yet  count  him  not  as  an 
euemy,  but  admonish  iiim  as  a  brother,"  2 
Thess.  3:  14,  15. 

Behold,  reader,  here  you  have  it  briefly 
stated  of  whom,  how,  and  to  what  purpose, 
the  ban  or  separation  is  ordained  in  the 
house  and  church  of  the  Lord.  Judge,  now, 
if  you  fear  God,  if  it  is  not  an  especially 
noble  and  necessary  institution  of  pui'e  love, 
which  is  ordained  of  the  God  of  love  to  a 
service  of  love,  although  the  unenlightened 
and  refractory  judge  and  consider  it  as  en- 
mity. For  its  ultimate  design  and  fruit  is, 
that  the  church  may  remain  sound  in  doc- 
trine, and  unblamable  in  life ;  and  that  the 
erring,  either  in  doctrine  or  life,  may  be 
converted,  and  again  return  to  the  pasture 
and  flock  of  the  Lord.  But  how  far,  yea, 
how  very  far,  are  all  the  preachers  and 
churches  of  the  world  from  this  God-pleas- 
ing ordinance  and  very  necessary  j)ractice. 

His  first  excuse  that  separation  is  not  practiced  in 
their  church  is,  That  tlie  i)apistical  abomination  has  so 
abominably  destroyed  the  ordinance  of  the  churches 
and  the  right  usage  of  the  ban,  by  their  abuse,  that  it 
cannot  be  immediately  re-established. 

Answer.  If  we  diligently  search  the  wi-it- 
ings  of  the  historians  and  compare  the  ac- 
tions of  the  church,  to  which  they  refer,  with 
the  Scriptures,  then,  I  think,  that  we  surely 
And  that  there  was  not  among  all  the  Ger- 
man nations,  a  true,  apostolic,  christian 
church  which  stood  right  in  doctrine,  sacra- 
ments, ordinances  and  life;  but  that  they 
were  all  founded  upon  the  i^apistic  founda- 
tion and  abominations,  and  remained  so, 
these  many  years. 

Since,  then,  the  church  is  not  founded  by 
the  apostles  upon  the  foundation  of  Christ, 
but  is  founded  of  the  Pope,  upon  his  own 
foundation,  and  is  in  every  respect  a  pa- 
pistical, and  not  a  christian  church,  and 
since  it  is  palpable  that  it  has  at  this  hour, 
neither  teachers,  communion,  life  nor  sacra- 
ments conformable  to  the  ordinance,  doc- 
trine and  example  of  Christ,  therefore  he 
can  not  practice  the  ban  until  he  separates 
himself,  because  he  is  an  adulterer  of  the 
Scriptures  and  deceiver  of  souls,  and  then 
all  the  church,  because  they  are  generally 
impenitent  in  life  and  outside  of  the  com- 


mand, ordinance  and  word  of  Christ  in 
doctrine,  as  may  be  plainly  noticed.  Gogita 
quae  dico,  Qui  male  facit,  non  mdet  Deum, 
3  John  11.  Remember  that  it  is  spoken, 
"He  that  doeth  evil  hath  not  seen  God." 

In  the  second  place  he  writes,  "We  admit  that  in  many 
churches  negligence  is  found,  which  we  cannot  com- 
mend ;  which  is  caused  in  some  places  by  the  punish- 
ment of  all  open  transgressions  by  the  magistracy,  so 
diligently  that  the  jiastors  esteem  it  unnecessary  to  put 
the  ban  in  force." 

Answer.  In  my  opinion  it  is  high  time 
that  the  preachers  would  quit  their  trifling 
with  the  souls  of  men ;  that  they  would 
unreservedly  acknowledge  that  they  are 
not  the  church  of  the  Lord,  but  a  poor,  err- 
ing and  worldly  flock ;  and  then  would 
earnestly  commence  to  learn  to  know  them- 
selves and  next,  to  preach  rightly  the  word 
of  sincere  repentance,  in  the  power  of  the 
Spirit.  All  those  who  would  accept  it  in 
sincerity  of  heart  and  truly  repent,  should 
serve  the  sacraments  of  the  Lord,  accord- 
ing to  the  ordinance  of  God,  and  those 
who  would  stubbornly  reject  it,  should,  by 
virtue  of  the  holy  word,  be  excommuni- 
cated, without  resjiect  of  persons ;  then  they 
might  gather  a  church  unto  Christ,  and 
rightly  practice  the  ordinance  of  the  Lord, 
according  to  the  Scriptures. 

But  so  long  as  they  bajitize  unconscious 
children,  esteem  all  those  who  are  baptized 
as  christians,  dispense  the  bread  to  the  im- 
penitent, and  admit  all  the  avaricious,  ex- 
tortionate, pompous,  drinking  and  carous- 
ing, in  the  communion  of  tlieir  churches, 
the  world  will  be  their  church,  and  their 
chui'ch  the  world.  In  such  a  state  of  aftairs 
they  may  preach  and  admonish  all  their 
life-time  about  separation,  and  the  true 
church  ordinances,  but  never  establish  them, 
since  it  is  evident  that  all  their  doctrines 
and  sacraments  are  nothing  but  a  vapor, 
vain  and  powerless,  for  they  are  not  tlie 
rightly  called  preachers,  their  sacraments 
are  not  the  true  sacraments  and  their  dis- 
ciples are  not  the  Lord's  church  and  people. 

Say,  beloved,  how  shall  a  house  be  built 
without  workmen,  timber,  iron,  stone  and 
mortar?  Qui  sanicordis  est,  cogitet  quae 
dico.  He  who  is  of  sound  mind,  may  pon- 
der on  what  I  say. 

I  would  fiuiher  say,  that  if  Gellius  right- 


REPLY  TO   GELLroS  FABER. 


ly  understood  Clirist  and  his  word,  lie  would 
be  ashamed  all  his  life-time;  and  for  these 
two  reasons : 

Firstly,  because  he  undertakes  to  excuse 
the  neglect  of  the  pastors,  by  saying  that 
the  magistracy  punish  open  trasgressions, 
as  if  therefore  it  were  not  necessary.  I 
think  that  hundreds  of  pastors  can  be  found 
in  Germany,  who  never  in  their  life  knew 
that  the  avaricious,  drunken,  adulterous, 
&c.,  should  be  excommunicated;  nay,  what 
is  worse,  that  the  gi-eater  part  of  them  are 
themselves  guilty  of  such  infamous  doings. 

In  my  opinion  it  is  as  clear  as  day -light 
that  his  covering  up  and  decking  this  igno- 
rance, nay,  negligence  and  disgrace,  with 
the  excuse  that  the  magistracy  punish  the 
transgressors  is  nothing  less  than  to  will- 
fully defend  falsehood  and  oppose  truth. 

Secondly,  because  he  complains  that  the 
magistracy  do  not  grant  authority  or  hear- 
ing to  the  pastors.  Say,  kind  reader,  where, 
in  all  the  days  of  your  life,  did  you  read  in 
the  apostolic  Scriptures,  that  Christ  or  the 
apostles  requested  the  authority  of  the 
magistracy  to  punish  those  who  would  not 
hear  their  doctrine  or  obey  their  words? 
Tea,  reader,  I  know  to  a  certainty,  that 
wherever  the  magistracy  is  to  maintain  the 
ban  by  the  force  of  the  sword,  there  are  not 
the  true  knowledge,  Spirit,  word  and  church 
of  Christ.  If  this  is  not  rightly  called  by 
the  papists,  Invocare  hrocMum  seculare, 
that  is  invoking  the  assistance  of  the  world, 
I  will  leave  to  the  judgment  of  the  discreet 
reader. 

Also,  observe  here  his  hypocrisy  and  his 
pernicious  flattery  of  those  in  high  standing; 
for  where  do  we  find,  alas,  more  ungodli- 
ness than  among  those  in  authority?  Not- 
withstanding, he  wants  the  ban  to  be  main- 
tained by  them,  as  if  they  were  the  ti'ue  and 
faithful  members  of  the  church  of  Christ  and 
children  of  his  community;  and  never  ob- 
serves that  if  the  pastors  would  rightly 
judge,  according  to  the  holy  word,  the  mag- 
istrates, next  to  the  preachers  themselves, 
would  be  the  fu'st  who  should  be,  according 
to  the  Scriptures,  separated  and  excluded 
from  the  communion  of  the  pious. 

Since  he,  in  this  instance,  so  openly  whee- 
dles the  magistrates  and  those  of  high  stand- 
ing,  and  thus  flatters   them,   against    all 


!  the  Scriptures,  therefore  I  cannot  neglect  to 
I  admonish  all  magistrates  and  subordinates, 
[  and  in  faithful  love  to  warn  them,  to  con- 
;  sider  how  miserably  they  are  deceived  by 
I  the  preachers.  Beloved  lords,  observe.  You 
I  all  boast  that  you  are  christians  and  have 
the  word  of  God,  while  it  is  manifest  that 
I  so  many  of  the  lords  and  princes,  daily 
i  shed  human  blood  like  water,  by  their  im- 
;  godly  warring  and  tumult ;  that  they  rob 
many  innocent  people  of  their  homes  and 
!  property,  that  they  cause  many  afflicted 
'  orphans  and  helj)less  children  to  be  made; 
!  and  that  many  of  them  drink  and  carouse 
I  day  and  night;  abuse  the  creatures  of  God 
above  measure,   namely,  wine,  beer,  vict- 
uals, clothes,  &c.,  all  of  whom  are  desen'- 
ing    of    excommunication    and    can    not 
stand  the  test  of  the  Scriptures,  as,  I  pre- 
sume, many  of  the  learned  and  preachers 
themselves,  well  know;  yet  they  connive  at 
j  such,  desire  their  authority  and  assistance; 
[  they  act  hypocritically  with  them,  they  talk 
;  SO  as  to  please  them,  do  not  separate  and 
I  punish  them,  however  wickedly  they  be- 
have; dispense  to  them  the  bread  and  wine 
j  as  if  they  were  members  of  the  body  of  the 
I  Lord  and  brethren  of  his  church.    By  this 
they  so  comfort  and  encourage  them  in  their 
wickedness,  that  they  never  stop  to  inquire 
j  into  the  fear  and  ways  of  the  Lord;  for  it  is 
I  all  peace,  peace,  whatever  they  preach,  as 
the  prophet  complains,  Jer.  8:8;  Ezek  13: 
22.    Beloved  lords,  take  heed;  they  lead 
you  straightway  to  the  abyss  of  hell;  there- 
fore, beware.     I  tell  jow.  the  truth  in  Christ 
Jesus,  they  deceive  you.    Again,  I  say,  be- 
ware, they  deceive  you. 

On  the  other  hand,  they  hate  and  upbraid 
above  measiu'e,  all  those  who  seek  the  Lord 
sincerely,  who  strive  after  his  holy  word,  in 
their  infirmity,  and  who  would  gladly,  in 
their  weakness,  lead  a  pious,  godly  life,  in  the 
fear  of  the  Lord ;  because  they  point  them  to 
Christ;  and  in  true,  godly  zeal,  and  brother- 
ly love,  reprove  and  admonish  them,  to  their 
own  good,  of  their  false  doctrine,  false  sac- 
raments, hypocrisy  and  indifferent  life, 
according  to  the  teachings  of  the  Scriptures. 
Nay,  we  are  called  apostles  of  the  devil, 
apostates,  anabaptists,  conspirators  and 
heretics,  by  them. 

Behold,  thus  they  connive  at  and  flatter 


72 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


those  of  liigli  standing,  altliongli  they,  gen- 
erally, are  iipon  the  broad  way;  and  thus 
they  shamefully  upbraid  the  innocent  who 
never  harmed  them,  and  who  would  gladly 
lead  a  pious  life.  Yet  they  boast  that  they 
are  preachers  of  the  gospel  and  teach  the 
word  of  God. 

In  the  third  place  he  writes :  The  disrespect  to  the 
servants  of  tlie  church,  has,  everywhere,  become  so  prev- 
alent, through  the  doings  of  these  devilish  conspirators 
and  heretics,  that  few  churches  submit  themselves,  in 
unity  of  spirit,  to  their  pastors,  which  is  necessary. 

Answer.  That  the  disrespect  to  the  preach- 
ers has  become  so  prevalent,  is  caused  by 
nothing  else  but  their  own.  exceeding  wick- 
edness, deceit,  avarice,  blasphemy  and 
shamelessness,  as  the  prophet  says,  "Be- 
hold. I  will  corrupt  your  seed,  and  spread 
dung  upon  j'our  faces,  &c."  "Ye  are  de- 
parted out  of  the  way,  ye  have  caused  many 
to  stumble  at  the  law;  ye  have  corrupted 
the  covenant  of  Levi,  saith  the  Lord  of 
hosts;  Therefore  have  I  also  made  you  con- 
temptible and  base  before  all  the  people, 
according  as  ye  have  not  kept  my  ways, 
but  have  been  partial  in  the  law,"  Mai. 
2:3,8,9. 

Yea,  dear  reader,  they  have  become  so 
sinful,  and  have  so  trafficked  with  the  sovils 
of  men,  that  the  just  and  great  God  could 
no  longer  endure  it;  he  therefore  graciousl}' 
inspired  some  pious  hearts  with  the  Spirit 
of  his  divine  knowledge,  in  his  great  love, 
and  has  discovered  unto  them  the  decked, 
babylonian  woman,  the  preachers  and  their 
churches,  with  all  their  fornication,  abom- 
inations and  l)lood-guiltiness,  and  thus 
made  manifest  their  inhuman  disgrace. 
And  these,  on  account  of  their  warning,  all, 
in  unfeigned  love,  against  the  deadly,  en- 
chanting poison  of  her  cup,  b}'  doctrine, 
life,  example,  blood  and  possessions,  by 
which  they  seek  nothing  but  the  praise  of 
God  and  the  salvation  of  their  neighbors, 
are  called  devilish  conspirators  and  here- 
tics. O,  Lord !  O!  never  heard  of  blasphe- 
my !  O  disgrace  of  all  disgrace  ! 

Ah,  my  reader,  my  faithful  reader,  if  we 
could  reason  with  them,  how  soon  would  it 
be  shown  who  are  the  devilish  conspirators 
and  heretics  !  But  what  does  it  avail  ?  The 
Scribes  and  Pharisees  sat  upon  exalted 
seats,  but  Christ  had  not  whereon  to  lay  his 


head.  Besides,  he  had  to  hear,  that  he  was 
possessed  of  the  devil,  and  wrought  his 
miracles  in  the  name  of  Beelzebub. 

Is  it  not  a  perverse,  lamentable  hypocri- 
sy, that  this  man  undertakes  to  blame  us 
for  their  not  practicing  the  ban,  while  it  is 
known  and  manifest  to  the  whole  world, 
that  the  gi-eater  part  of  the  preachers  are 
such  an  indifferent,  blind  and  carnal  people, 
that  they  neither  acknowledge  God  nor  his 
word,  and  seek  nothing  else  than  that  they 
may  satiate  their  carnal  appetites  and  con- 
tinue in  their  careless  easy  life?  What  kind 
of  christians  their  churches  or  disciples  are, 
what  knowledge  they  have,  and  how  they 
fear  God,  may,  alas,  be  educed  from  their 
words  and  works,  in  city  and  country. 

In  the  fourth  place  he  writes,  It  is  a  fact  well  known 
to  the  whole  community  (he  refers  to  the  community  at 
Emden)  that  we  have  for  several  years,  assiduously  la- 
bored to  again  establish  the  christian  ordinance  of  the 
ban. 

Answer.  The  v.'orld  acknowledges  no  ban, 
but  when  such  a  transgression  has  been 
committed,  that  the  executioner  bans  them 
with  the  sword,  noose  or  fire,  for  the  sake 
of  their  evil-doing.  Or,  if  one  sincerely  re- 
pents and  returns  to  God,  abolishes  the 
wicked,  sinful  life,  in  true  fear,  and  puts  on 
the  new  life  of  true  repentance,  that  the}", 
along  with  the  papists,  often  deprive  such 
an  one  of  honor,  possessions  and  life,  or 
exile  him  and  thus  drive  him  into  the  mouth 
of  the  gaping  lions. 

But  that  they  should,  according  to  the 
Scriptures,  shun  the  misers,  drunkards,  for- 
nicators, &c.;  that  they  should  neither  eat 
nor  drink  with  them,  they  do  not  know, 
since  they  are,  as  a  general  thing,  un- 
changed at  heart,  earthly-minded  and  full 
of  all  manner  of  avarice,  pomp,  extrava- 
gance and  carnal  works. 

Therefore  I  say  again,  they  will  admon- 
ish all  their  life  time,  concerning  the  ban, 
but  never  establish  it  according  to  the  word 
of  God;  for  how  can  one  avaricious  person 
shun  the  other,  one  drunkard  the  other  and 
one  deceiver  the  other,  according  to  the 
Scriptures,  and  separate  him  from  the  com- 
munion of  the  church,  while  they  are  alto- 
gether earthly-minded  and  without  the 
communion,  Spirit  and  word  of  the  Lord, 
as  has  been  heard. 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


73 


In  the  fifth  place  he  writes,  "The  example  of  the 
anabaptists  frightens  us,  who  so  practice  the  ban  with 
discord,  hatred  and  irreconcilable  anger  one  against  the 
other,  that  it  tends  more  to  the  destruction  than  to  the 
edification  and  gathering  of  the  church,  among  them." 

Answer.  All  that  I  read  and  see  of  liim, 
is  a  benighted  vision,  wrong  judgment, 
wheedling  of  those  of  high  standing,  up- 
braiding and  slandering  the  pions,  excusing 
perverseness  and  adulteration  of  the  Script- 
ures. 

O,  how  little  does  he,  as  appears,  fear 
God;  for  here  he  undertakes  to  cover  up 
his  fleeing  from  the  cross  and  his  disobe- 
dience, by  citing  the  example  of  others. 
Reader,  remember  that  the  word  of  God 
should  teach  and  govern  us ;  that  some  re- 
fractory persons  take  oifense  at  us,  we  can- 
not prevent.  We  act  as  the  M'ord  of  God 
has  commanded  us. 

All  those  who  once  enter  into  the  obedi- 
ence of  the  word,  and  afterwards  live  or 
teach  contrary  to  it,  can  not  be  permitted 
to  continue  with  us  as  brethren  and  sisters, 
if  they  will  not  hear  our  admonitions.  In 
this  case,  neither  greatness  nor  littleness, 
riches  nor  poverty  avail.  With  God 
there  is  no  respect  of  persons;  they  must 
all  bow  to  the  Spirit,  word  and  scepter  of 
Jesus,  or  else  they  cannot  remain  our 
brethren. 

Since  it  is  manifest  that  the  Spirit  of  the 
Lord  becomes  extinct  in  such  as  seek  the 
broad  road,  and  are  desirous  of  the  free- 
dom of  the  flesh,  of  money  and  possessions; 
and  that  they  offend  the  pious  by  their 
light-mindedness  or  self-conceit,  therefore, 
they  should,  though  reluctantly,  be  sepa- 
rated from  the  intercourse  of  the  godl}^,  when 
there  are  no  hopes  left  of  their  reformation. 
If  they  take  offense  at  this,  because  they  hate 
to  bear  this  shame,  which  is  visited  iipon 
them  in  love,  for  no  other  purpose  than  for 
their  reformation,  and  therefore  slander  and 
upbraid  iis,  as,  also  the  preachers  [do  be- 
cause we  dare  not  hear  their  teaching,  and 
partake  of  their  sacraments,  we  cannot  help 
this;  nor  can  we  prevent  that  some  of  them 
become   Davidists*    and    Epicuriansf    (as 


*  Davidists  are  the  followers  of  David  George,  a  sect 
of  quiet  mystics  in  the  sixteenth  century,  who  were  ac- 
cused of  very  erroneous  sentiments. 

t  Followers  of  Epicurus,  an  ancient  Greek  philoso- 
pher.— Webster's  Royal  Octavo  Diet. 
46 


Gellius  calls  them),  in  spite  of  all  our  faith- 
ful admonitions,  assiduity,  labor  and  broth- 
erly service. 

The  fact  is,  the  seed  did  not  fall  on  the 
right  kind  of  soil,  but  by  the  wayside,  on 
rocky  ground  and  amongst  thorns,  Matt. 
13:  5. 

I  repeat  it.  We  have  applied  to  them 
the  faithful  service  of  our  brotherly  love, 
from  our  inmost  hearts;  admonished  and 
entreated  them,  and  have  patiently  borne 
with  some  for  one  or  two  years,  still  wait- 
ing on  their  reformation,  and  in  truth 
have  not  hastily  separated  them,  as  he  ac- 
cuses us,  without  all  foundation.  Since  we 
follow  and  practice  the  ordinance  of  the 
Lord,  in  this  resj^ect,  if  he  feared  the  Lord, 
he  should  reasonably  commend  our  action, 
because  we  do  rightly,  follow  the  commands 
of  God,  at  the  risk  of  possessions  and  life, 
and  because  we  act  according  to  the  Script- 
ures, without  all  respect  to  persons;  and  he 
would  acknowledge  the  truth,  and  confess 
that  not  our  example  frightens  them,  but 
the  fear  of  the  cross.  For  if  they  would 
justly  act  and  treat  with  kings,  dukes, 
lords  and  princes,  and  also  with  their 
drunkards,  misers,  vain-showers,  &c.,  then 
it  would  be  quite  a  different  thing  with 
them;  this  I  dare  unreservedly  say,  and 
could  prove  it  by  facts. 

In  the  sixth  jjlace  he  writes,  "  If  they  think  that  they 
do  much  good  by  their  banning,  toward  the  edification  of 
the  church,  then  let  them  point  out  from  the  several  hun- 
dreds which  they  have  banned,  not  ten,  but  only  five, 
whom  they  have  banned  in  love,  and  reformed  through 
their  brotherly  love,  or  whom  they  have  brought  to 
order  and  saved  by  their  banning." 

Answer.  He  seeks  all  kinds  of  causes  to 
blaspheme  the  word  and  work  of  God,  that 
he  may  give  some  appearance  of  reality  to 
his  cross-fleeing  and  hypocrisy.  Inasmuch, 
as  he  says  that  separation  tends  more  to 
destruction  than  eclification,  therefore  the 
reader  should  know  that  we  daily  find,  by 
experience,  that  the  following  benefits  are 
derived  from  separation,  among  us :  Firstly, 
that  we  thereby  obey  God's  word.  Second- 
ly, that  we  thereby  rid  the  community  from 
false  doctrine,  discord,  and  offensiveness, 
as  has  been  said.  Thirdly,  that  the  diso- 
bedient are  thereby,  daily  admonished  to 
Teflect,  repent  and  return.  Fourthly,  that 
we  thereby  testify  tliat  we  do  not  consent 


•74 


REPLY  TO   GELLIUS  FABER. 


to,  nor  unite  with  the  Munsterites,  and  oth-  ] 
er  rebellious  sects.   Fifthly,  that  we  thereby  \ 
admonish  all  preachers  and  their  churches,  1 
that  they  are  without  the  ordinance  and  ' 
word  of  God,  in  this  respect.     Sixthly,  that 
thereby  the  whole  world  may  learn  from  us 
that  the  advice,   doctrine,   ordinance   and 
command  of  God  should  be  maintained  and 
obeyed. 

Behold,  dear  reader,  these  are  the  fruits 
which  true  separation,  daily  brings  forth, 
by  the  grace  of  God.  But  these,  the  preach- 
ers, alas,  do  not  regard.  If  it  were  true 
that  few  are  reformed  thereby,  as  he  im- 
putes, they  must  still  admit  that  these  be- 
forementioned  results  are  obtained  thereby. 

Reader,  take  notice  that  however  we  may 
act,  it  is  of  no  avail  with  the  perverse;  for 
if  we  had  disregarded  this  means  and  divine 
ordinance,  as  the  preachers  do,  and  had 
left  every  body  to  follow  his  own  mind, 
from  which  the  great  Lord  ever  preserve  us, 
how  loudly  would  they  cry  that  we  were 
rebels  and  Arians*.  But  while  we  separate 
them,  according  to  the  Scriptures,  from  the 
communion  of  the  church,  it  is  called  a  de- 
structive means  and  a  hasty  ban.  Behold, 
thus  they  seek,  on  every  hand,  to  destroy 
truth  and  uphold  falsehood. 

lu  the  seventh  place  he  ivrites,  "It  is  better  not  to 
use  the  ban,  than  to  abuse  it,  to  the  destruction  of  the 
church. 

Answer.  If  it  were  true  as  he  asserts,  then, 
still  a  good  thing  should  not  be  abandoned 
for  the  sake  of  some.  If  the  ban  is  a  means 
of  destroying  and  rupturing  the  chui'ch  of 
Christ,  then  Christ  and  the  apostles  have 
very  much  deceived  us  in  this  regard,  to 
have  taught  us  this  ordinance,  openly,  both 
by  word  and  example,  as  may  be  read  in 
the  Scriptures.  But  what  does  it  avail  ?  He 
might  brieiiy  state  his  point  thus :  We  do  not 
separate  and  ban,  for  we  are,  as  a  general 
thing,  all  led  by  an  erroneous  spirit,  and 
members  of  the  body  of  anti-christ. 

In  the  eighth  place  he  writes,  "None  have  proved  a 

*  Arians,  followers  of  Arius,  a  presbyter  of  the  church 
of  Alexandria,  about  315,  who  maintained  that  the  Son 
of  God  was  totally  and  essentially  distinct  from  the 
Father ;  that  he  was  the  first  and  noblest  of  those  beings 
whom  God  had  created — but  inferior  to  the  Father  in 
nature  and  dignity  :  also,  that  the  Holy  Ghost  was  not 
God,  but  created  by  the  power  of  the  Son.  —  Buck's 
Theol.  Die. 


greater  obstacle  to  us  in  re-establishing  the  ban,  than 
the  anabaptists,  who  have  caused  a  disturbance  in  the 
edification/ of  the  church  of  Christ,  and  in  its  right 
course  ;  who  have  brought  the  servants  into  disrepute, 
and  have,  under  semblance  of  truth,  drawn  many  zeal- 
ous hearts  from  the  church  (on  whom  it  was  to  bo  prac- 
ticed) and  led  them  into  falsehood." 

Answer.  If  I  had  not  learned  to  know 
Gellius  from  his  other  writings,  this  excuse 
of  his,  in  regard  to  the  ban,  would  more 
than  clearly  teach  me  what  kind  of  a  man 
he  is.  O,  dear  Lord  ?  It  is  nothing  but  hy- 
pocrisy, falsehood  and  deceit,  whatever  he 
says !  He  wi-ites  that  we  obstruct  the  ban; 
yet,  if  he  would  confess  the  truth,  he  would  be 
forced  to  admit,  that  we  do  not  obstruct  him, 
but  his  own  unbelief,  carnal-mind  and  his 
cross-fleeing  flesh,  as  said  before. 

He  writes  that  we  have  disturbed  the  edi- 
fication of  the  chiu'ch,  while  it  is  manifest 
that  we  point  out  to  all  the  churches  of  the 
world,  by  doctrine  and  life,  by  the  periling 
of  possessions  and  blood,  the  right  way  to 
a  true  worship  and  ordinance,  and  that 
they  are  those  who,  with  all  their  strength, 
disturb  the  course  of  the  edification  of  the 
church  of  Christ,  by  their  light-minded  doc- 
trine, false  sacraments,  and  vain  life. 

He  writes  that  we  have  brought  the  ser- 
vants into  disrepute,  because  we  reprove 
them,  in  iinfeigned  love,  and  point  them  by 
doctrine  and  life  to  Christ's  example.  Spirit 
and  word,  while  he  acknowledges  above, 
that  some  are  more  fit  to  be  herders  of  swine 
than  shepherds  of  the  sheep  of  Christ. 

He  writes  that  we  have,  in  semblance  of 
truth,  drawn  many  zealous  hearts  from  the 
church,  and  led  them  into  many  errors; 
while  the  facts  show  that  we  do  not  sepa- 
rate them  from  the  church  but  from  the 
world,  and  that  we  lead  them,  by  the  hand 
and  help  of  God,  into]^eternal  truth. 

I  would  further  say.  Their  doctrine  has 
been  preached  for  over  thirty  years,  in  Ger- 
many, and  there  are  whole  kingdoms,  prin- 
cipalities and  cities  where  not  a  single  ana- 
baptist, as  he  calls  them,  is  to  be  found. 
"Who  is  it  that  obstructs  the  pastors  there 
in  re-establishing  the  ban  ?  In  all  the  time 
that  they  have  preaclied  and  taught  their 
doctrine,  they  have  never  yet  banned  an 
adulterer,  drunkard,  miser,  &c.,  and  ex- 
cluded such  an  one  from  the  communion  of 


REPLY  TO   GELLIUS  FABER. 


75 


their  cliurches;  notwithstanding  he  writes 
that  we  obstruct  and  hinder  them.  O,  dear 
Lord !  thns  are  the  pious  everywhere 
evil  spoken  of,  although  they  seek  God 
sincerely,  and  would  gladly  see  a  christian 
church,  true  in  doctrine,  sacraments,  ordi- 
nances and  life. 

In  the  ninth  place  he  writes,  "  For  two  reasons  we 
could  not  so  soon  establish  it  (he  means  the  ban)  as  the 
anabaptists  did.  Firstly,  because  our  gatherings  are 
open  and  consist  of  many  hundreds,  whom  we  cannot 
all  know ;  while  their  gatherings  are  secret  and  consist 
of  but  few.  Secondly,  because  we  do  not  establish 
sects,  as  they  do,  which  is  a  work  of  the  flesh,  and  be- 
friended of  the  devil ;  but  we  establish  an  eternal 
church  unto  Christ,  which  is  beguiled  and  robbed  by 
the  devil." 

Answer.  Above  he  has  partly  acknowl- 
edged that  many  of  their  hearers  are  of  the 
world.  Here  he  writes  that  their  gatherings 
consist  of  many  hundreds,  and  that  they 
gather  an  abiding  chiu-ch;  yet  they  never 
came  to  the  point  that  they  separate  their 
disciples  and  church  from  the  world,  and 
conform  to  the  divine  ordinance.  The  reason 
is  because  they  are  of  the  world. 

But  to  his  wi-iting  that  their  assembly  is 
large  and  kept  in  i^ublic,  and  that  om-s  is 
small,  I  would,  with  the  word  of  the  Lord, 
reply  in  this  manner,  "Wide  is  the  gate, 
and  broad  is  the  way,  that  leadeth  to  de- 
struction, and  many  there  be  which  go 
in  thereat;  because  strait  is  the  gate,  and 
narrow  is  the  way  which  leadeth  unto  life 
and  few  there  be  that  find  it,"  Matt.  7: 13, 14. 

Yea,  my  reader,  if  you  attentively  read 
the  Scriptures  you  will  find  that  the  number 
of  the  chosen  ones  ever  was  small  and  the 
number  of  the  unrighteous  was  always  great. 
The  pure  and  tnie  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ, 
the  true  knowledge  of  eternal  truth,  never 
was  so  appreciated  by  the  world  that  the 
true  believers   can  be   covmted   by  many 
thousands  in  any  country  or  city.     Christ 
Jesus  and  his  eternal  truth  must  ever  abide 
with  few,  in  retired  places ;  but  anti-christ  i 
and  his  falsehood  can  go  abroad  undis- ! 
turbedly  and  in  public,  and  count  his  fol-  ■ 
lowers  by  thousands. 

Again,  by  his  wiiting  that  they  cannot ' 
know  all  on  account  of  their  great  numbers,  ' 
he  testifies  that  brotherly  love  is  very  scarce  ! 
with  them;  for  where  is  there  a  chi-istian  ' 
pastor  who  does  not  know  his  sheep  ?  and  1 


where  is  the  christian  brother  who  does  not 
know  his  neighbor?  If  the  preachers  do 
not  know  all,  on  account  of  their  great 
numbers,  still  one  brother  should  know  the 
other;  they  should  teach,  admonish,  com- 
fort and  reprove  each  other;  they  should 
seek  each  other's  salvation;  for  this  the 
word  and  unction  of  God  teach  us. 

Reader,  observe.  He  pretends  "  that  they 
cannot  possibly  know  all;"  and  I,  who  am 
most  of  the  time,  keeping  myself  in  retired 
places,  could  point  them  out  in  great  num- 
bers. Let  him,  once  travel  through  city 
and  country  where  they  boast  of  the  word, 
and  let  him  take  a  close  observation,  and 
he  will  find  out  how  they  dare  heap  one 
falsehood  upon  another,  and  one  ungodly 
act  upon  another;  how  they  dare  swear  by 
theLord's  sacred  flesh,  blood,  death,  wounds 
and  sacrament,  and  how  they  are  decked 
with  difierent,  vain  ornaments.  Let  him 
take  a  view  of  the  taverns,  fencing-schools, 
the  houses  of  ill-repute,  &c.,  of  which  there 
is  no  lack  in  Germany;  let  him  examine 
the  courts  of  kings  and  princes;  and  into 
the  ways  of  the  nobility,  and  I  presume  he 
will  find  thousands  doubly  deserving  of 
separation.  But  an  earthly  mind  and  per- 
verse heart  has,  alas,  little  regard  for  the 
ordinance  and  word  of  the  Lord. 

Again,  to  his  assertion  that  they  do  not 
establish  sects,  as  he  says  we  do,  and  that 
it  is  a  carnal  work,  I  would  reply  thus: 
I  do  sincerely  wish  that  Gellius  and  all  the 
Papists,  Lutherans,  Zuinglians,  Davidists, 
&c.,  could  appreciate  this  matter,  for  it  is 
written  of  heresies  and  heretics,  that  they 
shall  not  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God. 

It  is  a  small  matter  to  us  to  be  called  her- 
etics by  the  world;  for  the  childi-en  of  God, 
in  the  apostolic  times,  were  also  called  the 
same.  Notwithstanding,  we,  in  our  humil- 
ity, would  say  tliis  in  regard  to  this  matter, 
that  we  point  to  Christ  Jesus,  God's  eternal 
Wisdom,  Truth  and  Son;  for  he  is  the  One 
on  whom  to  rely,  and  we  unreservedly  refer 
to  his  doctrine,  ordinance  and  usage.  If 
any  one  under  the  whole  canopy  of  heaven, 
can  convince  us  with  the  infallible  truth 
that  we  are  wi'ong  and  act  contrary  to  his 
word,  then  we  will  gladly  hear  it  and  obey 
the  truth. 

But  in  case  they  cannot  do  so,  they  must 


76 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


confess  that  we  are  the  apostolic  christian 
chuxch,  and  that  they  are  the  deceiving, 
carnal  sects. 

But  that  sectarians  are  raised  amonst  us, 
and  not  amongst  them,  is  also  a  strong 
proof  that  we  are  the  church,  and  that  they 
are  not.  For  Paul  says,  "There  must  be 
also  heresies  among  you,  that  they  which 
are  approved  may  be  made  manifest  among 
you,"  1  Cor.  11:  19.  John  says,  "They  went 
out  from  us,  but  they  were  not  of  us,"  1  John 
2:  19. 

Say,  beloved,  why  should  Satan  beguile 
these  with  heresies,  who  are  already  here- 
tics and  his  adherents  ?  But  those  that  turn 
to  the  Lord,  such  he  beguiles  and  seeks  to 
devour  them,  Gen.  3:  15;  1  Pet.  5:  8. 

In  the  tenth  place  he  writes,  If  they  only  said  that 
we  do  not  teach  the  ban,  it  might  insult  us  and  many 
teachers  and  churches,  and  they  might  almost  be  dis- 
graced thereby.  But  they  say  that  we  neither  have, 
hold  to,  nor  practice  it. 

Answer.  In  my  opinion  it  would  be  Avell 
for  him  not  to  ridicule  these  things,  but  to 
closely  observe  the  word  of  the  Lord.  Be- 
fore God,  the  literal  teaching  does  not  avail; 
but  before  him,  avails  action  in  power  and 
truth.  If  they  shotild  say  that  this  would 
cause  a  disturbance,  then  I  would  ask  what 
kind  of  protectors  and  shepherds  they  are, 
if  they  neglect  the  will  and  word  of  God  on 
account  of  the  disturbance  of  the  world. 
Let  all  the  right  minded  judge  this  accord- 
ing to  the  Scriptures,  Matt.  10. 

In  the  last  place  he  writes,  But,  admit  it  to  be  true 
that  this  failure  exists  in  all  of  our  churches,  although 
the  contrary  is  true  of  many  of  them,  for  in  the  German 
church  in  London,  England,  one  is  banned ;  and  it  is 
not  altogether  neglected  here  in  Emden.  "Would  the 
church  on  that  account  lose  its  name  and  henceforth, 
as  they  say,  be  no  longer  the  church  of  Christ?  Then, 
truly  our  body,  to  which  the  church  is  likened,  would 
lose  the  name  of  body  on  account  of  some  blemish  or 
wound. 

Answer.  1  think  this  is  posuimusmenda- 
cium  speni  nostram,  to  make  lies  our 
refuge.  For  he  says,  the  conti-ary  is  true 
of  many  churches;  yet  he  can  point  to 
only  one,  of  the  many  kingdoms,  princi- 


palities, cities  and  towns,  who  is  banned, 
namely,  at  London,  England.  I  have  never, 
in  all  my  life  time  heard  of  a  more  ridicu- 
lous assertion.  How  manifestly  does  the 
great  Lord  turn  their  vidsdom  to  foolishness 
and  their  understanding  to  nothing,  1  Cor.  1 . 
Yet  the  blind,  ignorant  world  does  not  see  it. 
Reader,  reflect,  and  see  if  these  are  not 
the  mockers  of  which  Peter  and  Jude  proph- 
esy, 2  Pet.  3:3;  Jude  8.  The  whole  Ger- 
man nation  or  people,  nay,  all  countries, 
are  so  replete  with  ringodliness,  abomina- 
tions and  wickedness  that  we  should  stand 
dumb-founded.  Yea,  that  the  righteous, 
who  fear  the  Lord,  are  as  scarce  as  the 
grapes  of  a  vintage  which  has  been  dili- 
gently gleaned,  and  in  which  few  are  left  to 
pluck  and  use,  as  the  prophet  laments, 
Mich.  7:  1;  and  out  of  so  many  hundreds 
of  thousands,  he  points  to  one  who  was 
banned  at  London,  that  it  may  be  said  that 
they  practice  the  ban,  and  thus  that  they 
thus  may  give  a  semblance  to  their  disobe- 
dience. 

I  think  that  they  act  so  awkwardly,  that 
the  whole  world  must  see  that  it  is  nothing 
but  hypocrisy,  falsehood  and  deceit.  O, 
Lord,  how  long  will  this  mockery  be  en- 
dured !  But  to  his  writing  that  if  the  church 
should  lose  her  name  on  account  of  an  error, 
that  then,  also,  our  bodies  would  lose  its 
name  on  account  of  a  blemish  or  wound,  I 
would  reply :  If  this  was  the  only  error  in 
their  church,  then  there  would  yet  be  hopes 
of  a  reformation;  but  their  failures  and 
short-comings  are  so  numerous,  that  they 
would  better  be  compared  to  a  dead  body, 
than  to  a  body  that  has  but  one  blemish  or 
wound,  as  he  pretends  to  say. 

I  think  that  in  tliis  instance  the  cunning 
of  the  fox  which  destroys  God's  vineyard 
(which  he,  in  his  writing  imputes  to  us)  is 
plainly  discernable  here.  For  how  cun- 
ningly they  flee  from  one  latibulo  (hiding- 
place)  to  another,  lest  they  be  caught,  may, 
alas,  be  clearly  educed  from  this  frivolous 
excuse  of  tlie  ban. 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


77 


CONCERNING  THE  CHURCH,  AND  AN  INSTRUCTIVE  COMPARISON 
WE  MAY  DISTINGUISH  BETWEEN  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST, 
AND  THE  CHURCH  OF  ANTI-CHRIST. 


HOW 


Gellius  complains  that  we  destroy  and 
leave  the  church  of  God,  and  that  we  are 
devilish  sects  and  conspirators;  and,  on  the 
contrary  boasts  that  they  gather  an  abid- 
ing church.  Therefore,  in  my  opinion,  it 
is  necessary,  in  the  first  place,  to  compare 
the  churches  with  the  requirements  of 
the  Scriptures,  that  the  pious  reader  may 
know  the  difierence,  and  see  which  and 
what  the  Church  of  Christ  is,  and  also  what 
the  church  of  anti-christ  is;  how  long  they 
both  have  existed;  of  whom  they  are;  of 
whom  they  are  brought  forth;  to  what  pur- 
pose they  are  begotten;  of  what  disposi- 
tion or  nature  they  both  are;  what  their 
fruits  are;  and  by  what  signs  they  may  be 
known,  lest  he  be  deceived  by  the  preach- 
ers, and  mistake  the  church  of  Christ  for  a 
heresy  and  conspiracy,  and  the  church  of 
anti-christ  for  the  chui-ch  of  Christ. 

In  the  first  place,  it  should  be  taken  into 
consideration,  that  the  community  of  God, 
or  the  church  of  Christ,  is  an  assembly  of 
the  pious,  and  a  community  of  the  saints, 
as  is  represented  by  the  Mcene  symbol; 
who,  from  the  beginning  have  firmly  trusted 
and  believed  in  the  promised  seed  of  the  wo- 
man, which  is  the  promised  Prophet,Messiah, 
Shilo,  King,  Prince,  Emmanuel  and  Christ; 
who  accept  his  word  in  sincerity  of  heart, 
follow  his  example,  are  led  by  his  Spirit, 
and  who  trust  in  his  promise  in  the  Script- 
ures, Dent.  18:  18;  Gen.  49:  10;  Jer.  23:  5; 
33:15;  Isaiah  7:  14.  j 

Such  are  now,  generally  called  christians 
or  the  church  of  Christ,  because  they  are  ; 
born  of  Christ's  word  by  means  of  faith,  by 
his  Spirit,  and  are  flesh  of  his  flesh  and 
bone  of  his  bone,  as  the  children  of  Jacob, 
on  account  of  their  natural  birth,  were 
called  the  house  of  Israel,  Rom.  9:  7 — 9. 

On  the  contrary  it  should  be  observed 
that  the  church  of  auti-christ  is  a  gathering 
of  the  ungodly,  and  a  community  of  the  im- 
penitent, who  reject  the  aforementioned 
seed,  Christ,  and  his  word,  and  oppose  his 


will,  and  for  that  reason  are  called  the  an- 
ti-christian  community  or  church,  because 
they,  through  the  spirit  and  artifices  of 
anti-christ,  although  in  semblance  of  the 
word,  and  in  the  name  of  Christ,  teach,  be- 
lieve, act,  and  establish  a  strange  worship, 
contrary  to  the  Spirit,  word,  example  and 
ordinance  of  Christ. 

In  the  second  place,  it  should  be  observed 
that  the  church  of  the  pious  is  from  the  be- 
ginning; yet,  it  had  not  always  the  same  or- 
dinance; nor  was  it  always  called  by  one 
name  in  the  Scriptures.  For,  before  their  de- 
parture from  Egypt,  they  had  no  particular, 
written" law;  yet  they  feared  the  great  and 
powerful  God,  faithfully  served  Him,  offered 
burnt-ofierings,  and  walked  in  his  ways,  as 
may  be  seen  in  the  case  of  Abel,  Noah, 
Abraham,  Isaac,  Jacob  and  others;  they 
were,  at  that  time,  called  God's  children. 
Afterwards,  Abraham  was  commanded  to 
circumcise  himself  and  his  household, and  all 
the  males  after  him,  on  the  eighth  day  after 
their  birth.  Gen.  17:  10.  About  four  hun- 
dred years  after  that,  Moses  gave  the  law; 
and  fi-om  that  time  they  were  generally 
called  the  people  of  God,  or  the  house  of 
Jacob  and  Israel.  At  last  Christ  Jesus,  the 
Messiah  of  all  the  world  appeared,  to  which 
all  the  Scriptures  point.  All  those  who 
hear  him,  believe  his  word  and  follow  him, 
are  now  called  christians,  or  the  chmx-h  of 
Christ,  as  heard,  Isaiah  58:  2,  4;  Jer.  23:  5. 

Although  at  different  times  she  was  under 
difierent  ordinances  and  usages,  and,  al- 
though the  church  is  called  by  difierent 
names,  as  said,  yet  all,  before,  under  and 
after  the  law,  who,  in  sincere,  true  fear  of 
God,  walked,  and  continue  to  walk  accord- 
ing to  the  word  and  will  of  God,  and  trust 
in  Christ,  are  one  community,  church  and 
body,  and  will  ever  remain  so;  for  they  are 
all  saved  by  Christ,  accepted  of  God,  and 
gifted  with  the  Spirit  of  his  grace.  It  should 
also  be  observed  that  the  chuixh  of  the  un- 
godly, which  is  the  church  of  anti-chiist, 


78 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


commenced  first  with  the  ungodly,  who  were 
inspired  with  tlie  spii'it  of  the  devil,  which 
is  envious  of  all  good  things;  and  will  be 
unto  the  end.  For  the  anti-chnrch  has  gen- 
erally existed,  from  the  beginning,  side  by 
side  with  the  christian  church,  and  is  the 
most  numerous;  and  till  the  deluge,  it  is 
spoken  of,  in  the  Scriptures  as  the  "  children 
of  men,"  Gen.  6:2;  John  8:  44.  But  from  the 
flood  until  the  circumcision  of  Abraham 
they  are  called  Gentiles.  After  the  time  of 
the  circumcision  they  are  called  Gentiles  or 
uncircumcised,  Gen.  17:  11;  Rom.  15:  9. 

They  did  not  know  the  true  and  living 
God,  but  they  worshipped  and  served  the 
handiwork  of  men,  wood,  stone,  silver  and 
golden  gods,  besides,  dragons,  serpents, 
oxen,  fire,  the  sun,  moon,  &c.,  until  the 
apostles  preached  the  gospel  unto  all  the 
world,  and  gathered  a  church  unto  Christ, 
Matt.  28: 19;  Mark  16: 15;  Rom.  10:  17;  Col. 
1 :  23,  which  chtu'ch  has  been  in  the  mean- 
time so  destroyed  by  anti-christ,  that  the 
greatest  number  have  degenerated  into  open 
Gentiles  and  idolaters,  although,  in  appear- 
ance they  call  themselves  christians;  for 
they  bend  their  knees  to  rods  and  blocks, 
and  require  the  assistance  of  the  artificer. 
Others,  and  these  are  the  best  minded  of 
them,  seek  consolation  and  their  salvation 
in  -wrought  ceremonies,  water,  bread,  wine, 
and  absolutions;  so  that  we  are  forced  to 
say  that  they  are  the  church  of  the  impeni- 
tent, and  the  church  of  anti-christ. 

In  the  thii-d  place,  it  should  be  observed 
that  the  chi-istian  church  is  of  God,  as  Paul 
says,  "For  both  he  that  sanctifieth,  and 
they  who  are  sanctified,  are  all  of  one," 
Heb.  2:  11.  For  as  Christ  Jesus,  who  is  the 
true  Savior,  is  of  God,  nay,  God's  only  be- 
gotten and  firstborn  Son,  so  also  are  all 
those  who,  in  sincerity  of  heart,  believe  his 
word,  and  are  actuated  by  his  Spirit. 
John  says,  "But  as  many  as  received  him, 
to  them  gave  he  power  to  become  the  sons 
of  God,  even  to  them  that  believe  on  his 
name;  which  were  born,  not  of  blood,  nor 
of  the  will  of  the  flesh,  nor  of  the  will  of 
man,  bxit  of  God,"  John  1:  12,  13. 

Again,  "  Every  one  that  loveth,  is  born  of 
God,"  1  John  4:7.  On  the  other  hand  it 
should  be  observed  that  the  chm-ch  of  anti- 
christ is  of  the  evil  one,  as  the  Lord  said 


unto  the  Pharisees,  "Ye  are  of  your  father, 
the  devil,  and  the  lusts  of  your  father  ye 
will  do.  He  was  a  murderer  from  the  be- 
ginning, and  abode  not  in  the  truth,  be- 
cause there  is  no  truth  in  him.  When  he 
speaketh  a  lie,  he  speaketh  of  his  own;  for 
he  is  a  liar,  and  the  father  of  it,"  John  8 :  44. 
"He  that  committeth  sin,  is  of  the  devil; 
for  the  devil  sinneth  from  the  beginning," 
1  John  3:  8. 

Reader,  observe.  By  these  words  the 
spirit  of  truth  has  already  judged  all  liars, 
blood-shedders,  avaricious,  perjurers,  adul- 
terers, drunkards,  pompous,  idolators  to- 
gether with  all  the  unrighteous  that  they 
are  of  the  devil;  that  is,  that  they  are  the 
devil's  community.  Nevertheless  they  boast 
that  they  are  the  church  of  Christ,  as  also 
the  Pharisees  boasted  that  they  were  Abra- 
ham's seed  and  children,  John  8:  39 — 44. 

In  the  fourth  place  it  should  be  observed 
that  the  chiu'ch  of  Christ  is  begotten  of  sin- 
cere, pious  preachers  and  christians,  who 
are  actuated  by  the  Spirit  of  Chi'ist;  and 
who  are,  as  Moses,  Samuel,  Isaiah,  Jere- 
miah, Peter,  Paul,  John,  &c.,  unblamable  in 
doctrine  and  life;  who,  in  pure  and  faithful 
love,  seek  the  salvation  of  their  neighbors, 
and  who  can,  in  sincerity,  say  with  Paul, 
"Be  ye  followers  of  me,  even  as  I  also  am 
of  Christ,"  1  Cor.  11:1;  who  preach  the 
word  in  the  power  of  the  Spirit;  who  are 
shining  lights  before  all  men;  and  who 
with  all  their  strength  strive  with  their  re- 
ceived talent,  and  may  make  a  great  gain 
to  the  treasure  of  the  Lord,  Phil.  2:  15; 
Matt.  5;  16.  For  it  was  God's  way  and  will 
from  the  beginning,  to  proclaim  the  doctrine 
of  repentance  through  pious  and  unblama- 
ble servants,  as  has  been  sufficiently  shown 
above  under  the  head  of  the  "  Calling  of  the 
Preachers." 

On  the  other  hand  it  should  be  observed 
that  the  church  of  anti-christ  is  brought 
[  forth  by  faithless  preachers,  who  are  actu- 
!  ated  by  the  spirit  of  anti-christ;  who  with 
Korah,  Dathan  and  Abiram  seek  the  ap- 
plause of  the  people.  Num.  16:  2,  who  with 
Balaam  seek  inordinate  gain,  Num.  22:  24; 
and  who  with  the  prophets  of  Jezebel  seek 
choice  victuals.  Who,  with  Hananiah  flatter 
the  people,  Jer.  28:  11;  who,  with  the  false 
prophets  preach  Peace,  Ezek.  13:  16;  who 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


79 


are  earthly  and  carnally  minded,  and  seek 
notMng  but  world,  ease,  honor,  belly  and 
gain,  Phil.  3:  19;  Rom.  IG:  17. 

O,  reader,  how  the  greatest  and  highest 
esteemed  preachers  of  our  day,  whose 
names  have  become  wide  spread,  seek  the 
poor,  naked  and  crucified  Clirist  Jesus,  and 
t^  the  souls  of  men  with  their  gospel,  may, 
alas,  be  educed  from  the  accursed,  ungodly 
pomp  and  splendor  about  their  houses,  and 
from  the  vain  and  curious  ornaments,  chains, 
rings,  silk  and  satin,  of  their  women  and 
children.  Notwithstanding  their  doctrine 
is  called  the  evangelical  theology,  and  they, 
the  servants  of  the  holy  word. 

In  the  fifth  place,  it  should  be  observed 
that  the  church  of  Christ  is  begotten  by  the 
Spirit  and  word  of  Christ.  For  as  an  hon- 
orable woman  can  bring  forth  no  legitimate 
children  but  from  the  seed  of  her  lawi'ul 
husband,  so,  also,  the  bride  of  Christ,  name- 
ly, the  church,  can  bring  forth  no  true  chris- 
tians but  from  the  legitimate  seed  of  Christ, 
that  is,  from  the  unadulterated  word,  rightly 
preached  through  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  con- 
ceived in  the  heart  of  the  hearers.  Paul 
says,  "  In  Christ  Jesus  I  have  begotten  you 
through  the  gospel,"  1  Cor.  4:  15;  James 
says,  "  Of  his  own  will  begat  he  us  with  the 
word  of  truth,"  Jas.  1:  18;  also  read  Rom. 
10;  1  Pet.  1. 

On  the  other  hand  the  church  of  anti- 
christ is  begotten  of  deceiving  doctrine, 
through  the  spirit  of  en'or.  Paul  says, 
"Now  the  Spirit  speaketh  expressly,  tlaat 
in  the  latter  times  some  shall  depart  from 
the  faith,  giving  heed  to  seducing  spirits, 
and  doctrines  of  devils;  speaking  lies  in 
hypocrisy,"  1  Tim.  4:1.  Yea,  reader,  what 
else  has  the  church  of  Christ  abolished,  and 
the  chui'ch  of  anti-christ  re-established,  but 
the  false  doctrines  of  the  learned,  the  many 
inconsistent  concilions,  decrees,  statutes, 
doctrines  and  commands  of  men?  What 
else  blinds  the  Gemian  nation,  to-day,  and 
what  else  retains  them  in  their  ungodliness, 
but  the  lightminded  doctrine  of  the  preach- 
ers, the  ungodly,  infant  baptism,  the  un- 
scriptm-al,  idolatrous  supper,  and  the  neg- 
lect of  the  Lord's  ordinance  (separation), 
as  it  was  practiced  by  the  apostles  ? 

The  prophets  on  every  hand  complained 


that    Israel    inclined    their   ears   to  false 
preachers,  Isaiah  30:  9;  Jer.  8:  8;  14:  14. 

Christ  Jesus,  and  his  holy  apostles  faith- 
fully warn  in  many  Scriptures  against  false 
prophets;  for  they  deceive  you,  says  Christ; 
they  serve  their  bellies  and  not  the  Lord 
Christ,  says  Paul ;  they  promise  others  lib- 
erty and  are  themselves  servants  of  corrup- 
tion, says  Peter.  They  turn  the  grace  of 
God  unto  lasciviousness,  Jude  4,  and  they 
are  of  anti-christ.  Matt.  7:  15;  16:  9  ;  2  Pet. 
3  :  19.  O  reader,  reflect  diligently  on  what 
I  write. 

In  the  sixth  place  it  should  be  observed 
that  the  church  of  Christ  is  begotten  for  the 
purpose  of  hearing  the  Lord,  to  fear,  love, 
serve,  praise,  honor  and  thank  God  sincere- 
ly, as  Moses  says,  "And  now,  Israel,  what 
doth  the  Lord  thy  God  require  of  thee,  but 
to  fear  the  Lord  thy  God,  to  walk  in  all  his 
ways,  and  to  love  him,  and  to  serve  the 
Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart  and  with 
all  thy  soul ;  to  keep  the  commandments  of 
the  Lord,  and  his  statutes,"  Deut.  10:  12. 

Again,  "Ye  shall  walk  after  the  Lord 
your  God,  and  fear  him,  and  keep  his  com- 
mandments, and  obey  his  voice,  and  ye 
shall  serve  him,  and  cleave  unto  him,"  Deut. 
13:  4.  Peter  says,  "Ye  are  a  chosen  gener- 
ation, a  royal  priesthood,  a  holy  nation,  a 
peculiar  people;  that  ye  should  show  forth 
the  praises  of  him  who  hath  called  you  out 
of  darkness  into  his  marvelous  light,"  1 
Peter  2:  9. 

Behold,  the  church  of  Christ  is  begotten 
that  his  great  miracles,  his  Almighty  Maj- 
esty, his  inextinguishable  love,  and  his 
adorable,  high  and  holy  name  may  be  eter- 
nally glorified. 

But  the  church  of  anti-christ  despises, 
hates  and  reviles  God,  as  the  prophet  says, 
They  transgress  my  covenant,  as  Adam  did, 
by  which  they  despise  me.  Yea,  all  who  reject 
the  Lord's  will,  word,  advice,  admonition, 
chastening,  grace  and  love,  hate  him  and 
will  not  be  ruled  by  him  They  do  not  his 
will,  but  their  own;  they  say  in  their  hearts : 
Depart  from  us,  we  will  know  nothing  of 
thy  ways  ;  who  is  this  Most  High,  that 
we  should  serve  him?  Behold,  thus  they 
boldly  despise  the  Almighty,  eternal  God, 
who  is  the  Creator,  Messiah  and  Lord  of  all 
the  world.    May  the  dear  Lord  gi'ant  them 


80 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


eyes  tliat  they  may  see  their  great  faults, 
and  hearts  to  realize  thera ;  this  is  my  sin- 
cere wish  for  them,  Amen. 

In  the  seventh  place  it  should  be  observed 
that  the  church  of  Christ  in  her  weakness, 
is  disposed  and  minded  as  Christ;  for  Paul 
says,  "  If  any  man  be  in  Christ,  he  is  a  new 
creature,"  2  Cor.  5 :  17;  he  is  led  by  the  Spirit, 
and  acknowledges  through  this  Spirit  that 
he  abides  in  God  and  God  in  him;  he  par- 
takes of  the  divine  nature.  Yea,  dear  reader, 
the  true  church  hates  that  which  Christ  hates, 
and  loves  that  which  he  loves;  for  she  is  his 
Bride,  flesh  of  his  flesh,  and  "made  to  drink 
into  one  Spirit.''  Therefore  she  can  not  be 
otherwise  minded  than  Christ  is  minded,  for 
she  is  begotten  of  his  word  and  abides  in 
him  and  he  in,  over,  and  through  her,  1  John 
4:12;  John  15:  4—7. 

Compare  this  with  the  chui-ch  of  anti- 
christ, and  you  will  find  that  it  is  of  like 
nature  as  her  father  of  whom  she  is  begot- 
ten, namely,  proud,  envious,  murderous, 
false,  disobedient,  self-conceited,  earthly 
and  carnally  minded,  selfish,  avaricious, 
bold,  proud,  pompous,  superfluous,  impure, 
and  altogether  opposed  to  Christ.  For  all 
things  that  Christ  prohibits,  they  do;  and 
that  which  lie  commands,  they  despise ; 
whatever  he  hates,  they  love,  and  whatever 
he  loves,  they  hate;  notwithstanding  they 
boast  that  they  gather  an  abiding  church, 
as  has  been  heard,  1  Cor.  8:6;  1  John  3  : 
24;  4  :  13.  He  that  hath  ears  let  him  hear, 
and  judge  whether  or  not  I  speak  the  truth. 

In  the  eighth  j)lace  it  should  be  observed 
that  the  church  of  Christ  brings  forth  the 
fruits  of  Christ,  as  he  says,  "I  am  the  vine, 
ye  are  the  branches.  He  that  abideth  in  me, 
and  I  in  him,  the  same  bringeth  forth  much 
fruit,"  John  15:  5. 

Every  tree  bears  after  its  own  kind;  all 
who  are  born  of  God,  and  partake  of  the 
divine  nature,  fear,  love,  serve  and  praise 
God  with  all  their  heart ;    walk  unblam- 


ably;  fraternally  teach,  admonish,  reprove, 
xiphoid,  and  comfort  their  neighbor;  daily 
die  unto  the  flesh  and  its  lusts ;  conform 
their  ways  according  to  the  word  of  the 
Lord  and  continually  lament  over  their  be- 
ing such  poor,  weak  and  frail  sinners, 
Matt.  7 :  17. 

They  strive  to  become  conformable  unto 
the  death  of  the  Lord  that  they  may  arise 
from  the  death  of  tlieir  sins,  and  tliat  they 
may  attain  unto  a  perfect  being  in  Christ. 
Not,  my  reader,  that  they  have  ali-eady  at- 
tained or  become  perfect.  By  no  means; 
but  they  strive,  with  Paul,  to  follow  after, 
if  that  they  may  apprehend  that  for  which 
also  I  am  apprehended  of  Christ  Jesus, 
Phil.  3:12. 

On  the  other  hand  look  at  the  fruits  of 
the  church  of  anti-christ.    Their  preachers 
falsely  teach,  boldly  deceive,  and  live  an 
easy,  superfluous  life.    The  magistracy  be- 
have as  if  they  were  bom  for  no  purpose 
but  to  make  war  and  tumults ;  to  torture,mur- 
der,  destroy  cities  and  countries;  to  make 
vain  show,  drink,  carouse,  and  to  live  in  all 
manner  of  lasciviousness,  yea,  many  act  so 
that  they,  alas,  would  better  be  called  Leones 
rugientes  (roaring  lions)  and  liipi  ves  per- 
I  tini  (howling  wolves)  than  Immani  (human 
j  beings)  and  reasonable  persons  to  say  noth- 
I  ing  of  christians. 

The  common  people  drink,  carouse,  curse, 

swear,  grasp,  tear,  lie,  and  cheat.   In  short, 

we  find  such  behavior  on  every  hand,  as  if 

God  was  a  chimera,  and  his  word  a  fable. 

Behold,  such  are  the  fniits  of  those  who 

I  boldly  boast  that  they  are  the  church  of 

Christ.     Oh!  would  to  God  that  they  could 

j  see  what  Christ  Jesus,  after  whom  they  call 

1  themselves,   and  his   holy  apostles,  have 

;  taught  them  in  plain  words,  and  what  ex- 

j  ample  they  left  them,  that  they  might  yet 

i  be  saved.     For  as  it  is  they  only  play  with 

the  letter,  cry  and  boast;  but,  alas,  no  spirit, 

,  work,  power  and  fruits  are  apparent. 


EEPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


81 


THE  SIGNS  BY  WHICH  BOTH  CHURCHES  MAY  BE  KJ(OWN. 


Althottgh  I  think,  kind  reader,  that  the 
difference  between  both  churches  may  be 
fully  perceived  in  the  foregoing  comparison, 
yet  I  will,  for  the  sake  of  greater  clearness, 
briefly  present  the  following  signs  by  which 
the  one  church  may  be  known  from  the 
other,  that  truth  may  be  the  more  fully  tes- 
tified and  manifested. 

The  first  sign  by  which  to  distinguish  the 
I^  church  of  Christ  is  the  salutary  and  tinadul- 
•^  terated  doctrine  of  his  holy  and  divine  word. 
God  commanded  Israel  to  abide  by  the  doc- 
trine of  the  law  and  not  to  deviate  there 
from,  neither  to  the  right  hand  nor  to  the 
left,  Deut.  5:  32.  Isaiah  admonished  them 
to  conform  themselves  to  the  law  and  its 
testimony,  or  they  would  not  receive  light, 
Isaiah  8:  20.  Christ  commanded  his  disci- 
ples, saying,  "  Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and 
preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature,"  and 
"teach  them  to  observe  all  things  whatsoever 
I  have  commanded  you."  The  prophets  tes- 
tify on  every  hand  that  they  spoke  the  word 
of  God,  Thus  speaketh  the  Lord  of  hosts, 
they  say ;  again,  the  mouth  of  the  Lord 
says;  again,  thus  speaketh  the  Lord  God 
who  has  led  you  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt, 
and  other  like  testimonies.  Paul  also  says, 
f  "But  though  we,  or  an  angel  from  heaven, 
preach  any  other  gospel  unto  you,  than  that 
which  we  have  preached  unto  you,  let  him 
be  accursed,"  Gal.  1 :  8.  In  short,  where  the 
church  of  Christ  is,  there  his  word  is  preach- 
ed purely  and  rightly ;  but  where  the  church 
of  anti-christ  is,  there  the  word  of  God  is 
adulterated ;  there  we  are  pointed  to  an 
earthly  and  unclean  Christ  and  to  means  of 
salvation  which  are  strange  to  the  Script- 
ures; there  we  are  taught  a  broad  and  easy 
way;  there  the  great  are  flattered,  truth 
perverted  into  falsehood;  there  easy  things 
are  taught,  such  as  the  poor,  ignorant  peo- 
ple will  gladly  hear.  In  short,  there  they 
are  consoled  in  their  unhappy  state,  that 
they  may  underrate  it,  and  say,  "Peace, 
peace,  when  there  is  no  peace,"  Jer.  8:  11. 
They  promise  life  to  the  impenitent,  while 
the  Scriptures  say,  that  they  shall  not  in- 
47 


herit  the  kingdom  of  God,  1  Cor.  6: 10;  Gal. 
5  :  21. 

The  second  sign  is  the  right  and  Scriptu- 
ral use  of  the  sacraments  of  Christ,  namely, 
the  baptism  of  those  who,  by  faith,  are  born 
of  God,  sincerely  repent,  who  bury  their 
sins  in  Christ's  death,  and  arise  with  him 
in  newness  of  life;  who  circumcise  the  fore- 
skin of  their  hearts  with  the  circumcision  of 
Christ,  which  is  done  without  hands;  m^io 
put  on  Christ,  and  have  a  clear  conscience, 
Tit.  3:  5;  Rom.  5:  4;  Col.  3: 11;  1  Pet.  3:  21. 
Again,  the  dispensing  of  the  Lord's  Holy 
Supper  to  the  jienitent,  who  are  flesh  of 
Christ's  flesh,  who  seek  grace,  reconcilia- 
tion and  the  remission  of  their  sins  in  the 
merits  of  the  death  and  blood  of  the  Lord, 
who  walk  with  their  brethren  in  love,  peace 
and  unity,  who  are  led  by  the  Spirit  of  the 
Lord,  into  all  truth  and  righteousness,  and 
who  prove,  by  their  fruits,  that  thej^  are  the 
church  and  people  of  Christ. 

Where  baptism  is  practiced  without  the 
command  and  word  of  Christ,  as  those  do 
who  not  only  baptize  without  faith,  but  also 
without  reason  and  consciousness;  where 
the  power  and  representation  of  baptism, 
namely,  dying  unto  sin,  the  new  life,  the 
circumcision  of  the  heart,  &c.,  are  not  only 
not  upheld,  but  also  quite  hated  by  those 
of  mature  age;  and  where  the  b^ad  and 
wine  are  dispensed  to  the  avaricious,  pomp- 
ous and  impenitent;  where  salvation  is 
sought  in  mere  elements,  words  and  cere- 
monies, and  where  a  life  is  led  contrary  to 
all  love,  there  is  the  church  of  anti-christ; 
this  all  intelligent  persons  must  admit. 
For  it  is  manifest  that  they  reject  Christ, 
the  Son  of  God,  his  word  and  ordinance, 
and  place  in  its  stead  their  own  ordinance 
and  works,  and  thus  establish  an  abomina- 
tion and  idolatry. 

The  third  sign  is  obedience  to  the  holy 
word,  or  the  pious,  christian  life  which  is 
of  God.  The  Lord  says,  "  Ye  shall  be  holy, 
for  I,  the  Lord  your  God,  am  holy,"  Lev. 
19:  1.  Christ  says,  "  Ye  are  the  light  of  the 
world."    Paul    says,   "Be  blameless   and 


(^- 


82 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


harmless,  the  sons  of  God,  without  rebuke, 
in  the  midst  of  a  crooked  and  perverse  na- 
tion, among  whom  ye  shine  as  lights  in  the 
world,"  Phil.  2:  15.  John  says,  "He  that 
saith  he  abideth  in  him,  ought  himself  also 
60  to  walk,  even  as  he  walked,"  1  John  2: 6. 

But  how  holy  the  church  of  anti-christ  is, 
how  her  light  shines,  how  unblamably  and 
purely  they  walk,  and  how  their  life  con- 
forms to  Christ's  life,  may,  alas,  be  educed 
from  their  words  and  works,  on  every  hand. 

The  fourth  sign  is  the  sincere  and  un- 
feigned love  of  one's  neighbor,  for  Christ 
says,  "By  this  shall  all  men  know  that  ye 
are  my  disciples,  if  ye  have  love  one  to  an- 
other," John  13:  35.  Yea,  reader,  wherever 
sincere,  brotherly  love  is  found  without 
hypocrisy  with  its  fruits,  there  we  find  the 
church  of  Christ.  John  says,  "Let  us  love 
one  another;  for  love  is  of  God;  and  every 
one  that  loveth  is  born  of  God,  and  know- 
etli  God.  He  that  loveth  not,  knoweth  not 
God;  for  God  is  love,"  1  John  4:  7,  8. 

But  whether  the  church  of  anti-christ  is  not 
there  where  brotherly  love  is  rejected,  where 
they  hate,  defame,  strike  and  beat  each  oth- 
er, where  every  one  seeks  his  own  interest, 
where  they  treat  each  other  deceitfully  and 
faithlessly,  curse,  swear  and  slander,  where 
they  defile  their  neighbors'  maidens,  daugh- 
ters and  wives,  deprive  each  other  of  honor, 
possessions  and  life,  commit  all  manner  of 
recklessness,  abominations  and  malice 
against  each  other,  as  may,  alas,  be  seen 
on  every  hand,  all  intelligent  persons 
may  judge  according  to  the  Scriptures. 

The  fifth  sign  is,  that  the  name,  will, 
word  and  ordinance  of  Christ,  are  unreserv- 
edly confessed,  in  spite  of  all  the  cruelty, 
tyranny,  uproar,  fire,  sword  and  violence  of 
the  world,  and  that  they  are  upheld  unto 
the  end.  Christ  says,  "Whosoever  there- 
fore shall  confess  me  before  men,  him  will  I 
confess  also  before  my  Father  which  is  in 
heaven,"  Matt.  10:32.  "Whosoever  there- 
fore shall  be  ashamed  of  me,  and  of  my 
words,  in  this  adulterous  and  sinful  gener- 
ation, of  him  also  shall  the  Son  of  man  be 
ashamed,  when  he  conieth  in  the  glory  of 
his  Father,  with  the  holy  angels,"  Mark 
8:38.  Paul,  also,  says,  "For  with  the 
heart   man   believeth   unto  righteousness; 


and  with  the  mouth  confession  is  made  unto 
salvation,"  Rom.  10:  10. 

But  what  kind  of  a  chui'ch  is  found,  where 
they  are  papistic,  when  with  the  papists; 
Lutheran,  when  with  the  Lutherans,  &c., 
now  build  up,  and  anon  demolish  and  act 
the  hypocrite  to  suit  the  magistracy,  every 
one  may  judge  who  is  enlightened  by  the 
truth,  and  taught  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

The  sixth  sign  is  the  pressing  cross  of 
Christ,  which  is  taken  up  for  the  sake  of 
his  testimony  and  word.  Christ  says  unto 
his  disciples,  "Ye  shall  be  hated  of  all  na- 
tions for  my  name's  sake,"  Matt.  24:  9. 
"All  that  will  live  godly  in  Christ  Jesus, 
shall  sufi"er  persecution,"  2  Tim.  3:  12.  Si- 
racli  says,  "My  son  if  thou  come  to  serve 
the  Lord,  prepare  thy  soul  for  temptation. 
Set  thy  heart  aright,  and  constantly  endure, 
and  make  not  haste  in  time  of  trouble. 
Cleave  unto  him,  and  depart  not  away,  that 

1  thou  mayest  be  increased  at  thy  last  end. 
Whatsoever  is  brought  upon  thee,  take 
cheerfully,  and  be  patient  when  thou  art 

j  changed  to  a  low  estate.  For  gold  is  tried 
in  the  fire,  and  acceptable  men  in  the  fur- 
nace of  adversity,"  Eccl.  1 :  5.  Also  read, 
Matt.  5:  10;  10:  23;  16:  24;  Mark  13:  13; 
Luke  6:  22;  John  16:  2;  Acts  14:  18;  2  Tim. 
2;  Heb.  11:37;  12:2. 

That  this  very  cross  is  a  sure  sign  of  its 
being  the  church  of  Christ,  has  been  testi- 
fied not  only  in  olden  times  by  the  Script- 
ures, but  also  by  the  example  of  Jesus 
Christ,  of  the  holy  apostles  and  prophets, 
by  the  primitive  and  unadulterated  church ; 
and  also,  by  the  present  pious,  faithful  chil- 
dren, especially  in  these  our  Netherlands. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  ungodly,  heathen- 
ish, lying,  hating,  envying,  upbraiding, 
blaspheming,  and  the  unmerciful  appre- 
hending, exiling,  robbing  and  murdering, 
as  may  be  witnessed  in  different  localities, 
are  plain  signs  of  the  church  of  anti- 
christ. For  John  saw  that  the  Babylonian 
"woman  was  drunken  with  the  blood  of  the 
saints,  and  with  the  blood  of  the  martyrs 
of  Jesus,"  Rev.  17:  6.  He  also  saw  that  to 
the  beast  which  arose  from  the  sea,  a  mouth 
was  given,  speaking  great  things  and  blas- 
phemy against  God  and  his  holy  name, 
and  his  tabernacle  or  church,  and  them  that 
dwell  in  heaven.    And  it  was  given  unto 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


83 


him  to  make  war  with  the  saints,  and  to 
overcome  them,  Rev.  13:  5,  6,  7.  Yea,  dear 
reader,  this  is  the  proper  way  and  work  of 
the  church  of  anti-clirist,  To  hate,  persecute 
and  put  to  the  sword  those  whom  she  can- 
not enchant  with  the  golden  cup  of  her 
abominations. 

O  Lord !  O,  dear  Lord !  grant  that  the 
wrathful  dragon  devour  not  entirely  thy 
poor,  small  number;  grant  that  we,  by  thy 
grace,  may,  in  patience,  conquer  by  the 
sword  of  thy  mouth;  and  may  leave  an 
abiding  seed,  which  shall  keep  thy  com- 
mandments, preserve  thy  testimony,  and 
which  shall  eternally  praise  thy  great  and 
glorious  name.    Amen,  dear  Lord,  Amen. 

Herewith  I  will  abbreviate  the  doctrine  of 
the  churches,  and  conclude  this  subject  Avith 
the  following  questions  and  answers,  which, 
I  trust,  by  the  grace  of  God,  will  enlighten 
the  diligent  reader  considerably. 

Quest.  AVhat  is  the  church  of  Christ? 

Ans.  A  community  of  saints. 

Q.  AVith  whom  did  she  originate  ? 
'    A.  With  Adam  and  Eve. 

Q.  Of  whom  is  she  ? 

A.  Of  God,  through  Christ. 

Q.  Of  what  kind  of  servants  is  she  be- 
gotten ? 

A.  Of  those  who  are  unblamable  in  doc- 
trine and  life. 

Q.  Whereby  do  they  beget  her  ? 

A.  By  the  Spirit  and  word  of  God. 

Q.  For  what  purpose  do  they  beget  her  ? 

A.  That  she  shall  serve,  thank  and  praise 
God. 

Q.  Of  what  mind  is  she  ? 

A.  Of  Christ's  mind,  in  weakness. 

Q.  "Wliat  kind  of  fruits  does  she  bring 
forth? 

A.  Fruits  which  are  conformable  to  the 
word  of  God. 

Q.  What  is  the  church  of  anti-christ  ? 

A.  A  community  of  the  unrighteous. 

Q.  With  whom  did  she  originate  ? 

A.  With  the  first  ungodly. 

Q.  Of  whom  is  she  ? 

A.  Of  the  evil  one,  through  anti-christ. 

Q.  Of  what  kind  of  servants  is  she  be- 
gotten ? 

A.  Of  such  as  are  blamable  in  doctrine 
and  life. 

Q.  Whereby  do  they  beget  her  ? 


A.  By  the  spirit  and  doctrine  of  anti- 
christ. 

Q.  For  what  purpose  do  they  beget  her  ? 

A.  That  she  may  despise,  forsake  and 
hate  God. 

Q.  Of  what  mind  is  she  ? 

A.  Of  an  earthly,  carnal,  and  devilish 
mind. 

Q.  What  fruits  does  she  bring  forth  ? 

A.  Fruits  contrary  to  the  gospel. 

THE  TRUE  SIGNS  BY  WHICH   THE  CHURCH  OK 
CHRIST  MAY  BE  KNOWN. 

I.  By  an  unadulterated,  pure  doctrine, 
Deut.  4  ;  6  ;  5  ;  12  ;  Isaiah  8:5;  Matt. 
28:  20;  Mark  16: 15;  John  8:  52;  Gal.  1. 
II.  By  a  scriptural  use  of  the  sacramental 
signs,  Matt.  28  :  19  ;  Mark  16  ;  Rom. 
6:  4;  Col.  2: 12;  1  Cor.  12:  13;  Tit.  3:  5; 
1  Pet.  3 ;  Matt.  26  :  25 ;  Mark  14 :  22  ; 
Luke  22:  19;  1  Cor.  11:  22,  23. 

III.  By  obedience  to  the  word,  Matt.  7  ; 
Luke  11 :  28  ;  John  7  :  18;  15  :  10;  Jas. 
1 :  22. 

IV.  By  unfeigned,  brotherly  love,  John  13 : 
34;  Rom.  13:8;  1  Cor.  13:1;  1  John 
3:  18;  4:7,8. 

V.  An  unreserved  confession  of  God  and 
Christ,  Matt.  10:  32;  Mark  8:  29;  Rom. 
10:9;  ITim.  6:  13. 
VI.  By  oppression  and  tribulation  for  the 
sake  of  the  Lord's  word.  Matt.  5  :  10 ; 
10:  39;  16:  24;  24:  9;  Luke  6:  28;  John 
,  15  :  20;  2  Tim.  2:9;  3  :  12;  1  Pet.  1:  6; 
3:14;  4:  13;  5:10;  1  John  3:  13 

THE  TRUE  SIGNS  BY  "WHICH    THE  CHURCH  OF 
ANTI-CHRIST  MAY  BE  KNOWN. 

I.  By  a  light-minded,  easy  and  false  doo- 
trine.  Matt.  7:  16  ;  15  :  9  ;  16  :  4  ;  Rom. 
16:  26;  1  Tim.  4:  2;  2  Tim.  2:  16,  17. 
II.  By  an  unscriptural  use  of  the  sacra- 
mental signs,  as  infant  baptism  and 
dispensation  of  the  supper  to  the  im- 
penitent, 1  Cor.  11:  19,  20. 

III.  By  disobedience  to  the  word,  Prov.  1; 
Tit.  1:  15,  16;  Matt.  7:  26;  25:  26. 

IV.  By  hatred  of  the  brethi-en,  1  John  3: 15. 
V.  By  hypocrisy  and  denial  of  the  name 

of  God  and  Christ,  Matt.  10:  33;  Mark 
8:  38;  Luke  9:  26. 
VI.  By  tyranny  and  jjersecution  against 
the  godly,  John  15 :  20 ;  16 ;  Rev.  12:13. 


84 


REPLY  TO   GELLIUS  FABER. 


Behold,  dear  reader,  we  liave  liere  shown 
yoti  the  foundation  of  both  churches;  what 
they  are,  of  whom  they  are,  and  by  whom 
they  are  begotten;  of  what  mind  they  are, 
what  kind  of  fruits  they  bring  forth,  and  by 
what  signs  tliey  may  be  Ivnown. 

Whoever  does  not  willfully  err,  to  him  a 
plain  way  is  hereby  pointed  out.  If  you, 
then,  would  be  a  true  member  of  the  church 
of  Christ,  you  must  be  born  of  the  word  of 
God;  be  of  a  christian  mind:  bring  forth 
christian  fruits;  walk  according  to  his  word, 
ordinance  and  command;  die  unto  the  flesh 
and  the  world;  lead  an  unblamable  life  in 
the  fear  of  God;  serve  and  love  your  neigh- 
bors with  all  your  heart;  confess  the  name 
■^  and  glory  of  Christ,  and  be  prepared  for  all 
manner  of  tribulation,  misery  and  persecu- 
tion for  tlie  sake  of  the  word  of  God  and  its 
testimony,  John  3:  3,  4;  15:  4;  8:  31;  1  Pet. 
1:  23;  Phil.  2:  15;  Rom.  8:  14. 

But  if  you  refuse  this  and  remain  un- 
changed in  your  natural  state,  lead  an  im- 
penitent, easy  life,  lay  aside  the  word  and 
ordinance  of  the  Lord,  act  the  hypocrite  with 
the  world,  and  refuse  the  cross,  then  you 
cannot  be  a  member  of  the  chui'ch  of  Christ; 
or  else  the  word  of  God  must  be  false  and 
fallible ;  for  on  every  hand  the  Scriptures 
teach  faith,  love,  the  fear  of  God,  repent- 
ance, obedience,  dying  unto  the  flesh,  self- 
denial,  a  new  life,  and  the  cross.  Therefore, 
sincerely  fear  God,  deny  yourself,  search 
the  Scriptures,  follow  the  truth,  and  take 
heed  lest  you  be  deceived  and  eternally  lose 
yoitr  soul  for  the  sake  of  temporal  life  and 
its  enjoyments,  Mark  1:  15;  8:  36;  John  1: 
3;  13  :  14 ;  Luke  13  :  24  ;  9  :  25  ;  Rom.  6:8; 
Col.  3:9;  Gal.  0:1;  Matt.  16 :  25. 

Having  given  a  scriptural  explanation  of 
the  difference  between  the  two  churches,  I 
will  now  turn  to  Gellius'  argument  by  which 
he  would  prove  their  church  to  be  the  chris- 
tian, and  ours  the  heretical  and  conspira- 
tor's church.  This,  I  trust  to  be  enabled  to 
show  by  the  word  of  the  Lord,  so  that  the 
impartial  reader  must  clearly  see  that  he 
(Gellius)  strives,  with  all  his  power,  to  sup- 
press the  salutary  and  plain  word  of  God, 
together  with  his  church,  and  to  excuse  and 
uphold  as  well  as  he  can  the  deciving  ser- 
pent and  his  church. 

In  tlie  first  place  he  writes:  "Tlie  saints  at  Corinth 


and  of  the  church  of  Galatia,  ■whom  Paul  reproves  on 
account  of  their  abominable  sins,  still  continued  to  hear 
the  -word  of  God,  and  to  receive  the  sacraments  from 
their  bishops  and  pastors." 

Ansicer.  If  Gellius  and  the  preachers 
would  conform  their  doctrine  and  life  to  the 
Scriptures  ;  would  rightly  serve  out  their 
sacraments,  would  separate  their  church 
from  the  world,  according  to  the  Scriptures, 
then  we  might  talk  of  listening  to  the  preach- 
ers. But  so  long  as  the  preachers  remain 
deceivers,  use  their  sacraments  contrary  to 
the  word  of  God,  and  their  disciples  are  of 
the  world;  so  long  as  they  practice  neither 
ban  nor  punishment  as  the  Scriptures  re- 
quire, it  is,  in  my  opinion,  of  no  use  to  say 
much  in  regard  to  this,  for  it  is  manifest 
that  they  are  without  Christ  and  his  word. 

Reader,  understand  this  matter  rightly. 
Paul  did  not  bear  with  the  imgodly  state  of 
affairs  in  the  beforementioned  churches,  as 
the  preachers  of  the  present  day,  do;  but 
he  rebuked  them,  in  severe  terms,  especial- 
ly those  of  Corinth,  and  pointed  the  obedi- 
ent to  the  separation,  if  they,  at  his  com- 
ing again,  had  not  reformed  themselves,  2 
Cor.  12:  13. 

Gellius  should,  reasonably,  also  do  this 
and  should  not  console  the  poor,  reckless 
people  with  the  idea  that  other  people,  in 
the  past,  have  also  sinned;  for  this  is  surely 
what  Sirach  calls,  excusing  with  the  exam- 
ple of  other  people;  neither  can  it  help  his 
cause;  for,  in  the  first  place,  these  churches 
were  rightly  built,  but  afterwards  some  of 
them  were  misled  by  false  prophets  and 
heretics,  and  led  into  byways.  Some  of 
them,  as  ai^pears,  have  again  given  them- 
selves to  an  easy,  carnal  life,  as  is  general- 
ly the  case  with  those  who  turn  their  backs 
upon  the  truth,  delight  in  new  doctrines, 
discord  and  disputation,  as  experience, 
alas,  has  sufficiently  taught  me  for  these 
last,  several  years,  Jude  19;  2  Pet.   3:  3. 

Paul  calls  the  disturbers  at  Corinth,  con-  ^ 
tentious  and  heretics;  and  those  of  Galatia  ^ 
he  calls  deceivers;  he  desires  and  commands^ 
that  they  be  separated  from  the  church,  lest 
the  whole  lump  be  leavened  by  this  leaven, 
1  Cor.  5:6;  Gal.  5:  9. 

Since  the  beforementioned  churches,  being 
rightly  established,  in  the  first  place,  and 
being  afterwards  made  contentious  by  the 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  PAJBER. 


85 


heretics  and  carnal  who  arose  among  tliem, 
were  reproved  of  Panl,  because  tliey  suffered 
siich  contentious  persons,  with  tlieir  open 
abominations,  to  remain  in  tlie  church ;  how, 
then,  can  Gellius  make  good  their  cause  by 
their  example,  while  he  and  his  preachers 
never  were  the  true  preachers,  and  their 
churches  never  were  separated  from  the 
world,  and  therefore  were  not  the  church  of 
Chi'ist,  as  heard  ? 

In  the  second  place,  he  writes :  Zachariali,  Elizabeth, 
Joseph,  Mary,  Simeon  and  Anna,  together  with  other 
saints,  heard  the  word  of  God  in  the  church  of  the  Jews, 
among  whom  were  the  murderers  of  Christ ;  and,  the 
disciples  of  the  prophets  did  not  separate  the  murderers 
of  the  prophets  from  the  church." 

Answer.  These  words  of  Gellius  show 
that  the  Jewish  synagogue,  although  many 
pious  persons  were  among  them,  as  Zacha- 
riah,  Elizabeth,  &c.,  was  not  the  christian 
or  apostolic  church,  and  that  they  had  not 
the  ordinances  of  Christ  and  his  holy  apos- 
tles, nor  used  them;  for  it  can  never  be 
shown  that  the  apostolic  church,  so  long  as 
she  remained  the  apostolic  church,  were 
persecutors  and  mm-derers  of  the  pious,  or 
that  she  suffered  such,  as  was  at  that  time 
the  case  with  the  Jewish  synagog-ue.  There- 
fore he  answers  and  judges  himself,  for  he 
does  not  claim  that  their  church  is  the  Jew- 
ish synagogue  in  which  such  abominations 
were  found,  but  he  claims  that  they  are  the 
christian  church,  which  never  thought  of 
such  things,  much  less  practiced  them. 

Again,  we  should  not  follow  the  before- 
mentioned  church  in  such  abominable 
abuses  and  sins,  but  should  be  thereby  ad- 
monished how  we  should,  according  to  the 
doctrine  of  Paul,  treat  such,  which  ever 
arise  among  the  pious ;  and  that  we  should 
not,  on  account  of  such,  mistrust  tlie  prom- 
ises of  the  Lord,  as  if  we  were  not  the  church 
of  Christ;  for  we  are  thereby  taught  that  in 
the  church  of  Christ,  which  is  ever  beguiled 
by  her  opponents,  offenses,  blasphemies 
and  heresies  will  arise;  that,  however,  we 
should  separate  such  whenever  the  case  re- 
quires it,  after  proper  admonition;  where])y 
she  openly  testifies  before  God  and  man, 
that  she  is  clear  of  such  offenses  and  de- 
ceivings.  Tliis  the  worldly  church  does  not 
do;  they  suifer  and  retain  them  as  mem- 
bers, against  the  word  and  command  of 
God,  against  the  ordinance  of  the  Holy 


Spirit,  and  against  the  example  or  usage  of 
the  holy  apostles;  notwithstanding  they 
well  know  that  the  institution  and  com- 
mand of  the  Lord  does  not  admit  it,  yet 
they  willfully  do  this.  Therefore  they  can 
not  be  Christ's  church  and  community  so 
long  as  they  continue  to  do  so;  or  else  the 
express  word  of  God  must  be  fallible  and 
false.     O,  reader,  reflect  upon  this  matter. 

But  from  his  writing  that  the  disciples  of 
the  prophets  did  not  separate  them  from 
the  church,  among  whom  were  the  murder- 
ers of  the  prophets,  I  understand  him  to 
say  that  their  church  still  remains  the  church 
of  Christ,  notwithstanding  numbers  of  wick- 
ed and  ungodly  persons  are  found  among 
them,  and  suffered  to  remain  among  them, 
directly  contrary  to  the  evangelical  Script- 
ures and  the  usage  of  the  apostolic  church. 
O,  no,  reader,  beware,  this  cannot  be.  So 
long  as  the  transgressors  and  willful  de- 
spisers  are  unknown  to  the  church,  she  is 
innocent;  but  when  they  are  known  and 
not  excluded,  after  proper  admonition,  but 
suffered  to  remain  in  the  communion  of  the 
church,  then,  in  my  opinion,  she  ceases  to 
be  the  church  of  Christ.  For  she  transgi-ess- 
es  willfully,  and  does  not  abide  in  the 
doctrine  of  Christ;  she  despises  the  word 
and  ordinance  of  God,  because  she  will  not 
bear  the  cross  of  Christ  to  the  praise  of  God 
and  to  the  service  of  theu-  neighbors,  and, 
because  she  does  not  want  to  lose  the  favor 
of  men,  and  makes  herself  guilty  of  the 
sins  of  others,  therefore  she,  according  to 
John,  has  not  God  in  power  and  in  truth, 
2  John  1:1;  1  Tim.  5:  22;  Dent.  17:  2;  Lev. 
19: 17;  Matt.  18:  15. 

In  the  third  jslace  he  writes,  "  That  they  are  plainly 
the  church  of  God  and  Christ  who  publicly  assemble, 
keep  the  word,  accept  and  preach  it ;  who  with  open 
confession  and  in  the  holy,  divine  name,  dispense  and 
jiartake  of  the  sacraments,  and  who  banish  the  oifensive 
criminals  and  obdurate  sinners." 

Answer.  If  to  meet  publicly,  although  in 
all  manner  of  vanity,  pomp  and  splendor, 
to  preach  as  the  world  likes  it,  to  baptize 
infants,  to  break  the  bread  with  the  impen- 
itent, feignedly  to  pray,  and  exterminate 
thieves  and  murderers  with  the  sword,  con- 
stitutes the  church  of  Christ,  then,  also,  all 
the  papists,  together  witli  the  Arians,  monks, 
&c.,  were  Christ's  church;  for  they  all  have 
done  these  things  publicly,    This  is  incon- 


86 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


trovertible.  Oh  no,  no!  But  where  they  meet 
in  the  name  of  Christ,  where  the  unadulter- 
ated word  of  God  is  preached,  be  it  in  secret 
or  public,  where  the  baptism  and  Holy  Sup- 
per are  served  in  accordance  with  the  ordi- 
nance of  the  Lord,  where  not  merely  the 
criminals,  who  are  judged  by  the  law  of  the 
emperor,  but  also  drunkards,  whores  and 
adulterers,  avaricious  and  extortioners,  are 
excluded  from  the  communion  of  the  pious, 
according  to  the  doctrine  and  example  of 
the  apostles.  Behold  such  is  the  visible 
church  which  is  attested  by  the  Scriptures. 

In  the  fourth  place  he  writes,  "That  they,  invisible  to 
the  eyes  of  man,  which  cannot  search  the  heart,  but  only 
before  the  eyes  and  judgment  of  God,  are  the  true 
church  of  Christ  and  of  God,  which  are  found  in  the 
visible  church,  that  is,  among  the  number  of  the  elect ; 
since  God,  through  the  preaching  of  his  holy  gospel  and 
through  the  use  of  his  holy  sacraments,  powerfully 
works  in  them,  and  whereby  many  are  again  born  unto 
life  everlasting,  who  are  only  known  to  Him  who  knows 
his  people,  and  who  searches  the  hearts  of  men.  These 
are  the  true  bride  of  Christ." 

Answer.  In  part  I  admit  this  to  be  right, 
however  with  this  understanding;  that  the 
visible  church,  in  which  the  invisible  (as  he 
calls  them)  should  be  included,  must  be 
salutary  in  doctrine,  sacraments  and  ordi- 
nances, and  unblamable  in  life  before  the 
world,  so  far  as  man,  who  is  able  to  judge 
only  that  which  is  visible,  can  see. 

Since  it  is  as  clear  as  day  that  Gellius  and 
his  like  preachers  are  blamable  in  every 
thing,  because  they  adulterate  the  word  of 
God,  abuse  the  sacraments,  flatter  the  world, 
upbraid  the  pious,  do  not  separate  their 
church  from  the  world,  and  none  of  their 
disciples  reprove  such  open  transgressions 
and  abuses,  but  every  one  is  satisfied  with 
his  doctrines  and  sacraments,  follows  and 
maintains  them;  therefore  they  all  act  the 
hypocrite,  walk  upon  the  broad  way,  hate 
the  cross  of  Christ  and  lay  it  upon  others. 
Notwithstanding  all  this,  that  the  invisible 
church  should  still  be  among  them,  I  cannot 
admit;  and  for  this  reason;  for  I  know  to  a 
certainty  that  it  never  fails,  that  where  the 
true  church  of  Christ  is,  there  she  will  be 
made  manifest  among  this  wicked  and  per- 
verse generation  by  words  and  work,  for 
she  can  as  little  be  hidden  as  a  city  upon  a 
hill,  or  a  candle  upon  a  candle-stick,  Matt. 
5;  14;  Phil.  3;  15. 


In  the  fifth  place  he  writes,  "That  the  churches  at 
Bome,  Corinth,  Ephesus,  &c. ;  and  also  the  strangers 
here  and  there  in  Ponto,  Galatia,  Cappadocia,  Asia,  and 
Bithynia,  are  called,  by  Paul  and  Peter,  saints  and  cho- 
sen. For  the  church,  he  writer,  is  called  after  the 
better  part  of  its  members,  and  is  called  the  church 
of  God  or  of  Christ,  holy,  pure,  and  unblamable." 

Ansicer.  Think  not,  kind  reader,  that  all 
those  who  lived  at  Rome,  Corinth,  Ephesus, 
Ponto,  Galatia,  Cappadocia  and  Bithynia, 
are  called  the  church  of  Christ,  of  Paul  and 
Peter,  as  all  those  who  live  in  Meissen, 
Duringen  and  the  German  countries  are 
called  the  church  of  Christ  by  the  preachers. 
By  no  means.  But  they  meant  the  small 
number,  who,  begotten  by  the  word  of  the 
divine  power,  separated  themselves  from 
the  world,  and  with  open  confession  will- 
ingly placed  themselves  under  Christ  and 
his  covenant.  If  I  should  write,  the  chosen 
children  and  saints  of  God  at  Antwerp, 
Ghent,  Leeuwarden,  and  the  strangers  in 
the  German  countries,  here  and  there,  I 
would  not  mean  all  those  that  live  at  those 
places  mentioned.  By  no  means.  For  tJie?/ 
also  live  there,  who  persecute  and  trouble 
the  chosen  children  of  God ;  but  I  would 
refer  to  those  who  confess  Christ  Jesus, 
through  true  faith  and  are  obedient  to  his 
holy  word. 

Behold,  reader,  if  the  preachers,  in  the 
same  manner,  would  separate  their  church 
from  the  world,  would  preach  the  word  of 
God  in  purity,  would  use  the  sacraments  in 
accordance  with  the  Scriptures,  and  would 
strive  with  their  churches,  after  a  pious  and 
christian  life,  then  he  might  truthfully  boast 
that  the  chosen,  which  he  ca,lls  the  invisible 
church,  are  included  in  their  church,  as  he 
pretends  they  are. 

In  the  sixth  place  he  writes,  "If  they  should  say, 
your  church  is  not  believing,  holy  and  unblamable,  then 
I  would  refer  them,  first,  to  the  Jewish  church,  from 
which  we  may  learn  that  they,  at  the  time  of  Elias,  Jer- 
emiah, Daniel  and  all  the  prophets,  of  John  the  Baptist, 
of  Christ  and  the  apostles,  were  not  all  holy ;  this  the 
Scriptures  of  the  prophets  and  of  the  apostles  sufficient- 
ly teach  us.  But  that  they,  notwithstanding  both  peo- 
ple and  magistrates  were  for  the  most  part  wicked,  were 
called  the  church  of  God  and  of  Christ,  and  were  thus 
called  on  account  of  some  pious  persons,  to  whom  God 
sent  his  prophets." 

Ansioer.  If  the  preachers  would  rightly 
discharge  the  duties  of  their  office,  as  Elias, 
Jeremiah  and  the  prophets  did  ;  and  if 
some  were  found  in  their  church  who  follow 


REPLY  TO   GELLroS  FABER. 


87 


the  word  of  the  Lord,  as  in  the  time  of  the 
prophets,  then  this  might  help  the  case  of 
Gellius.  But  they  are  not  such  as  Elias, 
Jeremiah  and  Daniel,  nor  the  teachers  who 
are  led  by  the  Spirit  of  Christ;  but  are  such 
preachers  and  teachers  as  were  reproved  of 
Jeremiah,  as  may  be  seen  in  many  of  his 
Scriptures;  such  as  were  destroyed  by  Elias, 
and  against  whom  we  are  faithfully  warned 
of  Christ  and  his  apostles  not  to  hear  them, 
Jer.  8:  14;  23:  27;  Matt.  7: 15;  John  10:  3. 

I  would  further  say,  Israel  was  the  literal 
people,  and  had  the  promise  of  the  fathers, 
on  account  of  their  birth  after  tlie  flesh. 
The  law  was  given  them  that  they  should 
serve  God,  and  walk  according  to  his  com- 
.mandments ;  when  they  transgressed  the 
law  and  did  not  observe  that  which  God 
had  commanded  them,  they  yet  remained 
the  literal  people ;  and  God,  ever  mindful 
of  the  covenant  made  with  Abraham,  Isaac 
and  Jacob,  has  awakened  his  faithful  ser- 
vants, the  prophet,  and  often  sent  them  to  re- 
prove them  earnestly,  out  of  the  word  of  the 
Lord,  to  point  them  again  to  the  law,  and 
boldly  threaten  them  with  punishment  for 
their  sins.  Gen.  15:  17, 18;  Dent.  5:  32.  This 
is  not  the  case  with  us  at  present ;  for  we 
are  not  the  literal  race,  brought  forth  from 
the  loins  of  Abraham  and  Isaac,  but  are 
begotten  of  the  word  of  God,  through  the 
Spirit.  If  we  again  forsake  this  birth  which 
is  of  God,  do  not  abide  in  the  word  of 
Christ,  and  again  enter  into  the  broad  way, 
then  we  do  not  remain  his  church  and  com- 
munity, 2  John  1 :  9.  Behold,  reader,  it  be- 
ing manifest  that  Gellius  and  the  preachers 
of  his  class,  together  with  their  churches, 
neverwerethe  spiritual  people,  because  they, 
as  appears,  are  not  born  of  God  in  truth 
but  are  earthly  and  carnally  minded,  live 
according  to  the  lusts  of  the  flesh,  did  not 
enter  in  at  the  right  gate,  teach  an  impure 
doctrine,  and  use  strange  sacraments,  where- 
by no  abiding  church  can  be  gathered  unto 
Christ,  as  has  been  heard ;  and,  besides, 
they  act  altogether  contrary  to  the  Sj)irit, 
word  and  will  of  Christ,  nay,  hate  and  de- 
spise them ;  how  then  can  they  be  likened  in 
the  fall,  unto  Israel,  who  were  the  people 
and  chui'ch,  on  account  of  the  patriarchs, 
while  this  people  and  chui'ch  never  were  the 
church  of  Christ  in  Spirit,  as  has  been  heard? 


Lastly  I  would  say,  All  the  Scriptures,  both 
of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments,  on  every 
hand,  point  us  to  Christ  Jesus,  that  we  shall 
hear  him.  Matt.  17  :  5;  Mark  9:7;  Deut.  18  : 
15.  Whosoever  does  not  hear  him,  it  will  be 
required  of  him.  Therefore  take  heed.  As  I 
have  said  before,  although  all  the  pious, 
from  the  beginning,  were  the  community, 
church  or  body,  yet  at  diflTerent  periods  they 
have  had  different  doctrines,  ordinances  and 
worship. 

Moses  gave  the  law  and  Israel  had  to  obey 
it,  until  Christ  appeared,  who  was  promis- 
ed. We  are  now  directed  to  his  Spirit,  Avord 
and  ordinances.  If  it  can  be  proven  to  us 
by  his  word,  that  his  Spirit  suffered  drunk- 
ards, avaricious,  pompous,  adulterers,  blas- 
phemers, tyrants  and  murderers  (under- 
stand, such  as  do  not  repent),  in  the  commu- 
nion of  the  apostolic  churches ;  and  also 
that  his  Spirit  ordained  open  deceivers  and 
worldly  minded  persons  to  be  bishops  and 
pastors,  then  I  will  admit  that  they  are  the 
church  of  Christ;  but  if  they  cannot  do  so, 
as  it  is  impossible  for  them  to  do,  then  they 
must  confess  that  their  church,  which  is  full 
I  of  such  people — aye  full,  is  not  the  church 
of  Christ,  as  they  boast  it  to  be;  but  that  it 
is  'a  disorderly,  refractory  and  disobedient 
people,  nay,  that  it  is  the  church  of  anti- 
christ, and  of  the  world;  and  that  their  pre- 
tensions in  this  respect  are  nothing  but 
open  seduction,  falsehood  and  deceit.  Read- 
er, observe,  I  testify  this  unto  you  in  Christ; 
believe  it  if  jou  will ;  I  wi-ite  the  truth  unto 
you. 

In  the  seventh  place  he  writes,  "  In  the  second  place 
I  refer  them  to  the  church  of  the  Corinthians,  whom 
Paul,  in  the  first  place,  reproves  on  account  of  their 
dissensions,"  saying,  "I,  brethren,  could  not  speak  unto 
you  as  unto  spiritual  but  as  unto  carnal,"  1  Cor.  3  : 1. 

Ansioer.    Heretofore  I  have  said  that  this 
church  was  first  rightly  taught  of  Paul,  and 
won  unto  Christ;  but,  being  deceived  by 
I  philosophers,  who  despised  the  doctrine  of 
I  the  cross,  and  by  false  apostles,  they  be- 
1  came  divided;  for  which  they  were  reproved 
[  and  fraternally  instructed  of  Paul,  and  ad- 
monished to  separate  the  iinfaithful  and 
carnally  minded;   for  the  Scriptures  com- 
mand and  instruct  us  to  do  this,  namely, 
that  such  should  first  be  admonished,  and 
if  they  do  not  repent,  that  they  should  be 


88 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  PABER. 


unanimously  separated  from  tlie  commun- 
ion of  the  church.  Judge  now,  what  Gel- 
lius  can  substantiate  hereby;  since  he  and 
his,  never  having  been  separated  from  the 
world,  are  not  the  church  of  Christ.  Yea 
he,  good  fellow,  does  nothing  more  nor  less 
than  that  he  hereby  manifests  his  cross- 
fleeing  and  open  disobedience,  and  that  he 
covers  tip  and  defends  the  abominable 
transgressions  of  his  disciples,  however 
gross  they  be,  with  the  precedents  of  others. 

In  the  eighth  place  he  -writes,  "In  tlie  third  place  I 
refer  them  to  the  parable  of  Christ,  of  John  the  bap- 
tist, and  of  Paul.  Christ  likens  the  church  unto  a  field 
in  which  the  tares  grow  with  the  wlieat  until  the  har- 
vest. Again,  she  is  likened  unto  a  net  in  which  both 
good  and  bad  fish  are  caught.  Again,  unto  the  virgins, 
of  whom  five  were  wise  and  five  were  foolish.  More- 
over, unto  a  royal  wedding,  where  the  good  and  evil 
are  gathered  together,  one  of  whom  is  found  by  the 
king,  to  be  without  a  wedding  garment." 

Answer.  This  first  parable  is  explained 
by  Christ  himself,  saying,  "He  that  soweth 
the  good  seed  is  the  Son  of  man;  The  field 
is  the  world"  (understand  it  rightly,  Christ 
says.  It  is  the  world,  and  not  the  church, 
as  Gellius  claims);  "the  good  seed  are  the 
children  of  the  kingdom ;  but  the  tares  are 
the  children  of  the  wicked  one;  the  enemy 
that  sowed  them  is  the  devil;  the  harvest  is 
the  end  of  the  world;  and  the  reapers  are 
the  angels,"  Matt.  13:  37—39. 

Reader,  imderstand  it  rightly.  Christ, 
the  Son  of  man,  sows  his  seed  (God's  word), 
through  his  Spirit,  in  the  world;  all  who 
hear,  believe  and  obey  it,  are  called  the 
children  of  the  kingdom.  In  the  same  man- 
ner the  opponent  sows  his  tares  (false  doc- 
trine), in  the  world,  and  all  that  hear  and 
follow  him  are  called  the  children  of  evil. 
Now,  both  wheat  and  tares  grow  together 
in  the  same  field,  namelj^  in  the  world. 
The  husbandman  does  not  want  the  tares 
to  be  plucked  out  before  their  time,  that 
is,  he  will  not  have  them  destroyed  by  root- 
ing them  up,  but  wants  them  left  until  the 
harvest,  lest  the  wheat  be  destroyed  with 
thetares,  Matt.  13:29,30. 

O,  reader,  if  the  preachers  rightly  under- 
stood this  parable  and  feared  God,  they 
would  not  cry  so  loudly  against  us,  who, 
alas,  are  every  where  called  tares,  heretics 
and  conspirators,  ' '  Do^vn  with  the  heretics ;" 
even  if  we  were  heretics,  from  which  God 


save  us.  Oh !  what  noble  wheat  they  de- 
stroy !  But  what  does  it  avail  ?  Satan  must 
rebel  and  murder;  for  it  is  his  nature  and 
work,  as  the  Scriptures  teach,  Gen.  3:4; 
John  8. 

Some  of  the  other  parables,  as  of  the  net 
in  which  good  and  bad  fishes  are  caught; 
of  the  wise  and  foolish  virgins  and  their 
lamps;  of  the  wedding  of  the  king's  son 
and  the  guests,  and  of  the  threshing  floor 
with  wheat  and  chaff,  although  the  Lord 
spoke  them  in  allusion  to  the  church,  yet 
they  were  not  spoken  for  the  purpose  that 
the  church  should  knowingly  and  willfully 
accept  and  suffer  open  transgressors,  drunk- 
ards, carousers,  defilers  of  women,  avari- 
cious, robbers,  gamblers,  and  usurers,  in 
their  communion;  because,  then,  Christ  and 
Paul  would  differ  in  doctrine;  for  Paul  says 
that  we  should  avoid  and  shun  such.  But 
they  were  spoken  because  many  intermix 
with  the  christians,  in  semblance  only,  and 
place  themselves  under  the  word  and  sacra- 
ments, who,  in  fact,  are  no  christians,  but 
are  hypocrites  and  enemies  before  their 
God ;  and  these  are  likened  unto  the  refuse 
fish;  unto  the  foolish  virgins  who  had  no 
oil  in  their  lamps;  unto  the  guest  without 
a  wedding  garment,  and  unto  the  chaff, 
which  will  be  cast  out  by  the  angels,  at  the 
day  of  Christ.  For  they  pretend  that  they 
fear  God  and  seek  Chi-ist;  they  receive  bap- 
tism and  the  Lord's  Supper,  and  outwardly 
act  in  semblance,  but,  in  fact,  no  faith,  re- 
pentance, true  fear  and  love  of  God;  no 
Spirit,  power,  fruit  nor  work  is  found  in 
them. 

But,  as  to  the  two  kinds  of  laborers  in  the 
vineyard.  Matt.  2:28,  29,  and  as  to  those 
called  to  the  great  supper,  Luke  14:  16,  the 
reader  should  know,  that  they  have  a  differ- 
ent meaning  and  cannot  conform  to  his  sen- 
timents. Whosoever  loves  truth,  may  ex- 
amine them,  and  judge  by  the  Holy  Script- 
ures what  their  proper  meaning  is.  Again, 
as  to  his  citation  of  the  vessels  to  dishonor, 
I  will  let  Paul's  words  explain  them.  lie 
says,  "If  a  man  therefore  purge  himself 
from  these,  he  shall  be  a  vessel  unto  honor, 
sanctified  and  meet  for  the  Master's  use, 
and  prepared  unto  every  good  work,"  3 
Tim.  2:21. 

Behold,  dear  reader,  here  you  may  ob- 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


89 


serve  how  miserably  lie  perverts  the  word 
of  the  Lord,  that  they  may,  apparently,  be 
the  church  of  Christ,  although  tliey  know- 
ingly and  willfully  admit  open  transgress- 
ors to  the  communion  of  their  church, 
against  the  Scriptures.  But  the  flaming 
eyes  of  the  Lord,  which  search  every  thing, 
cannot  be  blinded  by  such  sophistry. 

In  the  nintli  place  he  writes,  "  The  church,  now  being 
perplexed  by  such  evils  as  these  which  she  has  to  suffer 
unto  the  day  of  judgment,  as  some  of  these  parables  im- 
ply ;  nay,  that  it  never  was  her  lot  to  be  entirely  rid  of 
evil  ones  and  hypocrites,  however  strictly  she  used  the 
ban,  therefore  they  are  wrong,  and  grossly  sin  by  con- 
demning us,  and  saying  that  we  are  false  teachers,  and 
not  the  church  of  God,  as  was  the  church  of  the  patri- 
archs, prophets  and  Moses;  and  by  maliciously  and 
wrongfully  calling  our  church,  which  is  founded  by  our 
faithful  service  upon  the  true  foundation,  according  to 
the  example  of  all  the  messengers  of  God,  and  which  is 
daily  increased  and  built  up,  upon  the  chosen  corner- 
stone, an  unbelieving,  unholy  and  blamable  church, 
against  all  the  Scriptures,  and  thereby  not  only  bring- 
ing our  church  into  disreiJute,  but  also  all  the  churches 
of  the  German  countries,  nay  of  all  the  christian  world, 
which  have  and  must  have  a  diflerent  doctrine  from 
their  clmrch,  which  they  call  holy,  pure,  unblamable 
and  spotless  on  account  of  their  dreadful  ban." 

Answer.  If  he  should  have  said  that  the 
chmxh  is  troubled  with  such  evils,  and  that 
she  miast  sufler  them,  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
mean  that  the  true  church  must  suffer  the 
enmity,  rebellion,  violence  and  tyranny  of 
the  wicked,  and  ungodly  actions  of  the  per- 
verse, then  he  would  have  written  the  truth. 
But  since  his  meaning  is,  that  since  the 
church  ever  has  hypocrites  among  her  num- 
ber, that  therefore  the  evil  ones,  that  is, 
open  despisers  and  transgressors  should  be 
tolerated;  therefore  he  writes  contrary  to 
the  word  of  God;  for  Paul  says,  "Therefore 
put  away  from  among  yourselves  that 
wicked  person,"  that  is,  separate  from  the 
communion  of  your  church  him  who  is 
wicked,  1  Cor.  5:  13. 

Again,  to  his  writing,  "that  we  grossly 
sin  by  saying  that  they  are  not  the  church 
of  God,"  and  to  his  boasting  "that  they 
build  their  church  upon  the  corner  stone,"  I 
would  say  that  his  boasting  is  false;  for 
their  light-minded  doctrine,  false  sacra- 
ments, reckless  life  and  his  iudiscreet  wri- 
ting, alas,  prove  too  plainly,  that  they  do 
not  build  their  church  upon  the  true  corner- 1 
stone;  it  being  manifest  that  they,  on  every  I 
hand  are  at  fault,  adulterate  the  word  of 
48 


God,  abuse  the  sacraments,  practice  no  sep- 
aration, and  for  the  greater  part,  both  teach- 
ers and  hearers  walk  upon  perverse  ways; 
whether  we  therefore  sin,  because  in  faithful 
love  we  admonish  them  for  their  own  good, 
and  in  humility  show  them  that  they,  under 
such  a  state  of  affairs,  are  not,  neither  can 
be  the  church  of  God,  the  reader  may  judge. 
We  know  to  a  certainty  that  where  there  is 
no  pure  doctrine,  no  pure  sacraments,  no 
pious,  christian  life,  no  true,  brotherly  love, 
and  no  right  minded  confession,  that  there 
is  no  christian  church;  let  them  boast  ever 
so  much. 

Again,  in  regard  to  his  complaint,  "That 
we  not  only  call  tJiem,  but  all  the  churches 
of  the  German  countries,  nay,  of  the  whole 
christian  world,  unbelieving,  unholy  and  con- 
demn them,  the  reader  should  know  that  we 
condemn  no  one;  for  he,  Jesus  Christ,  to 
whom  the  Father  has  given  it,  will  do  that. 
Yet  we  say,  and  teach  it  v*^rbally  and  by 
writing,  that  all  those  who  are  not  born  of 
God  and  his  word,  are  not  actuated  by  the 
Spirit  of  Christ,  are  not  changed  into  his 
nature  and  disposition,  however  high  and 
line  an  appearance  and  name  they  may 
assume.  In  this  case,  neither  emperor, 
king,  doctor,  licentiate,  pope  nor  Luther 
will  avail.  All  who  would  be  in  the  church 
of  Christ,  must  be  in  Christ,  must  be  of  his 
mind,  and  walk  as  he  walked,  or  else  Christ 
Jesus,  John,  Paul  and  all  the  Scriptures 
must  be  false;  this  is  too  clear  to  be  denied, 
John  5:  22;  1  John  2:0;  Rom.  S:  14;  Phil. 
2:5. 

Since  he  accuses  us  that  we  condemn  all 
the  churches  of  the  German  countries,  and 
of  the  whole  christian  world,  as  he  boasts, 
therefore  I  would  answer  with  a  few  plain 
words:  If  the  German  churches  and  the 
beforementioned  world  were  born  of  God, 
were  of  Christ's  mind,  walked  as  he  walked 
theOi  the  accusation  of  Gellius  would  be 
right,  since  we  do  not  acknowledge  them  to 
be  true  churches.  But  as  they  prove  by 
deeds  that  they  are  without  Christ,  walk 
and  act  against  his  word  and  will ;  as  they 
are  quite  earthly  and  carnally  minded, 
therefore,  they  are  not  judged  of  men,  but 
of  the  word  of  the  Lord,  for  Christ  says, 
"The  word  that  I  have  spoken,  the  same 


90 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


shall  judge  Mm  in  the  last  day,"  John 
12:48. 

Further,  by  his  Aviiting  that  the  said 
churches  have  and  must  liave  a  different 
doctrine,  he  judges  himself  that  they  are 
not  the  church  of  Christ.  For  Christ  will, 
that  his  church  should  keep  and  follow  his 
word,  ordinances  and  commands,  whether 
it  be  to  the  joy  or  to  the  pain  of  the  flesh. 

Behold,  dear  reader,  since  it  is  doubly 
plain  that  the  Scriptures  teach,  both  by 
words  and  examples,  that  open  transgress- 
ors should  be  excluded  from  the  communion 
of  the  church ;  and  since  the  preachers,  who 
fear  men  more  than  God,  and  serve  their 
bellies  more  than  the  praise  of  the  Lord, 
neglect  this  on  account  of  the  cross,  which 
might  result  from  such  action,  therefore  their 
public  actions  testify  that  they  are  not  the 
bride  and  sheep  of  Christ;  for  they  do  not 
hear  his  voice,  neither  do  they  follow  his 
doctrines  and  commands,  2  Thess.  3:  (j; 
John  10:  26. 

Again,  to  his  writing  that  we  consider  our 
church  holy,  pure  and  unblamable,  on  ac- 
count of  the  cruel  ban,  this  is  my  simple 
reply :  We  do  not  at  all  boast  but  of  the 
grace  of  our  God  through  Christ  Jesus. 
Our  frailty  is  great,  our  stumblings  are 
many,  and  we  feel  with  Pairl,  that  nothing 
good  dwells  in  our  flesh.  Notwithstanding 
all  ti'ue  members  of  the  church  of  Christ 
strive  after  the  unblamable,  holy  being, 
which  is  in  him;  they  conform  their  walk 
to  the  word  of  the  Lord;  they  follow  his 
commands  and  ordinances;  and  separate 
those  who  are  separated  by  the  Scriptures, 
which  he,  alas,  calls  a  fearful  ban.  O,  Lord. 

O  God !  Thus  the  precious  word  is  es- 
teemed as  unworthy  by  this  thoughtless 
man.  For,  by  this  abominable,  unseasoned 
blasphemy,  not  only  we,  but  also  the  Son 
of  the  Almighty  and  living  God,  together 
with  the  Spirit  of  eternal  wisdom,  by  whom 
this  ban  was  commanded,  and  also  all  the 
apostles  and  the  primitive  church,  who  so 
diligently  taught  and  earnestly  practiced  it, 
are  adjudged  fools.  If  the  ordinance  is 
foolishness,  then  the  Institutor,  and  all  who 
teach  and  practice  it,  must  be  fools;  this 
cannot  well  be  denied. 

Observe,  reader,  if  this  may  not  be  called 
hating  the  word  and  will  of  God,  despising 


his  commands,  and  speaking  blasphemies 
against  the  Most  High,  you  may  reflect 
upon,  and  judge  by  the  Scriptures.  O,  read- 
er, awaken.  Beware,  and  learn  to  know 
your  preachers,  and  of  what  spirit  they  are 
the  children. 

In  the  tenth  place  he  writes,  "Thus  they  are  given  to 
a  wrong  understanding,  prejudge  without  knowledge, 
and  leave  the  church  from  motives  of  spiritual  pride  and 
fancy  of  righteousness,  more  than  from  motives  of  sin- 
cere righteousness ;  they  have  no  other  reason  to  leave 
the  church,  than  that  they,  according  to  the  manner  of 
the  Pharisees,  would  justify  themselves  by  despising 
others." 

Ansioer.  I  fear  that  it  would  weary  the 
reader  to  reply  to  all  his  false  accusations 
minutely.  Yet  I  would  say,  in  regard  to 
this,  If  I  could  speak  with  Gellius  before 
the  public,  I  have  no  doubt  but  many, 
through  the  grace  of  God,  would  begin  to 
see  that  it  is  not  us  who  have  a  wrong  un- 
derstanding, but  them;  that  they  prejudge 
us,  indiscreetly;  remain  outside  of  the 
church  of  Christ,  from  motives  of  pride; 
and  not  only  despise  us,  according  to  the 
manner  of  the  Pharisees,  but  also  often  de- 
prive us  of  possessions  and  life,  as  may  be 
witnessed  in  different  localities.  But  we 
must  suffer,  bear,  and  console  ourselves 
with  the  saying,  "Blessed  are  ye,  when 
men  shall  revile  you,  and  persecute  you, 
and  shall  say  all  manner  of  evil  against 
3^ou  falsely,  for  my  sake.  Rejoice,  and  be 
exceeding  glad;  for  great  is  your  reward  in 
heaven;  for  so  persecuted  they  the  prophets 
which  were  before  you,"  Matt.  5:  11,  12. 

In  the  eleventh  place  he  writes,  "  They  will  probably 
say  that  if  we  would  be  the  church  of  Christ,  we  must 
verify  the  saying  of  Christ;"  "The  gates  of  hell  shall 
not  prevail  against  it;"  and  ask"  where  our  church  has 
existed,  inviolated  by  the  devil,  anti-christ  and  heresies. 
He  further  writes,  "  Since  the  church,  which  is  not  lim- 
ited to  certain  boundaries,  but  is  scattered  over  the 
whole  world,  has  this  article  of  faith,"  "  I  believe  in  the 
holy,  chri.stian  church,  the  communion  of  saints,"  "and 
that  she  will  endure  unto  the  end  of  the  world,  there- 
fore we  are  forced  to  acknowledge,  that  God,  true  to  his 
promise,  saves  his  church,  and  has  always  saved  her,  al- 
though the  old  serpent,  the  devil,  deceives  her  by  the 
lusts  of  the  flesh,  the  pomp  of  the  world  and  by  many 
sects;  and,  although  she  is  combatted,  persecuted  and 
disturbed,  by  the  potentates  of  the  world,  until  she,  in- 
attentive to  her  cause,  drowsy  in  her  prayer,  indifferent 
to  the  will  of  God,  and  ungrateful  for  the  word  of  God, 
or,  until  found  apostatical  of  Christ,  so  enrages  God 
that  he  takes  from  her  the  light  of  his  word,  and  lets 
her  fall  into  weighty  errors,  and  adhere  to  idolatry. 


REPLY  TO   GELLITJS  FABER. 


91 


adultery,  whoredom,  and  other  sins  and  disgraces  and 
follow  after  them,  so  that  the  church  in  such  case,  al- 
most destroyed  and  ruined,  scarcely  is  worthy  of  the 
name." 

Answer.  I  would  beseech  the  diligent 
reader  earnestly  to  observe  how  the  words 
of  Gellins  sound,  which  I  have  here  cited  at 
length.  He  admits  that  the  church,  de- 
ceived and  enchanted  by  the  devil,  the  lusts 
of  the  flesh,  the  pomp,  sects  and  potentates 
of  the  world,  has  become  drowsy,  inatten- 
tive, ungrateful,  and  an  apostate  of  Christ, 
has  enraged  God,  and  fallen  into  all  man- 
ner of  wickedness  and  sins;  yet  he  claims 
that  she  remains  the  church  of  Christ,  as  if 
the  church  was  inherited  by  one  generation 
from  another,  and  did  not  consist  in  faith. 
Spirit  and  power.  I  would  not  know  what 
poorer  excuse  he  could  iind.  Therefore  ob- 
serve that  which  I  write,  and  let  it  be  unto 
you  a  certain  rule,  namely,  where  the  Spirit, 
word,  sacraments  and  life  of  Christ  are 
found,  that  there  the  Nicene  article  comes 
in,  "I  believe  in  the  holy  christian  church, 
the  communion  of  saints,  &c.  On  the 
other  hand,  where  the  Spirit,  word,  sacra- 
ments and  life  of  Christ  are  not  to  be 
found,  but  where  the  spirit,  doctrine,  sacra- 
ments and  life  of  anti-christ  are  followed, 
there,  also,  is  the  chui'ch  of  anti-christ,  and 
not  the  church  of  Christ,  although  we  might 
say  a  thousand  times,  "I  believe  in  the 
holy  christian  church."  For  without,  or 
against  the  Spirit,  word,  sacraments  and 
life  of  Christ,  there  can  never  be  a  christian 
church,  however  much  we  may  pervert  the 
truth.  The  word  stands  immutable.  "Who- 
soever transgresseth,  and  abideth  not  in  the 
doctrine  of  Christ,  hath  not  God,"  2  John,  9. 

In  the  twelfth  place  he  writes,  "Because  God,  in  his 
grace,  has  made  an  eternal  covenant  witli  liis  church, 
and  has  promised  her  that  the  gates  of  hell,  although 
they  may  rend  and  weaken  her,  shall  not  thoroughly 
prevail  against  her,  therefore  he  will,  at  all  times,  pre- 
serve a  shadow  of  the  evangelical  doctrine  and  of  his 
sacraments,  upon  which  the  church  shall  be  upheld ;  and 
he  will  also  preserve  some  members  upon  the  true  foun-  ' 
dation,  who  will  grow  up  amidst  the  thistles,  thorns, 
wolves,  bears  and  lions,  and  deliver  them  as  in  a  violent 
hurricane,  from  the  elements,  as  Noah  was  saved  from 
the  deluge." 

Answer.  "Where  they  conform  tlieraselves 
to  the  Spirit,  word,  sacraments,  ordinances, 
commands,  prohibitions,  usage  and  exam- 
ple of  Christ,  there  the  holy  christian  chui-ch  [ 


is  found,  as  has  been  heard,  and  there  is 
also  the  promise  that  the  gates  of  hell  will 
not  prevail  against  her.  For  although  she 
grows  as  a  rose  amongst  thorns,  as  he  ex- 
presses himself,  keeps  herself  amongst 
wolves,  bears  and  lions,  and  as  a  ship  cast 
about  by  wind  and  waves,  she  must  suffer 
much  tribulation,  yet  she  cannot  be  cap- 
sized, that  is,  she  cannot  be  turned  from 
Christ  (understand  this  to  be  the  true  chris- 
tian church);  for  she  is  built  upon  a  rock, 
Matt.  7:  24. 

That  this  is  the  truth,  the  Scriptures  and 
their  examples  teach  us  on  every  hand;  and 
we  also  have  found  it  so  by  facts,  within 
the  last  few  years.  For,  however  fiercely 
the  lions,  bears  and  wolves  have  roared, 
raved  and  torn,  for  the  last  few  years,  by 
their  frightful  mandates,  apprehending,  tor- 
turing and  murdering;  and,  although  the 
waves  often  roll  up  to  the  clouds,  yet  the 
manifested  truth  remains  with  the  humble 
and  pious  children;  and  however  sharply 
the  thistles  and  thorns  may  sting,  yet  this 
noble  and  beautiful  rose  daily  grows,  and, 
praise  be  to  God,  increases  in  size  and 
strength,  whereby  it  is  made  manifest  unto 
many  reasonable  persons,  that  God's  prom- 
ise to  the  church  stands  firm,  and  it  is  the 
miracle  and  power  of  the  Most  High;  for 
neither  death,  nor  life,  nor  angels,  nor  prin- 
cipalities, nor  powers,  nor  things  present, 
nor  things  to  come,  nor  height,  nor  depth, 
nor  any  other  creature  shall  be  able  to  sep- 
arate them  from  the  love  of  God,  which  is 
in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord,  Rom.  8:  38,  39. 

Yet  this  thoughtless  man  thinks  that  they 
are  the  true,  christian  church,  and  does  not 
observe  that  the  beforementioned  thistles, 
thorns,  wolves,  bears  and  lions,  by  which 
the  true  church  has  been  so  much  troubled, 
and  still  continues  to  be,  are  members  of 
the  very  church  which  he  claims  were  and 
yet  are  the  true  church  of  Christ.  For  they, 
dui'ing  the  last  few  centuries,  have  used  one 
sacrament,  and,  unseparated,  were  greeted 
as  the  children  of  grace,  and  were  admitted 
and  accepted  in  the  commtmion  of  these 
churches. 

He,  besides,  also  consoles  the  poor  people 
that  the  Lord  has,  at  all  times,  preserved  a 
shadow  of  the  evangelical  doctrine  and  of 
his  sacraments  upon  which  to  support  his 


92 


REPLY  TO   GELLIUS  FABER. 


church;  as  if  God  was  well  pleased  with 
such  a  dead  shadow  of  false  preaching  and 
of  infant  baptism;  and,  as  if  the  church  of 
Christ,  the  bride  of  God  and  of  the  Lamb, 
could  be  supported  by  adulterated  doctrines 
and  unscriptural  sacraments.  O,  dear  Lord! 
How  long  shall  such  errors  yet  endure? 
Who  cannot  understand  such  palpable  de- 
ceit? He  must  have  an  extremely  obdurate 
and  perverse  heart,  or  he  must  be  a  very 
ignorant  and  blunt  man,  I  think. 

In  the  thirteenth  place  he  produces  two  arguments 
whereby  he  means  to  prove  that  their  church  is  the  gen- 
eral church  (as  he  calls  it)  wherewith  God  has  so  dealt. 
And  in  the  first  place  writes,  "  in  which  church  anti- 
christ was  seated  ;  for,  according  to  the  prophecies  of 
Paul,  he  had  placed  himself  therein  and  exalted  himself 
above  God ;  and  asserts  that  it  is  the  true  church  to 
which  God  has  given  the  promise,  although  she  was 
dreadfully  stained  and  miserably  torn  up.  In  our  church 
the  anti-christ  has  been  seated,  and  placed  himself  as  a 
God,  and  has  exalted  himself  above  all  that  is  of  God 
and  religion — therefore  our  church  is  the  true  church 
and  temple  of  God,  to  which  the  promise  of  God  is 
given."  "This  argument  he  proves  with  these  words ; 
"  The  first  proposition  is  true ;  for  Paul  calls  the  church 
in  which  the  anti-christ  would  place  himself,  the  temple 
of  God  ;  the  other  is  also  too  clear  to  be  denied,  from 
the  prophecies  of  Paul  and  the  teachings  of  experience. 
For  in  the  churches  which  baptize  infants,  he  and  all 
the  violent  tyrants  have  exercised  their  pov,'er  and  vio- 
lence, and  trampled  under  foot  all  religion  and  worship. 
If  both  propositions  now  are  true,  then  it  follows,  also, 
that  the  conclusion  is  true ;  and  shows  the  anabaptists, 
in  what  a  fearful  condition  they  are,  since  they  have 
left  us  and  our  church." 

Ansicer.  By  the  side  of  this  I  will  place  my 
syllogism :  Where  true  religion  and  worship, 
as  required  of  the  Scriptures,  are  trampled 
under  foot,  there  is  not  the  church  of  Christ. 
Anti-christ  has,  Gellius  testifies,  trampled 
under  foot  the  true  religion  and  worship 
required  by  the  Scriptures,  in  the  church  of 
which  Gellius  speaks;  therefore,  the  before- 
mentioned  church  is  not  the  church  of  Christ. 
All  Scripturea  teach  that  my  first  proposi- 
tion is  true;  for  Moses  says,  "Whosoever 
will  not  hearken  unto  iny  words  which  he" 
(meaning  Christ)  "  shall  speak  in  my  name, 
I  will  require  it  of  him,"  Deut  18: 19.  Christ 
says,  "If  ye  continue"  (mark,  "continue"), 
"in  my  word,  then  are  ye  my  disciples  in- 
deed," John  8:  31.  Again,  Paul  says,  "If 
any  man  preach  any  other  gospel  unto  you 
than  that  ye  have  received,  let  him  be  ac- 
cursed," Gal.  1:  9.  John, also, says,  "Who- 


soever transgresseth,  and  abideth  not  in  the 
doctrine  of  Christ,  hath  not  God,"  2  John 
1:9. 

My  second  proposition,  Gellius  admits  to 
be  true;  for  he  says,  that  anti-christ  has 
trampled  religion  and  worship  under  his 
feet,  as  heard. 

Since,  then,  that  the  first  proposition  can 
be  substantiated  by  the  Scriptures,  and  the 
second  is  acknowledged  by  Gellius  to  be 
right,  therefore,  my  conclusion  must  also 
be  right,  namely,  that  the  church  to  which 
he  refers,  is  not  the  church  of  Christ.  For 
she  does  not  accept  the  word  of  Christ,  but  a 
strange  gospel;  and  does  not  abide  in  the 
pure  doctrine  of  his  holy  apostles;  there- 
fore they  have  not  God  in  power,  and  are 
not  the  disciples  of  Christ;  or  else  the  cited 
sayings  must  be  wrong  and  false. 

As  regards  the  first  proposition  of  Gel- 
lius, Paul  testifies  in  plain  words,  that  it  is 
false,  for  he  says,  "That  day  shall  not 
come,  except  there  come  a  falling  away 
first,  and  that  man  of  sin  be  revealed,  the 
son  of  perdition,"  3  Thess.  2:  3.  Here  Paul 
teaches  in  tolerably  plain  words  that  the 
falling  away  of  faith  would  first  come  as 
was  also  the  case  here,  2  Thess.  2:  3. 

Since  Paul  openly  testifies  by  the  Spirit 
of  God,  that  the  falling  away  would  come 
before  the  day  of  the  Lord,  and  also  shows 
through  whom  it  would  come,  namely, 
through  the  man  of  sin  (son  of  perdition); 
and  since  it  is  clearly  visible  that  this  son 
of  perdition  has  placed  himself  in  the  tem- 
ple of  God,  that  is,  in  the  hearts  of  man,  or 
rather,  in  the  stead  of  God  in  the  before- 
mentioned  church,  and  has  quite  demolished 
and  destroyed  it,  and  through  deceit  has 
j  changed  it,  under  the  semblance  of  the  name 
of  Christ,  from  the  doctrine  and  ordinances 
of  God  to  his  own  doctrine  and  ordinances, 
'  therefore,  I  would  leave  the  attentive  reader 
I  to  judge  if  this  church,  which  is  quite  de- 
molished and  destroyed  by  him,  can  be 
called  God's  temple.  If  he  judge  that  it 
cannot  be  so  called,  then  he  judges  rightly; 
otherwise  many  passages  of  the  Scriptures 
v,'ould  be  fallible  and  false;  and,  as  a  con- 
sequence, God  and  the  devil,  Christ  and 
anti-christ  must  have  been  seated  in  one 
temple,  and  reigned  in  one  church.  But,  if 
they  deny  this,  then  I  would  again  say  that 


REPLY  TO   GELLIUS  FABER. 


93 


Luther  and  the  learned  have  done  wrong  in 
bringing  about  such  a  disturbance,  tribula- 
tion and  misery  in  the  world  by  their  doc- 
trine and  change,  since  they,  according  to 
Gellius,  still  remained  the  church  of  Christ, 
although  the  anti-christ  had  quite  destroyed 
and  demolished  the  true  religion.  Reader, 
reflect  upon  this,  and  judge  whether  I  write 
the  truth  or  not. 

Inhissecondpropositionhe  judges  himself; 
for  he  writes,  that  anti-christ  was  seated  in 
their  church,  which  baptizes  children;  has 
placed  himself  therein  as  a  God;  trampled 
under  foot  the  true  religion  and  worship; 
he  also  acknowledges,  above,  under  the 
head  of  the  separation,  that  the  papists  are 
no  christians;  for  he  says,  "that  those  who 
leave  us  would  sooner  become  papists  than 
christians  again."  Kind  reader,  observe 
closely  what  I  write.  Since  it  is  manifest 
that  the  Roman  anti-christ  has,  for  a  num- 
ber of  years,  reigned  in  peace  in  their 
church;  has  given  them  to  drink  from  his 
cup  of  abominations ;  has  destroj^ed  the  true 
religion,  and  re-instated  his  abominations; 
and  since  he  himself  admits  that  the  papists 
are  no  christians,  therefore,  it  is  certain  and 
plain  that  their  church  was  not,  as  he  claims, 
the  general  christian  church  and  temple  of 
God,  to  which  the  promise  of  God  was 
given.  For  it  cannot  be  that  they  can  be 
the  disciples  of  anti-christ  and  then  yet  re- 
main the  christian  church  and  temple. 

Now  consider,  if  the  pious,  whom  he  calls 
anabaptists,  are  so  much  out  of  way,  by 
renouncing  all  the  anti-christian  abomina- 
tions, false,  condemned  sects  and  churches; 
and,  if  they  place  themselves  in  such  a 
frightful  position,  as  he  sighingly  com- 
plains, by  humbly  submitting  themselves 
to  the  only,  eternal  Messiah,  Christ  Jesus, 
and  by  placing  themselves  as  an  example 
of  all  obedience  and  virtue,  in  their  weak- 
ness, before  all  the  world. 

His  second  argument  is  this  :  "  In  and  witLi  all  church- 
es which  teach  the  doctrine  and  faith  of  Christ  Jesus ; 
arc  not  altogether  fallen  away ;  do  not  altogether  reject 
and  profane  Christ  and  his  holy  gospel  and  which  do 
not  altogether  trample  upon  the  use  of  the  holy  sacra- 
ments and  neglect  them,  as  under  the  reign  of  Mahomet, 
there  still  remains  the  name  of  the  holy  church.  In 
and  with  our  church,  which  has  the  infimt  baptism  as 
an  apostolic  ordinance,  the  doctrine  and  faith  of  Jesus 
Christ,  as  taught  by  the  apostles,  never  was  altogether 


fallen  away,  as  it  was  with  the  Turks ;  although  abom- 
inably adulterated  and  weakened  by  anti-christ ;  there- 
fore, the  name  of  the  church  remains  with  our  commu- 
nity and  has  true  members  in  it." 

Ansioer.  If  his  first  proposition  was  con- 
sistent and  right,  then  it  would  also  be  con- 
sistent and  right  to  say.  The  doctrine  and 
faith  never  were  entirely  fallen  away  with 
the  Arians,  Circumcellians,  Munsterians 
and  other  sects;  the  gospel  was  not  alto- 
gether rejected  and  profaned,  and  the  sac- 
raments altogether  trampled  upon  by  them, 
therefore,  the  name  of  the  chm-ch  remains 
with  them,  and  true  members  of  the  church 
are  found  among  them.  We  are,  therefore, 
also  wrongfully  called  "devilish  heretics, 
conspirers,  and  apostate  anabaptists,"  by 
him,  for  we  so  highly  prize  the  gospel  and 
the  sacraments  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
that  we  daily  sacrifice  our  possessions  and 
blood  for  theii'  sake,  as  may  be  seen. 

If  he  should  say  that  the  befoi-ementioned 
sects  did  not  act  and  teach  in  accordance 
j  with  the  Scriptures,  and  that  they  therefore 
:  were  not  in  the  communion  of  the  christian 
1  church;  then  he  judges  himself  still  more 
I  markedly.  For  the  papistic  church  to 
which  he  refers,  did  not  do  this;  if  they  did 
;  rightly  act  and  teach,  then  he  very  unjustly 
I  says  that  they  are  not  christians,  as  has 

!  been  heard  that  he  did. 

i 

j     Again,  by  his  writing,  "There  still  re- 
mains the  name  of  the  holy  church,"  he 
openly  testifies  that  his  assertion  is  without 
^all  foundation  in  the  Scriptures;  for  he  does 
not  refer  to  the  unadulterated  doctrine,  to 
the  salutary  use  of  the  holy  sacraments, 
I  nor  to  the  pious,  unblamable  life,  which 
!  should  ever  be  found  in  the  church  of  Christ; 
I  as  if  the  name  coirld  keep  the  chmch  in 
;  God  and  could  bind  it  to  the  promise,  with- 
:  out  the  Spirit,  word,  sacraments,  faith  and 
obedience  of  Chi'ist.     No,  no,  reader,  no. 
"I  know,"  says  the  First  and  the  Last, 
"the  blasphemy  of  them  which  say  they 
:  are  Jews,  and  are  not,  but  are  the  syna- 
i  gogue  of  Satan,"  Rev.  2:9.     If  the  name 
I  alone  constituted  the  true  church,  then  all 
:  the  raving  tyrants,   enemies  of   christian 
truth,  all  murderers,  perjui-ers,  whoremon- 
■  gers,  avaricious,  pompous  and  um'ighteous, 
I  would  be  members  of  the  chiu-ch  of  Christ, 


94 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


for  they  call  themselves  after  the  name  of 
Christ.    This  is  incontrovertible. 

As  to  his  second  proposition,  I  would  say 
in  the  first  place,  Since  he  says  that  their 
chnrch  has  infant  baptism,  as  an  apostolic 
ordinance,  that  he  thereby  heaps  open  false- 
hood upon  the  holy  apostles,  the  upright, 
pious  testifiers  of  eternal  truth;  for  he  never 
can  prove  by  a  single  word  in  the  Script- 
ures, that  they  taught  or  practiced  infant 
baptism,  as  has  been  sufficiently  shown, 
above. 

In  the  second  place  I  would  say.  That  the 
church  to  which  he  refers,  was  not  only 
adulterated  and  weakened,  as  he  calls  it, 
but  has  become  so  estranged  from  God,  that 
she  has  worshipped,  honored  and  served 
wood,  stone,  gold,  and  silver  gods,  and, 
besides  bread  and  wine;  as  has,  alas,  been 
seen  these  many  years,  in  all  the  temples 
and  houses  of  worship,  throughout  Europe ; 
and,  as  may  yet,  daily,  be  seen  in  many 
kingdoms,  cities  and  towns.  Yet,  Gellius 
asserts  that  their  church  ever  was  the  church 
of  Christ.  I  have  never  heard  more  incon- 
sistent reasoning.  Therefore,  dear  reader, 
beware,  and  do  not  listen  to  the  smooth 
talk  of  the  learned,  for  they  deceive  you. 
But  hearken  unto  him  who  says,  "  I  am  the 
light  of  the  world;  he  that  followeth  me 
shall  not  walk  in  darkness,  but  shall  have 
the  light  of  life,"  John  S:  12,  and  then  you 
will  never  be  deceived. 

Reader,  understand  what  I  mean ;  we  do 


not  dispute  about  whether  or  not  there  are 
some  of  the  chosen  one's  of  God,  in  the  be- 
forementioned  churches ;  for  this  we,  at  all 
times,  humbly  leave  to  the  just  and  gracious 
judgment  of  God,  hoping  there  may  be 
many  thousands  who  are  unknown  to  us, 
as  they  were  to  holy  Elias ;  but  our  dispute 
is,  in  regard  to  what  kind  of  Spirit,  doctrine, 
sacraments,  ordinances  and  life,  Christ  has 
commanded  us  to  gather  unto  him  an  abid- 
ing church,  and  how  we  should  maintain  it 
in  his  ways. 

Behold,  reader,  these  are  his  most  impor- 
tant arguments  with  which  to  maintain  his 
assertion,  "  that  their  chiu'ch  is  the  true  one," 
namely,  because  they  sprang  from  the  pa- 
pists, and  practice  infant  baptism.  Just 
hear  how  strangely  he  writes.  In  my  opin- 
ion, he  pens  all  that  comes  in  his  mind,  if 
it  has  but  a  little  semblance,  that  it  may 
tickle  the  ears  of  the  thoughtless  people, 
and  console  them  in  their  impenitent,  easy 
life.  If  these  adduced  assertions  of  his  were 
true,  then  it  could  not  be  otherwise  than 
that  hitherto  the  church  of  Christ  must  have 
been  the  church  of  anti-christ,  or  that  of 
anti-christ  must  have  been  the  church  of 
Christ;  also,  Christ  and  anti-christ  must 
have  both  reigned  in  one  church;  infant 
baptism  must  have  been  called  apostolic, 
without  the  Scriptures,  and  the  mere  name 
constitutes  the  church  of  Christ;  this,  by 
the  grace  of  God,  no  one  can  successfully 
rebut;  let  him  garble  and  twist  the  matter 
as  adroitly  as  he  pleases. 


CONCERNING  SOME  ACCUSATIONS  AGAINST  US. 


In  the  f5rst  place  Gellius  accuses  us,  saying,  "They 
(he  means  us),  falsely,  adorn  and  deck  themselves  with 
the  sanctity  of  the  church.  For,  since  the  Holy  Spirit, 
■which  sanctifies  the  church  both  by  the  remission  of  sin, 
and  dying  unto  the  old  man  with  all  his  lusts,  aud  also 
by  the  nullifying  of  the  sius  in  the  flesh,  is  given 
through  faith,  therefore  I  cannot  see  how  they  can 
receive  the  Holy  Spirit,  together  with  true  sanctiflca- 
tion,  aud  be  the  true,  holy  church,  while  they  so  bitterly 
contend  among  themselves  about  the  divinity  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  (which,  besides  other  evidence,  sutRciently 
proves  his  divinity  by  the  work  of  sanctilication),  as 
well  as  about  many  other  articles  of  faith." 


Answer.  Zuinglius  formerly  taught  that  the 
will  of  God  actuated  a  thief  to  steal,  a  mur- 
derer to  kill,  and  that  their  punishment  was 
also  brought  about  by  the  will  of  God ;  which, 
in  my  opinion,  is  an  abomination  of  abom- 
inations. Now,  if  I  conclude  that  because 
Zuinglius  taught  so,  all  preachers  teach  it, 
it  would  be  a  wrong  conclusion.  Athana- 
sius  could  not  prevent  Arius  from  teaching 
that  the  Holy  Spirit  was  a  creature  of  the 
creature  of  Christ. 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


95 


Reader,  understand  my  meaning.  I  never  ! 
have  tliouglit  that  God's  Holy  and  eternal 
Spirit  was  not  God,  with  God  and  in  God; 
yet,  he  would  accuse  us,  who  are  not  guilty, 
of  denying  the  sanctification,  grace,  fruit 
and  i^ower  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  because  some, 
who  have  been  separated  from  us,  have  err- 
ed in  this  respect,  and  probably  still  err; 
although  he  plainly  sees  and  palpably  feels 
the  sanctification  and  power  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  in  us,  namely,  that  it  smothers  the 
old  man  with  his  lusts,  and  destroys  the  sins 
of  the  flesh;  something  which  he  calls  the 
sanctification  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  as  has 
been  heard.  Behold,  thus  he  upbraids  and 
accuses  the  guiltless.  Whether  this  is  not 
the  Parisaic,  envious  and  disgraceful  spirit, 
which  explains  awaj^  the  good  intentions  of 
Christ  and  his  disciples,  and  thereby  in- 
flamed the  thoughtless  populace  against 
them,  I  will  leave  to  his  own  reflection. 

In  the  second  place  he  accuses  us,  saying,  "  They  have 
an  obdurate  fiiith ;  one  half  of  which  is  founded  upon 
the  merits  of  Christ,  and  the  other  upon  their  own 
merits.  For  Obbe  Philips,  who  has  a  great  many  fol- 
lowers (as  he  says)  does  plainly  assert  that  the  justifica- 
tion of  man  is  not  brought  about  liy  failh  alone,  but  by 
faith,  love  and  good  works." 

Answer.  I  would  humbly  ask  Gellius  this 
question:  Does  it  follow  that  because  Obbe 
Philips  formerly  taught  this  doctrine.  Men- 
no  and  the  others  also  teach  it?  If  he  an- 
swer in  the  alRrmative,  then  I  would  say 
that  he  does  us  an  injustice,  as,  alas,  he 
often  does.  For  our  doctrine  and  publica- 
tions abundantly  testify  that  we  and  the 
church  of  God  are  not  thus  minded,  but 
that  we  seek  justification  alone  in  the  right- 
eous and  crucified  Christ  Jesus. 

But  if  he  answer  in  the  negative,  then  I 
wish  he  would  have  the  kindness  and  virtue 
in  him  to  make  a  difference  and  not  mix 
the  innocent  with  the  guilty ;  and  I  also 
wish  that  he  would  say  no  more  than  the 
truth;  for  he  writes  that  the  beforemention- 
ed  "Obbe  Philips  has  a  considerable  mxm- 
ber  of  followers,"  and  I  make  the  assertion 
that  he  cannot  find  more  than  six  or  ten 
who  believe  as  he  does. 

In  the  third  place  he  accuses  us,  saying,  "  How  can 
they  be  a  holy  church  who  disagree  among  themselves 
about  the  head  of  the  church ;  do  not  suffer  him  to  be 
the  true  God,  and  thereby  resuscitate  the  old  Arian 
heresy." 


Answer.  We  may  well  sincerely  thank 
the  Most  High,  that  he  so  manifests  unto  us 
his  paternal  grace  and  great  mercy,  that 
even  our  most  adroit  and  acute  opponents 
cannot  accuse  us  but  by  such  puerile,  and, 
for  the  greater  part,  false  reasoning.  If  he 
would  consult  natural  honor,  not  to  men- 
tion love  and  truth,  as  much  as  he,  alas, 
consults  bitter  and  envious  feeling,  how  loth 
would  he  be  to  think  that  which  he  now  is 
not  ashamed  to  publish  in  writing,  indis- 
criminately saying  that  we  resuscitate  the 
old  Arian  heresy,  while  he  and  his  like,  well 
know  that  such  have  no  part  in  the  com- 
munion of  our  churches,  so  long  as  they  do 
not  renounce  such  errors,  as  heard. 

O  dear  Lord,  how  long  will  such  bitter 
and  envious  accusations  and  false  back- 
bitings  continue?  Would  to  God  that  the 
magistrates  would  have  a  little  fear  of  the 
Lord,  and  consider  what  they  are  doing, 
and  that  they  would  hear  and  compare  the 
different  i)arties,  so  that  they  would  once 
learn  whom  and  for  what  purpose  they  per- 
secute, and  what  kind  of  people  and  teach- 
ers they  are  whom  they  daily  maintain  and 
encourage  in  their  injustice  and  abomina- 
tions, by  their  violence. 

In  the  fourth  place  he  accuses  us,  saying,  "If  they  are 
the  true,  holy  church,  the  spiritual  bride  of  Christ,  pure, 
holy,  and  unblamable,  then  let  them  prove  the  unity  of  the 
Spirit,  especially  concerning  the  twelve  articles  of  faith, 
which  are  the  foundation  of  the  church  ;  then  the  one 
should  not  be  Mennonite,  the  other  Adam  Pastorite,  the 
third  Obbeite,  the  fourth  Dirkite,  &c.  For  although  they 
may  ban  one  another  as  much  as  they  jjlease,  it  still  is 
evidently  true  that  they  are  all  anabajDtists  and  enemies 
to  infant  baptism,  and  thus  still  continue  to  conspire 
and  fanaticize  against  the  churches  of  Christ." 

Ansicer.  I  trust  that  we,  by  the  grace  of 
God,  are  so  wedded  to  our  Lord  and  Bride- 
groom, Christ  Jesus,  that  we  are  prepared 
to  sacrifice  our  lives  for  the  sake  of  hearing 
his  holy  voice.  We  do  not  boast  of  our  ho- 
liness and  piety,  as  Gellius  accuses  us,  but 
of  our  great  weakness.  I  also  trust  that  we, 
who  are  grains  of  one  loaf,  agree  in  not 
only  the  twelve  articles  (as  he  counts  them), 
but  in  all  the  articles  of  the  Scriptures,  as 
regeneration,  repentance,  baptism,  Holy 
Supper,  separation,  &c.,  which  we,  along 
with  Isaiah,  Peter  and  Paul,  Isaiah  28  :  16; 
1  Peter  2:6;  Eph.  2:  20,  accept  as  the  only 
foundation  of  the  churches,  as  preached  by 


ye 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


Clirist's  own,  blessed  mouth,  and  left  and 
taught  us  in  clear  and  plain  words ;  and 
not  only  the  twelve  articles  as  he  does. 

jSTeither  are  we  so  divided  as  he  says ;  for 
Dirk  (Dietrich  Philip)  and  we  are  of  the 
same  mind,  and  I  trust,  through  the  grace 
of  God,  we  will  ever  remain  so.  But  that 
Obbe  has  become  a  Demas,  and  that  Adam 
Pastor  has  separated  from  us,  is  not  our 
fault.  Such  things,  also,  often  happened 
in  the  apostolic  times.  God  reclaim  them 
at  his  will ;  they  have  taken  their  leave, 
and  are,  alas,  no  more  counted  among  us, 
so  long  as  they  do  not  repent. 

His  writing  "that  we  still  conspire  and 
contend  against  the  church  of  Christ,"  and 
other  like  bitter  and  resenting  words,  show 
that  he  is  so  actuated  by  the  spirit  of  envy, 
that  he  cannot  write  or  speak  a  discreet 
and  reasonable  word  about  us;  but  he  must 
call  us  fanatics,  conspirators,  hedge  preach- 
ers and  sneaks  ;  and  he  never  observes  how 
different  of  opinion,  and  how  divided  in 
doctrine  the  baptizers  of  infants  are,  who 
claim  to  be  the  true  church;  and  into  how 
many  different  sects  they  are  divided.  One 
party  is  papistic;  the  other  Lutheran;  the 
third  Zuinglian ;  the  fourth  Calvinistic,  &c. ; 
and,  although  they  violently  quarrel  among 
themselves,  disgrace,  condemn  and  ruin 
each  other,  as  much  as  they  please,  yet  it 
is  still  evidently  true  that  they  baptize  their 
children,  are  unfriendly  to  the  baptism 
of  Christ,  continue  to  conspire  against 
the  truth,  and  persecute  it  and  the  church  of 
Christ.  O,  reader,  that  the  world  would 
once  learn  to  know  who  are  the  fanatics  and 
conspirators;  then  we  might  hope  for  the 
better,  but  as  it  is,  it  is  hidden  from  their 
eyes. 

In  the  fifth  place  he  accuses  us,  saying,  "If  they  are  the 
holy  church,  then,  let  them  hearken  unto  the  voice  of 
Christ ;  which  says  that  the  word  of  the  holy  gospel  and  its 
sacraments  should  not  be  preached  and  dispensed  in  secret 
nooks  and  corners,  but  in  public." 

Answer.  If  we  are  not  the  true  church  of 
Christ,  but  if  Gellius  and  his  like  are  that 
church,  as  he  pretends,  and  would  yet  have 
us  publicly  proclaim  our  doctrine,  why  has 
he  then  twice  refused  a  public  discussion 
with  me,  under  safe  conduct,  to  Avhich  I 


!  have  invited  him,  while  he  well  knows  that 
I  have  to  endure  so  much  for  the  sake  of 
my  doctrine  and  faith  ?  It  would  be  reason- 
able, if  we  err  in  some  things,  from  which 
God  preserve  us,  that  he  should  go  with  me 
before  tlie  public,  vanquish  and  convince 
me  of  our  errors,  for  God  knows  that  I  am 
willing  to  be  vanquished  if  I  can  be  con- 
vinced by  stronger  Scriptures  and  more 
powerful  truths;  that  he  might  thus  receive 
the  applause  of  his  fellows  (which  he,  in 
my  opinion,  very  much  strives  after),  and, 
besides  save  my  soul  and  the  souls  of  many 
others. 

If  he  is  a  true  preacher,  and  a  member  of 
the  true  church  of  Christ,  why  does  he,  then, 
desire  us  to  go  before  the  public,  while  he 
well  knows  that  I  could  not  do  so  without 
the  loss  of  blood  and  life  ?  I  freely  offer  my- 
self, if  he  can  show  one  plain  passage  in 
the  Scriptures,  that  the  apostles  and  proph- 
ets have  publicly  taught  at  such  places 
wliere  the}^  knew  that  the  people  had  re- 
solved upon  their  death,  as,  alas,  they  have 
every  where  resolved  upon  our  death,  and, 
hy  the  grace  of  God,  we  will  do  the  same. 

I  know  to  a  certainty  that  he  can  find  no 
such  examples  nor  Scriptures  in  the  Bible. 
Yea,  dear  reader,  if  he  would  be  straight- 
forward in  assigning  the  reason  why  he 
ever  desires  us  to  go  and  preach  in  public, 
he  would  confess  that  he  seeks  nothing  by 
his  hypocritical  and  artful  pretension,  other 
than  to  make  our  cause  suspicious  with  the 
people,  that  his  cause  shall  make  a  good 
appearance,  and  that  he  is  very  desirous 
and  thirsty  after  the  blood  of  the  innocent, 
while  he,  I  say,  against  all  reason,  love, 
and  Scriptures,  desires  us  publicly  to  pro- 
claim our  doctrine,  well  knowing  that  in  all 
Germany,  not  a  place  can  be  found  where 
this  could  be  done  without  imprisonment, 
violence,  or  rebellion.  If  he,  now,  were  in 
the  truth,  as  he  would  like  to  be  considered, 
namely,  an  upright,  unblamable  preacher, 
how  loth  would  he  be  to  think  of  such  gross 
disgrace,  which  he  now,  alas,  dares  loudly 
proclaim  both  by  speaking  and  writing. 
David  says,  "The  Lord  will  abhor  the 
bloody  and  deceitful  man,"  Ps.  5:  G. 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABEE. 


97 


In  the  sixth  place  he  accuses  us,  saying,  "  As  they 
want  to  be  the  true  church  of  Christ,  they  wouUi  do 
well  to  look  back  to  the  origin  of  their  church  and  see 
how  it  agrees  with  the  origin  and  age  of  the  true  church. 
That  tlieir  church  is  not  of  the  origin  and  times  of 
Adam,  Abraham,  or  David,  is  proven  liy  their  wrong 
opinion  and  abominable  error  in  regard  to  the  incarna- 
tion of  Christ,  whereby  they  make  him  neither  God  nor 
man,  and  rob  us  of  our  Messiah.  Also,  above,  under  the 
head  of  the  Calling,  he  writes.  It  is  an  abominable  fruit 
that  they  have  resuscitated,  and  again  introduced  into 
the  world  such  a  disgraceful  error  in  regard  to  the  in- 
carnation of  Christ.  For  if  Christ  was  not  of  our  flesh 
(of  which  he  was  not,  unless  he  received  it  from  the  wo- 
man), then  the  law  was  not  fulfilled  in  our  flesh ;  then  the 
righteousness  of  God  is  not  yet  acquitted,  which  with- 
out the  ransom  would  not  leave  us  unpunished. 

Answer.  The  learned  ever  slander  us  and 
complain  because  we,  with  the  angel  Ga- 
briel, Lnke  1:32;  with  John  the  Baptist, 
John  1:15—36-,  with  Peter,  Matt.  16:16; 
with  Martha,  John  11 :  27;  with  the  apostles, 
Matt.  14:  33,  and  witli  tlie  eternal  Father 


I  himself,  acknowledge  Christ,  both  according 

j  to  his  divinity  and  humanity,  as  the  true 
and  only  begotten  Son  of  God;  and 
we  dare  not  teach  and  believe  more  nor 
otherwise  than  the  word  of  the  Lord  teaches 
us  of  him.  I  would  therefore  beseech  all 
readers  and  hearers  to  consider  well  the 
following  brief  answers  and  references.  I 
trust  that,  by  the  grace  of  God,  I  will  be 
able  to  explain  the  matter  so  clearly  in  a 
few  words,  that  the  reader  will  plainly  see 
that  they  not  only  rob  us  of  Christ,  the  doc- 
trine, sacraments.  Spirit,  life,  ordinances 
and  usage  of  our  Savior,  but  also  rob  him 
of  his  most  holy  origin,  glory,  honor  and 
person;  and,  that  they,  by  their  deceiving 
comments  and  reasoning,  render  Christ  a 
divided,  impure  and  inconsistent  Chi'ist, 
both  according  to  nature  and  the  Scriptures. 
"Wbosoever  has  ears  to  hear  let  him  hear, 

j  and  whosoever  has  a  mind  to  understand 

I  let  him  understand. 


THE  COJ^FESSION  OF  THE  LEARNED  CONCERNING  CHRIST. 


The  Confession  of  the  Learned  concerning  Christ,  is, 
"  That  the  eternal  word,  the  second  jjcrson  in  the  God- 
head (these  are  their  words),  the  eternal  Son  of  God,  has 
taken  unto  himself  the  nature  of  our  flesh.  Yea,  that 
the  whole  man,  Christ,  who  was  sacrificed,  and  who  died 
for  us,  is  the  natural  seed  of  the  woman,  of  Abraham, 
and  of  David.  The  seed  of  the  woman  (they  say)  accord- 
ing to  the  ordinance  of  God,  Gen.  3,  with  which  seed, 
namely,  Mary's  flesh  and  blood,  the  beforemeutioned 
divine  person,  the  eternal  Word  and  eternal  Son,  lias 
united  himself;  and  thus  became  one  person  and  Christ. 
Or  that  the  whole  person,  Christ  Jesus,  with  Ijody  and 
soul,  is  the  natural  fruit  of  the  flesh  and  blood  of  Mary, 
in  which  the  eternal  Word  dwelt.  The  man,  Christ  Jesus, 
died,  but  the  Word  remains  whole  and  intact." 

Answer.  It  seems  very  strange  to  me 
that  the  learned  never  cease  to  upbraid  us 
by  tlieir  indiscreet  words,  and  cause  us 
more  and  more  tribulation,  by  the  blood- 
thirsty; we,  who  have  plainl}^  and  incontro- 
vertibly  on  our  side,  the  firm  and  immuta- 
ble foundation  of  the  holy  apostles  and 
prophets,  nay,  also  the  blessed  word  and 
testimony  of  Christ ;  while  they  have  neither 
common  reason  nor  the  Scriptures  on  their 
side,  as  may  be  seen.  For,  that  all  the  fol- 
49 


lowing  weighty  and  intolerable  improprie- 
ties and  abominable  errors  result  from  their 
confession,  is  as  clear  as  day. 

First,  A  divided  Christ;  of  which  one 
half  must  have  been  heavenly  and  the  other 
earthly;  as  some,  even  dare  boldly  assert 
that  the  person  of  Christ  consisted  of  two 
principal  parts,  namely,  God  and  man. 

Secondly,  An  impure  and  sinful  Christ, 
for  the  defense  says :  Ohristum  noii  alterius 
ullius  carnis  participem  factum  esse,  quana 
quae  and  peccato  {ibt  tentaretur)  and  morti 
simul  obnoxla  esset,  tfcc,  that  is,  Christ  par- 
took of  no  other  flesh  but  of  sin,  that  he 
might  be  tempted  and  subject  to  death.  At 
another  place  the  defense  says,  in  regard  to 
j  Christ:  Si  saiictits  {inquit)quomodo  sjihjpec- 
catuvi  in  Pafris  judic/'o  cnndemnatur?  that 
is.  If  Chi-ist  is  holy,  why  is  he  then  judged 
in  the  judgment  of  the  Father  because  of 
I  sins  ?  this  agrees  perfectly  with  the  writing 
\  of  Gellius;  that  the  rigliteousness  of  God 


98 


REPLY  TO   GELLIUS  FABER. 


would  not  leave  us  unpunished,  without  the 
ransom. 

Reader,  observe,  How  could  they  speak 
more  blasphemously  of  the  most  holy  man- 
hood of  Christ,  nay,  of  the  Son  of  the  Al- 
mighty and  eternal  God,  than  they  thereby 
do  ?  For  if  Christ  was  flesh  of  our  sinful 
and  death-guilty  flesh,  and  if  he  was  thus 
tempted  of  his  own  flesh,  then  the  sin,  of 
which  he  was  tempted,  must  have  dwelt  in 
his  flesh,  and  then  he  died  for  the  sake  of 
duty,  and  not  for  the  sake  of  grace;  this  is 
too  clear  to  be  refuted.  Nor  could  it  be 
otherwise,  if  we  assert  that  Christ's  flesh 
was  of  Adam's  sinful  flesh. 

Again,  If  his  hol}^,  precious  flesh  was 
such  a  ransom  as  Gellius  claims,  how  could 
the  righteousness  of  God  be  fulfilled  and 
acquitted  thereby,  according  to  the  holy 
will  of  God?  If  this  may  not  be  rightly 
called,  preaching  an  impure  and  sinful 
Christ,  and  robliing  our  most  holy  Savior 
and  Messiah  (something  of  which  they  ac- 
cuse us),  I  will  leave  all  right-minded  and 
reasonable  people  to  reflect  upon  in  a  script- 
iiral  light. 

Thirdly,  Two  persons  in  Christ,  namely, 
the  one  the  second  person  in  the  Godhead, 
and  the  other  the  man  of  Mary's  flesh,  in 
which  human  person  the  divine  person 
dwelt.  Y»^hich  error  is  not  alone  contro- 
verted b}^  us,  but  also  by  Luther,  saying, 
"Beware,  beware  (I  say)  of  the  AUeosi;  it 
is  the  devil's  mask;  for  it  will  ultimately 
establish  such  a  Christ  as  I  would  not  be 
called  after;  namelj",  that  Christ  henceforth 
is  no  more,  and  that  his  sufiering  avails  no 
more  than  the  suffering  of  a  common  saint. 
For,  if  I  should  believe  that  alone  human 
feeling  sutfered  for  me,  then  that  Christ 
would  be  a  poor  Savior;  he  would  stand  in 
need  of  a  Savior  himself.  In  short,  it  is  un- 
speakable what  the  devil  seeks  and  intends 
by  this  AUeosi.  We  sa}'',  God  is  man  and 
man  is  God;  we  cry  against  them  that  they 
divide  the  person  of  Christ,  as  if  it  were 
two  persons." 

For,  if  the  AUeosi  shall  stand,  as  Zuingli 
teaches  it,  Christ  must  be  two  persons,  one 
divine,  the  other  human.  This  he  says, 
"Reader,  observe,  to  what  kind  of  Christ 
they  teach  and  point  us. 

Fourthly,  Two  sons  in  Christ;   of  which 


1  the  fii'st  is  the  Son  of  God  without  a  mother; 

'  the  second,  the  son  of  Mary,  withoiit  a  fa- 

1  ther;  in  which  son  of  Mary,  the  Son  of  God 
should  have  been  embodied,  and  thus  have 

,  been  united,  as  they  claim.    Just  behold 
what  a  monstrosity  they  produce! 
Fifthl}^,  The  person,  Christ  Jesus,  then 

I  was  neither  the  fli-st  nor  only  begotten  Son, 
but  the  third  son  of  God  in  order,  who  was 
not  born,  but  created  of  God ;  and  would 
be,  as  Pomer  says,  the  accepted  son  of  God, 
Quod  &  Bonosianorum  five  Monosolifarnm 
Jimresis  est.  I  say  He  would  be  the  third 
in  order.  For  the  first  is  the  Word ;  the  sec- 
ond, the  first  Adam,  Luke  3  :  38,  and  the 
third,  the  man  of  Mary's  flesh,  who  should 
have  been  accepted  as  a  son  of  God,  as 
heard. 

Sixthly,  Then  we  are  not  redeemed  and 
delivered  through  God's  first  and  only  be- 
gotten Son,  but  through  Mary's  son,  cre- 
ated of  Adam's  impure  and  sinful  flesh,  as 
also  the  defense  and  his  followers  dare  as- 
sert, in  the  face  of  all  the  Scriptures,  say- 
ing, that  the  nature  imbodied  in  the  loins 
of  Adam,  which  committed  the  transgres- 
sion also,  according  to  the  righteousness  of 
God  will  requite  and  remit  the  same. 

Seventhly,  If  we  are  thus  delivered  through 
Adam's  flesh,  as  they  claim,  then  we  should 
not  only  give  thanks  to  the  Father  for  his 
Word,  but  also  to  Adam's  flesh,  through 
which  our  deliverance  is  caused ;  this,  all 
right-minded  persons  must  admit. 

Eighthly,  If  the  man  Christ  was  a  creat- 
ure of  Adam's  flesh,  and  we  were  delivered 
through  him,  as  the  learned  claim  ;  and 
since  God  speaks  through  the  prophet.  That 
he  will  not  give  his  glory  to  another,  Isaiah 
48 :  11 ;  and  since  it  is  manifest  that  we 
should  honor  our  Redeemer,  Christ,  no  less 
than  we  honor  the  Father,  therefore  it  must 
follow  tliat  God  either  did  not  speak  truly 
through  his  prophets,  or  else  they  were 
all  idolaters  because  they  gave  divine  hom- 
age to  a  creature  of  Adam's  flesh ;  some- 
thing which  is  so  strictly  forbidden  in  the 
Scriptures,  and  which  often  was  severely 
punished  of  God.  Behold,  reader,  such  an 
inconsistent,  impure  and  divided  Christ  he 
is  to  which  the  learned  point  and  teach  you 
by  their  sophistry  and  garbled  Scriptures 
A  Christ  composed  of  two  persons  and  two 


KEPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


99 


sons;  of  which  one  person  and  son  should 
have  dwelt  in  the  other;  and  of  which  one 
person  and  son  should  have  suffered  and 
the  other  not ;  and  the  one  that  sutfered 
should  have  been  the  son  of  Mary  and  not 
of  God.  I  think  this  may  well  be  called  for- 
saking the  Lord  who  has  bought  them,  and 
preaching  a  strange  christ  whom  the  Script- 
iu"es  never  knew. 

O,  reader,  dear  reader,  how  lamentably 
the  deceitfulness  of  the  old  serpent  robs  us, 
through  the  reasoning  of  the  learned,  of 
this  noble,  exalted  and  precious  Messiah, 
and  points  us  to  an  impure,  sinful,  earthly 
and  created  being ;  never  minding  that  the 
Holy  Spirit  openly  testifies  that  the  Word 
of  God  was  made  flesh,  John  1,  and  that 
this  same  incarnated  Word  is  our  Emman- 
uel, and  our  God,  Matt.  1:  25;  the  Lord 
who  justifies  us,  Jer.  23;  the  fu'st  and  only 
begotten,  John  1 ;  God's  own  Son,  Rom.  8 ; 
descended  from  heaven,  John  3 :  13 ;  the  liv- 
ing bread  from  heaven  which  was  not  his 
invisible  godhead,  as  the  learned  say,  but 
his  visible  flesh,  as  he  himself  testifies,  John 
6:  51;  come  forth  from  God,  John  16  :  30; 
the  first  and  last,  Rev.  1 :  11;  who  humbled 
himself  and  did  not  assume  the  form  of  a 
great  emperor  or  king,  but  of  an  humble 
servant;  came  down  to  the  level  of  man; 
assumed  the  form  of  man;  obeyed  his  Fa- 
ther unto  death,  nay,  unto  the  death  of  the 
cross;  truly  God  and  man,  man  and  God. 
God  at  all  times,  of  God  and  in  God;  God's 
eternal  word,  who,  in  due  time,  according 
to  the  promise  made  to  the  jjatriarchs,  be- 
came a  miserable,  suftering  and  mortal 
man  in  Mary,  the  pure  virgin,  who  was  of 
the  seed  of  Abraham,  and  married  to  a  man 
of  the  house  of  David,  named  Joseph  (upon 
which  Joseph,  the  evangelists  base  their 
genealogy);  not  divided,  as  the  learned 
teach,  but  an  undivided,  only  Christ  and 
Son  of  God;  pure  and  spotless;  planted  in 
her  of  the  seed  and  Word  of  his  Father,  by 
the  Holy  Spirit  of  God;  conceived  of  her 
through  faith;  fed  and  nourished  in  her  virgin 
body  and  in  due  time  became  man,  as  Isaac 
was  brought  forth  of  Sarah,  and  John  of  Elis- 
abeth; born  of  her  according  to  the  promise; 
obedient  to  the  law;  a  light  to  the  world;  a 
preacher  of  grace ;  an  example  of  righteous- 
ness; and  at  last,  not  on  account  of  his  own 


sins,  for  he  knew  not  sin,  but  for  our  sins, 
he  was  innocently  condemned  to  death, 
nailed  to  the  cross,  died,  buried,  arose, 
and  ascended  to  his  Father  in  heaven,  where 
he  dwelt  before;  and  there  he  is  our  only 
and  eternal  Mediator,  Advocate,  Interces- 
sor, Expiator  and  High  Priest,  with  God, 
his  Father,  Mark  16;  Acts  1;  John  6;  16; 
and  thus  the  Almighty  and  eternal  God, 
oui-  merciful,  heavenly  Father,  alone  re- 
ceives the  honor  and  praises,  through  this 
his  Christ,  our  eternal  Messiah,  his  first 
and  only  begotten  Son  and  eternal  word; 
and  not  through  the  impure  and  sinful  flesh 
of  Adam,  as  the  learned  teach. 

Observe,  reader,  which  of  these  confessions 
j  is  the  most  powerful  and  has  the  strongest 
I  foundation  in  the  Scriptures ;  and  in  which 
j  of  the  two  the  greater  love  of  God,  and  higher 
honor  to  Christ  is  perceptible.    Whether 
God  had  taken  a  man  of  the  seed  or  flesh 
of  Adam,  as  the  learned  teach,  or  whether 
he  had  given  his  eternal  word,  power,  wis- 
dom, nay,  the  heart  of  his  own  body,  (to 
make  a  common  expression),  in  death,  for 
us,  as  all  the  Scriptm-es  teach  us  that  he  did. 
O  what  an  inestimable  word  is  this,  "  God 
so  loved  the  world  that  he  gave  his  only 
begotten  Son,  &c.,  John  3: 16.  Again,"  In  this 
was  manifested  the  love  of  God  towards  us, 
because  that  God  sent  his  only  begotten  Son 
into  the  world,"  and  again.  "Herein  is  love, 
j  not  that  we  loved  God,  but  that  he  loved  us, 
''  and  sent  his  Son  to  be  the  propitiation  for 
!  oiu"  sins,"  1  John  4:  9, 10.  Mark,  he  has  sent 
his  So7i  and  not  a  man  of  the  seed  of  Adam 
who  had  no  father.  Paul  says,  "He  spared 
not  his  own  Son,"  Rom.  8  :  32,  and  other 
explicit  sayings. 

[|^P"  Here,  in  the  original  works  of  Menno  Simon, 
follows  a  brief  argument,  in  reference  to  the  incarnation 
of  our  Lord,  which  the  publishers  have  deemed  proper 
to  omit,  for  the  reason  that  they  felt  that  the  book 
would  be  more  edifying  to  the  general  reader  without  it.] 

I  In  the  seventh  place,  he  accuses  us,  saying,  "That, 
secoudlj',  their  church  has  not  existed  since  the  time  of 

■  Abraham;  and  that  she  is,  therefore,  not  the  true  church, 
is  clearly  visible  from  the  fact  that  they,  in  disobedi- 
ence to  the  will  of  God,  refuse  the  seal  of  the  eternal 

;  covenant  to  the  children  of  the  church,  which  has,  since 

!  the  time  of  Abraham,  been  practiced  and  maintained  in 
the  churches." 

{     Answer.    Abraham  was  commanded  of 

God  that  he  should  leave  the  land  of  his 

{  fathers,  and  of  his  kinsmen,  and  that  he 


100 


REPLY  TO   GELLIUS  PABER. 


should  leave  his  father's  hoiise,  and  remove 
to  a  land  which  the  Lord  would  show  him. 
Abraham  believed  in  the  Lord,  and  departed 
as  the  Lord  had  commanded  him,  Gen. 
12:  4—6. 

Again,  the  Lord  commanded  him  that  he 
should  offer  Isaac,  whom  he  loved,  his  only- 
begotten  of  the  free  woman,  as  a  burnt  of- 
fering. Abraham  believed  in  God;  he  was 
obedient,  and  prepared  to  do  whatever  God 
commanded,  Gen.  22;  Rom.  8:  32. 

In  the  same  manner  he  was  commanded 
to  circumcise  himself,  his  son  Ishmael 
(Isaac  was  not  yet  hovri)  and  every  man 
child  of  his  household,  and  all  the  males 
after  him,  at  the  eighth  day  after  their 
birth.  Abraham  believed  in  God,  and  did 
as  the  Lord  commanded  him. 

Behold,  thus  Abraham  believed  in  the 
Lord;  and  he  counted  it  to  him  for  right- 
eousness, Gen.  15:  6;  Rom.  4:  3.  In  the 
same  manner  God  has  spoken  unto  xis  in 
the  New  Testament,  not  only  by  angels  and 
prophets,  as  he  did  unto  Abraham  and  the 
patriarchs,  but  also  by  his  Son,  which  Son 
has  thus  commanded,  namely.  That  the  gos- 
pel should  be  preached  to  all  the  world;  to 
the  Gentiles  as  well  as  to  the  Jews;  and 
whosoever  believes  it  should  be  bap- 
tized, Mark  16;  even  as  it  was  commanded 
Abraham  «to  circumcise  all  males.  Gen. 
17:  10—13. 

This  command  we  have  received  from  the 
mouth  of  Christ,  therefore  we  believe  in  it, 
even  as  Abraham  believed  in  his  time.  We 
believe  it,  I  say,  and  do  accordingly;  we 
teach  those  of  understanding  minds,  and 
baptize  those  that  believe,  not  in  disobedi- 
ence, as  Gellius  says,  but  in  obedience  to 
the  clear,  plain  and  express  ordinance  and 
command  of  Christ,  God's  own  Son. 

Dear  reader,  observe.  The  Lord,  Christ, 
thanked  his  Father,  and  said,  "This  is  life 
eternal,  that  they  might  know  thee,  the  only 
true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ,  whom  thoir  hast 
sent,"  John  17:  3.  At  another  place  he 
says,  "If  ye  continue  in  my  word,  then  are 
ye  my  disciples  indeed."  Mark,  he  says, 
"If  ye  continue,"  John  8:  31.  And,  while 
the  merciful  and  affectionate  Father,  through 
his  great  kindness,  has  discovered  unto  us 
the  glorious  knowledge,  and  the  wonderful, 
deep  mystery  of  his  beloved  Son,  and,  be- 


sides has  given  us  such  a  fruit  through  his 
Spirit,  that  we  dare  not  willfully  and  know- 
ingly deviate  one  hair's  breadth  from  his 
holy  word,  ordinance  and  command,  as  is 
testified  and  shown  by  our  tribulation,  mis- 
ery and  deprivation,  to  the  whole  world, 
yet,  alas,  according  to  the  judgment  of  Gel- 
lius, and  of  the  learned,  we  are  not  the  be- 
lieving church,  nor  the  disciples  of  Christ, 
as  may  be  seen  by  their  writings. 

Behold,  thus  the  righteous  judgment  of 
the  Almighty  and  great  God  is  passed  upon 
the  wise  and  learned  of  this  world,  that  the 
clear  and  plain  signs,  by  which  the  true 
disciples  and  church  of  Christ  may,  and 
must  be  known,  are  esteemed  an  abomina- 
tion and  error — that  they  who  have  re- 
ceived light  from  above,  through  grace,  are 
not  accounted  christians,  by  them  as  has 
been  related. 

In  the  eighth  place  lie  accuses  us,  and  says,  "  They 
must  admit  that  their  church  has  existed  but  sixteen  or 
seventeen  years,  that  is,  since  the  time  Menuo  Simon 
commenced  preaching.  For  they  do  not  want  to  be 
counted  at  all,  of  the  Munsterites,  Amsterdamltes,  and 
Oude  Kloosterites,  among  whom  Menno  lost  a  brother, 
lest  they  be  called  seditious  or  the  seed  of  sedition." 

Answer.  We  point  to  Christ  Jesus  our 
only  and  eternal  Prophet  and  Messiah,  sent 
of  the  Father,  who  is  the  only  true  Corner- 
stone in  Zion,  the  true  Teacher,  Law-giver, 
Commander,  Intercessor  and  Head  of  his 
church,  together  with  all  his  angels,  apos- 
tles and  prophets,  through  whom  he,  in 
former  times,  spoke,  and  also  his  Spirit, 
word,  ordinances,  commands,  prohibitions, 
usage  and  example — and  if  Gellius,  or  any 
other  person  under  tlie  canopy  of  heaven, 
be  he  learned  or  not,  can  convince  us  by 
divine  truth  that  we  teach  or  maintain  any 
thing  contrary  to  his  word  and  ordinances, 
then  I,  for  myself,  sincerely  desire  to  cor- 
rect the  wrong,  and  to  follow  that  Avhich  is 
right.  This  he  knows  who  lias  purchased 
me;  for  I  Avant  to  be  saved.  But  if  they  can 
not  do  this  by  the  truth,  but  only  in  ap- 
pearance of  truth,  and  thus  blaspheme  it, 
as  all  the  perverse  do,  and  have  to  leave 
our  testimony  unbroken,  then  it  is  suffi- 
ciently proven  that  our  hated,  despised, 
and  small  church  is  the  true,  prophetic, 
apostolic,  and  christian  church,  which  was 
begun  with  the  first  righteous  who  walked 


REPLY  TO   GELLIUS  FABER. 


101 


according  to  the  will  of  God;  and  not  with 

me,  as  Gellius,  alas,  maliciously  says. 

Secondly,  I  woiTld  say,  since  he  has  accused 
us,  at  difl'ereut  times,  of  the  errors  and  se- 
dition of  the  Munsterites,  of  which  we  are 
clear  and  ever  have  been,  before  God  and 
man,  therefore,  I  would  beseech  liim  to  take 
a  view  of  his  own  infant  baptist  chui'ch,  of 
which  he  is  a  teacher  and  head,  and  see 
how  abominably  they  have,  for  years,  re- 
belled amongst  each  other;  how  they  have 
afflicted  countries  and  nations  with  their  ac- 
cursed, ungodly  wars,  and  have  given  the 
blood  of  innumerable  human  beings,  togeth- 
er with  their  poor  souls,  to  the  prince  of 
hell,  and  have  placed  them  as  an  offering 
upon  his  altar;  of  which,  alas,  the  learned, 
by  their  seditious  writings,  together  with 
the  priests,  monks,  and  preachers,  were  the 
principal  cause,  which  is  as  clear  as  day  to 
many  reasonable  persons. 

Thii'dly ,  I  would  say,  that  in  my  opinion, 
he  here  so  indiscreetly  alludes  to  the  error 
of  my  poor  brother,  for  one  of  these  two 
reasons :  Either,  that  he  thereby  would  make 
me  suspicioned  with  the  reader,  that  I,  for- 
merly, also  was  of  the  same  feeling  with 
my  brother,  or,  that  he  would  thereby  in- 
jure my  reputation.  For  my  brother  is  no 
longer  subject  to  the  punishment  of  man 
wliich  he  once  suflered  in  the  llesh,  but 
alone  to  the  judgment  of  God.  It  seems 
that  Gellius  can  not  master  this  envy  and 
bitterness  of  his  heart;  for  nobody  can  be 
corrected  or  taught  righteousness  by  such  a 
course. 

If  he  did  so  for  the  first  reason,  namely, 
to  make  me  suspicioned,  then  all  those  who 
formerly  heard  me,  when  yet  of  the  papal 
church,  and  all  who  liave  ever  heard  me 
until  this  hour,  and  also  my  published  writ- 
ings, will  be  my  testimony,  that  he  wrong- 
fully suspicions  me;  for  I  never  thought  of 
such  a  thing,  much  less  taught  it. 

But,  if  he  did  so  for  the  second  reason, 
namely,  to  blemish  my  reputation,  then  he  I 
should  know  that  I  and  mine,  I  trust,  never 
liarmed  him  nor  his  in  tlie  least;  and  also,  ' 
that  my  poor  brother,  to  whom  he  so  cruelly 
alludes,  did  no  greater  wrong  than  that  he 
erroneously,  alas,  defended  his  faith  by 
force  of  arms,  and  retaliated  the  violence 
committed  against  him,  as  all  the  learned, 


preachers,  priests,  monks  and  all  the  world 
do.  I  presume  that  I  have  merited  this 
cruel  allusion  by  nothing  less  than  by  my 
faithful  love,  because  I  have,  in  sincerity  of 
heart,  pointed  him  and  all  the  preachers  to 
the  divine  truth  of  the  word,  and  because  I 
have  admonished  them  to  their  own  well- 
being.  And  how  this  allusion,  which  can- 
not have  been  made  but  in  envy,  agrees 
with  honorableness,  and  with  the  fear  of 
God,  all  reasonable  readers  may  judge  by 
the  Scriptures  and  the  common  rules  of 
decency.  May  the  kind  Lord  grant  that  he 
may  rightly  learn  the  heart  from  which  this 
unmerited  allusion  comes,  that  he  may 
purge  it  and  sincerely  repent;  this  is  my 
revenge  and  punishment  which  I  invoke  on 
him. 

In  the  ninth  place  he  accuses  us,  and  says,  "That  we 
cannot  iirove  that  infant  baptism  is  an  anti-christian 
abomination ;  nor  sliow  from  the  anti-christian  ordi- 
nance who  was  the  institutor  thereof.  It  can  also  be 
proven,  he  says,  that  infant  baptism  was  practiced  ever 
since  the  apostolic  times ;  long  before  the  violence  of 
auti-christ,  which  was  yet  unknown,  or,  at  least,  very 
weak,  at  the  time  of  Augustine." 

Answer.  We  teach  and  practice  such  a 
baptism  as  was  commanded  by  Jesus  Christ, 
God's  own  Son;  as  was  taught  by  his  faith- 
ful witnesses,  the  apostles,  in  clear  and  ex- 
plicit terms,  and  as  was  transmitted  to  us 
by  their  practice;  which  is  the  baptism  of 
the  believing,  Matt.  28:  19;  Mark  16:  15; 
Acts  2:38;  8:36;  10:48;  16:33;  19:5; 
Rom.  6:3;  Col.  2:12;  1  Cor.  12:18;  Tit. 
3:5;  1  Pet.  3:  21.  AVhosoever,  now,  will 
teach  and  practice  any  other  baptism,  must 
show  by  the  Scriptures  where  it  is  command- 
ed. But  if  they  can  not  do  this,  as  is  im- 
possible to  do,  then  it  is  already  proven 
that  it  is  not  Christ's  baptism,  but  that  of 
anti-christ,  however  finely  it  may  be  orna- 
mented with  learned  words ;  this  is  too  clear 
to  be  denied. 

But,  as  to  his  assertion,  that  the  violence 
of  anti-christ  was  yet  unknown  at  the  time 
of  Augnstine,  or  that  it  was  at  least  feeble, 
is  too  absurd  to  admit  of  an  answer.  AVho- 
ever  will,  may  read  history,  and  he  will 
find  in  great  clearness,  that  anti-christ  was, 
at  the  time  of  Augustine,  in  full  honor  and 
that  he  reigned  with  his  doctrine,  in  the 
hearts  of  men. 
In  the  tenth  place  he  accuses  us,  and  says,  "If  they 


102 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


were  the  true  messengers  of  God,  who  are  to  purge  and 
deliver  the  church  of  Christ  from  such  abominable, 
anti-christian  errors,  they  should  not  be  a  separated 
sect ;  for  the  proj^hets,  and  all  the  faithful  servants  of 
God,  by  whom  God  lias  often  purged  his  church,  did  not 
separate  tliemselves  from  the  church  and  establish  a 
church  of  their  own,  Ijut  they  remained  with  the  church 
and  bestowed  their  faithful  labor  upon  the  church,  at 
the  peril  of  their  lives." 

Answer.  ^Vliatever  Gellius  does,  it  seems 
that  lie  must  slander.  I  say  again,  take 
Christ  Jesus  and  all  his  prophets,  apostles, 
Spirit,  word,  oixlinance  and  life,  and  if  he 
can  thereby  convince  us,  that  in  any  article 
we  are  at  fault  and  contrary  to  their  teach- 
ing (his  slandering  amounts  to  nothing),  or 
that  we  do  not  conform  thereto,  or,  that,  in 
our  weakness,  we  do  not  agree  therewith — 
I  will  give  up  that  we  are  a  separated  sect. 
But  if  he  can  not  do  so,  as  it  is  impossible 
for  him,  and  yet  calls  us  a  separated  sect,  he 
shows  thereby  that  he  is  no  better  judge  of 
the  church  of  Christ,  than  Tertullus  was 
when  before  Felix,  and  the  Jews  at  Rome, 
before  Paul. 

I  would  further  say,  that  if  he  can  prove 
to  us  that  the  faithful  prophets  intermingled 
with  the  worshippers  of  the  calf  of  Jero- 
boam; with  the  servants  of  Baal,  and  the 
abominations  of  Israel,  which  they  so  zeal- 
ously reproved;  and  remained  united  with 
those  who  disobeyed  the  law;  and,  also, 
that  the  holy  apostles  admitted  the  Phari- 
sees and  Scribes,  together  with  other  refrac- 
tory persons,  in  the  communion  of  their 
churches — then  we  admit  that  he  has  a  good 
cause  to  reprove  us,  and  to  write  as  he  does. 
If  they  did  not  do  so,  (and  they  have  not), 
but,  on  the  contrary ,  reproved,  by  the  power 
of  the  Spirit,  the  abominations  that  crept  in 
from  time  to  time,  according  to  the  pure  word 
and  ordinance  of  God,  at  the  peril  of  their 
lives,  then  he  must  admit,  that  he  accuses  us 
without  cause,  since  we  do  not  otherwise  than 
according  to  the  example  of  the  holy  apos- 
tles and  prophets,  reprove  all  false  doctrine, 
unrighteousness  and  abominations  with  the 
pure,  apostolic  teaching.  Spirit,  ordinance, 
and  word  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  (without 
which  no  true  church  of  Christ  can  exist); 
avoid  that  which  is  wrong,  and,  faithfully, 
in  love  and  purity,  teach  and  promulgate 
the  salutary,  christian  truth,  verbaUy  and 


I  by  writing,  to  all  the  hungry  hearts,  at  the 
I  peril  of  life  and  possessions. 

Lastly,  I  would  say.  Since  he  calls  us  an 
excluded  sect,  because  we  do  not  unite 
with  them,  why  have  he  and  his  followers 
seceded  from  the  Papistic  and  Lutheran 
chui'ches?  K  he  answer:  Because  of  their 
abominations.  Then  I  would  again  say, 
that  we  do  it  for  the  same  reason.  For  they 
forsake  the  Son  of  the  true  and  living  God, 
and  point  iis  to  an  earthly  creature  of  the 
unclean  and  sinful  flesh  of  Adam  as  being 
our  Savior;  besides,  they  do  not  follow  the 
command  and  ordinance  of  God  in  regard 
to  baptism.  Holy  Supper,  and  separation. 
We  will  never,  at  any  risk,  desire  to  be  of 
one  church  with  those  who  seek  their  recon- 
ciliation and  salvation  in  the  sinful  flesh  of 
Adam,  who  reject  God's  testimony  of  his 
Son  and  his  ordinance;  but  we  desire  to  be 
of  one  church  and  body  with  those  who 
give  the  praise  to  God  through  his  word; 
with  those  who  confess  the  whole  Christ  as 
the  only,  and  first  begotten  Son  of  God,  and 
who  abide  unchangeably  in  his  holy  ordi- 
nances, example,  Spirit  and  word.  Let 
those  of  understanding  minds  understand 
that  which  the  word  of  the  Lord  teaches, 
John  10. 

In  the  eleventh  place  he  accuses  us,  saying,  "From 
this  it  follows  that  the  calling  of  their  doctrine  is 
wrong,  and  that  their  whole  church,  service,  and  walk, 
cannot  aid  to  salvation,  but  can  only  lead  to  the  cor- 
ruption and  destruction  of  the  true  churches ;  and  there- 
fore they  do  not  suffer  as  innocent  and  harmless  chris- 
tians, but  as  busy-bodies  in  other  men's  matter  (he  re- 
fers to  1  Pet.  4),  except  that  they  want  to  suffer  for 
such  a  cause  of  which  they  must  be  doubtful  themselves, 
and  for  which  no  martyr  ever  suffered." 

Answer.  As  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  and  of 
unfeigned  love,  accepts  all  good  and  godly 
actions  as  right  and  godly,  so,  also,  the 
spirit  of  anti-christ,  and  of  bitter  envy  ex- 
plains every  thing  that  is  right  and  godly, 
as  wrong  and  ungodly.  For  it  is  testified  to 

\  with  possessions  and  life  that  we  dare  not 
willfully  and  knowingly  deviate  one  hair's 

:  breadth  from  the  word  and  example  of  the 
Lord,  but  judge  every  thing  according  to 

!  the  doctrines  and  usages  of  the  apostles,  so 

1  far  as  the  Lord  gives  grace.  We,  in  our 
weakness,  would  gladly  conform  our  lives 
to    the    reqiairements    of    the     Scriptures, 

1  and  gladly  seek  the  praise  of  God  and  the 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  PABEE. 


103 


salvation  of  our  neighbors,  at  the  peril  of 
l")ossessions  and  life.  Notwithstanding 
this,  he  dares  write  that  the  calling  of  our 
doctrine  is  wi'ong,  that  our  walk  and  ac- 
tions are  not  conducive  to  salvation;  that 
we  cause  all  manner  of  corruption  and  dis- 
order, and  that  we  do  not  suffer  as 
christians,  but  as  evil-doers,  who  are  busy- 
bodies  in  other  men's  matters.  Behold,  thus 
all  good  offices  of  the  godly,  are  ever  ex- 
plained to  the  reverse. 

O,  reader,  beloved  reader,  that  the  poor, 
ignorant  world  would  sincerely  accept  this, 
our  despised  doctrine,  whicli  is  not  of  us 
but  of  Christ,  and  that  they  would  faithful- 
ly obey  it;  for  then  they  might  change  their 
deadly  swords  into  plow  shares  and  their 
spears  into  pruning  hooks;  they  would 
level  their  gates  and  walls,  dismiss  their 
executioners  and  hangmen,  for  all  those 
who  accept  our  doctrine,  in  its  power,  by 
the  grace  of  God,  will  not  desire  to  injure 
any  one  upon  earth,  not  even  their  most 
bitter  enemies,  much  less  wi-ong  or  harm 
them  by  works  and  actions;  for  they  are 
the  children  of  the  Most  High,  who  sincere- 
ly loves  all  that  is  good,  and,  in  their  weak- 
ness, avoid  that  which  is  evil,  nay,  hate  it 
and  are  inimical  thereto.  Yet  we  must 
hear  that  we  suffer  for  the  sake  of  wi'ong- 
doing,  as  has  been  heard. 

But  in  regard  to  his  assertion  "that  we 
suffer  for  a  cause  of  which  we  must  be  doubt- 
ful ourselves,  and  for  which  no  martyr  ever 
suffered,"  he  should  know  that  if  we  at  all 
doubted  our  faith,  we  would  not  so  deeply 
impress  the  seal  with  our  possessions  and 
blood,  as  we  do;  for  a  house  built  upon 
the  sand  cannot  withstand  such  torrents  of 
water  and  wind-storms  as  visit  us  daily. 
Matt.  7:25. 

Neither  do  we  suffer  on  account  of  an  un- 
certain cause  as  he  says,  but  for  the  sake 
of  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  for 
the  sake  of  his  holy,  precious  word  and  or- 
dinances; for  the  sake  of  the  sincere  con- 
fession of  God  and  Christ;  for  the  sake  of 
obedience  to  the  Scriptures,  for  the  sake  of 
which  all  have  suffered,  from  the  beginning, 
who  have  rightly  suffered  according  to  the 
will  of  God,  as  may  be  plainly  and  clearly 
educed  from  profane  and  sacred  history. 

In  the  twelfth  place  he  accuses  us,  saying,  "  That  they 


are  the  church  and  Israel,  is  false,  since  they  stain  the 
true  church  of  Christ  by  many  errors  which  they  daily 
produce  and  bring  forward  as  from  the  abyss  of  hell; 
destroy  the  true  sheep  of  Christ ;  unreasonably  adorn 
themselves  with  the  sanctity  of  the  church ;  cause  strife 
and  dissension  concerning  the  articles  of  faith;  are 
carnal,  sneak  about  and  preach  in  secret,  and  do  not 
agree  with  the  elders  of  the  churches,  as  said  before." 

Answer.  If  the  spirit  of  truth  had  been 
the  writer  in  this  case,  the  game  would  have, 
doubtlessly,  been  reversed,  and  this  accusa- 
tion laid  on  our  opponents;  for  they  still 
maintain  and  uphold  some  gross  errors 
which  were  formerly  brought  forward  by 
anti-christ  from  the  abyss  of  hell  (to  use  his 
own  expression),  both  by  doctrine  and 
force;  and  thereby  cause  the  godly  much 
affliction  and  tribulation,  cause  many  a 
pious  child  to  be  deprived  of  possessions 
and  life,  adulterate  truth,  preach  falsehood, 
are  carnally  minded,  and  in  fact  deny  that 
the  man,  Christ  Jesus,  is  God's  only  and 
iirst  begotten  Son,  while  we,  with  our  small, 
despised  number  shun  and  forsake  all  the 
anti-christian  abominations  and  errors, 
build  up  the  church  of  Christ  and  again 
place  it  upon  the  true  foundation,  again 
publish  and  proclaim  the  clear  and  plain 
truth,  to  many,  both  verbally  and  by  writ- 
ing, at  the  peril  of  life  and  the  displeasure 
of  the  world,  confess  the  whole  Christ,  as 
the  true,  only  and  first  begotten  Son  of  God, 
as  did  the  angel  to  Mary,  John  the  Baptist, 
Peter,  Martha,  and  the  Father  from  high 
heavens  himself,  and  rightly  use  his  ordi- 
nances of  baptism,  Sitpper  and  separation, 
as  all  those  did  from  the  beginning  who 
rightly  knew  God,  and  acted  according  to 
his  will. 

Behold,  reader,  these  are  the  most  impor- 
tant accusations  charged  against  us  by 
him;  and  that  they,  for  the  most  part  are 
artful  fabrications,  false  explanations,  false 
suspicions,  false  accusations  and  partial 
charges,  whereby  he  obstructs  the  course  of 
divine  truth,  maintains  falsehood,  insults 
the  godly,  and  consoles  the  impenitent  in 
their  easy  life,  is  fully  proven  in  this  our 
replication. 

j      In  the  last  place  he  writes  of  us,  saying,  "  Experience 

1  fully  teaches  that  their  teachers  and  prophets  are  not 

the  teachers  and  prophets  of  God.  And  that  they  are  not 

the  people  of  God,  I  have,  perhaps,  already  proven  too 

powerfully.   From  which,  then,  it  is  clear  that  our  magis- 

i  tracy  are  right  not  to  let  them  proceed  in  their  wicked 


104 


REPLY  TO   GELLIUS  FAEER. 


course,  but  to  stop  them ;  and  they  might,  in  pastoral  and  ] 
paternal   faithfulness   or  solicitude   for  the  church   of 
Christ,  speak  and  act  a  little  harder  towards  them,  lest  the 
church  be  quite  destroyed.    But  then  we  would  be  their 
persecutors  and  blood-hounds." 

Ansioer.  Jeremiah,  Micah,  Elias,  Christ 
Jesus  and  Paul  could  not  be  called  the  true 
prophets  and  servants  of  God;  nor  can  we. 
But  the  great  Lord  shall,  in  due  time,  make 
it  manifest  who  are  the  faithful  prophets 
and  servants  of  God  and  who  are  not. 

Again,  to  his  saying  that  we  are  not  the 
people  of  God,  we  answer  with  holy  Paul 
that  it  is  a  very  small  thing  that  we  should 
he  judged  by  the  judgment  of  men;  and 
especially  of  siich  men  who  are  so  diamet- 
rically opposed  to  the  ordinance,  Avill  and 
word  of  God,  as  may  be  seen  in  the  case  of 
Gellius,  by  his  writing.  Yea,  kind  reader, 
if  he  and  his  like  preachers  acknowledged 
us  to  be  the  people  of  God,  they  would 
thereby  testify  that  they  are  are  not ;  some- 
thing which  an  ambitious,  carnal  person, 
who  seeks  reputation  and  fame,  never  will 
do. 

Again,  in  regard  to  his  approval  of  the 
magistracy  hindering  our  course,  which  he 
calls  wicked,  I  would  say  that  the  longer 
and  the  more  he  wTites,  the  more  indiscreet 
and  offensive  he  becomes,  and  the  more  he 
manifests  his  blindness.  If  he  be  a  preacher 
called  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  then  let  him 
sliow  a  single  word  in  all  the  New  Testa- 
ment, whereby  he  can  prove  that  Christ  or 
the  apostles  have  ever  called  on  the  magis- 
tracy to  defend  and  protect  the  true  church 
against  the  attack  of  the  wicked,  as,  alas, 
he  calls  us.  No,  no.  Christ  Jesus  and  his 
powerful  word  and  Holy  Spirit  is  the  pro- 
tector and  defender  of  his  church;  and  not 
the  emperor,  king,  or  any  worldly  potent- 
ate. The  kingdom  of  the  Spirit  must  be 
protected  and  defended  by  tlie  sword  of  the 
Spirit,  and  not  by  the  sword  of  the  world. 
This  is  too  clear  to  be  controverted,  accord- 
ing to  the  doctrine  and  example  of  Christ 
and  his  apostles. 

I  would  further  say.  If  the  magistracy 
rightly  understood  Christ  and  his  kingdom, 
they  would,  in  my  opinion,  rather  choose 
death,  than  to  meddle  with  their  worldly 
power  and  sword  in  spiritual  matters,  which 
are  not  subject  to  the  judgment  of  man,  Init 


to  the  judgment  of  the  great  and  Almighty 
God  alone.  But  they  are  taught  by  their 
pastors  that  they  should  proscribe,  impris- 
on, torture  and  slaj^  those  who  are  not  obe- 
dient to  their  doctrine,  as  may,  alas,  be 
seen  in  many  ditferent  cities  and  countries. 

In  short,  kind  reader,  if  the  merciful  Lord 
did  not,  in  his  great  love,  temper  the  hearts 
of  some  of  the  magistrates,  bitt  would  let 
them  proceed  according  to  the  fiendish  in- 
stigation and  blood-preaching  of  the  learn- 
ed, no  pious  person  could  endure.  But 
some  are  yet  found,  who,  notwitlistanding 
the  crying  and  writing  of  tlie  learned,  suffer 
and  bear  with  the  miserable,  and,  for  a  time, 
show  them  mercy,  for  which  we  will  forever 
give  praise  to  God,  the  Most  High,  and  for 
which  we  feel  very  grateful  and  thankful  to 
siich  kind  and  discreet  regents. 

But,  to  his  writing  that  in  paternal  and 
pastoral  solicitude  and  faithfulness  they 
might  use  harsher  means  against  us,  I 
would  say  this:  If  he  had  entered  in  at  the 
right  door  with  Christ,  who  is  the  Prince 
and  Head  of  all  true  pastors,  and  if  he  cotild 
taste  in  his  heart,  of  the  friendly  and  amia- 
ble Spirit,  nattu-e  and  disposition  of  Christ, 
he  would  not  at  all  think  of  such  a  resolu- 
tion against  the  blood  of  others,  much  less 
advocate  and  invoke  it.  This  I  know  to  a 
certainty,  for  the  Spirit  of  Christ  is  not 
thus  natured,  John  10:  2;  1  Pet.  2:  3. 

Reader,  observe  that  he,  in  this  instance, 
does  not  write  plainly  that  the  magistracy 
should  put  us  to  the  sword;  this  e  does, 
because  he  does  not  want  to  be  called  a 
blood-hound  or  persecutor;  nevertheless  he 
makes  it  understood  that  if  they  should  do 
so,  he  would  call  it  a  praisworthy  thing. 
Whoever  is  not  quite  destitute  of  under- 
standing, well  understands  what  he  hints 
at  in  this  instance.     O,  a  doctrine  of  blood! 

O,  that  he  could  comprehend  the  force  of 
the  word  which  the  Lord  says,  "Ye  are  of 
your  father,  the  devil,  and  the  lusts  of  your 
father  ye  will  do.  He  was  a  murderer  from 
the  beginning,"  John  8  :  44.  For,  since  he 
encourages  the  blood-thirsty  by  such  wi-it- 
ing,  and  I  have  myself  heard  from  his  own 
mouth  that  it  is  right  to  persecute  and  kill 
one  on  account  of  his  faith  (understand, 
such  faith  as  they  think  to  be  heretical),  he, 
therefore,  has  there])y  burdened  the  inno- 


REPLY  TO  GELLIUS  FABER. 


105 


cent  blood  on  his  sonl.  I  say  innocent 
blood,  for  neither  he  nor  anybody  else  lapon 
the  face  of  the  earth,  can,  by  the  grace  God, 
convince  us  by  the  force  of  truth,  that  we 
act  or  do  aught  against  Christ  or  his  word; 
or  that  we  deserve  tlie  punishment  and 
sword  of  the  magistracy. 

He  should  further  know  that  this  blood- 
doctrine  of  his,  is  not  only  contrary  to 
Jesus  Christ,  God's  own  Son,  and  that  of  his 
servant,  Paul,  but  also  contrary  to  the  doc- 
trine of  Luther,  see  his  book,  "i)e  SuMimi- 
ori  mundi  potestatey  Besides  contrary  to 
the  doctrine  of  Hieronimus,  Augustine, 
Theophilactus,  Anselmus,  Remigius  and 
others,  who  unanimously  agree  that  the 
heretics  should  not  be  killed,  but  admon- 
ished and  convinced,  and  if  they  do  not  re- 
pent after  admonition,  that  they  should, 
according  to  the  word  of  God,  be  separated 
from  the  communion  of  the  church,  and 
shunned. 

Besides,  this  stone  thrown  by  him  might 
light  upon  his  own  head.   For  what  greater 


and  more  terrible  heresy,  deception  and 
blasphemy  can  be  imagined  than  to  assert 
that  the  pure  and  holy  flesh  of  Christ,  is  a 
ransom  for  sin,  to  adulterate  so  sadly  his 
ordinance  and  the  apostle's  clear  and  plain 
doctrine  of  baptism;  to  neglect  Exclusion 
as  requii'ed  by  the  word  of  God ;  to  slander 
the  pious,  and  to  console  and  encourage 
the  impenitent  and  carnal  minded  by  gar- 
bling the  Scriptures,  as  he  has  constantly 
done  in  his  wi'itings  from  beginning  to  end. 

If  we  were  thus  to  resolve  against  those 
who  are  wrong  in  doctrine  or  faith,  as  he 
says  we  should,  then  we  would  have  to  com- 
mence with  him,  because  he  is  a  defender 
of  siich  great  errors,  as  may  be  plainly  seen 
by  comparing  both  our  writings. 

May  the  merciful,  dear  Lord  permit  him 
and  all  our  opponents  to  see  the  right  foun- 
dation of  truth;  understanding  hearts  to 
understand  it  rightly,  and  a  willing,  free  and 
new  mind  to  believe  and  follow  it  with  sin- 
cerity. Amen. 


CONCLUSION. 


Heee,  dear  reader,  you  have  my  forced  an- 
swer to  the  unseasoned,  blasphemous  writ- 
ing of  Gellius,  which  he  has  published  and 
printed,  A.  D.  1552,  against  the  unadulter- 
ated truth  of  God  and  his  scattered  church; 
whereby  he  so  lamentably  adulterates  the 
salutary  doctrine  of  Christ,  and  so  misera- 
bly accuses  the  innocent,  pious  hearts,  be- 
fore the  whole  world,  that  I  could  not  neg- 
lect to  do  so,  by  virtue  of  my  office,  to  which 
I  was  unworthily  ordained  of  God,  through 
the  pious.  I  had  to  controvert  him  with  the 
word  of  the  Lord,  and  publish  it  through 
the  press,  as  he  in  the  fii-st  place  has  done 
against  us,  to  the  praise  of  God  and  his 
truth,  to  the  justification  of  the  innocent, 
and  to  the  instruction  of  the  humble. 

Whoever  seeks  and  strives  after  truth 
may  find  it;  for  it  has  been  shown  with 
great  clearness ;  but  whoever  despises  it, 
does  not  despise  us,  but  Christ  Jesus,  who 
has  taught  it  unto  his  church  through  his 
holy  apostles,  and  who  has  bequeathed  it 
to  us  by  the  testimony  of  the  Scriptures 
through  his  Holy  Spirit. 
50 


I  hereby  ofier  myself  to  you  and  to  the 
whole  world,  if  these  writings  are  not  suffi- 
cient for  you,  to  let  me  have  safe  conduct  to 
an  open  and  free  discussion  with  Gellius 
and  the  learned;  and  if  I  cannot  maintain 
my  doctrine  and  faith  by  virtue  of  the 
Scriptures,  and  if  I  cannot  prove  their  doc- 
trine and  faith  as  deceiving,  then  I  will  not 
refuse  to  acknowledge  my  fault  before  the 
whole  world,  to  retract  my  doctrine  and  to 
consign  myself  and  my  writings  to  the  fire. 
But  if  I  can  substantiate  my  doctrine,  then 
I  desire  and  ask  nothing  more  than  that 
they  acknowledge  their  fault,  discontinue 
to  deceive  the  people,  repent,  teach  the  truth 
to  the  people  and  flee  from  falsehood. 
Herewith  I  commend  you  to  God;  he  will 
guide  your  feet  upon  the  way  of  peace,  and 
lead  you  all  in  the  unadulterated,  pure 
kn  owledge  of  his  eternal, saving  truth,Amen. 
The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with 
all  who  sincerely  seek  and  fear  him.  Amen. 

Menko  Simon. 


A 


VEEY  HUMBLE 

SUPPLICATION 


or  THE 


POOR,  DESPISED  CHRISTIANS, 


TO  ALL  THE  PIOUS,  KIND  AND  REASONABLE  MAGISTRATES;  CONCERNING 

THE  ABOMINABLE  CHARGES,  UPBRAIDINGS,  BACK-BITINGS  AND 

CLAMOR  OF  THE  LEARNED,  WHEREBY  THEY  ARE,  ON 

EVERY  HAND,  SLANDERED  AND  TROUBLED,  AS 

MAY  BE  HEARD  AND  SEEN. 


BT 


MENNO  SIMON. 


"If  a  stranger  eojourn  witli  thcc  in  your  land,  ye  shall  not  vex  him,"  "He  shall  be 
onto  you  as  one  born  among  you,  and  thou  shalt  love  him  as  thyself,"  Levit.  19  :  33,  34. 


ELKHART,  INDIANA: 

PUBLISHED  BY  JOHN  F.  FUNK  AND  BROTHER. 

18  71. 


/. 


^^1 


To  all  the  pious,  kind  iiud  reasouable  magistrates,  lords,  princes,  regents  and  commanders,  we,  poor,  des- 
pised and  scattered  children  wish  eternal  happiness,  a  hapjiy  reign,  and  every  blessing  of  God  our  heavenly  Father, 
through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord  and  Savior,  Amen. 


.^Jl  ± 


"Amend  your  ways  and  your  doings;"  "For  if  ye  thoroughly  amend  your  ways  and  your  doings;  if  ye 
thorouo-hly  execute  judgment  between  a  man  and  his  neighbor ;  if  ye  oppress  not  the  stranger,  the  fatherless,  and 
the  widow,  and  shed  not  innocent  blood  in  this  place,  neither  walk  after  other  gods  to  your  hurt,  then  will  I 
cause  you  to  dwell  in  this  place,  in  the  land  that  I  gave  to  your  fathers,  for  ever  and  ever,"  Jer.  7  :  3,  5—7. 

"Is  it  not  to  deal  thy  bread  to  the  hungry,  and  that  thou  bring  the  poor  that  are  cast  out,  to  thy  house? 
when  thou  seest  the  naked,  that  thou  cover  him ;  and  that  thou  hide  not  thyself  from  thine  own  tlesh  ?  Then 
shall  thy  light  break  forth  as  the  morning,"  Isaiah  58  :  7,  8. 


A  VERY  HUMBLE  SUPPLICATION 

OF  THE  POOR,  DESPISED  CHRISTIANS. 


It  is  well  known  to  many  persons,  noble, 
honorable  and  kind  lords,  that  many  are 
more  diligent  and  zealous  to  execute  the 
law  of  Theodosius  (although  this  law  was 
formerly  forced  from  the  good  emperor  by 
the  blood  thirsty  bishops),  the  mandate  of 
Charles  the  fifth,  and  the  decree  of  the  Ro- 
man empire,  passed  against  those  whom 
they  call  anabaptists  (issued  in  our  times), 
than  they  are,  to  have  the  word  of  God 
obeyed;  never  minding  that  these  laws  and 
decrees  were  made,  not  on  account  of  bap- 
tism itself,  but  on  account  of  the  ungodly 
errors  and  abominations  which  were  com- 
mitted by  the  doctrine  and  doings  of  the 
baptized;  for,  if  the  beforementioned  law, 
mandate  and  decree  were  issued  on  account 
of  baptism,  and  not  on  account  of  the 
crimes  committed  at  different  times  by  those 
that  were  baptized,  then  were  also  Christ 
Jesus,  the  apostles,  Cyprian  the  Martyr, 
all  the  African  bishops,  theNicene  concilion, 
and  besides  the  great  apostle,  Paul,  thereby 
adjudged  as  public  criminals.  This  is  in- 
controvertible. 

Since  we  are  opposed  to  the  Donatists, 
Circumcelliones,  Munsterites,  and  to  the 
errors,  abuses  and  abominations  of  all  up- 
roarious sects,  committed  in  our  times  (on 
account  of  which,  formerly  the  law  of  Theo- 
dosiiTS  was  passed,  and  in  our  times  the 
imperial  mandate  and  the  condemnation  of 
the  empire,  were  issued) ;  also  were  opposed 
to  them  from  the  beginning  of  our  doctrine 
and  faith;  and,  since  we,  before  God  and 
his  angels,  seek  nothing  upon  earth  but 
that  we  may,  humbly  and  obediently  follow 
the  express  and  clear  word,  Spii'it,  ex- 
ample, command,  prohibition,  usage  and 
ordinance  of  the  Lord,  according  to  which 
we  shoiild  judge  every  thing  pertaining  to 


the  kingdom  and  church  of  Christ,  if  we 
would  please  God,  as  is  testified  and  shown 
on  every  hand,  by  our  tribulation,  oppres- 
sion, misery,  anxiety  and  blood — therefore 
it  is,  before  God  and  man,  unchristian,  nay, 
manifestly  wrong  and  detestable,  to  impose 
the  same  penalty  and  punishment  on  us 
that  is  imposed  on  the  Circumcelliones,  on 
account  of  the  baptism,  alone,  which  we 
have  maintained  in  conformity  with  the 
word  of  God,  with  the  apostolic  doctrine 
and  usage,  and  against  all  human  philoso- 
phy and  inventions.  To  treat  us,  I  say, 
the  same  as  they  did  the  Circumcelliones, 
who,  according  to  history,  committed  such 
detestable,  cruel  tyrannies,  and  also  the 
same  as  they  treated  the  Munsterites,  who, 
contrary  to  the  word  of  God,  to  all  the  evan- 
gelical Scriptures,  and,  also,  contrary  to 
sound  policy,  established  a  new  kingdom, 
rebellion,  polygamy,  and  such  like  things; 
all  of  which  we  unflinchingly  oppose  and 
reprove,  as  may  be  seen  by  our  open  actions 
and  doings. 

We  would,  therefore,  in  the  first  place, 
for  the  sake  of  Christ  humbly  beseech  your 
Excellencies,  and  honorable  Wisdom,  to 
consider,  in  pity  and  paternal  solicitude, 
how  lamentably  your  miserable  subjects, 
who  are  created,  with  you,  of  one  God,  and 
were  purchased  with  the  same  treasure,  and 
who  will  at  last  appear  with  you  before  the 
same  jiidgment,  are,  without  their  faults, 
belied,  derided  and  slandered  of  the  whole 
world,  and  especially  of  the  preachers;  and 
how,  in  many  places,  they  are  pitilessly 
and  unmercifully  destroyed  as  the  worst 
criminals  upon  earth,  and  are  given  as  food 
to  the  fowls  of  the  air;  how  they  are  (as 
our  predecessor,  Christ),  with  the  criminals, 
put  to  the  stake  and  on  the  wheel;  and  how 


110 


A  VERY  HUMBLE  SUPPLICATION 


many  of  us,  with  our  wives  and  little  chil- 
dren, are  driven  from  our  country  and  pos- 
sessions, must  roam  in  foreign  countries, 
naked  and  destitute;  and  all  this  for  no 
other  reason,  God  knows,  than  that  we  do 
not  agree  with  the  inordinate  way  of  living 
of  this  world,  and  do  not  commune  with 
the  preachers  who  oppose  the  word  of  the 
Lord  by  their  doctrine,  sacraments  and  life; 
that  we  rightly  use  baptism  and  the  Lord's 
Supper,  shun  all  idolatry,  self-righteous- 
ness and  abuses,  according  to  the  Script- 
ures; and  that  we  woirld  gladly,  in  our 
weakness,  fear  the  Lord,  and  follow  in 
righteousness. 

We  beseech  yoxxv  Excellencies  and  Honors 
to  consider,  in  the  fear  of  God,  what  he  re- 
quires of  you,  namely.  That  you  shall 
rightly  judge  between  man  and  man,  with- 
out all  respect  of  persons,  and  that  you 
shall  deliver  the  oppressed  from  the  hands 
of  the  oppressor,  The  Lord  says,  "Execute 
judgment  between  a  man  and  his  neighbor;" 
"Oppress  not  the  stranger,  the  fatherless, 
and  the  widow,  and  shed  not  innocent 
blood."  Consider  this;  that  your  despised 
servants  and  miserable  subjects,  who  fled 
from  the  roaring  lions,  may,  in  peace  and 
quiet,  serve  the  Lord,  and  earn  their  bread 
according  to  the  Scriptures,  under  youi-  pa- 
ternal care  and  merciful  protection,  Jer. 
7:6,7;  22:17;  Isaiah  59. 

Secondly,  we  desire  that  your  Excellen- 
cies and  Honors  would  weigh,  with  the  in- 
fallible word  of  God,  with  the  living  exam- 
ple of  Christ,  and  with  the  pious,  unblama- 
ble life  of  the  saints,  how  a  true  christian 
should  be  disposed  according  to  the  Script- 
ures. If  reading,  singing,  water,  bread, 
wine,  name  and  boasting,  would  constitute 
true  Christianity,  then  there  would  be  a 
great  number  of  christians.  But  no,  be- 
loved lords,  no.  The  word  of  God  knows 
no  christians  but  those  who  are  born  anew 
in  Christ  of  the  living  seed  of  God,  through 
the  pure  doctrine  of  Jesus  Christ,  which, 
being  preached  in  the  power  of  the  Spirit, 
is  accepted  in  true  faith,  by  the  grace  of 
God  and  through  the  operation  of  the  Holy 
Spirit;  who,  by  virtue  of  this  birth,  bury 
the  old  sinftrl  life,  and  arise  with  Christ  in 
newness  of  life;  who,  in  their  weakness, 
gladly  obey  the  holy  will,  word,  example. 


ordinances  and  commands  of  the  Lord,  and 
who  sincerely  die  unto  every  thing  contrary 
thereto;  whi)  diligently  combat  all  licen- 
tious, vain  thoughts,  and  besetting  sins 
which  flow  from  the  inherited  Adamic  nat- 
ure; and  who  daily  sigh  and  mourn  before 
the  Lord,  on  accoiint  of  their  human  weak- 
ness, errors  and  short  comings,  vsdth  an 
humble,  broken  heart;  who  are  prepared  to 
take  upon  themselves  the  cross  of  Christ, 
and  to  forsake  father,  mother,  husband, 
wife,  children,  possessions  and  self,  for  the 
sake  of  the  testimony  of  his  holy  word, 
when  the  honor  and  praise  of  God  require 
it.  In  short,  they  are  minded  as  Christ 
Jesus;  are  in  Christ  and  Christ  in  them; 
they  are  led  by  his  Spirit ;  and  they  abide 
immutably  in  the  word  of  the  Lord,  through 
true  faith,  firm  confidence,  and  a  living 
hope,  in  all  temptations  and  perils,  Rom. 
6:4;  Col.  2:  12;  Gal.  3:  27;  2  Tim.  3;  Ma*t. 
10:  38;  Luke  14:  27;  Phil.  2:  3. 

Inasmuch  as  it  is  found  in  fact  that  our 
faithful  brethren  and  sisters  in  Christ  Jesus, 
the  beloved  companions  in  tribulation,  and 
in  the  kingdom  and  patience  of  Jesus 
Christ,  Rev.  1 :  9,  so  sincerely  fear  and  love 
the  Lord,  their  God,  that  they  would  rather 
give  their  reputation  and  money,  goods, 
flesh  and  blood,  and  every  thing  of  which 
human  nature  is  desirous,  as  a  prey  to  the 
blood-thirsty,  than  willfully  and  knowingly 
to  speak  a  false  word  or  to  act  hypocriti- 
cally, contrary  to  the  word  of  God;  there- 
fore we  would  beseech  your  Excellencies 
and  Honors  to  consider  whether  they  are 
such  pernicious  and  dangerous  people  as, 
alas,  they  are  called  by  many,  and  adjudged 
by  all.  Yea,  dear  lords,  all  their-  pleasui-e 
is  in  the  word  of  the  Lord.  Their  mouths 
flow  with  wisdom,  their  love  smells  like  the 
precious  ointment  on  the  head  of  Aaron, 
their  prayers  are  as  the  noble  incense  be- 
fore the  ark  of  God;  their  life  enlightens  as 
the  golden  candlesticks  in  the  temple  of  the 
Lord,  and  they  seek  nothing  on  this  earth, 
but,  that  they  may  serve  the  whole  world 
unto  righteousness,  both  with  body  and 
spirit,  and  that  they  may  deliver  many 
from  the  destruction  of  their  souls,  and  win 
them  unto  Christ,  through  the  grace,  Spirit, 
power  and  word  of  the  Lord;  and,  that  they 
may  thus,  with  the  gracious  help  of  God, 


OF  THE  POOR,  DESPISED  CHRISTIANS. 


Ill 


improve  the  short  time  of  their  earthly  ex- 
istence, in  Christ  Jesus,  to  the  praise  of 
God,  and  to  the  service  of  their  neighbors, 
and  be  eternally  saved,  Jer.  IT:  8;  John 
1:8;  Ps.  133:2. 

If  this  is  heresy  and  devilish  deceit,  as 
the  preachers  cry,  then  the  Son  of  God, 
Christ  Jesns,  together  with  all  the  prophets, 
apostles  and  testimonies  of  God,  were  open 
heretics ;  and  then  all  the  Scriptures  which 
teach  nothing  but  reformation,  and  point 
us  to  Christ,  are  nothing  but  deceit;  this 
can  not  be  denied;  for  they,  in  their  weak- 
ness, conform  in  all  their  doings,  to  the 
word.  Spirit,  life,  command,  prohibitions,  ' 
ordinances  and  usages  of  the  Lord,  as  their  j 
open  actions  testify  before  all  the  world,  j 
Isa.  1:  17;  Luke  9:  35;  Deut.  18:  15.  | 

Since,  then,  they  and  we  walk  in  unity  of : 
spirit,  and,  before  God,  seek  nothing  in 
Christ  Jesus,  but  that  we,  in  our  weakness, 
would  gladly  follow  Christ,  as  has  been 
said,  and  we  also  trust,  by  the  grace  of  the 
Lord,  that  your  excellencies  will  never  per- 
ceive anything  else  in  your  poor  servants 
(we  wi'ite  of  those  who  are  united  with  us 
in  faith  and  life),  therefore,  we  beseech  your 
Excellencies  and  Honors,  again,  for  Christ's 
sake,  to  discard  all  prejudice  against  us 
miserable  orphans,  to  believe  us  to  be  sin- 
cere in  our  profession,  and  never  think  that 
we  have  any  other  intentions,  if  we  should 
become  as  numerous  as  the  spears  of  grass 
upon  the  fields,  or  as  the  sands  on  the  sea 
shore  (something  which  will  never  be  veri- 
fied, since  the  way  is  narrow  and  the  gate 
is  strait);  for  Christ,  whose  name  we  bear, 
has  taught  so  with  his  own  mouth;  his  holy 
apostles  have  preached  it  irnto  all  the  world, 
and  have  testified  it  with  the  holy  gospel, 
and  have  promulgated  it  at  the  peril  of  life, 
Matt.  7:  13;  Mark  16:  15;  Rom.  10:  18. 

Thirdly,  we  desire  that  your  Excellencies 
and  Honors  would  earnestly  consider  how 
the  Scriptures  are  being  verified  in  regard 
to  those  who  boast  themselves  christians; 
how  mortally  the  sword  of  \\Tath  cuts  on 
every  side,  and  how  the  hand  of  divine  pun- 
ishment is  laid  upon  us;  great  and  many 
are  our  sins;  great  and  severe  is  the  pun- 
ishment of  the  Lord;  the  fire  of  -vvrath  is 
enkindled;  unless  the  Lord  in  his  gi-ace, 
quench  it,  it  will  devour  both  the  green 


and  dry  trees,  according  to  the  word  of  the 
prophet.  The  prophecy  of  Christ  concern- 
ing the  latter  days;  also,  of  Daniel  and  of 
the  apostles,  are  fast  fulfilling.  The  flesh- 
consuming  sword  of  the  Lord  glitters  every 
where,  and  his  bloody  darts  are  flying  in 
every  country;  one  kingdom  has  risen 
against  another;  one  principality  against 
another;  one  city  against  another,  and  one 
neighbor  and  friend  against  another. 
Some  are  put  to  the  sword,  some  are  im- 
prisoned; cities  and  villages  are  leveled  and 
destroyed;  the  poor,  despised  people  who 
are,  in  part,  innocent,  are  exhausted,  pro- 
faned, taxed,  burned  and  ruined,  without 
mercy;  numbers  are  rendered  adulterers 
and  rogues;  one  pestilence  and  epidemic 
follows  another;  and  one  panic  another. 
Storms,  hurricanes,  misery  and  tribulation 
sweep  over  land  and  water.  In  short,  the 
continual  severe  punishment  show  that  the 
Lord  is  angry;  notwithstanding  the  wicked 
world  does  not  reform,  but  yet  daily  degen- 
erates more  and  more,  Deut.  32:  23 — 35; 
Ezek.  21:  1—0;  Matt.  24:  4. 

All  of  them,  in  general,  boast  themselves 
to  be  christians,  and  that  they  have  God's 
word,  although  their  seeking  and  doings 
are  quite  contrary  to  Christ  and  his  word. 
For,  if  we  turn  to  the  magistrates,  whom  we 
should  reasonably  expect  to  know  the  ways 
and  judgments  of  the  Lord,  as  Jeremiah 
says,  we  flnd  that  they  have  broken  the 
yoke  and  rent  asunder  the  bands.  If  we 
turn  to  the  preachers,  we  find  there  the  envy 
of  Cain  to  all  those  who  fear  the  Lord,  an 
insatiable  love  of  money,  a  Balaamitic  ava- 
rice, a  light  minded,  easy  doctrine,  idola- 
trous sacraments,  and  a  lustful,  vain,  care- 
less life,  as  may  be  openly  seen.  If  we  turn 
to  the  common  people,  there  we  find  extor- 
tion, hoarding,  drinking,  carousing,  lying, 
cheating,  cursing  and  swearing;  some  com- 
mit adultery  and  fornication,  others  are 
marauders,  pillagers,  thieves  and  murder- 
ers, nay,  they  lead,  alas,  such  a  life  that  we 
may  well,  in  anguish,  sigh  with  Hosea,  that 
"There  is  no  truth,  nor  mercy,  nor  knowl- 
edge of  God  in  the  land;  by  swearing,  and 
lying,  and  killing,  and  stealing,  and  com- 
mitting adultery,  they  break  out,  and  blood 
toucheth  blood,"  Hosea  4:1,  2;  with  Paul, 
"  They  are  all  gone  out  of  the  way;  they  are 


112 


A  VERY  BTUIVIBLE  SUPPLICATION 


together  become  unprofitable,"  "and  the 
way  of  peace  have  they  not  known,"  Rom. 
3:  12,  17,  and,  that  their  sins  have  reached 
imto  heaven,  Rev.  18:  5.  O,  dear  Lord,  how 
long  will  this  di-eadfully  great  blindness, 
blasphemy,  deceit,  abomination,  blood- 
thirstiness  and  recklessness  continue ! 

Noble  lords,  reform;  do  works  meet  for 
repentance,  such  as  can  stand  before  the 
Lord;  humble  yourselves  with  the  king  of 
Nineveh;  take  ofl"tlie  ungodly,  tainted  coat 
of  sin;  repent  in  sackcloth  and  ashes;  cry 
out  unto  the  Lord  with  a  broken  heart:  rend 
your  hearts  and  not  your  garments,  as  the 
prophet  says;  let  the  pious  Josiah  be  your 
pattern,  who  turned  himself  unto  the  Lord, 
with  all  his  heart,  and  soul  and  strength,  as 
soon  as  the  law  of  God  was  read  to  him, 
from  the  book  which  was  again  found,  John 
3:7;  2  Kings  22: 11. 

Dear  lords,  seek,  fear,  and  serve  God 
with  all  your  strength;  do  justice  unto  the 
widows,  orphans,  strangers,  and  all  the  for- 
saken; cleanse  your  hands  of  blood,  rule 
your  countries  in  wisdom  and  peace,  and 
let  all  your  thoughts,  words  and  actions  be 
conformed  to  the  crucified  Christ  Jesus; 
follow  his  footsteps;  for  "  Though  your  sins 
be  as  scarlet  they  shall  be  as  white  as  snow ; 
though  they  be  red  like  crimson,  they  shall 
be  as  wool;"  "As  I  live,  saith  the  Lord 
God,  I  have  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  the 
wicked;  but  that  the  wicked  turn  from  his 
way,  and  live,"  Isaiah  1:  18;  Ezek.  33:  11; 
18:  32. 

Inasmuch  as  those  who  boast  themselves 
the  church,  are  so  estranged  from  Christ, 
that  they  are  no  more  than  nominal  chris- 
tians; and,  inasmuch  as  the  salt,  which  is 
the  preachers,  has  wholly  lost  its  savor, 
that  it  does  more  injury  than  good,  for  they 
flatter  more  than  they  reprove,  if  they  can 
make  some  earthly  gain  thereby,  and  do 
not  seek  the  praise  of  the  Lord;  by  which 
they  all,  both  preacher  and  hearer,  are  led 
upon  the  broad  road  which  leads  to  de- 
struction, and  since  there  are,  alas,  none  to 
stop  them  in  their  career,  as  the  prophet 
complains,  and,  since  we,  God  knows, 
would  gladly  see  all  men  awaken,  fear  the 
Lord,  sincerely  repent  and  be  saved,  that 
thus  the  fallen  city,  which  is  the  church, 
may  again  be  built  upon  her  old  founda- 


tion, that  is,  upon  the  firm  foundation  of 
the  apostles,  and  upon  the  pure  doctrine  of 
Christ  Jesus,  and  that  such  repentance  may 
be  verified  unto  the  world  by  a  pious,  peni- 
tent, christian  life,  according  to  the  Script- 
ures ;  behold,  therefore  we  are  so  hated  of 
the  learned,  that  by  their  slanderous  crying 
and  clamoring,  we  are  often  robbed  of  oru- 
possessions,  and  our  bodies  given  to  the 
executioner.  Some  of  us,  through  necessi- 
ty, are  forced  to  seek  refuge  in  foreign  lands, 
on  account  of  their  persecution,  as  has  been 
said.  Therefore  we,  poor,  miserable  oiit- 
casts,  pray  your  Honors  and  Excellencies 
the  third  time,  earnestly  to  reflect  upon  this 
matter,  for  Christ's  sake,  and  faithfully 
compare  the  doings  of  the  preachers  and 
the  tenor  of  the  following  wi-iting  addressed 
to  them,  and  the  matters  and  things  therein 
set  forth,  that  our  apology  may  be  rightly 
understood,  and  the  truth  explained  ac- 
cording to  the  word  of  the  Lord;  and  that 
the  guilty  may  no  longer  be  protected  in 
their  unrighteousness.  Yea,  beloved  lords, 
if  this  was  impartially  done,  in  the  fear  of 
God,  you  would  soon  find,  by  the  grace  of 
God,  in  great  clearness,  with  whom  the 
tmth  or  falsehood  is;  and  that  the  doctrine, 
sacraments  and  life  of  the  preachers  are  not 
in  accordance  with  the  Scriptures,  but  that 
they  are  deceitful  and  contrary  to  the  word 
of  God. 

O,  beloved,  noble  lords,  we  beseech  you 
not  to  despise  oui-  reasonable  and  christian 
prayer,  but  to  consider  it  in  love;  for  it 
concerns  the  praise  of  the  Almighty  God, 
his  eternal  word  and  truth,  and  the  eternal 
salvation  of  all  our  souls,  which  are  so 
much  desired  and  so  dearly  purchased  with 
his  precious  blood.  O,  consider  the  diOer- 
ence,  to  live  eternally  with  Christ  Jesus  in 
the  kingdom  of  heaven,  or  eternally  to  die 
with  all  the  devils  in  the  abyss  of  hell. 

Dear  lords,  we  are  in  gi-eat  anxiety  and 
tribulation,  and  are  terrified  in  two  ways. 
For,  if  we  follow  the  truth,  which  we  ever 
intend  to  do  in  our  weakness,  by  the  grace 
of  God,  then  we  are  made  a  prey  to  all  the 
world.  If  we  deviate,  and  again  enter  into 
the  broad  way,  from  which  the  merciful 
Father  save  us,  then  we  fall  into  the  hands 
of  God  and  must  bear  his  eternal  prmish- 
ment.    The  salvation  of  our  souls  is  wortli 


A  LETTER  OF  CONSOLATION. 


113 


more  than  man  can  compreliend.  The 
sweet-sounding,  precious  word  will  once  he 
heard:  "  Come  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  in- 
herit the  kingdom  prepared  for  you;"  and 
also  the  fearful  word  which  is  threatened  to 
all  who  are  disobedient  to  Christ,  which 
pierces  body  and  soul,  if  well  realized: 
"Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed,  into  everlast- 
ing fire,  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  an- 
gels." Happy  they,  who  are  awake  at  that 
time,  who  have  theii-  lamps  prepared,  and 
saved  their  wedding  garments.  Yea,  blessed 
are  they  who  are  called  to  the  Lord's  Supper. 
Dear,  noble  lords,  it  is  no  flattery  nor 
vain  display  of  words;  but  that  which  we 
write,  we  mean,  as  our  sore  persecutions 
testify. 


The  merciful,  great  Lord,  Jesus  Christ, 
who  is  Lord  of  lords,  and  King  of  kings, 
grant  that  your  Honors  may  acknowledge 
the  truth,  faithfully  act  in  accordance  there- 
with, and  that  you  may  rule  the  people, 
cities  and  countries  entrusted  to  your  reign, 
in  peace  and  prosperity,  to  the  praise  of 
your  God,  and  to  the  salvation  of  many 
souls.    This  is  our  sincere  desire.  Amen. 

"Blessed  are  the  merciful:  for  they  shall 
obtain  mercy."  Be  merciful,  as  your  Father 
is  merciful.  "Verily,  I  say  unto  you,  In- 
asmuch as  ye  did  it  not  to  one  of  the  least 
of  these,  ye  did  it  not  to  me,"  Matt.  5:  7; 
25:  45.  The  humble  and  obedient  subjects 
of  your  Excellencies  and  Honors,  in  all 
things,  we  can  do  according  to  the  will  of 
God  by  his  grace. 


A  LETTER  OF  CONSOLATION,  ADDRESSED  TO  AN  AFFLICTED  WIDOW. 


Grace  and  peace  be  unto  you,  and  kind 
greeting,  sincerely  beloved  sister  in  the 
Lord,  whom  my  soul  loves.  The  merciful 
Lord  having  called  you  to  widowhood,  my 
paternal  and  faithful  admonition  to  you  is, 
as  a  father  to  his  children,  to  bear  with  your 
lot  as  becomes  holy  women,  and  to  serve 
the  Lord,  with  the  pious  Hannah  in  the 
holy  temple,  that  is,  in  his  church,  or  a  new 
and  upright  conscience,  with  fasting  and 
prayer,  night  and  day;  treat,  at  all  times, 
the  needy  saints,  as  the  virtuous  widow  of 
Sarepta  in  Zidon,  treated  the  faithful  Elijah, 
at  the  time  of  the  di'outh  and  panic,  when 
she  received  him  in  her  house,  and  fed  him 
with  her  handful  of  meal  and  a  little  oil; 
and  the  meal  of  the  holy,  divine  word,  from 
the  measure  of  your  conscience,  and  the 
joyous  oil  of  the  Holy  Spirit  shall  not  be 
withheld  from  you.  And,  if  the  new  son  of 
your  spiritual  birth,  do  sicken  a  little  and 
lose  his  breath  for  a  time,  through  the  weak- 
ness to  which  a  widow  is  naturally  subject 
— yet  our  true  Elias,  Jesus  Christ,  will  again 
animate  him  through  his  grace,  and  again 
restore  you  to  cheerfulness;  for,  as  the 
Scriptures  teach,  you  receive,  love  and  serve 
him  in  his  members. 

Beloved  sister,  understand  me  aright. 
51 


I  speak  of  the  needy  saints,  and  no  fm-ther. 
Those  who  have  enough  of  their  own,  do 
not  need  your  aid  and  services.  True  chris- 
tians should  not  put  each  other  to  unneces- 
sary expenses.  Faithful  sister,  walk  pru- 
dently; fear  your  God  sincerely;  crucify 
your  flesh  and  its  lusts ;  withstand  the  ene- 
my and  all  his  enchantments;  bear  every 
thing  piously;  do  not  imprudently  cause 
anybody  trouble;  diligently  attend  to  your 
occupation,  household  and  children;  care- 
fully shun  all  unchastity,  vain  babbling, 
pomp  and  splendor;  earnestly  avoid  being 
led  by  the  temptations  of  the  flesh,  that  you 
do  not  become  like  the  widows  who  lost 
their  first  faith,  and  followed  after  the  devil, 
as  Paul  says;  from  which  may  the  merci- 
ful Father  ever  save  you.  Receive  in  love, 
this,  my  brief  gi-eeting,  written  to  you  in 
true,  paternal  affection,  and  reflect  upon  it 
diligently.  The  saints  here,  greet  you.  Greet 
all  pious  friends.  Pray  for  me.  The  eter- 
nal, saving  power  and  fruit  of  the  precious 
blood  of  Christ,  be  with  my  chosen  much 
beloved  sister,  in  eternity,  Amen. 

Your  loving  and  well  wishing  brother. 


MENNO  SIMON. 


May  IStJi. 


J^  Bie,IEF 


Complaint  or  Apology 


OF  THE 


DESPISED  CHRISTIANS 


AND 


EXILED    STRANGERS, 

TO  ALL  THE  THEOLOGIANS  AND  PEEACHERS  OP  THE  GERMAN  NATIONS, 
CONCERNING  THE  BITTER  FALSEHOODS,  SLANDERS  AND  ABUSES  WITH 
WHICH  THEY,  WITHOUT  TRUTH,  BURDEN  THESE  SUFFERING  CHRIS- 
TIANS AND  EXILES,  TOGETHER  WITH  A  FRIENDLY  REQUEST  TO 
HAVE  A  FREE  DISCUSSION  OF  THE  SCRIPTURES,  IN  ACCORD- 
ANCE WITH  THE  RULES  OF  CHRISTIAN  LOVE. 


BY 


MENNO  SIMON. 


"  The  servant  of  the  Lord  must  not  strive  ;  but  be  gentle  unto  all  men,  apt  to 
teach,  patient,"  2  Timothy  2  :  24. 

"For  other  foundation  can  no  man  lay  than  that  is  laid,  which  is  Jesus  Christ," 
1  Corinthians  3  :  11. 


ELKHART,  INDIANA: 

PUBLISHED  BY  JOHN  F.  FUNK  AND  BROTHER. 

1871. 


^csLivsa. 


ca. 


ta 


We,  poor  and  despised  christians,  who  have  to  endure  and  suffer  so  much,  on  account  of  the  testimony  of 
the  word  of  the  Lord,  wish  to  all  theologians  and  preachers  of  all  countries  who  boast  of  the  gospel, 
whoever  and  wherever  they  are,  a  new,  penitent  heart ;  a  true,  active  faith  in  Christ  Jesus ;  an  unfeigned,  ardent 
love  ;  a  salutary  doctrine  ;  a  sound  doctrine  according  to  truth,  and  a  pious,  unblamable  life,  in  the  fear  of  the 
Lord,  of  God  our  heavenly  Father,  in  the  operation  and  power  of  his  Holy  Spirit,  through  Christ  Jesus,  his 
beloved  Son,  our  Lord  and  eternal  Savior,  Amen. 


A  BRIEF  COMPLAINT  OR  APOLOGY. 


It  is  a  fact  well  known  to  aU,  dear  men 
and  brethren,  how  very  much  the  pure,  di- 
vine tmth  is  disregarded  in  our  Nether- 
lands, caused  by  the  envious  crying  and 
clamor  of  the  Papists  and  Monks ;  and  that 
the  innocent  blood  is  shed  like  water;  on 
account  of  which  we,  miserable  children, 
are  forced  to  flee  from  the  sword  of  the  ty- 
rants, and  to  seek  refuge  in  foreign  lands, 
with  our  weak  women  and  little  ones,  and 
to  earn  our  bread  in  tribulation  and  misery, 
according  to  the  prophecy  of  God's  word. 
Many  of  you,  it  appears,  cry  against  us, 
perhaps  with  good  intentions,  through  mis- 
understanding, and  instigate  the  magistracy 
(part  of  whom  should  be  reasonable  and 
discreet)  to  persecution,  by  false  accusa- 
tions, and  contrary  to  all  reasonableness 
and  christian  love;  and  you  warn  every 
body  against  us,  as  being  disposed  like  the 
Munsterites;  that  we  would  take  counti-ies  j 
and  cities,  if  we  had  the  power;  that  we  are 
rebels,  and  use  the  sword;  steal;  are  poly g- 
amists;  have  our  women  and  possessions  in 
common;  will  not  obey  the  magistracy;  that 
we  murder  our  children  bodily  and  spiritu- 
ally; are  anabaptists,  and  profaners  of  the 
sacraments,  deceivers,  and  hypocrites;  that 
we  boast  of  being  without  sin;  self-compla- 
cent; heaven -stormers;  who  trust  in  being 
saved  by  our  own  good  works  and  merits, 
that  we  are  ungodly  heretics  and  conspira- 
tors, new  monks,  rogues,  miscreants  and 
possessed  of  the  devil.  In  short,  we  are 
alas,  portrayed  by  you,  in  such  colors,  that 
all  who  are  not  acquainted  with  our  foun- 
dation and  faith,  must  shut  their  mouths 
and  noses  at  the  sight  of  us,  and  must  have 
a  horror  of  us;  although,  before  God  and 
his  angels,  we  seek  nothing  upon  earth,  but 
that  we,  in  our  weakness,  may  be  cordially 
united  in  the  Spirit,  word  and  example  of 


the  Lord,  through  his  grace,  as  all  the 
Scriptures  teach  and  imply. 

The  Almighty,  great  Lord,  who  knows 
all  hearts,  knows  that  we  are  clear,  before 
the  Lord  and  his  judgment,  of  all  the  be- 
forementioned  abominations  and  slanders, 
of  which  we  are  ever  accused  by  you;  also, 
that  we  are  clear  and  innocent  before  all 
the  world.  Yea,  if  any  one  under  the  whole 
canopy  of  heaven,  can  prove,  by  the  firm 
truth,  that  we,  and  our  adherents,  are  guilty 
of  one  of  these  capital  crimes,  or  that  we 
were  ever  guilty  thereof,  then  we  will  lay 
our  hands  upon  our  mouths  and  will  be 
bound  by  life  and  possessions  to  the  ac- 
cuser, all  our  days;  with  this  exception, 
however,  that  we  do  not  wish  to  obey  the 
magistracy,  when  they  command  things 
contrary  to  the  word  of  God.  Is  it  not  a 
deplorable  thing  that  we  are  slandered  and 
accused  of  such  inhuman  disgraces,  while 
we  never  even  thought  of  doing  them,  and 
much  less  commit  them  ? 

O,  dear  men  and  brethren,  if  you  knew 
what  we  seek,  and  how,  by  the  grace  of 
God,  we  are  disposed  towards  you  all,  you 
would  not  have  such  hard  feelings  against 
us  as  you  have  had  hitherto;  or  else  you 
are  abandoned  to  a  state  of  ungodliness 
and  perversity ;  something  which,  we  trust, 
is  not  true  of  many  of  you. 

Since  you  are  so  lamentably  mistaken  in 
our  intentions,  heap  one  falsehood  upon 
another,  and  since,  alas,  we  are  not  allowed 
at  any  place,  verbally  to  defend  ourselves, 
therefore  we  are  forced  to  present  a  defense 
in  writing,  and  would  humbly  pray,  and 
fraternally  admonish  yoxi  all  to  consider 
these  four  things : 

Pii'st,  that  you  would  consider  in  sin- 
cerity of  heart,  that  lies  are  of  the  devil, 
that  the  lying  mouth  killeth  the  soul,  that 


118 


A  BRIEF  COMPLAINT  OR  APOLOGY. 


a  liar  has  no  part  in  God's  city,  that  the 
backbiters  are  deserving  of  death,  that  they 
shall  not  abide  in  the  tabernacle  of  the  Lord, 
and  not  dwell  in  his  holy  hill,  Psalm  15: 1. 
Secondly,  that  nearly  all  of  yonr  accusa- 
tions against  us  are  capital  crimes.  If  we 
did  not  fear  the  Lord,  but  would  strictly 
ask  oui"  rights,  according  to  the  law  of  the 
world,  and  retaliate,  what  would  at  last  be- 
come of  us;  since  you  publicly  accuse  us  of 
such  accursed  abominations,  which  no  man 
ever  can  prove  against  us  by  the  power  of 
the  truth. 

Thirdly,  that  this,  youi-  action,  is  directly 
opposed  to  all  nature,  reason,  christian 
love  and  the  word  of  God;  for  where  was 
there  ever  a  person  of  pious  nature  who  did 
not  pity  the  outcast  and  sympathize  with 
the  afflicted  ?  AH  the  Scriptures  teach  that 
ws  shall  receive,  serve,  protect  and  console 
the  afflicted  and  strangers,  in  love;  and  you 
see  plainly  how  lamentably  we  poor,  pitia- 
ble people  are  every  where  hated,  despised, 
banished,  oppressed,  and  in  some  places 
judged  and  mui'dered;  yet  youi-  hearts  are 
not  so  much  moved  as  to  accost  us  once 
with  a  friendly  word,  in  our  sore  tempta- 
tions and  tribulations,  and  to  examine  our 
foundation,  faith  and  actions,  in  a  paternal 
spirit,  according  to  the  word  of  the  Lord. 
But  you  still  cause  more  enmity  against  us, 
that  we  may  lind  no  rest  upon  earth.  Yon 
cry,  write,  falsify,  upbraid,  clamor,  add 
tribulation  to  tribulation,  drag  us  to  dun- 
geons and  prisons,  as  if  you  never  had  read 
a  syllable  of  the  word  of  the  Lord,  with 
understanding  minds,  nor  received  a  spark 
of  his  Holy  Spirit.  We  will  leave  to  your 
own  judgment,  if  this  can  be  called  acting 
in  accordance  with  lanfeigned,  christian  love, 
with  the  doctrine  and  usage  of  the  apostles, 
and  in  accordance  with  the  Spirit,  word  and 
example  of  the  Lord. 

Say,  beloved,  where  do  the  Holy  Script- 
ures teach  that  we  shall  rule  the  consciences 
and  faith  of  others,  in  the  kingdom  and 
church  of  Christ,  by  force  of  the  sword,  vio- 
lence, and  tyranny  of  the  magistracy — 
something  which  is  left  entirely  to  the  judg- 
inent  of  God?  In  what  instance  has  Christ 
and  the  apostles  ever  done,  recommended 
or  commanded  this  ? 
Christ  says,  "Beware  of  false  prophets;" 


and  Paul  commands  that  we  shall  shun  an 
heretic  after  one  or  two  admonitions;  John 
teaches  that  we  shall  not  greet  nor  receive 
the  transgressor  into  our  houses,  who  does 
not  bring  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  Matt.  7: 15; 
Tit.  3:  10;  2  John  1:  9;  they  say  not: 
Down  with  the  heretics,  accuse  them  before 
the  magistrates,  imprison,  exile  and  cast 
them  into  the  fu-e  or  water,  as  the  Romans 
have  done  for  many  years,  and  as  many  of 
you  would  do,  you  who  pretend  to  preach 
the  word  of  God. 

Foiirthly,  we  would  sincerely  pray  you, 
for  Christ's  sake,  to  consider  and  examine 
whether  your  spirit  accords  with  the  Lord's 
Spirit,  and  whether  your  faith  accords  with 
his  holy  word;  whether  the  Spirit  of  the 
Lord,  and  the  love  of  your  neighbor  con- 
strain you  to  the  service,  or  whether  it  is 
the  love  of  gain  and  the  temporary  suste- 
nance of  your  bodies;  whether  you  preach 
the  pure  word  of  God  in  sincerity  of  heart, 
use  his  sacraments  aright,  and  whether  you 
lead  a  pious  and  unblamable  life,  as  the 
Scriptures  teach ;  and  whether  you  shun  open 
transgressors,  the  pompous,  drunkards, 
misers,  extortioners,  liars,  deceivers,  con- 
tenders, adulterers,  fornicators,  swearers 
and  uni'ighteous,  and  separate  them  from 
the  communion,  without  respect  to  persons, 
according  to  the  word  of  the  Lord.  For  we 
see  such  living  and  acting,  O,  Lord,  as  if 
neither  prophet,  apostle,  Clii'ist,  nor  the 
word  of  God  was  ever  upon  earth.  Never- 
theless you  men,  want  to  be  called  the  holy 
christian  church,  and  preachers  of  sound 
doctrine,  as  if  Christ  did  not  require  more 
of  his  chiu'ch  than  mere  reading,  singing, 
crying,  infant  baptism,  brealiing  of  bread, 
and  calling  themselves  after  his  name;  and, 
as  if  spirit,  knowledge,  faith,  love,  repent- 
ance, righteousness,  works,  power  and  truth 
were  no  longer  necessary. 

No,  no,  dear  men,  no.  This  is  required 
of  the  church  of  Christ,  to  preach  his  una- 
dulterated word  in  the  power  of  the  Spirit, 
to  believe  it  sincerely,  and  to  obey  it  in 
every  particular;  to  iise  his  holy  sacra- 
ments, such  as  baptism  and  the  Holy  Sup- 
per, according  to  his  own  command  and 
ordinance;  to  seek,  fear,  love  and  sei-ve 
God  sincerely;  to  be  born  of  God;  to  love, 
serve,  console,  help  and  protect  Ms  neigh- 


A  BRIEF  COMPLAINT  OE  APOLOGY. 


119 


bor;  to  shun  all  false  doctrines  and  works  | 
of  darkness;  to  die  unto  carnal  lusts,  which 
are  contrary  to  the  word  of  God;  to  forsake 
ourselves  and  the  world;  to  lead  a  pious, 
peaceable,  chaste,  sober  and  humble  life,  in 
righteousnsss,  according  to  the  truth.  In 
short,  to  be  of  one  mind  with  Christ  Jesus. 
For  it  is  incontrovertible,  that  where  these 
are,  there  are  also  the  kingdom  and  church 
of  Christ.  But  the  deceivers,  hateful,  liars, 
slanderers,  backbiters,  rebellious,  blood- 
thirsty, avaricious,  unmerciful,  cruel,  proud 
and  impenitent,  are  of  the  wicked  one.  The 
Scriptures  teach  that  their  part  shall  be 
weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth,  eternal 
death  and  everlasting  tire,  prepared  for  the 
devil  and  his  angels,  John  15:  12;  3:  5; 
Mark  7:  15;  Tit.  3:  5;  2  John  9;  Matt. 
16:23;  13:42. 

O  men  and  brethren,  if  you  would  take 
to  heart  this  brief  reference,  in  the  sincere 
fear  of  God,  and  would  reflect  thereon,  and 
judge  according  to  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord, 
you  would  doubtless  find  such  a  gi'eat  beam 
in  youi'  own  eye,  that  you  would  not  re- 
gard the  small  splinter  which  may,  perhaps, 
be  in  your  brother's  eye  (for  we  are  all  of 
Adam's  seed).  But  to  know  ourselves  is 
understanding,  and  to  conform  ourselves  in 
all  things  to  the  Lord's  word,  is  a  salutary 
understanding  and  wisdom. 

Inasmuch  as  we  are  thus  indiscreetly  and 
falsely  accused  by  you,  and  as  jow  boast 
to  be  servants  of  God  who  teach  his  word 
and  works,  therefore  we  would  pray  joxi 
all,  for  the  sake  of  the  blood  of  Christ,  with 
which  we  are  besprinkled,  to  consider  how 
you  treat  us,  poor,  afflicted  ones,  that  you 
no  more  sin  by  such  open  falsehoods  and 
tyrannies,  as  you  have  hitherto  done;  but 
that  you  may  show  such  a  paternal  dispo- 
sition as  conforms  to  the  divine  operation, 
and  to  the  christian  name;  for  we  testify 
before  him  who  knows  our  hearts,  before  you, 
and  before  the  whole  world,  verbally  and 
by  wi'iting,  by  oiu'  possessions,  and  blood, 
life  and  death,  that  we,  in  our  weakness, 
are  prepared  and  willing  to  obey  the  word 
and  will  of  God,  from  the  innermost  of  our 
souls;  and  we  shall  ever  be  prepared  as  we 
ever  have  been  from  the  commencement  of 
our  faith  and  actions,  wiUingly  to  hear  and 
obey  any  one  who  can  instruct  us  in  a  more 


powerful  spirit  and  truth,  and  who  can 
point  out  a  more  godly  life;  but  if  he  can 
not  instruct  us  for  the  better,  then  we  ask 
again,  for  Christ's  sake,  to  leave  us  undis- 
turbed in  the  truth,  and  not  persecute  and 
afflict  the  pious  who  walk  in  it.  We  hereby 
give  notice  to  you  all,  that  we  are  desirous 
to  meet,  at  any  acceptable  time  and  place, 
with  one  or  two  of  our  members  (no  matter 
whether  teachers  or  not),  with  you  before  a 
full  assembly,  or  before  twenty  or  thirty 
reasonable  and  pious  witnesses,  just  as  you 
choose,  to  discuss  the  following  points  (for 
herein  we  differ),  according  to  the  Spirit, 
word,  life,  example,  command,  proliibition, 
usage  and  ordinance  of  God,  in  sincerity  of 
heart,  namely: 

Of  the  right  evangelical  preachers  and  teachers — how 
they  should,  according  to  the  word  of  God,  be  minded 
and  fitted,  before  they  can  rightly  preach  the  word  of 
God  and  serve  his  sacraments. 

Of  the  doctrine  of  Christ  and  his  ajjostles — that  it 
does  not  change,  Ijnt  must  remain  unchanged  until  his 
coming  again. 

That  Christ  Ls  a  perfect  teacher,  and  that  his  ofter  is 
a  perfect  ofleriug. 

Of  true  regeneration;  what  it  is,  of  whom  it  is,  and 
what  are  its  natural  fruits  and  disposition. 

Of  true  evangelical  faith  and  love ;  their  proper  qual- 
ities, power  and  operation. 

Of  God's  commandments  and  their  keeping. 

Of  true  christian  Ijaptism — how  it  was  commanded  of 
the  Lord,  and  how  taught  and  practiced  by  the  ajjostles. 

Of  the  Lord's  Holy  Supper — what  it  is — by  whom  it 
was  instituted  and  ordained,  and  what  it  implies  and 
represents. 

Of  the  true  apostolic  Ban  or  Separation — its  proper 
fruits  and  usefulness. 

Of  the  pious  christian  life  which  is  of  God. 

If  you  have  anything  else  to  discuss,  you 
may  present  it,  and  have  it  criticized  ac- 
cording to  the  word  of  God. 

Behold,  dear  men  and  bretlu-en,  this  is 
what  we  woiild  gladly  have  you  accept,  if 
it  can  be  obtained  in  sincerity  of  heart, 
under  safe  conduct,  without  any  trickerj^ 
and  strategy,  according  to  the  rules  of 
christian  love,  and  the  word  of  God,  as 
Origen,  Augustin,  Hilarius  and  others  have 
done  in  their  times,  with  those  who  were 
suspected  in  their  doctrine.  Yon  can  not 
think  hard  of  us  for  asking  safe  conduct 
and  freedom,  for  it  is  evident  that  they  cry 
vindictively  and  madly  against  us,  on  every 
side. 

If  you  are  servants  of  Christ,  and  seek  the 


120 


DESCRIPTION  OF  A  TRUE  PREACHER. 


praise  of  the  Lord  and  the  salvation  of  your 
brethren,  as  Isaiah,  Jeremiah,  Peter  and 
Paul,  did  in  their  times,  then  you  would 
rejoice;  praise  the  Lord;  again  restore  our 
respect  with  the  people;  and  henceforth 
leave  off  such  slanderous  language,  as  has 
been  mentioned;  you  would  reform  your 
life,  accept,  and  advise  and  aid  in  the  offered 
discussion,  in  christian  faith;  because  we 
do  not  propose  to  have  the  discussion 
judged  according  to  human  philosophy, 
wisdom  and  ideas,  as  some  do,  but  accord- 
ing to  Christ's  own  Spirit,  word,  command, 
prohibition,  ordinance,  usage  and  example. 
But,  in  case  you  reject  and  refuse  it,  and 
still  continue  in  your  bitterness,  falsehoods, 
slanders,  upbraiding,  backbiting,  and  dis- 
grace as  you  have  hitherto  done,  then  we 
poor,  miserable  souls,  must  leave  it  to  the 
Lord,  as  has  been  hitherto  done;  and  pos- 
sess our  souls  in  patience;  suffer  ourselves 
to  be  punished,  and  console  ourselves  with 
this  saying,  "Blessed  are  ye,  when  men 
shall  revile  you,  and  persecute  you,  and 
shall  say  all  manner  of  evil  against  you 


falsely,  for  my  sake.  Rejoice,  and  be  ex- 
ceeding glad;  for  great  is  jowr  reward  in 
heaven,"  Matt.  5:  11,  12.  But  you  must  fill 
the  measure  of  your  fathers,  and  make 
youselves  manifest,  that  you  seek  not  the 
sheep,  but  merely  their  milk,  wool  and  fat, 
Ezek.  34:  3.  There  are  but  two  ways  open, 
namely.  You  must  either  cease  your  false 
accusations,  and  slandering,  and  enter  into 
a  discussion  with  us,  or  you  must  acknowl- 
edge that  you  are  not  the  true  teachers,  and 
let  go  your  gospel  fame  and  cliristian  name. 

We  would  herewith  commend  you  all  to 
the  Lord,  and  desire  to  say  that  none  should 
take  offense  at  this;  for  we  have  done  so 
for  the  advancement  of  the  holy  word,  and 
I  for  the  defense  of  our  respectability,  and 
I  we  would  reiterate,  that  we  are,  at  all  times, 
prepared,  and  willing  for  the  discussion,  on 
the  conditions  mentioned. 

May  the  merciful  Lord  grant  you  all  a 
sincere,  pious  heart  to  love  the  saving  truth 
of  Clirist,  and  to  walk  in  accordance  there- 
with, to  the  praise  of  God,  and  to  the  salva- 
tion of  your  souls.    Amen. 


DESCRIPTION  OF  A  TRUE  PREACHER. 


"A  bishop,  then,  must  be  blameless,  the 
husband  of  one  wife,  vigilant,  sober,  of  good 
behavior,  given  to  hospitality,  apt  to  teach." 
He  "must  be  blameless,  as  the  steward  of 
God;  not  selfwiUed,  not  soon  angry,  not 
given  to  wine,  no  striker,  not  given  to  filthy 
lucre.  But  a  lover  of  hospitality,  a  lover 
of  good  men,  sober,  just,  holy,  temperate; 


holding  fast  the  faithful  word,  as  he  hath 
been  taught,  that  he  may  be  able  by  sound 
doctrine,  both  to  exhort,  and  to  convince 
the  gainsayers,"  1  Tim.  3:  2;  Titus  1:  7 — 9. 

By  us  despised  strangers  and  scattered 
christians,  for  the  sake  of  God's  word  and 
its  testimony.    A.  D.  1552. 


A 


TREATISE  OK 


AND 


Scriptural  Explanation 


OF 


EXCOMMUIICATION, 


FOR  THE  BENEFIT  OF  ALL  PIOUS  AND  GOD  FEARING  CHILDREN. 


BY 


MENNO  SIMON. 


"  Evil  men  understand  not  judgment ;  but  they  that  seek  the  Lord  understand 
all  things,"  Prov.  28  :  5. 

"  Whoso  walketh  uprightly  shall  be  saved ;  but  he  that  is  perverse  in  his  way* 
shall  fell  at  once,"  Prov.  28  :  18. 

"  For  otlier  foundation  can  no  man  lay  than  that  is  laid,  -which  is  Jesus  Christ," 
1  Coriutliians  3  :  11. 


ELKHART,  INDIANA: 

PUBLISHED  BY  JOHN  F.  FUNK  AND  BROTHER. 

18  7  1. 


52 


A  SCRIPTURAL  EXPLANATION 


OF  EXCOMMUNICATION. 


Menno  Simon  wishes  to  all  fellow-helievers,  irethren  and  sisters  in  Christ  Jesus,  the 
grace  and  peace  of  Ood  our  heavenly  Father,  tliroufih  Christ  Jesiis  his  beloved  Son,  our 
Lord,  who  loved  us  and  has  cleansed  us  of  our  sins  in  Jiis  Mood.  To  him  he  the  honor, 
praise,  Idngdom,  poicer,  and  glory,  for  ever  and  ever.  Amen. 


Dear  bretliren,  since  I  find  that,  for  some 
time,  mncli  strife  lias  been  occasioned  in 
regard  to  the  ban,  and  this  so  violently  and 
indiscreetly,  therefore,  I  fear  brotherly  love, 
christian  peace  and  unity,  vrith  some,  are 
more  diminished  than  augmented,  as  was 
the  case  in  olden  times;  and  it  appears  that 
some,  through  ambition  and  self-conceit, 
are  desirous  of  such  corrupting  disputation, 
that  they  entertain  the  opinion,  in  this 
matter  that  not  the  banned  ones  them- 
selves should  be  shunned,  but  only  their 
false  doctrine  and  offensive  life,  not  observ- 
ing that  they  have  already  become  entan- 
gled in  false  doctrine;  for  thereby  they  nul- 
lify the  plain  ordinance  of  Christ,  "Let  him 
be  unto  thee  as  a  heathen  man  and  a  pub- 
lican," and  also  the  plain  words  of  the  holy 
apostles.  Matt.  18:  17;  Rom.  16:  16;  2  Thess. 
3:  14;  Tit.  3:10. 

Others  think  that  the  ban  should  not  be 
practiced,  further  than  that  which  pertains 
to  the  evangelical  usages,  as  the  breaking 
of  bread  and  the  kiss  of  peace;  and  garble 
the  plain  sayings  of  the  Scriptures,  to  make 
their  opinions  good,  namely:  Do  not  keep 
company  with  such;  with  such  not  eat; 
"Let  him  be  unto  thee  as  a  heathen  man 
and  a  publican,"  and  other  like  sayings,! 
Cor.  5:  10;  Matt.  18:  17. 

Again,  there  are  some  who  acknowledge 


the  ordinance  of  Christ,  and  the  doctrine  of 
the  holy  apostles,  in  regard  to  excommuni- 
cation, as  right  and  just,  yet  they  do  not 
observe  it;  some,  I  presume,  from  being 
luke  warm,  some  from  motives  of  carnal  love 
and  favor  of  the  apostates,  and  others  on 
account  of  being  neighbors,  or  relatives,  or 
perhaps  on  account  of  former  attachments 
and  favors. 

And,  since  the  express  ordinance  of  Christ 
and  his  holy  apostles,  in  regard  to  excom- 
munication, is  lamentably  weakened,  ob- 
scured and  garbled,  by  the  first  mentioned, 
and  visibly  transgressed  and  dishonored 
by  the  latter,  and  thus  the  door  is  opened 
wide  to  all  corruption,  and  since  they  thus 
act  against  all  love;  First,  against  the  love 
of  God  and  Christ,  for  they  thereby  despise 
and  disobey  his  holy  word,  will  and  ordi- 
nance; Secondly,  against  brotherly  love:  For 
by  siich  perverseness  and  disesteem,  they 
offend  and  afflict  their  brethren;  Thirdly, 
against  the  love  of  their  own  souls:  For, 
thereby,  they  willfully  expose  themselves 
to  the  danger  of  being  corrupted ;  Fourthly, 
against  the  love  of  those  deserving  the  ban: 
For  they  despise  the  advice  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  and  do  not  seek  to  shame  them  unto 
repentance;  Fifthly,  also  against  common 
love:  For,  by  communing  with  the  apos- 
tates, they  make  the  worldlings  suspicious 


124 


EXCOMMUNICATION. 


that  we  are  one  and  tlie  same  people  with 
theapostatesandperverse;  and,  since  thepre- 
cious  word  of  God  and  his  holy  church,  is  thus 
blasphemed  and  profaned  by  many,  on  ac- 
count of  their  recklessness  and  disobedience 
— therefore,  in  a  christian  spirit  and  broth- 
erly love  (of  which  God  is  my  witness),  I 
have  endeavored  to  explain,  for  the  benefit 
of  my  beloved  brethren  and  fellow  believers 
in  Christ  Jesus,  the  proper  grounds  of  the 
ban,  according  to  divine  truth;  how  tlie 
ban  is  instituted  of  Christ ;  how  it  was  taught 
and  explained  by  his  holy  apostles,  and 
what  its  fruits  and  benefits  are.  But  this 
explanation  I  will  leave  to  the  judgment  of 
those  who  seek  and  fear  God  with  all  their 
hearts,  and  who  are  enlightened  and  taught 
by  the  Spirit  of  God.  Whoever  seeks  God 
and  the  good  of  his  neighbor,  will  acknowl- 
edge that  this  explanation  is  in  accordance 
with  the  foundation,  meaning,  word  and 
will  of  God. 

Dearly  beloved  brethren  and  sisters  in 
Christ  Jesus,  I,  your  poor,  unworthy  serv- 
ant and  co-partner  in  the  faith  and  tribula- 
tion of  Christ,  trust  and  pray,  for  the  sake 
of  the  precious  Idood  of  my  Lord  Jesus 
Clirist,  and,  for  the  sake  of  love  to  all,  that 
none  willfully,  and  knowingly  contend 
against  Christ  Jesus,  and  against  his  holy 
word;  nor  against  his  own  conscience,  for 
the  sake  of  maintaining  his  error,  so  that 
he  may  avoid  the  disapprobation  and  shame 
of  the  world. 

I  trust  that  they,  as  christians,  grudge 
not  one  against  another,  but  that  they  seek 
to  win  again  to  Christ  their  erring  brethren. 
In  the  same  manner,  that  if  the  God  fearing 
errs,  he  is  anxious  to  return  again  to  the 
right  way;  if  he  falls,  he  is  desirous  to  rise, 
and  if  wounded  he  would  be  again  healed, 
James  5:  19;  and  if,  by  the  grace  of  God, 
he  be  again  delivered  from  his  error  and 
misunderstanding,  through  the  word  of  the 
Lord,  he  is  not  ashamed,  but  is  exceedingly 
glad,  and  praises  and  thanks  his  God  that 
he  is  led  from  the  crooked  to  the  right  way, 
and  from  his  error  to  a  true  and  sound  un- 
derstanding. He  earnestly  seeks  to  deliver 
and  disentangle  those  whom  he  has  former- 
ly led  astray  and  deceived  by  liis  false  doc- 
trine and  misunderstanding;  for  true  love 
does  not  seek  self,  but  God  and  her  neigh- 


bor. AVliosoever  has  ears  to  hear,  and  a 
mind  to  understand,  let  him  hear  and  un- 
derstand what  the  word  of  the  Lord  teaches 
us  in  respect  to  excommunication,  in  great 
clearness. 

Chi"ist  Jesus  says,  "  Moreover  if  thy  broth- 
er shall  trespass  against  thee,  go  and  tell 
him  his  fault  between  thee  and  him  alone; 
if  he  shall  hear  thee,  thou  hast  gained  thy 
brother;  but  if  he  will  not  hear  thee,  then 
take  with  thee  one  or  two  more,  that  in  the 
mouth  of  two  or  three  witnesses  every  word 
may  be  established.  And  if  he  shall  neg- 
lect to  hear  them,  tell  it  unto  the  church; 
but  if  he  neglect  to  hear  the  church,  let  him 
be  unto  thee  as  a  heathen  man  and  a  piib- 
lican.  Verily  I  say  unto  you.  Whatsoever 
ye  shall  bind  on  earth  shall  be  bound  in 
heaven;  and  whatsoever  ye  shall  loose  on 
earth,  shall  be  loosed  in  heaven,"  Matt. 
18:  15—18. 

Here,  faithful  brethren,  stands  the  firm 
foundation  of  God,  as  an  immovable  rock 
or  mountain,  at  which  all  will  be  wounded 
and  hurt,  who  try  to  overturn  and  nullify 
it,  namely :  That  we  shall  shun  and  avoid 
the  apostates,  if  they  take  no  heed  to  all 
the  brotherly  services  and  admonitions 
which  have,  in  faithfulness  of  heart,  been 
rendered  unto  them,  according  to  the  doc- 
trine of  Christ,  and  the  dictates  of  pure 
love,  if  they  obstinately  continue  in  their 
errors,  as  the  Jews  shunned  and  avoided 
the  heathen  and  publicans,  at  the  time  of 
Christ. 

In  the  first  place,  the  Jews  did  not  admit 
the  uncircumcised  heathen  to  their  pass- 
over,  by  command  of  the  Lord,  through 
Moses;  nor  to  their  divine  service,  as  ap- 
pears from  the  acts  of  the  apostles,  for  they 
were  strangers  to  the  citizenship  of  Israel, 
and  Israel  was  alone  the  church. 

In  the  second  place,  they  so  avoided  daily 
intercourse  with  them,  that  they  considered 
it  as  impure  for  them  to  enter  their  houses, 
or  to  eat  and  drinli  with  them.  This  also 
applied  to  the  publicans.  As  the  Jews,  then, 
did  not  admit  such  heathen  and  publicans 
to  their  worship,  nor  to  tlieir  dailj^  inter- 
course, but  shunned  and  avoided  them,  so 
also,  would  Christ  have  us  shun  and  avoid 
an  apostate,  unrepenting  brother,  as  was 
said  above.    And  that  this  is  the  proper 


EXCOMMUNICATION. 


125 


and  natural  foundation  of  these  words  of 
Christ,  as  well  explained  by  holy  Paul,  1 
Cor.  2,  of  which  more  will  be  heard  here- 
after. 

Behold,  brethren  in  the  Lord,  all  who 
would  rightly  understand  the  meaning  of 
the  words  of  Christ,  above  cited,  should 
know  that  Christ  does  not  point  to  the  Jew- 
ish custom,  in  regard  to  the  heathen  and 
publicans  in  the  time  of  Moses  and  of  the 
prophets,  but  to  the  custom  of  his  own  times; 
and,  he  should  first,  make  a  distinction 
between  the  heathen  and  publicans,  and 
not  consider  them  as  one  people ;  and  then 
well  consider,  and  judge  according  to  the 
Scriptures,  how  those  two  classes  were  dealt 
with  at  the  time  of  Moses  and  the  prophets, 
before  the  scepter  was  taken  from  them, 
and  they  were  placed  under  the  yoke  of  the 
Romans. 

In  the  first  place,  it  is  incontrovertible, 
that  the  heathen  were  not  of  the  seed  of 
Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob;  that  they  were 
uncircumcised,  without  God  and  religion, 
and  without  law,  nay,  a  people  that  was  no 
people,  as  Moses  says,  Deut.  32: 27.  Thus  it 
is,  in  the  second  place,  incontrovertible  that 
the  publicans  and  sinners  were  of  the  Jews. 
For  Luke  says,  That  the  publicans  came  to 
John,  that  they  might  be  baptized.  Again, 
That  the  publicans  justified  God,  and  that 
they  were  baptized  with  the  baptism  of  John. 
Again,  All  the  publicans  and  sinners  came 
to  Jesus  to  hear  him,  but  the  heathen  did 
not  come  to  John  and  to  Christ.  Therefore 
it  is  manifest  that  the  publicans  and  sin- 
ners were  not  heathen,  but  Jews.  It  is  also 
apparent  from  the  case  of  the  sinful  woman 
and  from  the  publican,  Matthew,  who  was 
chosen  an  apostle  of  the  Lord;  and  no 
apostles  were  chosen  from  the  heathen. 
This  is  manifestly  true,  Eph.  2  ;  12  ;  Luke 
3:2;  7:29;  15  :  1.  I 

Inasmuch  as  the  Gentiles  and  Publicans  '• 
were  two  distinct  people  as  has  been  said,  ' 
and  we  shoTild  tiun  to  the  law  to  ascertain  j 
the  freedom  of  the  Jews,  in  regard  to  the 
Gentiles,  then  we  must  also,  in  the  same 
manner,  ascertain  the  action  of  the  Jews  in 
regard  to  the  Publicans,  after  the  law;  for 
the  one  word  is  as  valid  as  the  other,  be- 
cause they  are  both  produced  and  attested 
by  the  mouth  of  the  eternal  Wisdom. 


We  are  aware,  beloved  brethren,  that 
Moses,  in  his  law,  allowed  a  great  deal  of 
liberty  to  the  outward  Israel ;  to  have  inter- 
course with  the  Gentile  nations,  as  in  buy- 
ing, trading  and  usury.  But,  besides,  we  also 
know,  that  he  rigorously  judges  the  willful 
and  open  transgressors,  by  the  testimony  of 
two  or  three  witnesses,  unto  death,  without 
mercy,  according  to  his  law,  Deut.  17:  6;  2 
Cor.  13:  1.  If  we  were  to  understand  the 
beforementioned  words  of  Christ,  Matt.  18, 
as  being  of  the  same  nature  and  rigor  as 
those  of  the  law  of  Moses,  then  it  would 
follow,  first,  from  the  word  JieatJien  that  we 
were  at  liberty  to  deal  with  the  apostates, 
as  far  as  regards  daily  intercourse,  as  Israel 
was  at  liberty  to  deal  with  the  heathen. 
And  secondly,  from  the  word  ptihlican  it 
would  follow  that  we  should  stone  and  kill 
the  apostates  when  their  apostasy  was  es- 
tablished by  two  or  three  witnesses.  But 
it  would  not  be  proper  to  take  too  much 
liberty  with  them,  and  to  put  them  to  death. 
Taking  life,  is  also  quite  inconsistent  with  the 
nature  and  doctrine  of  Christ,  "For  the 
Son  of  man  is  not  come  to  destroy  men's 
lives,  but  to  save  them,"  Luke  9:  56. 

Let  every  one  take  heed;  for  if  he  take 
the  word  lieatlien  alone,  and  judge  that  ac- 
cording to  the  law  of  Moses,  and  except  the 
word  piihlican,  then  he  does  notwrongman, 
but  the  Son  of  God,  and  disgracefully  an- 
nuls his  holy  word  and  truth.  For  he  says 
not.  Let  him  be  unto  thee  as  a  heathen,  but 
"as  a  heathen  man  and  a  publican."  Clirist 
says,  "Heaven  and  earth  shall  pass  away, 
but  my  words  shall  not  pass  away."  There- 
fore it  is  very  advisable  not  to  break  the 
word  of  Christ  Jesus ;  but  to  set  aside  human 
understanding;  to  acknowledge  the  truth; 
give  heed  to  Christ  Jesus ;  and  believe  and 
obey  him ;  for  then  he  will  be  likened  unto 
the  wise  builder;  if  not,  his  house  will  fall, 
and  "great  will  be  the  fall  thereof."' 

Further,  most  beloved  brethren,  we  under- 
stand that  there  are  some  who  comprehend 
these  words  of  Christ,  so  that  we  are  not 
bound  to  shun  an  apostate  and  impenitent 
brother,  further  than  the  Gentiles  now  shun 
the  Gentiles,  or  fornicators  slmn  adulturers 
and  drunkards,  whom  they,  perhaps,  call 
the  publicans.  Such,  I  would  earnestly  be- 
seech and  exhort,  first,  to  consider  this  mat- 


126 


EXCOMMUNICATION. 


ter  well,  before  they  accept,  believe  and 
teacli  it  as  a  true  foundation;  to  consider  to 
what  class  of  people  Christ  was  sent  from 
the  beginning,  and  among  what  class  he 
commenced  building  and  establishing  his 
church.  This,  Christ  sufficiently  explains, 
saying,  "I  am  not  sent,  but  unto  the  lost 
sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel,"  Matt.  15:  24. 
Paul,  also  says,  "Now  I  say  that  Christ 
was  a  minister  of  the  circumcision  for  the 
truth  of  God,  to  confirm  the  promises  made 
unto  the  fathers."  Since  he  then,  was,  from 
the  beginning,  sent  unto  the  Jews,  and 
preached  unto  them  and  taught  them,  and 
not  to  the  heathen,  therefore  these  words  of 
Christ  should  not  be  understood  as  mean- 
ing that  we  should  deal  with  an  apostate 
as  the  believing  heathen  now  deal  with 
an  unbelieving  heathen,  but  to  deal  with 
them  as  the  literal  Jews  dealt  with  them  at 
the  time  of  Christ.  For  Christ,  I  say,  did 
not  preach  unto  the  heathen,  but  unto  the 
Jews;  and  therefore  he  did  not  point  them, 
by  these  words,  but  to  the  Jewish  ban, 
namely,  how  they  shimned  the  heathen  and 
open  sinners  in  his  times. 

In  the  second  place,  I  pray  that  every 
God-fearing  heart  consider  what  the  word 
GentUe  implies;  and  see  if  not  all  fornica- 
tors, adulterers,  avaricious,  unbelievers, 
perjurers,  idolators,  murderers  and  drunk- 
ards are  included  in  the  word  Gentile. 
Yea,  Paul  says  that  they  are  without  Christ, 
have  no  God,  are  dead  in  sins,  and  that 
they  are  children  of  wrath,  Eph.  2:  11. 
Since,  then,  all  sinners  and  Gentiles  are  ex- 
pressed in  the  word  "Gentile,"  for  the  Gen- 
tiles who  have  not  Christ,  are  also  sinners, 
and  without  grace,  and  since  Christ  here 
speaks  as  well  of  open  sinners,  as  of  Gen- 
tiles, and,  moreover,  as  every  word  of  Christ 
has  its  full  weight  and  measure — therefore, 
the  word  of  Christ  can  not  be  explained  as 
meaning  that  we  should  deal  with  an  apos- 
tate brother  as  we  would  with  other  Gen- 
tiles, who  never  received  nor  acknowled  the 
word  of  the  Lord. 

In  the  third  place,  I  hope  that  no  true 
l^rother,  who  is  called  after  the  name  of  the 
Lord,  will  knowingly  and  willfully  adulter- 
ate the  word  of  the  Lord,  but  that  he  will 
give  it  its  due  praise  and  honor,  and  ac- 
knowledge that  these  publicans  and  sinners, 


of  whom  the  evangelists  speak,  were  not  of 
the  Gentiles,  but  of  the  Jews,  as  is  appar- 
ent from  Matt.  9:  10;  Mark  2:  17.  Since  it 
is  incontrovertible  that  the  beforementioned 
publicans  and  sinners  were  of  the  Jews,  and 
were  adjudged  to  death,  according  to  the 
law;  and  since  Christ  points  xis  as  well  to 
the  publicans,  as  to  the  Gentiles,  therefore 
it  must  follow  that  it  should  not  be  ex- 
plained as  having  reference  to  the  times 
when  Israel  yet  exercised  their  liberties 
with  the  heathen,  which  liberties  were  al- 
lowed to  them,  by  Moses,  in  his  law;  for  at 
that  time  the  transgressors,  on  proof,  were 
adjudged  unto  death,  according  to  the  law. 
It  would  also  follow  that  the  lives  of  the 
apostates,  on  proof,  should  be  taken  at  our 
hands.  O,  no,  for  we  know  that  such  a 
bloody  ban  is  an  abomination  before  God, 
neither  is  it>known  to  christians,  much  less 
practiced. 

If  any  one  should  assert  that  it  applies 
to  the  present  time,  that  is,  of  treating  an 
apostate  as  we  now  treat  a  G  entile,  and  not 
to  the  time  of  Christ,  as  the  Jews  then  treated 
a  Gentile,  he  must  also  re-establish  the  Jew- 
ish people  with  their  law  and  religion,  and 
their  open  transgressors,  which  is  impossi- 
ble.   This  every  one  must  confess. 

Since  the  word  Gentile  can  not  be  under- 
stood as  appplicable  to  the  time  when  the 
Gentiles  were  not  yet  so  strictly  shunned 
by  the  Israelites,  for  then  we  should  have 
to  adjudge  the  apostates  unto  death,  ac- 
cording to  the  word  "manifest  transgress- 
ors;" nor  as  applicable  to  the  present  time, 
for  now  we  have  not  the  Jewish  transgress- 
ors— therefore  no  one  can  successfully  con- 
tradict, according  to  God's  truth,  otherwise 
than  that  it  applies  to  the  time  of  Christ,  at 
which  time  they  did  not  put  transgressors 
to  death,  but  separated  and  avoided  both 
the  publicans  and  heathen  alike,  by  means 
of  the  same  ban. 

Having  sufficiently  proven  to  the  pious 
and  God  fearing,  by  the  above  mentioned 
reasons,  that  Christ  spoke  those  words  as 
applying  to  his  own  times,  and  to  no  other, 
we  will  now  show  in  plain  language,  lirst, 
the  proper  cause  why  they  so  scrupulously 
avoided  the  heathen,  and,  secondly,  why 
they  shunned  the  open  transgressors,  and 


EXCOMMUNICATION. 


127 


did  not  inflict  capital  punishment   upon 
them. 

It  is  well  known  to  all  readers  of  the  Bi- 1 
ble,  that  the  Lord  God  faithfully  warned  ; 
Israel  that  they  should  not  make  an  alli- 
ance, nor  terms  of  friendship,  with  the  Ca- 
naanites,  Hittites,  and  others;  nor  to  inter- 
maiTy  with  them,  lest  they  should  be  led 
astray  by  them,  and  follow  strange  Gods, 
Dent.  7.    Joshua  says,  "Take  good  heed; 
therefore,  unto  yourselves,  that  ye  love  the  ; 
Lord  your  God.  Else,  if  ye  do  in  any  wise 
go  back,  and  cleave  imto  the  remnant  of 
these  nations,  even  these  that  remain  among  , 
you,  and  shall  make  marriages  with  them, 
and  go  in  unto  them,  and  they  to  you;  know 
for  a  certainty  that  the  Lord  your  God  will  ^ 
no  more  drive  out  any  of  these  nations  from  { 
before  yoii;  but  they  shall  be  snares  and  [ 
traps  unto  you,  and  scourges  in  your  sides,  1 
and  thorns  in  your  eyes,  until  ye  perish 
from  off  this  good  land  which  the  Lord  your 
God  hath  given  you,"  Josh.  23:  11, 13. 

Israel,  not  taking  to  heart  this  paternal 
warning  of  God,  but,  contrary  thereto,  be- 
friended and  intermingled  with  these  strange 
nations,  the  menace  of  the  Lord  God  threat- 
ened through  his  faithful  servants,  Moses 
and  Joshua,  was  verified.  They  became 
quite  degenerated  by  the  strange  women 
and  idols,  with  which  they  intermingled, 
and  were  severely  scourged  and  punished 
of  the  Lord.  Yea,  so  that  the  talented  Sol- 
omon, whose  wisdom  was  far-famed,  was 
so  enchanted  by  the  heathen  women,  that 
he  became  unfaithful  to  the  Lord,  his  God, 
(who  twice  appeared  unto  him),  and  inclined 
his  heart  to  strange  gods.  I  think,  beloved 
brethren,  this  is  the  just  recompense  of  those 
who  despise  the  counsel  of  the  Lord. 

And  they,  deceived  by  the  artfulness  of 
the  heathen,  often  sinned  against  their  God, 
and  being,  therefore,  so  often  chastised  of 
God,  with  his  just  punishment,  they,  at 
last,  took  to  heart  the  warning  of  God,  given 
through  Moses  and  Joshua,  more  than  they 
had  formerly  done;  they  quit  their  inter- 
course with  the  heathen,  altogether,  so  that 
they,  as  appears,  also  abandoned  some  lib- 
erties, which  Moses  had  allowed  them. 
Yea,  so  that  they  considered  it  as  improper 
to  enter  into  their  houses,  or  to  eat  with 
them,  as  may  be  plainly  observed.    And 


this,  for  the  pm-pose  that  they  should  not, 
as  formerly,  be  led  astray,  and  turned  away 
from  their  God.  For  this  reason,  the  Jews 
so  entirely  avoided  intercoiirse  with  the 
heathen.  If  this  reason  was  of  weight, 
every  theologian  may  judge  and  weigh 
with  the  words  of  God,  Num.  33: 35;  Judges 
3:  13;  1  Kings  11:  1;  3:  12;  9:  2. 

Again,  the  reason  why  they  shunned  the 
piiblic  sinners,  and  did  not  punish  them 
with  death,  is  this:  Because  the  prophecy 
of  the  patriarch  Jacob  was  now  verified — 
that  the  royal  scepter,  taken  from  Judah  by 
Pompey,  the  great,  was  now  in  the  hands 
of  the  Romans,  and  that  they  had  officers 
of  their  own  in  Judea,  who  obeyed  their 
superior;  and  therefore,  the  Jews  did  not 
punish  mth  death,  according  to  their  law, 
those  who  willfully  transgressed;  for  they 
were,  at  that  time,  subject  to  the  scepter  of 
the  Romans.  That  this  is  the  truth,  the 
Jews  declared  before  Pilate,  when  they  said, 
"It  is  not  lawful  for  us  to  put  any  man  to 
death."  According  to  the  law  they  were 
permitted;  nay,  it  was  strictly  commanded 
them;  but  the  lost  scepter,  now,  made  it 
unlawful;  for  the  Roman  servants,  Herod, 
Pilate,  &c.,  who,  at  that  time,  swayed  the 
scepter  in  behalf  of  the  Romans,  did  not 
want  to  judge  according  to  the  law  of  the 
Jews,  but  according  to  the  rights  and  stat- 
utes of  the  Romans,  in  whose  name  they 
ruled,  and  to  whom  they  were  bound  by 
oath.  When  any  Jew  tresspassed  the  law 
of  Moses,  and  not  the  Roman  morals,  the 
beforementioned  functionaries  did  not  in- 
flict capital  punishment,  because  the  law  of 
Moses  required  it.  And  since  the  Jews  were 
not  allowed  to  punish  him  according  to  the 
law,  for  the  above  mentioned  reasons,  they 
separated  him  from  their  communion,  and 
excommunicated  him  from  their  synagogue 
and  shunned  him. 

Behold,  faithful  brethren,  for  the  before- 
mentioned  reasons,  the  Jews,  at  the  time  of 
Christ,  shunned  both  the  heathen  and  the 
'Jewish  publicans.  They  shunned  the  hea- 
'  then,  lest  they  should  be  led  astray  and  de- 
ceived; but  the  publicans,  because,  accord- 
ing to  the  law,  were  deserving  of  death. 
Gen.  49:  10,  and  yet  were  not  allowed  to 
kill  and  destroy  them  on  account  of  the 
Roman  dominion. 


128 


EXCOMMUNICATION. 


Perhaps  some  will  ask,  Why  then,  did 
they  scourge  the  apostles  ?  Stone  Stephen  ? 
and  why  were  many  saints  put  to  death  by 
Saul?  Why  was  their  community  destroyed, 
since  they  were  not  allowed  capital  punish- 
ment? 

To  this  I  answer:  That  all  this  did  not 
transpire  without  the  consent  of  the  Ro- 
mans, for  they,  themselves,  confessed  before 
Pilate,  saying,  "It  is  not  lawful  for  us  to 
put  any  man  to  death,"  John  18:  31.  The 
stoning  of  Stephen  was  not  done  lawfuUj^, 
but  merely  in  a  riot,  as  Luke  declares,  say- 
ing, Exdamantes  autem  voce  magna,  con- 
thmerunt  aures  svas,  and  impetum  fecerunt 
imanimiter  in  eum;  and  this  the  Zurichans 
have  also  thus  translated  into  the  German : 
"  They  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  and  stopped 
their  ears  and  ran  upon  him  with  one  ac- 
cord," as  they  also  intended  to  do  with 
Christ,  and  also  with  Paul,  Acts  7:  57; 
10:  31;  21:  30;  23: 12;  26: 10;  Luke  4:  29. 
Again,  that  Saul  or  Paul  destroyed  the 
church,  and  put  to  death  many  of  the  saints, 
as  he  related  before  Agrippa,  we  may  be 
sure  that  he  did  not  do  so  without  the  con- 
sent of  the  magistracy;  for  it  is  manifest 
and  incontrovertible,  that  the  scepter  did 
not  allow  them  to  put  any  one  to  death, 
and,  for  this  reason  they  said,  "It  is  not 
lawful  for  us  to  put  any  man  to  death;"  the 
scepter  was  taken  from  them,  and  came 
into  the  hands  of  the  Romans,  as  has  been 
explained  above.  If  they  had  been  allowed 
to  practice  their  own  law  of  blood,  they  would 
not  have  delivered  Christ  unto  Pilate; 
Liicius  would  not  have  taken  Paul  from  the 
tumultuous  Jews;  Herod  would  not  have 
imprisoned  Peter,  nor  killed  John  the  bap- 
tist, and  James;  for  this  would  not  do,  in 
the  worldly  adjudication,  for  one  to  grasp 
the  jurisdiction  of  another;  such  a  policy 
would,  doubtlessly,  soon  fail.  Acts  21 :  27 — 
40;  24:  7. 

We  are  well  aware,  beloved  brethren, 
that  there  are  some  who  call  this  Jewish 
shunning,  or  ban,  to  which  Christ  has  di- 
rected us,  a  Pharisaic  leaven,  and  frankly 
say.  We  do  not  want  to  be  pointed  to  a 
leaven,  without  the  Scriptures.  Whosoever 
these  may  be,  we  pray  them  for  the  Lord's 
sake,  first,  to  consider  well  what  they  say; 
for,  in  my  opinion,  they  do  not  understand 


their  own  words.  Does  not  Moses  say, 
"Whosoever  does  not  hearken  imto  my 
(God's)  words,  which  he  shall  speak  in 
my  name,  I  will  require  it  of  him,"  Deut. 
18  :  19.  Does  not  Jeremiah  say.  That  he 
"shall  execute  judgment  and  justice  in  the 
earth?"  Does  not  the  Father  from  high 
heaven,  say,  "This  is  my  beloved  Son  in 
whom  I  am  well  pleased;  hear  ye  him?" 
Does  not  Paul  say,  "In  whom  (Chi-ist) 
are  hid  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom  and 
knowledge?"  Jer.  23:5;  Matt.  17:5;  Col. 
2:  3.  I  am  sure  that  the  word  and  teach- 
ing of  Christ  is  Scripture  enough  for  all  the 
pious.  He  it  is,  I  say,  and  not  I,  who 
points  his  believers  to  the  use  of  the  ban. 
Tu  quis  es,  qui  ex  adverso  respondes  Deo? 
That  is.  Who  art  thou  that  wouldst  answer 
God  with  pei-verseness  ? 

If  there  be  any  brother  under  the  whole 
canopy  of  heaven,  who  can  show,  by  the 
divine  truth,  that  these  words  of  Christ 
apply  to  any  other  time  than  to  the  time  of 
Christ,  without  violating  the  Scriptures, 
then  I  will  gladly  hear  him,  and  open  m}'' 
ears  to  the  truth ;  for  I  desire  not  to  contend 
against  the  truth,  which  is  my  testimony, 
but  I  desii-e  to  uphold  it.  For,  for  the  sake 
of  truth,  I  have  had  to  hear  and  suffer  much, 
these  many  years;  and  am  yet  prepared 
unto  death,  by  the  grace  of  the  Lord,  to  tes- 
tify to  the  truth.  But  I  know,  and  am  con- 
vinced, that  it  can  not  apply  to  any  other 
time,  without  violating  the  word  and  Script- 
ures of  Christ,  as  we  have  sufficiently  gho\\Ti 
and  proven,  to  the  reader,  above,  by  abun- 
dance of  reasons  and  Scriptures. 

Secondly,  I  desire,  for  God's  sake,  that 
my  beloved  brethren  will  weigh  with  the 
balance  of  the  Scriptures,  what  leaven  is, 
and  what  the  Scriptures  mean  by  it,  before 
they  call  this  beforementioned  ban,  to  which 
Christ  directs  us,  a  pharisaic  leaven.  It 
implies,  first,  the  word  and  its  power,  or 
rather,  faith  and  its  power.  Secondly,  it  sig- 
nifies a  corrupting,  ungodly  being  or  [man. 
Thirdly,  a  deceiving,  leavened,  corrupting 
doctrine.  If  the  Jewish  ban  and  shunning, 
to  which  Christ  points  us,  was  a  leaven,  as 
some  mistakenly  assert,  then  they  must 
show,  by  virtue  of  the  Scriptures,  what 
leavening  and  corruption  it  has  caused  in 
the  pure  word,  and  in  the  hearts  of  the 


EXCOMMUNICATION. 


129 


Jews;  for,  although  God,  the  Lord  permit- 
ted some  liberties  to  Israel,  through  Moses, 
in  their  temporal  transactions,  as  said  at 
the  beginning,  yet  he  did  not  expressly 
command  that  they  shonld  deal  with  the 
heathen,  bnt  rather  warned  the  Jews  against 
them.  They  now  scrupnlonsly  observed 
the  faithful  warning  of  God,  being  tanght 
them  throngh  many  perils,  and  for  that 
reason,  probably,  they  did  not  make  nse  of 
the  privileges  granted  them,  in  regard  to 
dealing  with  them,  lest,  by  these  means, 
they  should  be  ensnared  and  corrupted  in 
their  hearts  by  the  heathen.  Let  the  spirit- 
ual judge,  now,  whether  it  can  be  called 
leaven,  by  the  Scriptures,  since  they  did  not 
neglect  the  law  and  command  of  God  there- 
by, bnt,  in  fact,  left  it  unchanged  and  whole 
and  were  thus  shielded  against  the  cor- 
rupter. 

Sincerely  beloved  brethren,  if  we  are  to 
esteem  as  a  leaven,  this  oft  mentioned  Jew- 
ish ban,  to  which  Christ  directs  us,  because 
they,  for  their  consciences'  sake,  abandoned 
some  of  these  liberties  (for  liberties  are  of 
a  nature  that  we  can  enjoy  them,  or  not,  at 
our  option;  else  they  would  not  be  liber- 
ties), not  contrary-  to  the  law,  but  rather  in 
conformity  with  the  faithful  warning,  ad- 
vice and  admonition  of  God,  contained  in 
the  law — then  the  holy  prophet  Jeremiah 
might,  for  good  reasons,  have  reproved  the 
Rechabites  as  leaven,  because  they,  on  ac- 
corint  of  the  command  of  their  father  Jona- 
dab,  would  not  drink  -wine,  plant  vineyards, 
sow  the  soil,  nor  build  houses,  although  all 
this  was  free  to  them,  according  to  the  law 
of  God;  for  to  them,  with  Israel,  were  the 
possession  of  the  land,  and  the  other  bless- 
ings promised,  Jer.  35:  14.  O,  no.  tlie  Lord 
did  not  reckon  it  as  leaven  unto  them,  bnt 
it  was  accoimted  to  their  honor  to  have  hon- 
ored the  command  of  their  father,  and  there- 
by they  obtained  the  promise  of  the  Lord. 

I  would  further  say,  that  if  it  is  to  be  called 
leaven,  if  we  do  not  partake  of  our  freedom 
for  conscience'  sake,  or  for  the  sake  of  the 
brethren — then  freedom  cannot  be  called 
freedom,  and  Paul  must  have  been  an  im- 
pure leaven  to  have  taught  that  we  should, 
if  necessary,  deny  ourselves  the  liberty,  for 
the  sake  of  the  brethren,  Rom.  14: 14;  1  Cor.  j 
8:  13;  9: 14;  10:23. 
53 


From  all  this,  it  is  evident,  according  to 
my  understanding  of  the  word  of  the  Lord, 
that  it  is  a  frightful  blasphemy,  iinknown 
to  a  God-fearing  christian,  thus  to  under- 
take to  master  and  instruct  Christ,  the  eter- 
nal Wisdom  of  God,  how  he  should  teach 
Tis,  and  what  he  should  command  us;  and 
to  call  that  which  he  commands  us,  leaven, 
although  it  is  a  strong  and  consolatory 
shield  against  corruption  and  deceit;  and 
therefore,  not  contrary  to  the  law,  but  in 
conformity  therewith;  of  this  we  are  con- 
vinced, for  if  it  were  leaven,  contrary  to  the 
law,  as  some  say  it  is,  then  Christ  Jesus 
would,  by  no  means  have  approved  of  it, 
commanded  it  and  said,  "Let  him  be  unto 
thee  as  a  heathen  man  and  a  publican," 
since  he,  in  other  places,  has  diligently 
warned  his  followers  against  the  leaven. 

Some,  perhaps,  will  contradict  me  by 
saying  that  the  shunning  of  the  heathen  by 
the  Jews,  that  is,  not  to  eat  with  them, 
when  the  victuals  were  clean,  was  openly 
contrary  to  the  express  command  of  the  law. 
For  Moses  had  commanded  Israel  that  they 
should  keep  the  feast  of  the  weeks,  and  the 
feast  of  the  tabernacles,  unto  the  Lord  their 
God,  with  a  tribute  of  free-will  offering  of 
their  hands,  which  they  should  give  unto 
the  Lord,  their  God,  &c.,  and  that  they 
shonld  rejoice  before  the  Lord,  their  God, 
they,  and  their  sons,  and  their  daughters, 
and  their  man-servants,  and  their  maid- 
servants, and  the  Levite  that  was  within 
their  gates,  and  the  stranger,  and  the  father- 
less, and  the  widow,  that  were  among  them. 
To  such,  I  would  reply,  that  these  strangers 
also  had  to  keep  the  Sabbath;  to  enjoy  the 
tenths  of  the  third  year,  the  first  fnaits  of 
the  land,  the  gleanings  of  the  field,  olive 
trees  and  vineyards  with  the  Levites,  the 
widows  and  orphans. 

The  stranger  also  had,  witli  Israel,  an  of- 
fering for  their  sins  of  ignorance;  also,  the 
same  punishment  with  Israel ;  they  had  to 
hear  the  reading  of  the  law  every  seventh 
year,  in  the  solemnity  of  the  year  of  release. 
Therefore,  it  follows  from  these  and  other 
like  Scriptures,  that  these  beforementioned 
strangers  were  citizens  among  the  Israelites, 
and  not  uncii'cumcised  heathen.  For  they 
were  already  among  the  Israelites  at  the 
time  they  yet  jonrneyed  in  the  wilderness. 


130 


exco:mmunication. 


Moses  says,  "  Ye  stand  this  day,  all  of  yon, 
before  the  Lord  your  God;  your  captains 
of  your  tribes,  your  elders,  and  your  offi- 
cers, with  all  the  men  of  Israel;  your  little 
ones,  your  wives,  and  thy  stranger  that  is 
in  thy  camp,  from  the  hewer  of  thy  wood 
unto  the  drawer  of  thy  water,  that  thou 
shouldest  enter  into  covenant  with  the  Lord 
thy  God,  and  into  his  oath,  which  the  Lord 
thy  God  maketh  with  thee  this  day,"  Dent. 
5:  14;  16:  13,  14;  Ex.  20:  10;  23:  12;  Deut. 
14:29;  24:19;  Num.  15:27;  Lev.  4:13; 
Num.  9:  14;  Deut.  29:  10—12. 

I  think,  brethren,  that  the  cited  passages 
sufficiently  show  and  prove  that  they  were 
called  strangers,  because  they  were  not  of 
the  seed  of  Israel,  and  had  no  part  in  the 
distribution  of  the  land;  therefore,  Moses 
commanded  the  Israelites  to  allow  them 
the  right  to  the  tenths  of  the  third  year,  to 
the  gleanings  of  the  field,  of  the  olive  trees 
and  vineyards,  and  the  first  fruits  of  the 
land,  as  we  have  shown  and  explained  from 
the  writings  of  Moses. 

In  the  second  place,  it  might  be  asked, 
why  we  should  shun  the  apostates,  since 
Christ  said,  "Let  him  be  unto  thee  as  a 
heathen  man  and  a  publican,"  and  since  it  is 
manifest  that  Christ,  himself,  did  eat  with 
thepublicans.  To  this  I  reply:  What  kind  of 
sinners  they  were,  with  whom  Christ  ate,  is 
well  explained  bj^  the  evangelists.  For, 
when  the  Pharisees  mui-mured,  Christ  said, 
"They  that  be  whole  need  not  a  physician, 
but  they  that  are  sick ;  but  go  ye  and  learn 
what  that  meaneth,  I  will  have  mercy,  and 
not  sacrifice;  for  I  am  not  come  to  call  the 
righteous,  but  sinners  to  repentance."  What 
kind  of  sinners  Matthew,  the  sinful  woman, 
and  Zaccheus  were,  after  they  had  heard 
Christ  is  not  a  mystery,  Matt.  9:  12,  13. 

Again,  Luke  says,  that  all  the  publicans 
and  sinners  came  to  Christ  to  hear  him,  and 
with  such  did  he  eat,  and  therefore  did  he 
say  to  the  murmuring  Pharisees,  "What 
man  of  you,  having  a  hundred  sheep,  if  he 
lose  one  of  them,  doth  not  leave  the  ninety 
and  nine,"  &c.,  Luke  15:  4. 

Again,  that  he  ate  with  the  Samaritans, 
is  no  wonder  at  all,  for  they  received  his 
word  and  believed  on  him;  but  that  he 
should  have  sought  hospitality  in  a  Samari- 
tan city,  is  not  rightly  translated,  accord- 


ing to  the  Latin  text.  Thus  it  reads  in  Latin: 
Misit  nunciosante  conspectimi  suum,  and 
eunies  intraverunt  in  dtitatum,  Samari- 
tanoTum,  vt  para^'ent  illi  and  non  recepe- 
ruvt  cum,  quia  fades  ejus  erat  eimtis  Hier- 
osoJi/mam.  Which  being  translated  reads, 
He  "sent  messengers  before  his  face,  and 
they  went  and  entered  into  a  village  of 
the  Samaritans,  to  make  ready  for  him, 
and  they  did  not  receive  him,  because  his 
face  was  as  though  he  would  go  to  Jerasa- 
lem,"Luke9:52. 

What  kind  of  preparation  is  herebj^ 
meant,  may,  in  my  opinion,  be  clearly 
learned  from  the  case  of  the  seventy,  re- 
lated in  Luke  10:  1;  whom  he  sent  before 
his  face  by  two  and  two,  to  make  prepara- 
tion for  him  in  all  the  cities  and  countries 
whither  he  himself  would  come,  not  to  pre- 
pare a  place  for  sojourning,  but  for  the 
teaching  of  the  kingdom  of  God.  But  here 
they  did  not  receive  him.  He  says  not  that 
the  master  of  the  house  did  not  receive  him, 
but  tliey,  that  is,  the  inhabitants  of  the  city, 
to  whom  he  had  sent  them  to  preach,  did 
not  receive  him;  because,  as  Luke  says,  he 
was  going  to  Jerusalem;  for  the  Samaritans 
and  the  Jews  always  have  had  a  severe 
strife  between  them  in  regard  to  worship 
and  religious  matters.  Yea,  so  much  so, 
that  the  Samaritans  were  considered  by  the 
Jews  as  being  deserving  of  the  ban,  John 
4:  9;  and  if  it  were  true,  that  he  desired  to 
find  a  lodging-place,  yet  it  is  apparent  that 
the  Samaritans  were  not  Gentiles,  but  a 
remnant  of  the  ten  tribes  of  Shalmaneser; 
for  the  Samaritan  woman  said  unto 
Christ,  "Art  thou  greater  than  oui"  father 
Jacob  ?"  That  Jacob  was-  not  the  father  of 
the  Gentiles,  is  manifest.  She  also  looked 
for  the  Messiah,  whom  the  Gentiles  did  not 
know,  she  said,  "I  know  that  the  Messiah 
cometh,  which  is  called  Christ,"  John  4 :  25. 
Again,  after  Stephen  was  stoned,  PhiliiJ 
came  into  a  Samaritan  city  and  preached 
Christ  unto  them;  and  at  that  time  they 
could  not  yet  conscientiously  preach  the 
gospel  unto  the  Gentiles  and  go  amongst 
them.  From  this  it  may  be  safely  educed 
that  the  Samaritans,  who  claimed  the  pa- 
triarch Jacob  to  be  their  father,  who  looked 
for  the  Messiah,  and  to  whom  they  had  al- 
ready preached  the  gospel,  before  they  were 


EXCOMMUNICATION. 


131 


conscientiously  at  liberty  to  go  among  the 
Gentiles,  were  not  heathen,  but  a  remnant 
of  the  Israelites,  as  said  before;  therefore 
it  is  no  wonder  that  he  requested  to  sojourn 
with  them.  Neither  did  he  say,  Let  him  be 
unto  thee  as  a  Samaritan,  but  as  a  "hea- 
then man  and  a  publican." 

Behold,  dearly  beloved  brethren,  however 
we  turn  these  words  of  Christ,  they  cannot 
be  made  to  apply  to  any  other  time  than 
that  of  Christ;  namely,  that,  as  the  Jews  at 
that  time  dealt  with  a  heathen  and  publi- 
can— so  we  may  also,  now  treat  an  apos- 
tate who,  either  through  false  doctrine,  or 
through  an  unclean,  shameful  life,  dishon- 
ors, rejects  and  disgraces  Christ  Jesus  and 
his  holy  word.  I  wish,  most  beloved  breth- 
ren, that  every  christian  would  diligently 
consider,  since  we  have  given  oiu"  under- 
standing of  these  words  of  Christ,  whether  not 
also  Paul  understood  these  words  as  mean- 
ing the  same  as  we  have  explained.  Yea, 
he  who  closely  considers  this  matter,  will 
find  that  Paul,  in  his  doctrine  of  separation, 
has,  in  every  way  conformed  to  this  rule  of 
Christ. 

Thus  Paul  says,  "  It  is  reported  common- 
ly, that  there  is  fornication  among  you, 
and  such  fornication  as  is  not  so  much  as 
named  among  the  Gentiles,  that  one  should 
have  his  father's  wife.  And  ye  are  puffed 
up,  and  have  not  rather  mourned,  that  he 
that  hath  done  this  deed  might  be  taken 
away  from  among  you,"  1  Cor.  5:1,2. 

In  another  place,  Paul  teaches  how  Christ 
loved  the  church,  and  gave  himself  for  it; 
that  he  might  sanctify  and  cleanse  it  with 
the  washing  of  water  by  the  word,  that  he 
might  present  it  to  himself  a  glorious  church, 
not  having  spot,  or  wrinkle,  or  any  such 
thing;  but  that  it  should  be  holy  and  with- 
out blemish,  Eph.  5:  25.  If  we  admit  such 
open  profaners  as  this  fornicator,  and, 
moreover,  adulterers,  drunkards,  conten- 
tious, avaricious,  upbraiders  and  idolaters, 
and  do- not  shun  them,  then  we  must  ever 
hear  this  rejiroof  of  Paul,  that  we  are 
"puffed  up"  and  do  not  rather  mourn  to 
separate  such  open  transgressors  from  us. 
O,  brethren,  brethren !  I  fear  that  this  ad- 
monition of  Paul  is  not  sufficiently  weighed 
by  some.  Paul  says  further,  "  For  I  verily, 
as  absent  in  body,  but  present  in  spirit. 


have  judged  already,  as  though  I  were  pres- 
ent, concerning  him  that  hath  so  done  this 
deed.  In  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
when  ye  are  gathered  together,  and  my 
spirit,  with  the  power  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  to  deliver  such  a  one  unto  Satan  for 
the  destniction  of  the  flesh,  that  the  spirit 
may  be  saved  in  the  day  of  the  Lord  Jesus," 
1  Cor.  5:  3,4,5. 

These  words  of  the  apostle  teach  us  three 
things :  First,  The  great  love  of  the  faithful 
servant,  Paul,  toward  his  disciples  and  chil- 
dren; for  although  he  was  not  present  there, 
yet  as  present  in  spirit,  he  was  paternally 
solicitous  for  them,  and  ever  taught,  admon- 
ished and  advised  them  to  their  own  good. 

Secondly,  In  whose  name,  how,  and  by 
whom  this  separation,  shall  be  practiced, 
namely,  in  the  name,  that  is,  by  virtue  of 
the  command  and  ordinance  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  For  Paul  did  not  undertake 
to  do  any  thing  that  he  had  not  first  re- 
ceived of  Christ,  as  he  says.  Yea,  if  Christ 
had  not  first  instructed  Paul  to  do  so,  he 
would  not  have  dared  to  command  the 
Thessalonians,  in  the  name  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Chi-ist,  that  they  should  separate 
themselves  from  every  brother  who  walked 
disorderly,  and  not  according  to  his  ordi- 
nances. For  this  may  well  be  called  doing 
things  in  the  name  of  Christ,  when  it  is  done 
in  conformity  to  his  holy  word  and  will. 

Again,  It  shall  be  practiced  by  the  church; 
that  is,  every  one  shall  not  separate  at 
his  own  pleasure ;  but  it  should  be  done 
by  the  congregation  of  God,  after  proper 
admonition  in  love,  diligence  and  faithful- 
ness, with  the  power  of  Christ,  that  is,  with 
the  binding  or  closing  key  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  For  if  it  be  practiced  without  the 
word  and  Spirit,  without  love  and  brotherly 
affability,  whether  it  is  through  bitterness, 
anger,  or  a  false  report,  not  conformable  to 
the  word,  for  reasons  not  deserving  of  the 
ban, — then  it  is  not  a  work  of  God,  no  med- 
icine to  the  soul,  nor  fruit  of  pure  love;  but 
a  contention  of  satan,  a  corruption  and  pes- 
tilence to  the  soul,  and  a  manifest  fruit  of 
the  flesh:  In  short,  a  curse,  abomination 
and  stench  before  God.  Let  every  person 
well  weigh  these  words  of  Paul,  and  he  ■wall, 
by  the  grace  of  God,  flnd  how  rigidly  this 
separation  is  commanded  in  the  Scriptures, 


132 


EXCOMMUNICATION. 


and  how  orderly  it  should  be  practiced  in 
the  church,  with  the  power  of  the  word  and 
Spirit  of  Christ. 

Thirdly,  That  we  should  deliver  an  unre- 
penting  transgressor  unto  satan.  Not,  breth- 
ren, that  he  Avas  not  of  satan  before  sep- 
aration, for  as  soon  as  he  turned  his  heart 
awa}^  from  the  Lord  and  became  ungodly, 
he  became  the  subject  of  satan,  even- as  a 
penitent  sinner  is  a  subject  of  Christ.  But 
now  the  voice  of  man,  through  the  chui'ch, 
tells  him  that  he  is  deprived  of  the  com- 
munion of  Christ  and  his  church,  and 
that  he  is  now  delivered  unto  satan  until  he 
again  brings  forth  true  fruits  of  repentance, 
before  God  and  his  clnu*ch,  that  his  adulter- 
ous, avaricious,  refractory  and  idolatrous 
flesh  may  be  brought  to  reflection  and  be- 
come ashamed  and  repentant  by  such  judg- 
ment and  shunning  of  the  pious,  that  he 
may  thus  suppress  and  die  rmto  his  flesh, 
that  is,  the  lusts  of  his  flesh,  and  that  he 
may  by  these  means  be  brought  to  repent- 
ance and  his  soul  be  saved  in  the  day  of 
the  Lord  Jesus. 

Here  the  godfearing  reader  may  observe 
in  these  words  of  Paul,  the  first  reason  why 
the  Holy  Spirit  ordained  this  ban  to  be 
practiced  in  the  house  of  God,  namely,  for 
repentance  and  not  for  corruption;  that,  if 
the  transgressor  rejects  as  null  and  void, 
all  fraternal  services  and  admonitions  of 
faithful  love  that  are  shown  to  him,  and  re- 
mains uni'epentant — that,  then,  according 
to  the  advice  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  judg- 
ment passed  upon  him,  should,  with  sor- 
rowfulness, be  made  known  unto  him  in  the 
church  and  that  he  is  separated  from  the 
church  that  he  may  thus  become  ashamed 
unto  repentance. 

Again,  about  this  shame,  the  apostle 
speaks  in  another  place,  "  If  any  man  obey 
not  our  word  by  this  epistle,  note  that  man 
and  have  no  company  with  him,  that  he 
may  be  ashamed,"  2  Thess.  3:  14. 

Take  notice,  brethren,  that  true,  evangel- 
ical separation  is  an  express  fruit  of  un- 
feigned love,  and  not  a  law  of  hatred,  as 
some,  very  wrongly,  complain  and  pretend. 

Ah,  faithful  brethren,  if  we  rightly  under- 
stood God,  if  we  were  enlightened  with  the 
Holy  Spirit,  and  loved  oiu"  neighbors  with 
divine  love,  how  diligently  we  would  be  en- 


gaged in  this  matter,  to  follow  the  faithful 
advice  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  all  reasonable- 
ness and  love,  without  respect  of  persons; 
no  matter  whether  it  concerns  father,  moth- 
er, sister,  brother,  husband,  wife,  child,  or 
any  relative  or  friend;  for  how  can  we  show 
more  spiritual  love  towards  them?  But  as  it 
is,  a  great  many  do  not  seek  that  which  is 
of  the  Spirit,  but  that  which  is  of  the  flesh ; 
not  their  neighbors,  but  themselves.  If  they 
do  so  through  ignorance,  then  may  the 
merciful  Father  enlighten  them  with  his 
Holy  Spirit,  and  guide  them  into  all  truth; 
but  if  they  do  so  through  willful  perverse- 
ness,  then  we  know  that  it  is  written,  "To 
be  carnally  minded  is  death,"  Rom.  8:  U. 

In  the  third  place,  Paul  says,  "Your 
glorying  is  not  good.  Know  ye  not  that  a 
little  leaven  leaveneth  the  whole  lump? 
Purge  out  therefore  the  old  leaven,  that  ye 
may  be  a  new  lump,  as  ye  are  unleavened. 
For  even  Christ  our  Passover  is  sacrificed 
for  us:  Therefore  let  us  keep  the  feast,  not 
with  old  leaven,  neither  with  the  leaven  of 
malice  and  wickedness,  but  with  the  unleav- 
ened bread  of  sincerity  and  truth,"  1  Cor. 
5:  6—7. 

Again,  with  these  words  Paul  reproves, 
first,  the  Corinthians,  and,  also,  aU  other 
churches  with  them,  who  glory  in  being  the 
church  of  Jesus  Christ  and  the  spiritual 
house  of  Israel,  and  yet  tolerate  such  shame- 
ful, corrupting  leaven,  as  the  Corinthians 
and  the  like  delilers,  in  their  communion. 
For  how  can  we  glory  in  the  piety  of  the 
church  and  reprove  other  churches  on  ac- 
count of  their  ungodly  doctrine  and  life,  so 
long  as  we  tolerate  the  like  leaven  of  doc- 
trine and  life  among  us,  without  expelling 
it?  If  we  are  unleavened,  AVliy  are  we  not 
fearful  of  the  leaven?  since  the  apostle  tells 
us  that  "  a  little  leaven  leaveneth  the  whole 
lump." 

Secondly,  He  here  gives  us  the  outward 
Israel  as  an  example.  For  when  they  kept 
the  passover,  they  did  not  keep  leavened 
bread  in  their  houses  for  seven  days.  Yea, 
if  it  was  found  in  au}^  house  the  souls  there- 
of had  to  be  rooted  out  from  among  Israel. 
Neither  Avas  an  uncircumcised  or  imclean 
one  to  eat  thereof.  Oh,  brethren,  if  the  fig- 
ure and  shadow  were  to  be  so  pure  how 
much  more  should  the  reality  be  pm-e?  For 


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133 


our  passover  is  not  a  quadruped,  but  it  is 
the  spotless  Lamb  of  God,  Christ  Jesus. 
Nor  does  oui-  passover  last  seven  days,  as 
did  the  passover  of  Israel,  but  it  lasts  for- 
ever, namely,  from  the  offering  of  Christ  un- 
til the  last  day ;  neither  is  it  kept  by  un- 
leavened bread,  baked  of  Hour,  but  by  the 
unleavened  bread  of  righteousness  and  by 
the  word  of  eternal  triitli. 

Therefore,  beloved  brethren,  let  us  keep 
this  passover  holy  and  unspotted,  to  the 
best  of  our  ability,  and  let  us,  in  the  name 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  separate  from  us 
the  corrupting  leaven,  that  is,  all  those  that 
vralk  in  the  foreskin  of  their  hearts,  and  all 
impure  in  life  (understand,  open,  known 
transgi'essors),  that  we  may  be  the  holy 
Israel  of  God,  besprinkled  with  the  blood 
of  the  lamb,  free  from  the  scourging  angel 
of  God,  and  that  we  may  thus  rejoice  before 
the  Lord,  in  sincerity  and  truth,  and  cele- 
brate and  serve  it  all  the  days  of  our  lives. 

Further,  all  the  pious  may  learn  from 
these  words  of  Paul,  "Know  ye  not  that  a 
little  leaven  leaven eth  the  whole  lump  'P  the 
second  reason,  why  this  separation  is  so 
necessary  and  useful  to  the  house  of  God, 
and  that  it  can  not  stand  without  it.  This 
has  been  shown  in  Israel.  Moses,  the  faith- 
ful servant  of  God,  strictly  commanded  the 
people  of  God,  that  they  should,  without 
mercy,  destroy  fi'om  among  them  the  wilful 
transgressors,  when  proven  by  two  or  three 
witnesses-,  also,  that  if  any  prophets  should 
arise  among  them,  with  signs  and  miracles 
to  lead  them  to  other  gods,  they  should  not 
hear  them,  but  destroy  them.  Again,  the 
father  should  not  excuse  his  child,  the  hus- 
band his  wife,  &c.,  but  their  hand  should 
be  the  first  upon  them.  Also,  they  should 
level  and  destroy  any  city  which  went  after 
other  gods,  that  Israel  might  hear  these 
things,  fear  God  and  no  more  practice  such 
evil.  I  think  this  was  a  rigid  separation 
which  was  commanded  Israel.  If  they  had 
stood  firm  and  immutable  in  this,  and  had 
they  followed  the  command,  counsel,  teach- 
ings and  admonition  of  God,  according  to 
the  Scriptures,  and  destroyed  the  false 
prophets  and  idolators,  they  would  never 
have  become  so  estranged  from  God,  and 
come  to  such  deadly  whoring  and  degener- 
ation (understand  this  as  in  the  law).    For 


I  the  rejection  of  the  counsel  and  will  of  God 
1  will  never  go  unpunished,  Deut.  13:5,  7; 
'17: 11;  19: 15; Heb.  10: 18. 

But  at  present,  the  Holy  Spirit  does  not 
teach  us  to  destroy  the  wicked,  as  did  Is- 
rael, but  that  we  should  reluctantly  sepa- 
rate them  from  the  church,  and  that  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord,  by  the  power  of  Christ 
!  and  the  Holy  Spirit ;  for  a  little  leaven  leav- 
eneth  the  whole  lump.  It  is  a  common  say- 
ing, One  scabby  sheep  mars  the  whole 
flock.  The  lepers  were  not  allowed  among 
the  healthy,  in  Israel;  but  had  to  be  sepa- 
rated until  cured.  O,  brethren  in  the  Lord  ! 
the  leprosy  of  the  soul,  is  a  leprosy  above 
all  diseases,  whether  it  is  in  doctrine,  or  in 
life.  It  eats  like  a  cancer,  and,  as  Paul 
says,  "leavens  the  whole  lump."  Therefore 
the  Holy  Spirit  has  abundantly  taught  us 
to  separate  such  from  among  us;  not  to 
hear  the  words  of  the  false  prophets,  for 
they  deceive  us;  to  separate  from  such  who, 
contrary  to  apostolic  doctrine,  cause  ofl"ense 
and  contention;  to  shun  those  who  are  not 
pleased  with  the  salutary  words  and  doc- 
trine of  our  dear  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  but  are 
contentious  and  desirous  of  quarreling,  &c. ; 
to  guard  against  dogs  and  artful  laborers 
and  the  selfish ;  to  flee  the  voice  of  strangers ; 
to  shun  an  heretic  or  a  master  of  sects,  after 
having  been  once  or  twice  admonished;  not 
to  greet  nor  receive  in  our  houses  him  who 
does  not  teach  the  doctrine  of  Chi'ist;  and 
to  withdraw  from  every  brother  who  acts 
,  disorderly  and  walks  not  according  to  the 
I  apostolic  doctrine.  O,  says  Paul,  that  they 
be  cut  off  who  disturb  you,  Lev.  13:  2;  Jer. 
23:  16;  Titus  3:  10;  2  John  10;  2Thess.  3:6. 

I  think,  beloved  brethren,  the  Holy  Spirit 
of  God  has  done  well,  and  fully  performed 
the  duties  of  his  office,  and  his  faithful  ser- 
vice of  divine  love  toward  his  chosen  people 
by  admonishing,  warning,  teaching  and 
commanding,  in  Moses  and  the  prophets,  in 
Christ  and  the  apostles,  in  regard  to  the 
Shunning  of  heretics  and  apostates;  but,  if 
we  through  obstinacy  or  perverseness,  still 
associate  with  the  leprous,  against  the 
faithful  counsel,  teaching  and  admonition 
of  God  and  intermingle  Avith  them,  then  we 
will  also  be  infected  with  the  same  disease. 
It  is  the  recompense  of  those  who  know 


134 


EXCOMMUNICATION. 


the  nature  of  the  disease,  and  yet  neither 
fear  nor  avoid  it. 

Say,  most  beloved,  is  it  not  the  greatest 
foolishness  and  recklessness  willfully  and 
knowingly  to  run  into  the  hands  of  the 
murderer,  by  opening  unto  him  your  house 
and  office ;  for  what  else  can  you  expect  but 
stealing,  robbing  and  murdering  ? 

O,  that  the  pious  reader  would  receive  the 
command,  teaching,  counsel,  and  admoni- 
tion, so  faithfully  given  by  the  Holy  Spirit. 
Shun  all  heretics  (I  refer  to  those  who  have 
been  of  us),  and  apostates,  according  to 
the  word  of  the  Lord;  whether  it  is  father, 
mother,  wife,  child,  relative  or  friend,  or 
whoever  will  try  to  turn  you  from  God  and 
his  word,  and  to  corrupt  you  by  doctrine  or 
by  life.  Whosoever  loves  any  thing  more 
than  his  God,  cannot  be  the  disciple  of  the 
Lord,  Matt.  10:  37;  Lulie  14:  26.  Therefore, 
believe  Christ  Jesus,  and  sincerely  fear  liim 
in  his  word,  and  you  will  follow  his  coun- 
sel and  teaching;  but  if  you  be  offended 
thereat,  then  await  yoiu-  punishment,  for, 
by  the  grace  of  God,  I  know  what  it  is  to 
despise  the  word  and  will  of  God,  and  what 
I  have  felt  and  seen  in  this  respect. 

In  the  fourth  place,  Paul  says,  "  I  wrote 
unto  you  in  an  epistle  not  to  company  with 
fornicators.  Yet  not  altogether  with  the 
fornicators  of  this  world,  or  with  the  covet- 
ous, or  extortioners,  or  with  idolaters;  for 
then  must  ye  needs  go  out  of  the  world. 
But  now  I  have  written  unto  you  not  to 
keep  company,  if  any  man  that  is  called  a 
brother,  be  a  fornicator,  or  covetous,  or  an 
idolater,  or  a  railer,  or  a  drunkard,  or  an 
extortioner;  with  such  a  one  no  not  to  eat," 
1  Cor.  5:9—11. 

From  these  words  of  the  apostle  we  ob- 
serve that  he  had  on  a  former  occasion,  ad- 
admonished  the  Corinthians,  in  an  epistle, 
that  they  should  shun  the  fornicators,  cov- 
etous, &c.,  but  they  had  alsn  understood  it 
as  meaning  the  fornicators  of  this  world. 
In  this  epistle,  Paul  admonishes  them  that 
this  was  not  his  meaning;  for  if  they  should 
shun  such,  and  not  have  any  dealings  with 
them,  they  must  needs  go  out  of  the  world. 
But  he  meant  those  who  are  called  brethren, 
as  he  shows  in  plain  language,  saying,  "If 
any  man  that  is  called  a  brother  be  a  forni- 
cator, or  covetous,"  &c.,  with  such  an  one 


do  not  eat;  just  as  the  Jews  did  not  eat 
with  the  Gentiles  and  publicans,  at  the  time 
of  Christ;  neither  did  they  keep  their  com- 
pany ;  for  Christ  and  Paul  are  one  and  not 
divided,  John  4:  9. 

I  think,  brethren,  that  this  text  is  so  plain 
and  clear  that  it  admits  of  no  controversy; 
notwithstanding  some  violate  and  garble  it. 

First,  they  say,  "Paul  had  no  authority 
to  burden  us  with  any  laws  when  it  was  not 
first  taught  and  commanded  him  of  Christ." 
To  this  we  answer:  Let  every  one  rightly 
reflect  upon,  divide  and  consider  the  words 
of  Clu'ist,  "Let  him  be  unto  you  as  a  hea- 
then man  and  a  publican,"  and  he  will  find, 
by  the  grace  of  God,  whether  or  not  Paul 
first  received  this  doctrine  of  Christ. 

Secondly,  they  say,  "Since  Paul  makes 
mention  here  of  the  Jewish  passover,  and 
adds  that  we  should  keep  the  passover,  not 
in  the  old  leaven,"  &c.,  so  this  passage,  and 
also  his  sayings,  "With  such  do  not  com- 
pany, with  such  do  not  eat,"mustbeimder- 
stood  as  meaning  a  spiritual  intermingling 
or  communion.  To  such,  we  answer:  Is- 
rael had  a  passover  of  seven  days,  but  we 
have  an  eternal  passover.  And,  as  the 
Lamb  of  our  passover  is  eternal,  and  his 
offering  eternal,  so  we  must  now,  perpetu- 
ally sanctify  and  celebrate  it,  ever  partake 
of  its  flesh ;  ever  be  sprinkled  with  its  blood, 
and  ever  be  diligently  guarding  against  the 
ungodly,  corrupting  leaven  of  both  doctrine 
and  life.  If  our  feast  and  passover  then,  is 
spiritual  and  not  literal,  eternal  and  not 
temporal,  how  can  this  then  be  applicable 
to  the  Lord's  Supper,  which  eating  does  not 
last  but  for  an  hour  or  so  ? 

In  the  second  place,  we  answer:  If  these 
words  were  spoken  of  a  spiritual  commun- 
ion then  it  should  read  in  the  Greek  test, 
clioinonia,  and  in  the  Latin,  co7nmnmcatio, 
for  that  signifies  a  spiritual  communion,  as 
Christ  communes  with  us,  and  the  members 
of  Christ  commune  with  Christ;  also,  com- 
munity of  property.  But  in  the  Greek  text 
is  a  different  word,  and  in  Latin  it  reads: 
coimnisceri  s/'pi  commercinm  liabcre,  which 
does  not  imply  a  spiritual  communion  at 
aU,  but  an  outward,  temporal  communion ; 
and  it  appears  the  clearer  from  these  words 
of  Paul  that  he  here  speaks  of  the  tempo- 
ral communion  and  company,  and  not  of 


EXCOMMUNICATION. 


135 


spiritual.  For  lie  lias  prohibited  this  com- 
munion with  the  apostates  and  allows  the 
communion  with  the  world,  which  has  no 
spiritual  communion  with  us,  nor  can  they 
have.  This  is  incontrovertible.  Yea,  if  the 
communion  or  intermingling  with  the  world 
were  prohibited,  then  we  could  not  make 
use  of  the  necessaries  of  life,  but  we  would 
have  to  eke  out  our  life  in  poverty,  destitu- 
tion, tribulation  and  misery,  1  Cor.  10:  3; 
Acts  2:  44;  1  Tim.  6:  18;  Heb.  13: 16. 

Thirdly,  we  reply:  That  Paul  had  refer- 
ence to  common  eating,  and  not  to  the 
Lord's  Supper;  for  he  calls  it  in  Latin, 
cihum  cofiere  (to  take  food),  and  not,  panum 
frangere  (to  break  bread);  and  it  is  luani- 
fest  that  the  Lord's  Supper  is,  nowhere  in 
the  Scriptures,  called  cibum  capere.  And 
if  it  were  spoken  in  reference  to  the  Supper, 
as  some  very  mistakenly  assert,  then  it 
would  incontrovertibly  follow  that  we  are 
at  liberty  to  invite  the  world  to  the  Lord's 
Supper,  to  greet  them  with  the  kiss  of  peace 
and  to  be  one  body  with  them;  for  this 
intercourse,  unclean  and  prohibited  with  an 
apostate  brother,  is,  according  to  Paul, 
clean  and  allowable  with  the  world.  O,  no, 
but  as  the  Jews  at  that  time  would  not  eat 
a  common  meal  with  the  heathen  and  pub- 
licans, and  Christ  having  pointed  his  fol- 
lowers to  that  usage,  so  Paul  follows  the 
doctrine  and  command  of  his  Lord  and 
master,  Jesus;  and  says  that  we  sliaU  not 
eat  with  such. 

I  think  that  it  has  been  sutficiently  shown 
to  the  pious,  that  these  words  of  Paul 
should  not  be  understood  as  referring  to 
spiritual  communion,  nor  to  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per, but  only  to  daily  intercourse  and  com- 
mon eating.  If,  now,  it  is  not  allowed  in 
outward  or  carnal  communion,  it  will  be 
less  so  in  inward  or  spiritual  commimion. 

Dear  bretlu-en  in  the  Lord,  I  would  here 
pray  and  admonish  you  all,  in  humility, 
to  consider  well  what  the  proper  meaning 
is  of  this  word  commerciuvi  (intercourse),  of 
which  Paul  speaks,  and  how  we  should 
understand  it,  that  you  may  not  give  too 
much  liberty  to  the  reckless  souls,  to  their 
own  destruction,  and  that  you  do  not  too 
closely  bind  the  naiTow  minded,  since  you 
have  no  binding  word.  For  I  hear  and  see, 
and  have,  alas,  seen  too  much  of  it,  these 


many  years,  that  some,  on  every  hand, 
use  no  weight  nor  measure  in  this  matter; 
and  the  result  is,  that  there  is  much  dispute 
and  trouble  about  this  separation.  May 
the  Lord  gi'ant  his  divine  grace  to  the  peace, 
unity  and  edification  of  his  holy  church. 
Amen. 

Inasmuch  as  I  am  an  unworthy  and  hum- 
ble servant,  called  into  the  house  of  God, 
and  sincerely  seek  the  good  of  my  beloved 
brethren  and  co-workers;  therefore  I  wiU 
briefly  present  my  views  concerning  this 
communion  or  intermingling,  according 
to  my  talent,  with  which  I  desire  to  ap- 
pear before  the  throne  of  my  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  at  the  day  of  judgment,  and  will 
leave  it  to  the  criticism  of  God's  word,  and 
all  theologians.  Therefore,  my  understand- 
ing of  commisceri  or  commerciuvi  habere, 
(that  is,  to  mix  with  or  to  commune),  of 
which  Paul  here  speaks,  is,  that  it  implies 
daily  communion,  company,  walk,  inter- 
course, presence,  usage,  conversation  and 
dealing,  and  that  it  does  not  mean  accident- 
al conversation,  or  necessary  dealings,  such 
as  dividing  a  legacy,  liquidating  debts,  and 
such  like  incidental  dealings,  or  to  be  ser- 
viceable in  times  of  need ;  for  the  word  com- 
mercium  does  not  imply  anything  so  strong. 
Therefore,  in  my  opinion,  some  err  not  a 
little  by  attaching  the  same  strength  to  the 
phrase  "have  no  company  with  them,"  that 
they  attach  to  "thou  shalt  not  steal,  and  thou 
shalt  not  commit  adultery,"  of  which  Paul 
testifies  that  those  who  are  guilty  thereof, 
shall  not  inherit  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 
Their  argument  is.  That  nay  is  nay;  yea, 
brethren,  if  this  were  the  case,  who  could 
stand  before  his  God  ? 

Again,  if  the  word  commerciuvi,  which  in 
our  language,  means  an  intermingling  or 
communion,  is  to  be  explained,  that  we  are 
not  to  speak  a  word  with  an  apostate,  not 
to  have  any  necessary  dealings  -ndth  him; 
then  the  word  commercium  would  be  vio- 
lated; many  a  pious  child  be  retarded, 
many  an  unscriptural  action  done,  and  the 
faithful  Paul  would  be  rejected.  For  he 
says,  "Yet  count  him  not  as  an  enemy,  but 
admonish  him  as  a  brother,"  2  Thess.  3:  15. 
Besides,  it  would  make  an  evil  report  of  the 
gospel  of  Christ. 

It  is  also  incontrovertible,  that  the  publi- 


136 


EXCOMMUNICATION. 


cans  and  some  heathen  lived  in  Judea,  as, 
Herod,  Pilate,  Philip,  Sisanins,  Testus,  &c., 
before  whom  they  had  to  appear  at  times. 
Again,  they  also  had  to  pay  tribute  to  the 
Romans ;  and,  therefore,  were  obliged  some- 
times, to  speak  to  them,  and  had  necessary 
dealings  with  them;  although  they  diligent- 
ly shnnned  their  daily  company,  conversa- 
tion, intermingling,  eating,  &c. 

Dear  brethren,  take  heed,  and  do  not  be- 
come masters  and  despisers  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  that  you  do  not,  through  the  good 
opinions  of  men,  make  the  way  narrower 
nor  broader,  than  the  word,  Spirit  and  ex- 
ample of  the  Lord  makes  and  limits  it. 

In  the  fifth  place,  Paul  says,  "  What  have 
I  to  do  to, judge  them  also  that  are  without? 
do  not  ye  judge  them  that  are  within  ?  But 
them  that  are  without  God  judgeth.  There- 
fore put  away  from  among  yourselves  that 
wicked  person,"  1  Cor.  5:  12,  13.  Here  Paul 
explains  his  former  words,  that  he  did  not 
apply  them,  in  his  first  epistle,  to  those 
that  are  without;  for  God  judges  them,  and 
not  we.  We  ought  to  put  away  from  among 
us  the  wicked  persons,  and  commend  the 
world  to  God. 

Behold,  faithful  brethren,  how  unanimous- 
ly Christ  and  Paul  agree  in  the  shunning 
of  the  apostates.  And  also,  how  earnestly 
Paul  has  taught  and  maintained  this  sepa- 
ration. Yea,  that  he  has  six  times  enjoined 
to  practice  this  ban,  in  such  a  short  chapter. 

"Ye  are  puffed  up,  and  have  not  rather 
mourned,  that  he  that  hath  done  this  deed 
might  be  taken  away  from  among  you." 

"To  deliver  such  an  one  xmto  Satan." 

"Purge  out  therefore  the  old  leaven,  that 
ye  may  be  a  new  lump." 

"I  wrote  unto  you  in  an  epistle  not  to 
company  with  fornicators." 

"With  such  an  one,  no  not  to  eat." 

"Therefore  put  away  from  among  your- 
selves that  wicked  person,"  1  Cor.  5:  2,  5,  7, 
9,11,13. 

All  these  are  found  in  one  short  chapter; 
besides  what  he  has  taught,  commanded 
and  admonished  in  this  respect  to  the  Ro- 
mans, Galatians,  Philippians,  Thessalo- 
nians,  Timothy  and  Titus.  John  also  has 
explained  himself  briefly.  I  do  not  see  how 
a  godfearing  heart  can  have  doubts  in  re- 
gard to  this  matter  and  how  he  can  contra- 


dict it,  since  there  are  such  good  fruits  and 
utility  derived  from  this  shunning.  But  it 
seems  that  this  vine  must  have  its  worms. 

Again,  the  refractory  make  another  ob- 
jection, and  say,  "When  one  is  separated 
from  the  chuiTh  it  is  not  necessary 
any  more  to  shun  him,  for  he  is  no  longer 
called  a  brother."  To  such  we  reply:  That 
they  should,  in  the  fu-st  place,  consider 
I  that  if  such  an  one,  who  has  acknowledged 
!  the  Lord's  word  and  truth,  and,  for  a  time, 
led  a  pious,  evangelical  life,  and  has  thus 
received  baptism,  becomes  apostatized  and 
afterwards  sincerely  repents,  he  is  not  rebap- 
tized;  for  the  Scriptui-es  teach  but  one  bap- 
tism. But  if  those  who  are  of  the  world 
repent,they  are  baptized  after  repentance ;  for 
before,  they  neither  confessed  word,  peni- 
tence, faith,  righteousness  nor  baptism;  and 
therefore  it  is  a  different  matter.  At  the 
day  of  judgment,  it  will  also  be  more  strict- 
ly required  of  them  than  of  the  world,  Luke 
9:  5;  2  Pet.  2:  20;  Matt.  24:  48. 

In  the  second  place  we  say  that  the  world, 
notwithstanding,  esteem  them  as  brethren, 
and  many  of  them  would  gladly  be  greeted 
as  brethren;  therefore  it  is  very  necessary 
to  shun  them,  that  both  the  world  and  they 
may  know  and  understand  that  we  can  not 
accept  such  as  brethren  who  are  so  unclean 
and  blamable  in  doctrine  or  in  life,  lest  the 
word  of  the  Lord  and  his  church  be  despised 
by  the  world,  on  their  account. 

In  the  third  place  we  say.  That  Israel  did 
not  shun  their  open  transgressors,  nor  the 
Corinthians  their  fornicators  until  they  were 
separated  from  the  church.  It  is  neither 
a  custom  nor  usage  in  the  Scriptures,  to 
shun  anybody  so  long  as  he  is  suffered  in 
the  church ;  and  therefore  we  should  not 
shun  any  one,  before  separation;  or  else  we 
practice  a  ban  neither  known  nor  mentioned 
in  the  Scriptures. 

In  the  fourth  place  we  say,  That  if  we 
commune  and  associate  with  an  apostate, 
after  separation,  then  we  show  in  fact  that 
we  despise  the  word,  command,  counsel, 
teaching  and  admonition  of  God;  that  we 
do  not  seek  the  reasonable  shame  of  the 
apostate,  which  is  to  lead  him  to  repent; 
and  also,  that  we  do  not  guard  against  the 
corruption  of  our  own  souls. 

I  trust  that  this  is  sufficient  to  appease 


EXCOMMUNICATION. 


137 


every  godfearing  heart,  in  regard  to  the 
words  of  Christ,  Matt.  18 :  18,  and  in  regard 
to  the  fifth  chapter  of  the  first  epistle  to  the 
Corinthians,  and  that  no  more  useless  gar- 
bling, objections  and  artful  excuses  be  made 
to  turn  it  to  the  lusts  of  the  flesh,  for  they 
can  stand  no  better  than  stubble  before  the 
fii'e,  and  ice  before  heat.  Yea,  from 
these  same  words  of  Christ  and  of  Paul  it 
appears    clearly  how,  when,  where,  with 


what  spirit,  of  whom,  on  whom,  and  for 
what  pui-pose  this  ban  should  be  prac- 
ticed. I  think  this  foundation  to  be  so 
powerful  that  it  cannot  be  broken  by  chris- 
tian reasonableness  nor  by  divine  truth. 
Let  every  one  fear  and  love  his  God  with 
all  his  heart,  and  he  will,  doubtlessly,  re- 
ceive the  ti'ue  knowledge  of  this  matter,  and 
will  rightly  follow  the  scriptural  and  God 
pleasing  usage. 


[Holy  Y^j;^^^ 


54 


A  CLEAR, 

INCONTROVERTIBLE  CONFESSION 


AND 


DEMONSTRATION, 

FOtlNDED  ON  THE  POWER  OF  THE 

HOLY  SCRIPTUEES, 

THAT  THE  ENTIRE  CHRIST  JESUS,  GOD  AND  MAN,  MAN  AND  GOD,  IS  GOD'S 

OWN,  ONLY  AND  FIRST  BEGOTTEN  SON;  NOT  DIVIDED  NOR  SEPARA- 

RATED,  BUT  AN  ONLY,  UNDIVIDED  PERSON,  SON  AND  CHRIST;  GOD'S 

WORD  DULY  MANIFESTED   IN  THE   FLESH,  TOGETHER  WITH 

A  THOROUGH  CONFUTATION,  REPLY  TO,  AND  SOLUTION  OF 

THE  PRINCIPAL  POINTS  OBfcTHE  DEFENSE  OP  JOHN 

A'LASCO  AGAINST  US. 


BY 


MENNO  SIMON. 


"  I  am  the  living  bread  wliich  came  down  from  lieaven ;  If  any  man  eat  of  this 
bread,  he  shall  live  for  ever ;  and  the  bread  that  I  will  give,  is  my  flesh,  which  I 
will  give  for  the  life  of  the  world,"  John  6  :  51. 

"  For  other  foundation  can  no  man  lay  than  that  is  laid,  which  is  Jesus  Christ," 
1  Cor.  3 :  11. 


ELKHART,  INDIANA: 

PUBLISHED  BY  JOHN  F.  FUNK  AND  BROTHER. 

18  71. 


.*; 


Mr 


r  R  E  F  A  C  E. 


To  THE  Impartial  Rkadek; — I  see  and 
observe,  honest  reader,  tliat  many  books, 
printed  in  Latin  and  also  written  German 
books,  are  circulated  and  read,  concerning 
the  incarnation  of  the  Lord,  which,  in  my 
opinion,  so  slander  onr  repntuation,  that 
those  who  read  or  hear  them  read,  shut 
their  noses  and  months  at  our  approach; 
therefore  I  feel  myself  compelled.  First,  to 
reply  to  some  accusations  of  John  A'Lasco, 
wi'ongfully  preferred  against  me.  Secondly, 
to  advance  my  confession  and  faith  of 
Christ  Jesus,  the  Son  of  God;  and.  Thirdly, 
to  solve  and  criticise  according  to  divine 
truth,  as  far  as  the  grace  of  God  is  given 
me,  his  principal  points  with  which  he  re- 
futes our  foundation  and  faith.  This  I  do 
not  for  my  own  sake,  for  I  am  well  aware 
that  my  truths,  with  him,  are  lies,  and  that  I 
Vi^ill  remain,  as  did  all  the  holy  apostles  and 
prophets,  the  learned  heretics  and  impos- 
ters,  even  if  Christ  spake  in  and  through 
me,  poor,  ignorant  creature,  with  the  same 
power  as  that  with  which  he  spake  former- 
ly through  the  apostles  and  prophets.  But  I 
clo  this  from  the  pm*e  love  of  our  Lord  and 
Savior,  Jesus  Christ,  and  his  holy  word; 
from  love  for  my  beloved  brethren,  and  also, 
from  a  heart  inclined  towards  my  oppo- 
nents, that  Christ  Jesus  the  Son  of  the  Al- 
mighty and  great  God,  may  be  made  mani- 
fest as  a  true  Son  of  his  heavenly  Father; 
that  the  Scriptures  may  remain  unbroken; 
and  that  the  afflicted,  hungering  consciences, 
which  would  gladly  follow  the  right,  may 
see  and  know  it  and  thus  thank  the  Al- 
mighty and  eternal  Father  with  cheerful 
hearts,  through  his  first  and  only  begotten 
Son,  Christ  Jesus;  that,  also,  the  God  fear- 
ing reader  may  know  through  whom  he  is 
reconciled  with  his  God;  and  that  we  es- 
tablish ovir  foundation  not  othe»ivise  than 


by  the  clear  and  positive  Scriptures  and  in- 
controvertible truth. 

Behold,  for  this  reason  have  I  yet  under- 
taken this  labor  before  my  death.  I,  who 
in  my  weakness,  every  day  look  for  the  dis- 
solution of  this  earthly  tabernacle  with  res- 
ignation; that  I  may  leave  behind  me  a 
sure  testimony  and  memento,  how  honestly 
or  dishonestly,  how  highly  or  how  tritiingly , 
how  greatly  or  how  insignificantly  I  have  es- 
teemed the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  my  only  and 
eternal  Surety,  Consolation,  Refuge,  Deliver- 
er and  Savior,  during  the  period  of  my  serv- 
ice; for  I  am  aware  how  we  are  upbraided 
and  slandered. 

Therefore  have  I  divided  this  book  in 
three  parts.  The  first  part  is  a  reply  to 
some  articles  and  accusations  without  re- 
gard to  the  foundation  of  our  actions  of 
which  John  A'Lasco  accuses  and  blames 
us,  without  any  truth  whatever. 

The  second  part,  is  my  confession  of  the 
origin  and  descent  of  the  fiesh  of  Chi'ist, 
demonstrated  according  to  the  power  of  the 
Scriptures. 

The  third  part  contains  the  principal  ob- 
jections, particularly  of  John  A'Lasco  to 
our  foundation,  which  are  overwhelmingly 
answered  according  to  the  word  of  God.  I 
have  so  divided  it,  that  the  reader  may  not 
become  confused,  but  may  obtain  a  better 
and  more  intelligent  understanding  and 
sense  of  our  writings. 

I  desire  and  pray  all  my  readers,  for  the 
sake  of  Jesus,  whether  they  are  learned  or 
unlearned,  favorable  or  unfavorable,  to  read 
my  writings  with  an  unprejudiced  mind 
and  attentively  and  intelligently;  to  read 
them  frequently ;  to  compare  them  with  tlie 
Scriptures,  and  weigh  them  in  the  balance 
of  the  Scriptures;  I  pray  them  to  believe 
the  Scriptures,  and  not  the  long  and  many 


142 


PREFACE. 


wi'itings,  teachings  and  tlie  colorings  of 
tlie  learned;  that  they  will  examine  the 
foundation  without  bitterness,  and  believe 
the  sui-est  truth,  and  follow  it  in  the  fear  of 
God,  and  give  him  due  praise,  as  becomes 
all  reasonable  people,  according  to  tlie 
christian  name.  I  doubt  not  but  that  all 
those  who  read  them  with  due  attention, 
will  soon  lind  that  the  foundation,  doctrine 
and  faith  of  our  opponents  concerning 
Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  is  deceiving  and  er- 
roneous, and  that  our  foundation  is  the 
foiindation  and  testimony  of  the  Holy 
Scriptures;  yea,  that  it  is  the  power  and  the 
truth. 

I  would  further  pray,  that  the  reader  do 
not  think  hard  of  it  if  I  call  falsehood,  lies; 
and  rebuke  evil-doing.  I  trust,  by  the  grace 
of  God,  to  do  so  without  any  bitter  feeling, 
and  with  as  temperate  words  as  possible; 


and  further,  not  to  become  impatient  if  I 
sometimes  repeat  the  same  words  and  mat- 
ter, when  necessary;  and  also  that  at  the 
end,  he  will  not  judge  me  without  consider- 
ation and  intelligence;  and  thus  become 
angry  with  me.  For  I  do  nothing  more 
than  reasonable  purging,  according  to  the 
truth;  nothing  more  than  prove  my  faith 
and  hope,  to  be  in  accordance  with  the 
Scriptures,  and  uphold  the  honor  and  praise 
of  my  Lord  and  Savior — something  which  I 
am  not  only  called  to  do  verbally,  and  with 
my  pen,  but  also  with  my  life-blood,  if  his 
glory  demand  it. 

May  the  beloved  Lord,  the  faithful  Son  of 
the  true  and  living  God,  to  whom  be  all 
honor  and  praise,  gi-ant  all  kind  and  dis- 
creet readers  a  mind  desirous  to  examine 
diligently,  and  enlighten  the  intelligent 
hearts  to  understand  rightly.    Amen. 


A  CLEAR, 
INCONTROVERTIBLE    CONFESSION,  &C. 


PART  FIRST. 


In  tlie  first  place,  Jolm  A'Lasco  -writes,  "That  I 
have  magnified  his  name  so  that  I  miglit,  on  account 
of  the  correspondeuce  I  had  with  Iiim,  obtain  great- 
er honor,  more  consideration  and  authority  among 
ours"  (as  lie  calls  them). 

Answer.  It  is  true  that  I  called  him  the 
noble  and  highly-learned,  &c.,  in  my  con- 
fession to  him  and  the  preachers;  hnt  I  did 
this  for  no  other  reason  than  simply  to  be 
polite.  I  did  not  picture  him  in  such  hate- 
ful colors  as  he  did  me;  he  calling  me  a 
doctor  or  teacher  of  anabaptists.  Nor  have 
I  called  him  by  such  high  names  as  he  calls 
himself— Polonife  Baro.  I  have  not  sought 
thi'ough  his  name  what  alas,  he  ascribes  to 
me.  I  know,  thanks  be  to  the  Lord,  with 
holy  Paid,  that  I  can  not  be  the  servant  of 
Christ,  if  I  seek  to  please  men.  Gal.  1:  10. 
If  I  should  become  more  honored  in  the 
name  of  man,  be  it  a  king  or  emperor,  than 
in  Christ,  it  would  not  be  well  with  me  in 
the  end.  For  if  I  seek  mine  own  honor, 
and  not  the  honor  of  God,  it  will  not  be  my 
honor.  But  I  hope  to  obtain  honor  which 
will  remain  with  me  forever;  men  may 
judge  me  as  they  will,  they  must  confess 
before  their  God,  in  the  day  of  Christ.  He 
who  has  eyes  like  a  flame  of  frre,  knows 
what  I  seek  and  do,  my  coming  in  and  my 
going  out,  my  rising  up  and  my  sitting 
down.  K  he  knew  nothing  better  of  me  than 
that  which  I  am  judged  by  man,  then  I 
might  justly  exclaim:  Woe  unto  me,  that  I 
was  born. 

In  the  second  place,  he  writes,  <'That  I  hare  unjustly 


attacked   his   reputation,  and  profixned  their  church 

service." 

Answer.  I  trust  that  nobody  can  truth- 
fully shojv  that  I  have  said  anything  but 
truth  about  John  A'Lasco  or  his  abettors 
and  followers.  But  if  they  feel  hurt  at  the 
tiTith,  of  which  he  thinks  so  hard,  for  this 
they  may  blame  the  truth  and  not  me.  I  am 
willing  to  leave  it  to  the  judgment  of  all 
reasonable  people,  whether  I  wrote  justly 
or  unjustly,  too  much  or  too. little  in  regard 
to  his  doctrine,  sacraments,  church  service, 
church  or  community,  or  that  of  the  preach- 
ers of  his  kind.  If  their  doctrine  and  church 
service  is  of  God  and  his  word,  why  are  not 
their  unreasonable  and  reckless  disciples 
converted  from  their  ungodly  ways  and 
doings  ?  For,  according  to  the  contents  of 
the  Scriptures,  it  is  infallible  that  the  doc- 
trine and  service  which  is  of  God,  has  her 
power  and  influence,  Isaiah  C5.  But  it  is 
too  evident  from  their  fruits,  that  there  is 
nothing  threshed  from  them  but  chaff.  My 
conscience  tells  me  nothing  but  that  I  have 
done  them  and  their  church  justice;  fori 
have  reproved  them,  with  zeal,  of  the  things 
which  all  the  prophets,  apostles  and  faith- 
ful witnesses  of  God  have  diligently  done 
before  me,  namely:  I  have  reproved  their 
carnal,  impenitent  lives,  as  is  manifest  be- 
fore all  the  world.  If  I  have  done  wrong 
in  this  regard,  then  I  may  justly  accuse 
Moses  and  the  prophets  together  with  Christ 
and  the  apostles,  of  it,  for  they  have  earn- 


144 


REPLY  TO  JOHN  A'LASCO. 


estly  commanded  me,  unworthy  creature, 
and  all  God  fearing  preachers  to  do  so,  for 
which  -we,  miserable  creatures,  have  to  suf- 
fer so  much  in  this  wild,  excited  world.  He 
who  has  created  me,  knows  that  I  liave 
done  so  in  sincere  love  to  the  conversion  of 
their  poor  souls. 

In  the  third  placo,  he  writes,  "  I  have  been  obliged  to 
deliver  our  doctrine  of  your  shinder,  by  authority  of 
the  divine  word,  which  doctrine  you  may  garl)le  among 
your  followers,  by  your  crying,  l)ut  which  you  cannot 
refute  by  authority  of  the  Scripture.?,  notwithstanding 
your  boasting  that  you  do  so." 

Ansioer.  If  it  can  be  called  slander  to 
rebuke  wrong,  according  to  the  Spirit  and 
woixl  of  God  ?  Then  not  only  liave  I  slan- 
dered, but  also  Isaiah,  Jeremiah,  and  all 
the  prophets,  and  also  Cbrist  Jesus,  togeth- 
er with  all  bis  apostles.  I  have  rebuked 
their  cause  according  to  the  word  of  God; 
and  l)y  the  grace  of  God,  shown  them  that 
they  are  not  tlie  true  messengers  of  God, 
nor  their  church,  the  time  one.  But  it  will 
be  hard  for  John  A'Lasco  to  show  that  our 
doctrine,  which  is  not  ours,  but  Christ's 
doctrine,  is  wrong,  and  also  that  our  rebuke 
according  to  the  Scriptures,  is  slander;  and 
to  jjrove  before  his  God,  who  judges  all 
things  aright,  that  his  doctrine  is  right  in 
regard  to  the  incarnation,  the  baptism  of 
infants,  the  calliiig  of  their  preachers,  their 
separation  and  the  unrestrained,  reckless 
life  of  his  church,  I  fear  that  we  will  find 
plenty  of  philosophy,  invention  and  color- 
ing, but  little  scriptural  power,  fotuidation, 
and  truth.  Yea,  kind  reader,  I  am  sure 
that  if  the  violence  of  the  world  was  ever 
withstood,  as  it  doubtlessly  should  be,  we 
would  soon  find  where  the  victory  of  the 
Scriptures  would  stand. 

In  the  fiiurth  place  he  says,  "If  we  prove  our  doctrine 
by  virtue  of  the  divine  word,  then  it  will  be  manifest 
that  wc  were  innocently  slandered ;  and  our  innocence 
will  be  made  manifest." 

Anstcer.  If  he  has  proven  his  doctrine 
and  sacraments  to  be  right,  by  virtue  of  the 
divine  word,  as  he  boastingly  asserts,  I  will 
acknowledge  that  I  have  unreasonably  and 
wrongfully  reproved  them  in  this  regard. 
But  it  is  nothing  biit  consoling  the  poor 
people  with  falsehood,  and  keeping  them 
on  the  broad  way  by  fictitious  promises. 
Even  if  he  could  prove  his  doctrine  and  sac- 
raments, which,  however,  he  can  not  do,  to 


be  in  accordance  with  the  Scriptures,  then 
his  cause  would  still  not  be  half  way  right; 
for  the  doctrine  and  sacraments  are  useless 
if  the  fruitful,  active  faith,  and  the  pious, 
unblamable  life,  are  not  there;  for  which 
purpose  the  doctrine  was  promulgated,  and 
the  sacraments  ordained.  And  what  kind 
of  life  is  generally  led  by  their  followers, 
and  also  by  the  greater  part  of  their  preach- 
ers themselves,  I  will  leave  to  the  .judgment 
of  those  who  can  observe  their  daily  actions 
and  wall<;,  and  who  have  an  understanding 
of  the  Holy  Scriptures. 

In  the  fifth  place  he  says,  "If  you  would  have  sent 
your  writings  to  us  all,  as  you  iiromised  to  do,  we 
might  have  answered  you  aloue ;  but  yoa  have  circu- 
lated them  first  among  your  own,  liefore  sending  them 
to  us." 

Answer.  I  do  not  recollect  that  I  have 
promised  them  this;  nor  can  I  see  why  I 
should  have  made  such  a  promise,  as  I  had 
nothing  to  write  but  what  was  my  proper 
faith  and  foundation;  which  I  desire  not 
only  to  testify  by  writing  in  secret,  but  also 
with  my  life-blood,  before  the  whole  world, 
if  only  the  Lord  strengthen  and  uphold  me 
by  his  grace. 

But,  as  to  his  viriting  that  I  should  have 
circulated  it  first  amongst  ourselves,  I  would 
say,  that  he  has  said  too  much;  for  as  soon 
as  I  had  withdrawn  myself  from  them,  I 
went  to  a  secret  place,  as  I  have  had  to  do 
these  many  years,  for  the  sake  of  the  testi- 
mony of  Christ  and  my  conscience,  and  sim- 
ply compiled  my  faith  and  foundation  in 
^vl'iting,  and  without  any  delay,  after  our 
conversation,  sent  it  to  them.  However, 
out  of  respect,  I  handed  it  to  M.  H.  G.,  he 
being,  at  the  time,  Baliff  or  Burgomaster 
(Mayor).  The  Great  Lord  is  my  witness 
that  this  is  the  truth,  and  since  it  is  a  fact 
as  related,  how  could  I  have  circulated  it 
among  ours  before  it  was  sent  to  them,  as 
he  accuses  me  of  doing ;  and,  even  if  I  had 
done  as  he  accuses  me,  were  he  and  his  fol- 
lowers thereby  wronged?  Since  it  is  not 
alone  my  foundation,  but  the  foundation 
and  faith  of  us  all,  as  is  known  to  many. 

But  his  own  reason  convinced  him  that  it 
would  seem  unreasonable  to  tlie  reader  to 
write  such  an  infamous,  bitter  book,  with- 
out cause,  and  therefore  he  must  pretend 
somothpng,  so  that  his  writing  against  the 


EEPLY  TO  JOHN  A'LASCO. 


14D 


mute  Menno,  who,  on  account  of  tlie  great 
tyrannjr,  cannot  answer  before  tlie  world, 
might  seem  reasonable.  But  whether  it 
will  stand  before  the  impartial  Judgment- 
seat  of  Christ,  will  be  made  manifest  in  his 
declaration.  May  the  beloved  Lord  not 
reckon  it  as  sin ;  for  I  know  that  I  am  not 
guilty. 

In  the  sixth  phice  he  writes,  "Your  followers  were 
the  cause,  that  I  must  publicly  treat  with  you,  for  they 
have  steadily  circulated  the  report  in  West  Friesland, 
and  also,  in  a  great  part  of  Holland,  that  you  are  at  lib- 
erty to  teach  your  doctrine  in  our  churches ;  and  that 
we  are  certainly  conquered,  and  have  nothing  where- 
with to  gainsay." 

Answer.  I  never  heard  a  word  of  this 
until  I  read  so  in  his  writing;  if  some  of  us 
have  thus  boasted,  as  he  Avrites  (which  I 
cannot  believe),  then  it  is  evident  that  they 
have  not  spoken  the  truth  in  that  regard, 
but  falsehood;  which  falsehood  is  a  shame- 
ful thing,  yea,  it  is  of  the  devil,  and  de- 
stroys the  soul,  John  8 :  45,  55. 

If  he  has  it  from  hearsay,  it  was  not  right 
in  him  to  listen  to  such  partizans  and  liars, 
and  to  publish  it  in  a  book,  to  the  everlasting 
remembrance  of  all  the  world,  and  the  great 
injury  of  his  neighbors.  But  if  he  did  it  of 
his  own  accord,  and  not  from  the  persuasion 
of  others,  which  I  do  not  presume  he  did, 
then  he  dishonors  his  famous  name  and 
ruins  his  soul.  For  lying,  I  say,  is  a  shame- 
ful thing,  and  will  not  lind  a  place  in  God's 
city. 

Again  I  say,  I  do  not  presume  that  he 
wrote  this  of  his  own  accord,  but  I  imagine 
that  he  was  too  desirous  to  listen  to  the 
liar,  too  quick  to  hear,  and  too  hasty  to 
write.  Be  this  as  it  may,  I  know  that,  ac- 
cording to  christian  reasonableness  and 
love,  it  does  not  apply  to  me;  let  him  adorn 
it  as  much  as  he  can.  The  great  Lord  will 
make  manifest  in  due  time  what  each  one 
of  us  seeks  and  pretends,  yea,  maintains, 
teaches,  does  and  defends. 

In  the  seventh  place  lie  accuses  me  and  says,  "  That  I 
made  light  of  two  Latin  syllogisms  which  he  communi- 
cated to  me ;  that  I  despised  learning  and  the  skill  of 
languages  ;  that  I  upbraided  them  as  j^hilosoplicrs,  and 
passed  myself  for  simply  a  theologian,  whereby  I  catch 
the  unlearned  an<l  simple,  and  cause  myself  great  con- 
sideration. That,  however,  my  want  of  excellence  is  no 
meanness  but  rather  ignorance.  Yea,  he  has  set  me 
forth  in  such  colors  that  my  remembrance,  although, 
alas,  not  much  to  my  honor,  will  perhaps  be  with  man 
as  long  as  the  world  endures." 
55 


Answer.  The  reason  why  he  applies 
these  epithets  to  me,  is,  because  I  wrote  to 
;  him  and  his  abettors  thus :  Let  us  not  con- 
trovert these  things  with  subtle  syllogisms, 
nor  with  sharp,  human  cavilings,  for  we  do 
not  profess  them,  but  we  contradict  them 
alone  by  the  clear,  convincing  word  which 
cannot  be  garbled  by  eloquence,  nor  broken 
by  human  invention.  These  are  my  words, 
A.  D.  1543,  in  my  confession  written  to  him 
and  his  preachers.  Let  those  of  a  pious 
disposition  judge  now  whether  I  deserve 
such  bitter  treatment.  But  I  am  aware  that 
I  did  not  earn  this  crown  on  account  of 
these  words,  just  mentioned,  but  for  the  sake 
of  the  poor,  despised  truth.  Reader,  do 
not  misunderstand  me.  Never  in  my  life, 
have  I  despised  learning  and  skill  in  lan- 
guages, but  from  my  youth,  honored  and 
loved  them.  Although,  alas,  I  never  ac- 
quired them,  yet  (thanks  be  to  God),  I  am 
not  so  bereft  of  my  senses,  that  I  should 
j  therefore  despise  or  ridicule  the  knowledge 
of  languages  through  which  the  precious 
word  of  divine  grace  came  to  our  knowledge. 
I  wish  that  all  pious  minded  persons  pos- 
sessed this  knowledge,  if  we  would  but 
humbly  use  it  to  the  praise  of  our  God,  and 
the  service  of  our  neighbors,  in  the  pure 
fear  of  God. 

Is  it  not  a  shameful  thing  that  they  re- 
gard truth  so  little,  and  continually  try,  al- 
though unreservedly,  to  reflect  such  false- 
hood upon  me.  Yea,  dear  reader,  if  I  would 
repay  evil  with  evil,  as  the  law  of  nature 
teaches  me,  I  would  collect  some  false 
hoods,  some  of  which  were  spoken,  and 
some  of  which  were  written  against  me,  of 
which  neither  he,  nor  any  other  man,  can 
ever  convict  me.  Whether  this  can  be  called 
just  and  right,  I  will  leave  to  the  judgment 
of  all  impartial,  reasonable  minds. 

Would  to  God  that  he  and  all  our  oppo- 
nents, would  not  act  differently  with  me, 
than  I  do  with  them,  for  I  trust  they  do  not 
desire  my  blood,  or  at  least  the  greater  part 
of  them.  I  rebuke  and  admonish  them  of 
all  the  short-comings  which  I  see,  as  love 
for  them  requires,  although  they  think  hard 
of  that.  But  that  I  should  ^vrite  falsehoods 
against  them,  from  this  may  the  Lord  save 
me.  For  I  am  well  aware  from  which  im- 
pure fountain  falsehood  flows,  and  what 


14G 


REPLY  TO  JOHN  A'LASCO. 


will  be  the  end  of  it.  I  am  also  aware  that 
it  is  not  the  seed  from  wliich  we  shall  beget 
God's  children,  and  gatlier  nnto  Christ  a 
chiu-ch.  I  wonld  have  them  do  the  same 
(and  not  diflerentlj^),  if  I  should,  human- 
like, fail  in  some  things;  that  they  Avould 
admonish  and  reprove  me  according  to  the 
truth;  that  they  would  uphold  their  truth 
(if  they  had  anj^,  which,  alas,  they  have 
not),  by  force  of  the  Scriptures;  and  that 
they  would  let  the  seed  of  the  serpent  use 
his  falsehood,  and  the  seed  of  Cain  his  vio- 
lence. Gen.  3:  4. 

But  as  to  my  ignorance,  of  which  he  so 
bitterly  accuses  me,  I  am  not  ashamed  to 
acknowledge  before  all  the  world,  that  I 
am  not  only  ignorant,  but  altogether  un- 
learned, and  very  little  versed  in  the  lan- 
guages. Yea,  dear  reader,  I  freely  admit, 
as  did  Soci'ates,  that  I  only  know  one  thing, 
as  regards  human  skill  and  wisdom,  and  j 
that  is,  that  I  know  nothing.  But  as  re-  i 
gards  heavenly  wisdom,  I  am  so  far  taught  ^ 
of  God,  through  the  grace  of  the  Lord,  that  j 
I  sincerely  confess  that  my  Redeemer  and 
Savior,  Christ  Jesus,  is  the  only  and  first 
begotten  Son  of  God;  that  whosoever  be- 
lieveth  in  him  hath  everlasting  life;  that  he 
that  believeth  not  is  condemned;  that  a  liar 
is  of  the  devil;  that  "whosoever  hatetli  his 
brother  is  a  mm-derer;"  that  unless  ye  re- 
pent, ye  shall  all  perish;  that  "the  wages 
of  sin  is  death,"  John  3:  8;  1  John  3:  15; 
Luke  13:  5;  Rom.  6:  23.  And  from  this 
unregarded  wisdom  Ceternal  praise  be  to 
the  Lord),  I  have  obtained  so  much  fear  in 
my  poor  soul,  that  my  earthly,  carnal  mind 
is  converted  into  a  better;  and  that  I  am  so 
Sony  that  I  cannot  walk  in  Christ  Jesus, 
with  all  my  strength,  according  to  the  will 
of  God,  and  be  a  sincere,  unblamable  chris- 
tian: that  I  cannot  bring  the  whole  world 
from  its  obdm-ate,  ungodly  state,  into  a 
new,  repentant,  christian  life,  with  the  Spirit, 
power,  and  word  of  tlie  Lord.  For  this  is 
my  only  joy  and  ardent  desire,  that  we 
may  rightly  preach  Christ  Jesus,  according 
to  his  h(dy  word;  tliat  we  may  seek,  fear, 
love  and  serve  his  Iwly  name.    Yea,  that 


we  may  become  the  city  of  the  living  God, 
the  glorious  kingdom,  to  his  honor,  and  the 
temple  of  his  Holy  Spirit,  2  Cor.  G:  16. 

And  this  same  wisdom  which  prodiices 
such  power  and  fruit,  I  esteem  as  being  the 
most  worthy  of  all  wisdom  imaginable; 
even  if  taught  and  restored  by  an  unlearned 
cart-driver  or  coal -carrier — yea,  it  is  the 
only  joy  and  desire  of  my  afflicted  heart; 
the  only  amelioration  of  my  misery;  and 
will  be  to  the  end,  by  the  grace  of  God,  the 
glorious  ornament  and  crown  of  my  honor. 
Of  this  noble,  highly  learned  wisdom  and 
philosophy  read  in  Solomon's  proverbs, 
also  Sirach  and  the  Book  of  AVisdom,  and 
you  will  find  which  is  its  proper  virtue, 
work  and  power. 

Behold,  reader,  for  the  sake  of  this  philo- 
sophic sweetness,  honor,  virtue,  fruit,  love 
and  beauty,  which  I  have  not  learned  of 
famous  doctors  nor  in  high  schools,  and  for 
the  sake  of  filling  my  soul  with  its  living 
power,  I  have  rather  chosen  to  be  the  igno- 
rant and  unlearned  fool  of  the  world,  that 
I  may  be  found  wise  before  my  God,  than 
to  be  one  of  the  most  famous  of  the  world, 
and  at  last  be  found  a  fool  before  the  wise 
God.  And  this  is  my  short  answer  and 
excuse  to  his  charges  and  bitter  upbraidings. 

I  say  again,  that  in  the  simplicity  of  my 

heart  I  wrote  the  words  "  sulitile  syllogism," 
and  "sharp  cavilings,"  without,  at  all,  de- 
spising science,  and  that  I  did  not  mean 
thereby  to  despise  or  curtail  any  one.  I 
praise  science  when  justly  used  to  the  glorj" 
of  God.  But  above  all  I  praise  the  humble, 
virtuous  science  and  wisdom  which  is  from 
above,  for  it  will  never  perish,  but  in  glori- 
ous honor  remain  with  all  the  pious,  into 
eternal  life. 

This,  now,  is  the  first  part  of  this  book, 
and  I  would  have  preferred  to  remain  silent 
upon  these  things,  if  they  had  not  been 
published  to  embitter  some,  to  hinder  tlie 
word,  and  to  the  affliction  of  the  God  fear- 
ing. But  as  it  is,  circumstances  have  ren- 
dered it  necessary  for  me  to  do  so.  Maj^ 
the  beloved  Lord  grant  us  his  grace.  Amen. 


i 


OUR    CONFESSION. 


PART  SECOND. 


The  reason  wliy  we  do  not  admit  the 
foundation,  doctrine  and  faith  of  the  learn- 
ed, in  regard  to  the  incarnation  of  the  Lord, 
but  refute  it  with  the  Scriptures  and  truth, 
is  this :  Because  we  clearly  see  and  palpa- 
bly feel  that  they  deprive  us  entirely  of 
Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  and  point  us  to  an 
earthly,  sinful  creature,  and  a  man  of  the 
impure  and  sinful  flesh  of  Adam;  because 
theii-  doctrine  and  pretensions  are  quite  in- 
consistent with  the  ordinance  of  God,  and 
also  with  natiu'e,  the  Scriptures  and  the  prop- 
erties of  the  names,  father,  mother  and  son, 
and  because  so  many  inconsistencies  must 
necessarily  be  included  in  Christ,  as  hered- 
itary sin,  condemnation,  curse  and  death; 
because  he  would  be  half  man,  if  the  wo- 
man, according  to  their  confession,  contrib- 
uted as  much  to  the  fruit  as  does  the  man ; 
because  there  would  be  two  persons  —  one 
divine  and  one  human,  which  they  call  two 
natm'es  or  two  parts;  because  there  would 
be  two  sons — one  the  Son  of  God  without 
mother,  and  not  subject  to  pain;  the  other 
Mary's  son  without  a  father,  and  subject  to 
sulfering. 

Again,  because  that  if  God.  shall  be  call- 
ed a  Father  of  the  man,  Christ,  he  must  be 
a  creating  and  not  a  begetting  Father  of  his 
Son,  and  Christ  must  not  be  a  born,  but  a 
created  Son  of  his  Father;  becairse  lie  would 
be  the  oifspring  of  Adam  and  his  seed,  not 
thi'ough  the  word  by  which  all  must  stand, 
but  through  his  own  tiesh,  which  was  subject 
to  condemnation  and  death,  with  which  the 
word  clothes  him,  and  in  whom  (while  on 
earth),  it  has  lived,  and  because  of  other 
gross  inconsistencies.  Therefore  I  have 
deemed  it  necessary,  before  I  proceed  with 


the  confutation  and  dissection  of  the  contro- 
versy, to  propose  to  the  reader  our  faith 
and  confession  of  Christ  the  Son  of  God,  ac- 
cording to  the  wholesome,  genuine  Script- 
ures, that  he  may  tind  and  understand  that 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  not  an  unclean,  di- 
vided Christ  of  two  persons  and  sons — but 
an  undivided,  pure  Christ,  an  only  person, 
yea,  God's  first  begotten  and  only  Son. 
Let  him  who  is  of  an  understanding  mind, 
and  who  fears  God,  read  and  judge. 

In  the  lii'st  place  I  advance  the  ordinance 
of  God,  Gen.  1 :  38 ;  9 : 1,  to  which  John  A'Lasco 
himself  refers  me,  namely,  "Be  fruitful  and 
multiply,"'  and  prove  from  this  same  ordi- 
nance that  the  production  of  man  is  brought 
about  from  the  seed  of  man,  through  the 
woman,  1  Cor.  11 :  11,  as  will  be  enlarged 
upon  hereafter. 

To  establish  this  assertion  I  would  lii-st  re- 
fer to  the  conception  of  Sarah,  when  the  Lord 
spake  unto  Abraham,  saying,  I  will  bless 
thy  wife  Sarah,  and  she  shall  bear  thee  a 
son;  and  thou  shalt  call  his  name  Isaac, 
Gen.  17  :  19.  To  understand  these  words 
rightly  and  also  Gen.  1,  the  reader  should 
observe  that  Sarah,  as  she  herself  said,  was 
old  and  it  ceased  to  be  with  her  after  the 
manner  of  women.  Gen.  IS  :  11.  Neverthe- 
less,through  faith, she  conceived  and  brought 
forth  unto  Abraham  a  son  in  her  old  age. 

This  blessing  of  Sarah,  according  to  my 
humble  understanding,  was  that  she  was 
made  fruitful  by  the  power  of  God,  accord- 
ing to  the  promise  through  the  faith  of 
Abraham.  Behold,  thus  Isaac  was  conceiv- 
ed by  Sarah  of  the  seed  of  his  father,  and  a 
son  was  born  unto  Abraham,  accorcling  to 
the  ordinance  of  God,  Gen.  1:  28;  21:  2. 


148 


MENNO  SIMON'S  CONFESSION 


To  tliis  add  tlie  proverbs  of  Pliilon,  or 
rather  of  the  wise  Solomon,  which  reads 
thus:  "I  myself  also  am  a  mortal  man,  like 
to  all,  and  the  offspring  of  him  that  was 
hrst  made  of  the  earth,"'  &c.,  AVisdom  7:1. 

Again,  the  Lord  said  unto  Jacob,  "Be 
fruitful  and  multiply ;  a  nation,  and  a  com- 
pany of  nations  shall  be  of  thee;  and  kings 
shall  come  out  of  thy  loins,"  Gen.  85:  11. 

Again,  Levi  was  yet  in  the  loins  of  his 
father  when  Melchisedec  met  Abraham, 
Heb.  7: 10.  Other  clear  proofs  might  also 
be  added. 

I  now  leave  the  philosophers  to  philoso- 
phize, and  the  students  of  nature  to  argue  as 
much  as  they  please  over  this  matter.  God's 
ordinance,  the  example  of  Abraham  and 
Sarah,  and  the  abundant  testimony  of  the 
Scriptures  are  sufficient  proof  for  me  on  this 
point. 

Again,  I  advance  the  words  of  the  holy 
angel  Gabriel,  when  he  told  Mary  that  she 
should  conceive  and  bring  forth  a  son.  "  Then 
said  Mary  unto  the  angel.  How  shall  this 
be,  seeing  I  know  not  a  man?  And  the  an- 
gel answered  and  said  unto  her.  The  Holy 
Ghost  shall  come  upon  thee,  and  the  power 
of  the  Highest  shall  overshadow  thee;  there- 
fore also  that  holy  thing  which  shall  be 
born  of  thee  shall  be  called  the  Sou  of  God," 
Luke  1  :  34,  35.  Behold,  here  is  the  testi- 
mony of  a  true  messenger,  that  God  the 
Father  is  a  true  Father  of  our  Lord,  Christ. 
I  think  that  God's  own  angel  has  here  re- 
proved the  falsehood  of  those  who  say  that 
the  crucified  Christ  Jesus  has  had  no  father. 

Since  we  find  from  God's  own  ordinance 
and  from  so  many  sayings  of  the  Script- 
ures, that  a  tnie  child  takes  its  origin  from 
the  seed  of  the  father  according  to  God's 
ordinance,  as  has  been  related;  and  since 
we  are  so  clearly  instructed  all  through  the 
Scriptures  that  God  the  Father  is  the  true 
Father  of  his  Son,  Jesus  Christ;  therefore 
we  say  that  we  believe  and  confess,  that  the 
eternal  AVord  of  God,  which  is  also  called 
the  seed,  in  the  Scriptures,  came  down  from 
heaven,  through  the  overshadowing  of  the 
divine  power,  descended  into  Mary  and  mi- 
raculously became,  above  all  human  under- 
standing, through  the  working  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  a  ti-ue,  palpable,  passive  and  mor- 
tal but   imperishable   man,   according  to 


the  imnuitable  will  and  gi'acious  promise 
of  the  Almighty  and  heavenly  Father;  as 
John,  both  in  his  gospel  and  epistles  clear- 
ly testifies.  A  man,  I  say,  like  unto  us  in 
all  things  except  sin.  Not,  my  reader  that 
he  came  from  the  unclean  seed  and  flesh  of 
Adam,  and  was,  through  the  power  of  God, 
preserved  from  sin,  as  the  learned  assert, 
without  the  word  of  God,  for  that  which 
never  knew  sin  is  the  seed  and  origin  of  his 
flesh,  as  John  says,  "The  word  was  made 
flesh,"  John  1 :  14.  Besides  examine  the  pas- 
sages of  the  Scriptures  which  testify  that 
Jesus  Christ  is  God's  first  born  and  only  be- 
gotten Son,  and  you  will  find  how  grossly 
they  err  who  dare  say  the  man  Christ  has  no 
father,  as  they  do. 

Again  of  Mary,  the  Lord's  mother,  we 
believe  and  confess  that  the  Almighty,  eter- 
nal God  and  Father  graciously  prepared 
her  virgin  body,  as  he  also  did  that  of  the 
aged  Sarah,  by  the  power  of  his  Holy 
Spirit,  to  receive  his  precious,  eternal  Word, 
through  faith,  according  to  the  promise  of 
the  angel,  and  that  this  same  word  became 
man;  and  thus  human-like,  as  Isaac,  was 
nourished  and  fed  on  natural  food,  as  a 
natural  fruit,  to  the  certain  testimony  that 
he  was  a  true  man  and  no  phantasm; 
in  due  time,  he  was  born  into  the  world, 
an  undivided  and  true  Son  of  God  and 
]\Iary,  as  a  natural  child  of  its  father  and 
mother,  the  carnah's  intercursus  alone 
excepted,  as  the  Scriptures  testify,  Luke 
8:  10;  1:  27;  John  1:  14;  1  John  1:  2;  Heb. 
2:14;  Phil.  2:  7. 

And  behold,  with  such  understanding 
we  believe  and  confess  that  he  is  the  seed 
of  the  woman,  of  the  seed  of  Abraham  and 
David,  who  was  given  of  God  the  Father 
I  unto  the  whole  world,  through  particular 
;  favor  and  grace,  for  salvation  and  deliver- 
\  ance,  as  the  highest  surety  and  certain  tes- 
timony of  his  divine  love,  t7irouf)li,  faith,  ac- 
cording to  the  sure  word  of  his  promise; 
and  that  the  above  mentioned  virgin,  ordain- 
'  ed  of  God,  conceived,  as  above  stated,  the 
Savior  of  the  whole  world,  in  Nazareth,  ac- 
cording to  the  word  of  the  angel,  and  was 
delivered  of  him  at  Bethlehem,  according  to 
the  word  of  the  prophets,  Luke  1 :  31 ; 
Micah  5:  2. 

Faithful  reader,  observe  that   Matthew 


OF  THE  INCARNATION. 


149 


and  Luke  sliow  that  Mary  was  made  frnit- 
ful  through  the  Holy  Sjiirit  of  God,  yet 
they  do  not  particularly  point  out  his  gene- 
alogy, Mic.  5;  Luke  1:  31.  In  the  mean- 
time some  sectarians  arose  in  the  church, 
as  Cerinthus  and  Ebion,  who,  according  to 
history,  have  instituted  gross  deceptions. 

Finally,  John,  at  the  prayer  of  the  bish- 
ops of  Asia,  has  WTitten  a  clear  account  of 
the  origin  of  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  and 
that  not  alone  of  his  eternal  divinity,  as 
the  learned  say,  but  also  of  his  holy  hu- 
manity, as  may  be  clearly  noticed  on  all 
sides,  in  his  writings.  And  he  has,  in  clear 
and  pointed  words,  wiitten  and  incontro- 
vertibly  shown,  who  and  what  he  has  been 
from  eternity,  saying,  "  The  word  was  made 
tlesh."  He  says  not;  The  word  was  made 
a  man  of  our,  or  Mary's  flesh,  and  has  in- 
stalled itself  therein,  as  our  opponents  say. 
Besides  he  shows  us  whence  he  came,  what 
he  has  taught,  and  what  example  he  left 
us;  what  we  have  received  through  him, 
and  where  he  again  went  to,  &c.  Whoso- 
ever, now,  rightly  believes  the  testimony  of 
John,  of  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  has  life 
everlasting  through  his  name,  John  1 :  14. 

But  he  who  does  not  believe  it,  and  rejects 
it,  is  not  of  God,  and  has  neither  Father 
nor  Son,  but  is  an  anti-christ  and  deceiver; 
and  this  is  our  humble  and  plain  confession 
of  Christ,  God's  Son,  as  has  been  heard,  2 
John  7,  8,  9. 

As  I  now  enlai'ge  upon  our  doctrine,  faith 
and  confession,  the  reader  should  know 
that  the  Scriptures  show  on  every  hand 
that  God,  the  Almighty  Father  has  created 
all  things  through  his  Word,  Jn.  1  :  1;  Ps. 
33 :  6;  that  he  rules  all  things,  anduj^holds 
and  maintains  all  things  thereby.  Col.  1 :  16, 
and  as  it  is  manifest  that  Adam  was  created 
by  this  same  Word,  and  tliat  he,  through 
his  xlisobedience  was  condemned,  by  the 
justice  of  God,  to  damnation  and  death, 
together  with  all  his  descendants ;  and  that 
he  of  himself  and  through  himself,  could 
not  be  restored  ar/ain,  he  being,  together 
with  all  his  seed,  corruj)ted  in  nature,  and 
condemned  by  the  justice  of  God;  therefore 
the  eternal  love  of  God,  if  Adam  and  his 
seed  were  not  to  remain  eternally  ciirsed, 
had  to  restore  Adam  and  his  descendants, 
by  the  same  Word  tlu-ough  which  he  created 


him,  from  his  deadly  fall,  condemnation 
and  curse,  that  to  him  alone  be  the  honor, 
and  that  through  his  AVord  and  Son,  Christ 
Jesus,  his  inexpressibly  great  love  and 
gi-ace  be  eternally  praised.  For  if  the  res- 
toration had  been  brought  about  by  any 
other  means  than  the  word,  we  might  rea- 
sonably give  thanks  and  praise  thereto. 
Behold,  with  this,  our  confession,  founda- 
tion and  faith,  the  whole  Scriptures  accord, 
as,  by  the  gi-ace  of  God,  you  will  clearly 
see  from  the  quoted  Scriptures. 

Thus  speaks  John,  "  In  the  beginning  was 
the  AVord,  and  the  Word  was  with  God  and 
the  AVord  was  God,"  "And  the  AVord  was 
made  flesh,  and  dwelt  among  us  (and  we  be- 
held his  glory,  the  glory  as  of  the  only  be- 
gotten of  the  Father),  full  of  grace  and  truth," 
John  1:  1,  14.  This  testimony  we  believe  to 
be  true;  we  therefore  leave  it  unbroken, 
that  the  whole  Christ  remain,  the  Son  of 
God;  for  we  see  with  open  eyes  that  it  ac- 
cords, and  agi-ees,  as  far  as  regards  this 
subject,  with  all  the  Scriptures. 

AVe  truly  believe  and  doubt  not  the  least, 
that  the  Holy  Spirit,  which  seeks  to  lead 
us  into  all  truth,  did  not  mean  otherwise  than 
he  here  spoke  through  this  faithful,  plain 
flsherman,  John.  For  if  the  beloved  mes- 
senger of  the  holy  peace  had  not  meant  it, 
as  he  here  writes,  his  writing  Avould  not 
have  pacifled  the  churches,  which,  at  that 
time,  were  very  much  troubled  about  this 
matter;  but  it  would  have  still  more  es- 
tranged them  than  before,  and  would  have 
pointed  us,  poor  descendants  to  an  obscure 
and  uncertain  foundation.  Oh  no  !  His  tes- 
timony is  true  and  plain;  and  will  remain 
so  in  eternity.     The  word  has  become  flesh. 

This,  our  confession,  is  also  authorised 
by  the  Lord  himself,  saying,  "I  am  the 
living  bread  which  came  down  from  heaven; 
if  any  man  eat  of  this  bread,  he  shall  live 
forever;  and  the  bread  that  I  will  give  is 
my  flesh,  which  I  will  give  for  the  life  of  the 
world,"  John  6:  51. 

Faithful  reader,  mark  the  word  of  your 
Lord.  Christ  says,  that  his  flesh  came  from 
heaven,  and  the  learned  say  tliat  it  descend- 
ed from  Adam's  flesh.  Here  they  are  di- 
rectly opposite.  AVhat  now  will  the  God- 
fearing mind  do  ?  If  he  hold  to  the  testi- 
mony and  word  of  Christ,  then  he  |must  be 


150 


MENNO   SIMON'S  CONFESSION 


the  deceiver  and  heretic  of  the  learned. 
But  if  he  hokl  to  tlie  testimony  and  word, 
then  he  makes  Christ  a  liar.  Since  we  sure- 
ly know  that  Christ  and  the  learned  are  so 
antagonistic,  and  since  we  know  to  a  cer- 
tainty, that  Christ  is  the  undeceiving  truth, 
and  that  all  men  are  liars,  therefore  we 
must  not  turn  from  truth  to  falsehood,  but 
from  falsehood  to  tiiith.  Whatsoever  the 
judgment  of  man  may  be,  God's  word  will 
remain  forever,  Ps.  116:  11;  Rom.  3:  4; 
Isaiah  4U:  8;  1  Peter  1:  25. 

Perhaps  ovu-  opponents  will  here  seek  an 
excuse  and  say,  Christ  speaks  of  his  more 
honorable  part,  for  his  divinity  is  from  heav- 
en, and  has  taken  Adam's  flesh.  I  answer: 
Let  them  read  and  believe  the  word  and  tes- 
timony of  Christ,  and  they  will  find  that 
they  explain  it  according  to  their  own  in- 
clination, and  not  according  to  the  sense 
and  truth  of  Christ;  for  thus  he  speaks,  "I 
am  the  living  bread  which  came  down  from 
heaven."  Mark,  he  says,  ^^ Came dovon  from 
lieamn^''  "and  the  bread  that  I  will  give,  is 
my  flesh."  Mark  again,  He  does  not  say. 
It  is  my  dimnity,  but  "my  flesh,  which  I 
will  give  for  the  life  of  the  world." 

I  think  that  Christ  himself,  has  here  suf- 
ficiently explained  his  words,  and  therefore 
we  do  not  need  the  exi^lanation  and  gar- 
bling of  the  learned.  For  Christ  and  John 
could  not  have  expressed  themselves  more 
plainly,  in  regard  to  the  descending  of  his 
lioly  flesh,  than  they  did  in  the  two  men- 
tioned Scriptures.  Therefore  let  every  one 
beware  how  he  garbles.  For  whosoever 
falsifies  these  clear,  fundamental  evidences, 
does  not  falsify  the  word  of  a  human  being 
but  the  word  of  God.  Neither  does  he  re- 
ject us,  but  the  Son  of  God,  together  with 
his  Holy  Spirit,  and  the  exalted  apostle 
John,  who  have  left  them  behind,  and  taught 
them  in  such  clear  and  plain  words. 

Christ  still  further  declares  tliis  our  con- 
fession, saying,  "And  now,  O  Father,  glo- 
rify thou  me  with  thine  own  self,  with  the 
glory  which  I  had  with  thee  before  the  world 
was,"  John  17:  5. 

I  think  this  also  is  clear  evidence  that 
Chi'ist  humbled  himself,  and  that  he,  for 
our  sake,  abdicated  for  a  time  his  divine 
dominion,  right  and  glory.  For,  although 
he  was  Justice  and  eternal  Blessedness,  he 


did  not  refuse  to  become  a  sacrifice  for  sin, 
and  a  curse  for  us,  Phil.  2:  7;  1  Cor.  1:  29; 
Gal.  3:  13;  2  Cor.  5:  19. 

Yea,  kind  reader,  if  he  had  remained  in 
his  first  estate,  impassive  and  unclianged, 
as  John  A'Lasco  and  his  followers  assert; 
and  if  he  had  just  surrounded  himself  with 
a  strange  tabernacle  of  Mary's  flesh,  then 
he  would  not  have  lost  that  which  he  again 
desired  from  his  Father,  while  he  would 
have  remained,  not  humbled,  but  unchanged 
in  his  first  estate. 

But  now  it  is  manifest  that  the  eternal, 
indescribable  and  inexpressibly  glorious 
word,  which  from  eternity  has  been  with 
and  in  the  Father  in  eternal  glory  and 
clearness,  but  in  an  illegible  manner,  has  in 
due  time  left  his  glory,  for  a  season,  for  our 
service,  and  become  a  poor,  despised,  mor- 
tal man,  and  has  died  a  bitter  death  for  us. 
And  thus  he  again  desired  his  first  glory, 
which  he  had  with  his  Father  before  the 
world  began,  and  which  he  had,  for 
a  time  left,  for  our  sakes.  This  Scripture 
is  too  clear  to  be  obscured  by  acuteness. 
Therefore  believe  the  word  of  your  Lord, 
trust  in  truth  and  you  will  not  be  deceived. 

This  our  confession  also  accords  with 
holy  Paul,  for  he  says,  "Now  that  he  as- 
cended, what  is  it  but  that  he  also  descend- 
ed first  into  the  lower  parts  of  the  earth? 
He  that  descended  is  the  same  also  that 
ascended  up  far  above  all  lieavens,  that  he 
might  fill  all  things,"  Eph.  4:  9,  10. 

By  the  side  of  this  plain  saying  of  Paul 
place  also  the  word  and  testimony  of  Christ, 
whicli  he  himself  testifies  in  regard  to  liis 
descension.  For  he  says,  "No  man  hath 
ascended  up  to  heaven,  but  he  that  came 
down  from  heaven,  even  the  Son  of  man 
which  is  in  heaven,"  John  3:  13. 

Ponder  diligently  xipon  these  words  of 
Paul.  For  if  he  spoke  these  words  alone 
in  regard  to  his  divinity,  and  not  of  liis  hu- 
manity, how  would  it  then  accord  with  tlie 
testimony  of  Christ,  just  mentioned,  who 
says,  "No  man  has  ascended  iip  to  heaven, 
but  he  that  came  down  from  heaven,  even 
the  Son  of  man  which  is  in  heaven." 

My  reader,  remember,  Christ  here  calls 
himself  the  son  of  man,  and  says,  "  That  he 
came  down  from  heaven."  The  son  of 
Mary,  whom  the  learned  say  is  of  her  flesh, 


OF  THE  INCARNATION. 


151 


did  not  come  down  from  heaven,  but  must 
be  of  the  flesh  of  Adam,  if  the  foimdation 
of  the  learned  were  right.  Oil  no.  But  the 
word  came  doion  froon  heaven.,  is  become 
flesh  or  man,  in  the  lower  parts  of  the  earth, 
and  afterward  ascended  up  far  above  all 
heavens  where  he  tirst  was. 

Inasmuch  then,  as  Christ  not  only  speaks 
in  this  Scripture  passage  of  his  divinity,  but 
also  of  his  humanity  (since  he  says  The 
son  of  man),  therefore  it  is  manifest  that  the 
man  Christ  is  not  originally  from  earth, 
but  from  heaven,  for  according  to  his  eter- 
nal divinity,  if  that  should  have  been  left 
thus  unchanged,  as  the  learned  say,  he  can- 
not be  called  the  son  of  man.  Again,  ac- 
cording to  liis  humanity,  he  could  not  be 
in  heaven  at  the  time  he  spoke  these  words, 
if  he  was  of  Mary's  flesh  and  not  of  heaven. 
Therefore  we  must  accept  these  Scriptures 
as  regarding  the  whole  Christ,  that  is,  both 
!  of  his  divinity  and  humanity.  From  which 
it  forcibly  follows  that  the  whole  Christ 
Jesus,  God  and  man,  man  and  God,  is  from 
heaven  and  not  of  earth,  as  also  John  testi- 
fies at  another  place,  and  says,  "He  that 
Cometh  from  above  is  above  all;  he  that  is 
of  the  earth  is  earthly,  and  speaketh  of  the 
earth ;  he  that  cometh  from  heaven  is  above 
all,"  John  3:31.  Again,  Christ  says,  "I 
came  forth  from  the  Father,  and  am  come 
into  the  world;  again,  I  leave  the  world  and 
go  to  the  Father,"  John  16:  28. 

From  these  it  follows  (if  we  will  accept 
the  testimony  of  Christ,  John  the  baptist 
and  Paul,  as  true)  that  the  Word  came  down 
from  heaven,  became  flesh  in  Mary,  dwelt 
among  man,  fulfilled  the  Scriptures,  again 
ascended  and  sat  down  at  the  right  hand 
of  his  Father,  and  is  adored  by  all  the 
angels  of  God.  Mark,  reader,  how  the  one 
Scripture  exactly  fits  the  other,  and  how 
exactly  Christ,  John  and  Paul  agi-ee.  Sure 
and  immutable  stands  the  testimony,  that 
the  Word  is  liecome  flesh. 

Paul  still  further  explains  our  confession, 
and  says,  "The  first  man  is  of  the  earth, 
earthy;  the  second  man  is  the  Lord  from 
heaven.  As  is  the  earth}^,  sxich  are  they 
also  that  are  earthy;  and,  as  is  the  heaven- 
ly, such  are  they  also  that  are  heavenly,"  1 
Cor.  15:  47.  Reader  obsei-ve.  Although 
Paul  properly  speaks  of  the  resurrection  of 


the  dead,  and  of  its  future  clearness,  yet  he 
testifies  by  this  same  Scriptm-e,  the  coming 
again,  and  the  difference  between  the  first 
and  the  second  Adam,  when  he  says,  "The 
first  man  is  of  the  earth,  earthy;  the  second 
man  is  the  Lord  from  heaven."  For,  as  the 
first  man,  Adam,  is  called  earthy  on  ac- 
count of  his  being  of  the  earth;  so,  also, 
the  second  man,  Christ,  is  called  heavenly 
because  he  is  from  heaven. 

If  any  one  should  contradict  this  and 
say,  That  Christ  here  is  called  heavenly  on 
account  of  his  divinity,  you  should  know 
that  Paul  rebukes  them  with  these  signifi- 
cant words:  The  second  man,  he  says  "The 
second  man  is  the  Lord  from  heaven."  I 
cannot  see  how  the  great  witness  could  ex- 
press himself  more  plainl3^  And  since  he 
is,  then,  such  a  heavenly  Being,  and,  be- 
sides, since  he  is  again  glorified  of  God  his 
heavenly  Father,  with  his  eternal  glory 
which  he  had  l^efore  the  beginning  of  the 
world,  with  God,  therefore  the  holy  apostle 
also  calls  all  his  true  members,  after  the 
resurrection,  heavenly.  Not  that  they  are 
from  heaven,  as  Christ  is  from  heaven,  but 
because,  by  grace,  through  the  power  of 
God,  in  the  resurrection,  they  will  partake 
of  the  heavenly  glory  and  of  the  nature  of 
the  angels,  as  Christ  says,  "The  glory 
which  thou  gavest  me,  I  have  given  them" 
(his  disciples),  John  17:  22. 

Again,  Paul  says,  "Our  conversation  is 
in  heaven;  from  whence  also  we  look  for 
the  Savior,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  who 
shall  change  our  vile  body,  that  it  may  be 
fashioned  like  unto  his  glorious  body,  ac- 
cording to  the  working,  whereby  he  is  able 
even  to  subdue  all  things  unto  himself," 
Phil.  3:  20,  21.  Read  also  what  Christ  say  s 
of  sirch,  Luke  20;  1  John  3. 

For  this  reason  Paul  calls  them  heavenly 
and  says,  "As  we  have  borne  the  image  of 
the  earthy,  we  shall  also  bear  the  image  of 
the  heavenly,"  "For  this  corruptible  inust 
put  on  incorruption  and  this  mortal  must 
put  on  immortality;"  "  Then  shall  the  right- 
eous shine  forth  as  the  sun  in  the  kingdom 
of  their  Father  "  and  as  the  stars  of  heaven 
in  brightness  forever;  yea,  when  we  shall 
be  like  unto  the  Lord,  and  shall  sew  him 
face  to  face,  as  he  is,  1  Cor.  IH:  49;  Matt. 
13:43;  1  Cor.  13:  13. 


152 


MEjSTSTO   SIMON'S  CONFESSION 


Again,  at  another  place  tlie  Scriptures 
saj"  of  Christ,  I  am  the  First  and  the  Last, 
and  the  livini;-  One,  and  I  was  dead,  and 
behold,  I  live  from  eternity  to  eternity 
Rer.  1:8;  Isa.  41:4;  44:  G.  In  this 
instance  the  Holy  Spirit  brings  forward  an- 
other indissoluble  testimony,  at  which  all 
sharp  dispnters  and  famous  masters  of  this 
world  are  made  ashamed.  If  they  want  to 
pervert  this  clear  and  plain  Scripture  ac- 
cording to  their  own  notion,  by  their  deceit-  ] 
fnl  reasoning,  as  they  do  the  Scriptures  of 
John  1 :  14,  and  all  the  Scriptures,  then  tht-y 
should  know  that  we  do  not  follow  and  be-  i 
lieve  the  sophistry  of  man,  but  the  word  of 
the  Lord.  If  they  leave  it  undisturbed, 
then  their  cause  is  already  lost,  for  the  Holj^ 
Spirit  testifies  that  the  First  and  the  Last,  ; 
and  the  living  One,  died. 

That  Mary's  Hesh  was  not  the  first  and 
the  last  all  intelligent  persons  must  admit.  ' 
If  then  the  man  Christ  had  been  of  Mary's 
Hesh,  as  the  learned  say  it  is,  which  neither 
is  nor  can  be  the  first  and  last,  and  if  it  had 
thus  died,  then  the  Spirit  of  God,  which  is 
the  Spirit  of  truth,  would  not  have  spoken 
rightly.  Tea,  neither  Christ  himself,  who  ' 
says,  "I  am  the  First  and  Last,"  was  dead, 
and  behold  I  am  alive. 

I  would  further  say,  That  if  the  man 
Christ  Jesus  was  a  natural  offspring  of 
Mary,  and  if  tlie  eternal  Word  only  lived  | 
therein,  as  our  opponents  say  it  did,  and  if ; 
this  same  man  died,  and  the  AVord  remained 
unchanged,  then  Mary's  flesh  must  be  the 
First  and  Last;  this  is  too  plain  to  be  de- 
nied. 

Since  it  is  evident  that  Mary's  flesh  nei- ' 
ther  is  nor  can  be  the  First  and  Last,  as  , 
has  been  heard,  and  since  it  is  true,  accord- 
ing to  the  testimony  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  that 
the  First  and  Last  has  died,  therefore  I  con- 
clude therefrom  that  the  explanation  of  om- 
opponents,  by  which  they  point  us  to 
Mary's  flesh,  is  deceitful  and  false,  and  that 
the  learned  are  badly  mistaken  when  they 
say  that  the  Son  of  God  remained  unchang- 
ed, and  that  the  son  of  Mary  died.  I  say 
again,  the  word  stands  immutable,  "The 
Word  is  become  flesh." 

Again,  with  this  our  confession,  founda- 
tion and  belief,  all  the  prophets  who  have 
spoken  of  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  through 


the  Holy  Spirit,  agree.  Micah  says,  "But 
thou  Bethlehem  Ephratah,  though  thou  be 
little  among  the  thousands  of  Judah,  yet  of 
thee  shall  he  come  forth  unto  me  that  is  to 
be  ruler  in  Israel;  whose  goings  forth  have 
been  from  of  old,  from  everlasting,"  Micah 
5:  2.  Observe,  Isaiah  saj's,  "Behold  a  vir- 
gin shall  conceive,  and  bear  a  son,  and  shall 
call  his  name  Immanuel,"  which  signifies 
God  with  us,  Is.  7:  14;  Matt.  1:  23. 

He  further  says,  "Unto  us  a  child  is  born, 
unto  us  a  son  is  given,  and  the  government 
shall  l)e  upon  his  shoulders,  and  his  name 
shall  be  called  Wonderful,  Counselor,  The 
Mighty  God,  The  everlasting  Father,  The 
Prince  of  Peace,"  Isa.  9:  6. 

At  another  place  he  says,  "  Say  unto  the 
cities  of  Judah,  Behold  your  God."  Again, 
Jeremiah  says,  "Behold,  the  days  come, 
saith  the  Lord,  that  I  will  raise  unto  David 
a  righteous  Branch,  and  a  King  shall  reign 
and  prosper,  and  shall  execiite  judgment 
and  justice  in  the  earth.  In  his  days  Judah 
shall  be  saved,  and  Israel  shall  dwell  safe- 
ly ;  and  this  is  his  name  whereby  he  shall 
be  called.  The  Loed  Our  Righteousness," 
Jer.  23:5,  6. 

My  reader,  observe,  Since  the  descension 
of  this  Prince  has  thus  been  from  eternity, 
as  has  been  related,  and  his  name  is  called, 
by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord,  Immanuel,  The 
Mighty  God,  The  everlasting  Father,  Our 
Righteousness,  &c. ;  and  since  the  prophets 
describe  him  with  such  significant  words, 
as  also  the  apostles,  whence,  who,  and 
wnat  he  is;  therefore  I  conclude  therefrom 
that  the  man,  Christ  Jesus,  is  not  of  un- 
clean, sinful  flesh,  biit  of  the  imspotted,  pure 
seed  and  word  of  God,  his  Father,  as  John 
says,  "The  word  is  become  flesh."  This, 
then,  is  our  proper  faith  and  confession  of 
Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  namely:  That  we 
are  all  created  in  Adam  our  father  through 
the  ineffable  word,  and  that  we,  in  the  same 
Adam,  have  become  of  a  sinful  nature  and 
subject  to  death;  that  we  also,  by  means  of 
this  eternal,  ineffable  word,  and  not  by 
means  of  the  sinful  flesh  of  Adam,  are  gra- 
ciously accepted  of  God  and  mercifully 
called  unto  life  everlasting,  as  Christ  says, 
that  "  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave 
his  only  Ijegotten  Son,  that  whosoever  be- 
lieveth  in  him  should  not  iierisli,  but  liave 


OF  THE  INCARNATION. 


153 


everlasting  life,"  Ps.  33  ;  6;  Rom.  5  :  13;  1 
Cor.  15:3;  Jolin3:16. 

All  Scriptures  force  us  tliat  we  dare  not 
divide  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  after  the  pre- 
tensions of  the  learned;  but  to  confess  him 
as  being  entirely  the  true  Son  of  the  true 
and  living  God.  The  angel  testified  of  Christ, 
the  Son  of  Mary,  saying,  "That  holy  thing 
whicli  shall  be  born  of  thee,  shall  be  called 
the  Son  of  God,"  Luke  1 :  35. 

Again,  the  Father  testified,  "This  is  my 
beloved  Son  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased," 
Matt.  17:5;  Luke  9:  35. 

Again,  John  the  Baptist  says,  "He  that 
sent  me  to  baptize  with  water,  the  same 
said  unto  me,  Upon  whom  thou  shalt  see 
the  Spirit  descending  and  remaining  on 
him,  the  same  is  he  which  baptizeth  with 
the  Holy  Ghost;  and  I  saw  it  and  bare  rec- 
ord that  this  is  the  Son  of  God,"  John  1 :  33. 

Again,  "Nathaniel  saith  unto  him,  Rabbi, 
thou  art  the  Son  of  God.  thou  art  the  King 
of  Israel,"  John  1 :  49. 

Again,  when  Jesus  asked  his  disciples, 
"Whom  say  ye  that  I  am?  Peter  answered 
and  said,  Thou  art  the  Christ,  the  Son  of 
the  living  God,"  Matt.  16:  15,  10. 

Again,  Martha  said,  "I  believe  that  thou 
art  the  Chi-ist,  the  Son  of  God,  which  shoxild 
come  into  the  world,"  John  11:  27. 

Again,  the  disciples,  together  with  the 
others  said.  Verily,  thou  art  the  Son  of 
God. 

Again,  Christ  said  to  the  blind  man, 
"Dost  thou  believe  on  the  Son  of  God?  He 
answered  and  said,  \\nio  is  he.  Lord,  that  I 
might  believe  on  him;  and  Jesus  said  unto 
him.  Thou  hast  both  seen  him  and  it  is  he 
that  talketh  with  thee,"  John  9:  37. 

Again,  when  the  centurion,  saw  that 
he  so  cried  out,  and  gave  up  the  Ghost,  he 
said,  "  Tnily,  this  man  was  the  Son  of  God," 
Mark  15:  39. 

Again,  Saul  was  with  the  disciples  at 
Damascus,  and  preached  Christ  in  the  syn- 
agogues, that  he  is  the  Son  of  God,  Acts 
9 :  20. 

Again,  John  says,  "We  have  seen  and  do 
testify  that  the  Father  sent  the  Son  to  be 
the  Savior  of  the  world.  Whosoever  shall 
confess  that  Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God,  God 
dwelleth  in  him,  and  he  in  God,"  1  John 
4:  9.  Besides  many  other  clear  passages. 
56 


Inasmuch  as  the  Scriptures  so  abundant- 
ly testify  that  also  the  man  Chi'ist  is  the 
Son  of  God,  therefore  it  is  manifest  that  M. 
M.  and  those  of  his  mind,  do  fearfully  err 
when  they  say,  "The  man  Christ  was  not  the 
Son  of  God ;  he  had  no  Father ;  but  there  are 
two  sons  in  Christ — the  one  the  Son  of  God 
without  mother,  and  impassive — and  the 
other  the  son  of  mankind,  or  the  son  of  Mary 
without  father,  and  he  passive,"  &c.  I  think 
this  may  be  called  rejecting  the  Son  of  God, 
in  the  face  of  all  these  plain  Scriptures,  and 
pointing  us  to  a  divided  Christ,  yea,  to  an 
unclean,  sinful  fiesh  and  creature,  guilty  of 
death,  whom  the  Scriptures  never  knew  and 
still  less  taught.  0  detestihilem  hlasphemi- 
am  (O  detestable  blasphemy). 

All  who  can  be  convinced  rightly  to  be- 
lieve that  the  word  did  not  take  unto  itself 
a  man  of  Mary's  flesh,  but  that,  according 
to  the  testimony  of  John,  it  is  become  flesh, 
have  a  true  understanding  of  Christ.  They 
will  not  argue  ^(;r  Synecdoclwn,  de parte  ad, 
iotwm,  neque  de  tola  ad  partem.  They  will 
not  point  to  the  worthiest  part  in  Christ, 
nor  to  the  communication  or  communion  of 
the  names ;  neither  will  they  unite  two  per- 
sons and  sons  in  one  person  and  son,  as 
oiu-  opponents  do,  but  they  will  leave  the 
Scriptures  ungarbled  in  their  place,  and  ac- 
knowledge with  John  the  Baptist,  John 
1:  15;  with  Matthew  IC:  IG;  with  Martha, 
John  11 :  27;  and  Avith  the  whole  Scriptures, 
that  Christ  Jesus  is  God's  first-begotten  and 
only  Son;  an  only  and  undivided  Christ, 
God  and  man,  man  and  God,  an  only  per- 
son and  Son,  who,  in  his  flesh,  has  fulfilled 
the  handwriting  of  the  law  for  us,  as  we 
could  not,  in  our  flesh,  on  account  of  our 
weakness;  and  is,  at  last,  judged  and  con- 
demned, as  an  innocent,  spotless  Lamb,  to 
die  on  the  cross  for  our  sins  and  guilt. 

Behold,  this  is  our  foundation,  faith  and 
confession  of  the  most  holy  incarnation  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  God  and 
Mary;  on  account  of  which,  alas,  we  are  so 
much  upbraided  by  our  opponents,  and 
have  to  pass  for  deceivers  and  heretics; 
and  that  for  the  reason,  I  say,  because 
we  teach  and  testify  with  the  Scriptures  that 
the  Lord,  Christ  Jesus,  is  God's  own  and 
true  Son,  as  has  been  heard. 

Well,  since  it  is  so  with  tliem  they  must 


154 


THE  CONFUTATION. 


run  their  course;  we  cannot  prevent  it  until 
they  are  met  by  the  angel  of  tlie  Lord,  and 
rebuked  by  the  ass,  Num.  22;  2  Peter  2. 
They  had,  however,  better  beware,  lest  they 
stumble  too  hard  on  the  Rock  of  offense, 
Isaiah  8:  14;  Rom.  9:  33.  The  time  to  give 
an  account  will  soon  arrive.  As  for  me,  I 
care  not  how  they  judge  me. 

I  trust  to  find  my  consolation  in  the  Lord 
who  has  taken  me  by  the  right  hand,  and 
who  knows  all  my  desires,  intentions  and 


doings.  He  will  execute  oui'  cause  to  his 
honor;  for  he  knows  that  we  do  not  desire 
to  seek  our  praise,  but  his  own.  Therefore  he 
will  protect  his  own  honor.  It  might  doubt- 
lessly happen  that  through  their  A\Titing 
and  slandering  against  us,  and  through 
their  manifestly  erring  doctrine,  in  regard 
to  Christ  the  Son  of  God,  it  might  be  made 
manifest  to  some  that  they  are  doubly  what 
they  would  like  to  make  us.  May  the  great 
God  grant  them  grace.  Amen. 


THE  CONFUTATION. 


PART  THIRD. 


Before  I  proceed  to  the  confutation  of 
the  arguments  of  our  opponents,  I  would 
first  faithfully  admonish  the  kind  reader 
that  he  do  not  mistake  the  shining  clearness 
of  the  eternal  God-liead,  through  his  high- 
soaring  genius,  and  not  have  the  audacity 
to  undertake  to  fathom  this  ineffable  pro- 
fundity— lest  he,  when  he  thinks  that  he  has 
fathomed  it,  at  once  dazzle  his  eyes  and 
suddenly  fall  down  the  precipice.  For  it  is 
manifest  that  many  smart  and  acute  genii 
have  been  mistaken  and  made  fools  of 
themselves  by  their  high-soaring  intellect. 

The  Tritheists  held  and  taught  that  there 
were  three  Gods. 

Alius  divided  the  second  as  being  the 
least  of  the  first  substances. 

Macedonius  said  that  the  third  being, 
namely:  The  Holy  Ghost,  was  no  God; 
but  a  servant  of  God  and  the  Son. 

^tius  and  Eunomius  taught  that  the 
Father,  Son  and  Holy  Ghost  were  different 
things  or  beings. 

The  Origenists  held  that  the  Son  could 
not  see  the  Father,  and  the  Holy  Ghost 
could  not  see  the  Son. 

Maximinus  feared  that  the  Father  was  a 
part  of  God,  and  each  person  was  one-third 
of  the  trinity. 

The  Metangismonites  said  that  the  second 


person  was  in  the  first,  as  a  small  vessel  in 
a  larger. 

The  Allogians  said  that  John  uttered  a 
falsehood  when  he  said  that  God  was  the 
Word;  because  they  could  not  comprehend 
the  mystery  of  the  Word. 

The  Monarchians  as  also  the  Praxeans 
and  Victorians  said  that  the  Almighty 
Father  was  Jesus  Christ,  and  that  he  had 
placed  himself  at  his  right  hand. 

The  Sabellians  made  the  person  and  the 
names  of  Christ  and  of  the  Father,  one; 
and  are  called  Patripassians;  for  they  be- 
lieved that  the  Father  had  suffered.  Be- 
hold thus,  those  save  Avho  undertake  to 
search  things  incomprehensible,  and  who 
want  to  soar  higher  than  the  Scriptures  teach. 

Again  Erasmus  Roterod  says,  The  Word 
was  God.  It  was  Almighty,  out  of  the  Al- 
mighty, with  the  Father,  not  brought  forth 
for  that  time,  but  for  all  time.  Thus  proceed- 
ing from  the  paternal  heart,  and  never 
leaving  it.  He  fui'ther  says.  That  the  Father 
has  begotten  unto  himself,  the  Son  like  unto 
himself  in  every  respect,  from  eternity,  to 
eternity.  Again  he  says  in  suo  eccUsiaste, 
Christ  is  the  word  of  God,  Almighty,  which, 
without  beginning  and  without  end,  ever 
comes  forth  from  the  heart  of  the  Father. 

Martin  Luther   says,  The  word  is  that 


THE  CONFUTATION. 


155 


wliicli  God  speaks  in  himself,  and  wliicli  re- 
mains in  him  and  is  never  separated  from 
him.  We  do  not  controvert  the  testimony  of 
Erasmns  and  of  Lnther ;  bnt  we  cited  them 
for  the  reason  that  it  might  be  observed 
what  diversity  of  opinion  exists. 

Philip  Mel.  says,  The  word  is  begotten 
in  thonght,  and  is  called  the  image  of  God, 
for  that  which  is  thought  is  the  image  of 
the  thing  thought  of.  Say,  beloved  read- 
er, who  dare  build  his  conscience  upon  such 
foundation  and  reasoning  ? 

Again,  some  councils  resolved  that  there 
were  three  persons  in  the  Trinity , that  is,three 
real  substances,  and  these  same  were  Hom- 
».?//,  that  is,  of  the  same  nature  (co-essential) ; 
both  of  these,  namely,  the  persons  and 
their  natures  have  been  suspected. 

Behold,  thus  they  follow  their  own  opin- 
ions and  inclinations,  build  upon  vapor  and 
wind,  look  at  each  other,  and  not  at  the 
word  of  the  Lord,  confuse  the  simple  minds 
who  are  not  versed  in  the  Scriptures,  pro- 
claim their  opinions  and  not  the  word;  and 
whoever  cannot  agree  with  and  follow  them, 
is  called  a  deceiver  and  heretic,  by  them; 
therefore  I  pray  you,  for  Jesus'  sake,  not 
to  climb  higher  in  this  ineffable  Majesty 
than  you  have  steps,  and  not  to  search  far- 
ther than  the  word  of  the  Lord  has  taught, 
while  many  a  piercing  eye  has  been,  and  is 
j-et  daily  dazzled  by  this  adulation.  For 
you  can  understand  as  little  of  the  unspeak- 
able beauty  and  conception,  how,  and  in 
what  manner  it  was  brought  about  fi'om 
eternity,  as  you  can  form  an  idea  of  the  in- 
describable Father  himself. 

Therefore  let  not  the  opinion  and  liattery 
of  the  learned  be  the  foundation  upon  which 
you  build  your  faith;  but  let  the  undeceiv- 
ing, plain  word  of  God  and  the  testimony 
of  holy  John  be  a  sure  foundation  whereon 
to  build  your  faith. 

He  says,  "In  the  beginning  was  the 
Word,  and  the  Word  was  with  God,  and 
the  Word  was  God,"  "All  things  were  made 
by  him ;  and  witliout  him  was  not  any  thing 
made  that  was  made,"  John  1:  1,  8. 

This  same  Word,  which  was  from  the  be- 
ginning and  which,  in  the  coiirse  of  time 
became  flesh,  is  called  by  Paul  the  Son, 
Christ  Jesus,  and  the  first  begotten  of  all 
creatiu'es.  Col.  1:  15. 


Yea,  dear  reader,  if  the  learned  had  left 
unbroken  the  testimony  of  John  which  he 
spoke  of  his  eternal  divinity;  and  if  they 
had  inclined  their  intellects  to  the  word  of 
God,  there  would  never  have  been  such  dark 
confusion  in  the  world,  in  regard  to  Christ, 
the  Son  of  God. 

Therefore  I  advise  you  in  faithful  love, 
take  heed  and  beware;  for  the  testimony  of 
John  is  too  clear  to  be  obscured  by  flattery, 
and  too  strong  to  be  broken  by  philosophy. 
Whosoever  would  rather  drink  the  precious, 
clear  wine  of  divine  truth,  than  the  impure 
waters  of  human  adulation,  let  him  hold  to 
the  word  of  the  Lord,  and  let  him  abandon 
the  unscriptural,  destructive  explanations, 
garblings,  opinions  and  ideas  of  the  learned. 

This  is  sufficient  of  the  eternal  and  inefla- 
ble  divinity  of  Chi'ist.  Now,  by  the  grace  of 
God,  we  will  proceed,  and  maintain  by  the 
power  of  the  Scriptures,  that  those  abomina- 
bly err,  who  say.  The  word  is  not  become 
flesh,  but  it  has  taken  unto  itself  our  flesh 
or  a  man  of  our  flesh,  as  will  be  briefly  and 
clearly  shown  in  the  following : 

In  the  flrst  place  John  A'  Lasco  writes,  and  says, 
"Divine  justice  requires  that  that  which  wo  broke, 
through  our  flesh,  included  in  Adam's  loins,  should  be 
punished  in  the  same  flesh.  Or,  as  some  say,  that  the 
nature  which  inflicted  sin,  should  be  punished  for  sucli 
sin,  and  that  that  which  incurred  death  should  also  de- 
stroy it." 

Answer.  Since  he  and  his  followers  would 
uphold  their  cause  with  the  justice  of  God, 
and  pretend  to  say  that  the  inflicter  and  in- 
stitutor  should  suffer  punishment,  tlien  they 
should,  by  right,  not  use  the  words  "our 
flesh  and  nature,"  but  "Adam  and  Eve,"  in 
their  wiitings  (for  they  were  the  first  inflict- 
ers  and  institutors),  and  not  the  flesh  and 
nature  of  their  descendants,  as  may  be 
openly  seen,  Gen.  3:  6. 

The  nature  of  man  was  first  created  pure 
and  good;  but  was  corrupted  through 
Adam's  disobedience.  And  as  he  was  thus 
corrupted  in  his  nature,  so  all  his  children 
were  born  corrupted;  nevertheless,  the  chil- 
dren were  not  the  infiicters  and  institutors, 
but  Adam  and  Eve  were.  If  the  justice  of 
God,  then,  requires  the  punishment  of  the 
inflicter  and  institutor,  it  would  be  but 
right,  according  to  justice  that  not  any  of 
the  children  should  be  punished;  for  they 
were  not  the  fii'st  that  disobeyed;  biitAdam 


15G 


TIIE  CONFUTATION. 


and  Eve  slioiilcl  receive  the  pimisliment,  for 
they  were  the  tii'st  that  transgressed. 

O,  no,  Adam  and  all  his  seed  conld  not 
be  justified,  through  the  weakness  of  his 
flesh.  They  were  guilty  above  measure, 
and  had  not  a  penny  wherewth  to  pay,  but 
it  was  liquidated  for  Christ's  sake,  who, 
through  his  eternal  love  and  merry  (as 
Adam  and  his  conld  not  be  justified  in 
themselves),  appearing  in  the  shape  and 
form  of  sinful  man,  fulfilled  the  justice  of 
the  Father,  and  tore  to  pieces  the  hand- 
writing of  the  law,  and  has  effaced  and  paid 
for  all  that  which  Adam  had  inliicted  and 
broken  by  his  transgression,  by  the  sacri- 
fice of  his  precious  blood,  Rom.  8:  3;  Eph. 
2: 15. 

Since  they  point  to  the  justice  of  God,  I 
deem  it  necessary  to  treat  on  this  a  little 
further,  that  the  intelligent  reader  may  learn 
that  this  assertion  of  theirs  is  quite  power- 
less, nay,  in  every  respect  without  founda- 
tion in  the  Scripture. 

It  is  manifest,  kind  reader,  that  Adam  and 
Eve,  together  with  their  descendants  tempt- 
ed by  the  serpent,  fell  into  condemnation 
and  death,  by  the  justice  of  God,  Gen.  3:6; 
and  that  nothing  can  be  born  of  them  but 
that  which  is  condemned  and  guilty  of 
death,  Rom.  5:  12;  1  Cor.  15. 

Since  Adam  and  all  his  seed,  on  accomit 
of  his  disobedience,  became  condemned  and 
guilty  of  death  by  the  eternal  justice  of  God; 
and  if  the  Lord  Christ,  according  to  his 
holy  humanity,  were  a  natural  fruit  of  the 
fiesh  of  Adam,  as  they  pretend,  then  the  man 
Chi'ist  must  be  again  condemned  and  guilty 
of  death,  on  account  of  his  human  birth. 
This  is  too  clear  to  admit  of  denial,  or  else 
our  opponents  must  take  back  their  own 
argument,  and  acknowledge  that  God's 
justice  is  not  eternal. 

O,  no,,  the  flesh  of  Christ  is  holy,  pure, 
spotless,  knows  no  sin,  makes  pious  and 
saves,  is  a  true  bread  of  souls,  as  is  the 
word,  which,  in  the  latter  days,  according 
to  the  intention  and  purpose  of  the  Father, 
became  a  true,  passive  man,  for  the  salva- 
tion and  eternal  deliverance  of  all;  and  who 
died  an  innocent  death  for  us. 

It  avails  in  no  manner  that  they  say  that 
ilary  was  blessed,  and  that  her  fruit  was 
saved  from  sin  by  the  power  of  God.    We 


confess  that  Mary  was  blessed,  and  that 
the  fruit  was  without  sin ;  but  we  deny  that 
Mary  was  without  sin  in  consequence  of  the 
blessing;  for  Paul  says,  "The  Scripture 
hath  concluded  all  under  sin,  that  the  prom- 
ise by  faith  of  Jesus  Christ  might  be  given 
to  them  that  believe,"  Gal.  3:  23. 

Again,  if  the  man  Christ  were  a  flesh  of 
Mary's  flesh,  then  Mary  would  have  been 
blessed  tkroiTgh  her  own  flesh;  and  Adam 
would  have  been  reconciled  through  his 
own  flesh;  the  justice  of  God  would  have 
been  broken,  and  oiu'  condemnation,  curse 
and  death  be  dissolved  and  requited  through 
flesh,  condemned,  cursed  and  guilty  of 
death. 

O,  no,  the  Scriptiu-e  teaches  plainly  that 
we  have  all  become  sinners  in  Adam,  and 
that  we  have  all,  tlu'ough  sin,  fallen  under 
the  judgment,  wrath,  and  condemnation  of 
God,  and  become  subject  unto  death, 
Rom.  5:6;  1  Cor.  15:22.  And  of  Cluist 
it  testifies  that  he  is  the  Lamb  with- 
out spot;  that  he  has  not  known  sin,  and 
in  his  mouth  no  guile  is  found.  Inasmuch 
then  as  it  is  manifest  that  the  Scriptm-e  en- 
tirely concludes  Adam  and  his  descendants 
in  sin,  and  entirely  absolves  Christ,  there- 
fore the  discreet  and  right  minded  reader 
may  conclude  therefrom,  that  the  holy  man, 
Christ  Jesus,  is  not  of  the  unclean  flesh  of 
Adam,  but  that  he  is  the  holy  and  pure 
word  of  God,  John  1 ;  and  that  this  saying 
of  the  learned,  that  the  justice  of  God  re- 
quires, &c.,  is  not  the  sure  testimony  and 
word  of  God,  but  merely  human  flattery 
and  fiction. 

Oh,  I  wish  that  om-  opponents  would  once 
ponder  what  the  justice  of  God,  in  this  re- 
spect, requires  according  to  the  Scripture. 
I  trust  they  would  henceforth  not  hold  so 
strongly  to  their  foundation  as  they  have 
hitherto  done;  neither  would  they  say  that 
if  any  one  does  not  accept  their  doctrine  he 
sins  against  the  Holy  Ghost;  or  at  least 
think  that  they  might  be  mistaken. 

In  the  second  place  he  intimates  that  wo  should  un- 
derstand the  conception  of  Mary,  of  which  Matthew 
and  Luke  speak,  as  far  as  regards  the  mother,  as  is  nat- 
urally duo  her,  according  to  the  ordinance  of  God, 
Gen.  1. 

Answer.  It  is  surprising  to  me  that  a 
man  as  learned  as  he  is,  reasons  so  indis- 


THE  CONFUTATION. 


157 


creetly,  and  dares  ascribe  the  conception  of 
Mary  to  nature,  while  it  is  clearly  shown 
all  through  the  Scriptures  that  the  concep- 
tion of  Mary  was  brought  about  by  super- 
natural causes,  a  particular  miracle  of  the 
Most  High,  and  a  glorious  sign  of  the  Lord 
our  God;  as  Isaiah  says,  "Therefore  the 
Lord  himself  shall  give  you  a  sign:  Behold, 
a  virgin  shall  conceive,  and  bear  a  son,  and 
shall  call  his  name  immanuel,"  Isaiah 7: 14; 
Matt.  1:23;  Luke  1:  31. 

Again,  Matthew  writes  concerning  the 
conception  of  Mary,  thus,  "When  as  his 
mother  Mary  was  espoused  to  Joseph,  be- 
fore they  came  together,  she  was  found  with 
child  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Then  Joseph,  her 
husband,  being  a  just  man,  and  not  willing 
to  make  her  a  public  example,  was  minded 
to  put  her  away  privily;  but  while  he 
thought  on  these  things,  behold,  the  angel 
of  the  Lord  appeared  unto  him  in  a  dream, 
saying,  Joseph,  thou  son  of  David,  fear  not 
to  take  unto  thee  Mary  thy  wife;  for  that 
which  is  conceived  in  her  is  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  And  she  shall  bring  forth  a  son, 
and  thou  shalt  call  his  name  Jesus ;  for  he 
shall  save  his  people  from  their  sins,"  Matt. 
1:18—21. 

Again  the  angel  said  to  Mary,  "Thou 
shalt  conceive  in  thy  womb,  and  bring  forth 
a  son,  and  shalt  call  his  name  Jesus;  he 
shall  be  great,  and  shaU  be  called  the  Son 
of  the  Highest;  and  the  Lord  God  shall 
give  unto  him  the  throne  of  his  father  David ; 
and  he  shall  reign  over  the  house  of  Jacob 
for  ever;  and  of  his  kingdom  there  shall  be 
no  end.  Then  said  Mary  unto  the  angel. 
How  shall  this  be,  seeing  I  know  not  a 
man?  And  the  angel  answered  and  said 
unto  her.  The  Holy  Ghost  shall  come  upon 
thee,  and  the  power  of  the  Highest  shall 
overshadow  thee;  therefore  also  that  holy 
thing  which  shall  be  born  of  thee  shall  be 
called  the  Son  of  God,"  Luke  1 :  31—35. 

From  all  these  it  is  very  evident  that  the 
conception  of  ;Mary  was  supernatm-al  and  a 
sign  and  muacle  of  the  Lord;  therefore  it 
is  all  to  no  purpose  that  the  learned  philos- 
ophize it  as  ])eing  caused  by  natiue,  for 
it  is  irrelevant  to  the  matter. 

And  if  the  conception  of  Mary  were  as- 
cribed, in  part,  to  nature,  in  the  face  of 
these  clear  Scriptures,  then,  still  it  is  ap- 


parent from  the  ordinance  of  God  and  of 
nature,  that  the  material,  or  origin  of  the 
child  is  of  the  Father  and  not  of  the  mother, 
as  has  been  sufficiently  explained  above  in 
the  confession,  and  also  in  my  writing 
against  Gellius  Faber.  Therefore  these  in- 
novations are  nothing  but  philosophy  and 
human  genius,  without  Scripture,  and  not 
worthy  of  an  answer;  but  I  have  briefly 
criticised  them,  and  pray  you  not  to  despise 
my  references;  but  let  a  trial  be  given  be- 
fore the  accusation,  lest  you  mistake  your- 
selves, as  Sirach  says. 

They  further  advance  that  the  Scripture  speaks  of 
tlie  Savior  being  promised  of  the  seed  of  woman,  of 
Abraham  and  the  fruits  of  the  loins  of  David. 

Answer.  In  the  tu'st  place  I  say  that  he 
who  deduces  from  these  Scriptures  that  the 
man  Christ  was  flesh  of  a  woman,  nay,  the 
natural  seed  of  Abraham  and  David,  who 
all  descended  from  the  unclean  flesh  of 
Adam,  must  also  add  the  unrighteousness, 
cm'se  and  sin  of  Adam. 

H  they  should  assert  that  he  was  free 
from  the  unrighteousness,  curse  and  sin  of 
Adam,  I  again  answer:  That  he  was  not  of 
the  natural  seed  of  Adam;  for  the  seed  of 
Adam  was  unclean,  sinful  and  accm'sed— 
therefore  nothing  but  unclean,  sinfid  and 
accm'sed  flesh  could  be  begotten  therefrom; 
or  else  the  unclean  must  beget  the  clean, 
the  sinful  the  holy,  and  the  accui'sed  the 
blessed;  and  therefore  the  hereditary  nn- 
cleanness,  cuise  and  condemnation  be 
changed.  This  is  too  plain  to  be  contro- 
verted. 

Yea,  reader,  if  the  incarnation  of  the  Lord 
was,  as  our  opponents  say  it  was,  then  it 
would  be  manifest  that  Clirist  Jesus  was 
not  so  pure  in  his  incarnation  as  was  Adam 
in  the  first  creation.  For  if  it  is  asserted, 
as  is  true,  that  Christ  was  conceived  in  the 
virgin  Maiy,  then  Adam  had  no  other  fa- 
ther on  earth  but  God — wherefore  he  is  also 
called  a  Son  of  God,  by  Luke.  Yet,  Adam 
would,  nevertheless  have  been  created  of 
purer  nature,  and  of  God;  but  Christ,  if  he 
was  of  the  unclean  seed  of  Adam,  must  be 
of  less  clean  nature,  that  is,  of  an  imclean, 

I  human  and  earthly  seed.     This  is  too  clear 

I  to  be  controverted. 

In  the  second  j)lace  I  say,  If  the  man 

j  Christ  were  a  ^at^ral  fruit  and  seed  of  the 


158 


THE  CONFUTATION. 


impure,  sinful  flesh  of  Adam,  then  he  would 
also  be  guilty,  through  the  eternal  justice 
of  God,  of  the  judgment  and  death.  And 
if  he  was  guilty,  how  could  he  redeem 
and  liqiiidate  ours  ?  Or  else  we  must  admit 
that  God's  justice  was  ended;  and  that  the 
sinful  had  taken  away  and  atoned  for  the 
sinful;  the  condemned  for  condemnation, 
and  he  that  was  giiilty  of  death  had  taken 
away  death. 

O,  no.  No  Tinclean  animal  was  permit- 
ted to  be  offered  as  an  otfering  of  reconcili- 
ation in  Israel;  but  it  must  be  without 
blemish.  And  if  the  symbolic  had  to  be 
entirely  clean  and  without  blemish,  how- 
much  more  so  should  be  the  true  one,  where- 
by the  eternal  reconciliation  is  brought 
about — and  whereby  all  symbolic  offerings 
are  fulfilled  and  finished,  Heb.  9:  10;  Ex- 
odus 12:  5;  Deut.  15:  21;  Mai.  1:  8. 

In  the  third  place  I  would  say.  He  who 
asserts  that  the  man  Christ  is  a  natiu'al 
fruit  and  seed  of  Adam,  Abraham,  David 
and  of  woman,  also  asserts  thereby  that 
there  are  two  persons  in  Christ,  two  sons; 
the  father  is  no  true  father,  the  mother  no 
true  mother,  and  the  son  no  true  son,  as 
has  been  said  before. 

In  the  fourth  place  I  say.  If  the  man 
Christ  was  of  the  flesh  and  blood  of  Mary, 
then  it  is  manifest  that  he  was  not  God's 
Son,  but  a  created  creature,  since  he  would 
not  be  begotten  of  the  Father,  but  of  the 
flesh  and  blood  of  Mary,  according  to  nat- 
ure, as  has  been  sufnciently  shown. 

In  the  fifth  place  I  say.  If  the  man  Christ, 
were  of  the  flesh  and  blood  of  Mary,  as  they 
pretend,  then  it  is  very  evident  that  the 
birth  of  man,  according  to  tlie  ordinance  of 
God,  can  not  be  without  father  and  mother; 
and  also  that  a  child  does  not  proceed 
fi'om  the  mother,  but  of  the  father;  and  if 
the  man  Christ  came  without  a  father,  from 
the  body  of  the  mother,  against  the  ordi- 
nance of  God,  then  a  new  creation  miast 
have  taken  place  in  Mary,  which  creation 
coTild  not  have  occurred  without  the  Word. 
If  such  a  creation  did  occur,  then  it  is  mani- 
fest that  the  one  half  or  part  of  Christ  must 
be  created  by  the  other;  Mary's  son  by 
God's  Son;  and  that  the  two,  namely,  the 
Creator  and  the  creature,  thus  became  one 


person  and  Son.    Dear  reader,  observe  what 
abominations  they  advance. 

In  the  sixth  place  I  say,  As  all  men  have 
both  father  and  mother,  and  as  each  has 
his  generation — the  father  and  the  mother 
— so,  also,  had  Christ  Jesus  both  father  and 
mother.  His  Father  was  an  incomprehensi- 
ble Spirit  from  eternity,  and  will  remain  so 
to  eternity ;  therefore  he  could  have  no  gen- 
ealogy on  the  side  of  the  Father;  hxxt  the 
mother,  who  was  the  true  daughter  of  Adam, 
Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob,  conceived  him 
in  her  virgin  womb  through  the  Holy  Ghost, 
by  his  Father's  word;  and  she  begat  a  true 
man  in  diie  time.  Her  genealogy  was 
counted  in  the  Scriptm-e;  for  when  he  be- 
came incarnate  in  a  human  being,  he  must 
have  a  genealogy,  of  which  he  was  born. 
And  this  is  the  word  which  Paul  speaks, 
Born  of  the  seed  of  David  according  to  the 
flesh,  Gen.  22:  18;  Ps.  132:  11;  Rom.  1:3; 
9:5;  Acts  13:  23.  Not  that  there  were  two 
sons  in  Christ,  the  one  without  father,  and 
the  other  without  mother;  one  the  Sou  of 
God,  and  the  other  the  son  of  man,  as  oiu- 
opponents  pretend.  But  he  who  was  God's 
Son  also  was  the  son  of  man;  and  he  who 
was  the  son  of  man,  was  also  the  Son  of 
God.  Not  two,  but  an  only  and  undivided 
Son,  as  the  ordinance  of  God,  and  the  whole 
Scriptures  teach  and  imply. 

If  you  cannot  understand  this,  then  mark 
this  parable:  Charles  the  Fifth  is  a  son  of 
Austria;  he  is  also  a  son  of  Spain;  not  that 
he  is,  therefore,  one  of  two  sons — but  he  is 
an  only  and  undivided  son.  On  the  side 
of  the  father  he  is  a  son  of  Austria,  and  on 
the  side  of  the  mother  he  is  a  son  of  Spain. 
Thus  also,  is  Christ  Jesus  a  Son  of  God 
and  a  son  of  man;  the  Son  of  God  on  the 
side  of  his  Father,  and  the  son  of  man  on 
the  side  of  his  mother.  Not  one  of  two  sons 
— but  an  only  and  undivided  Son.  The  Son 
of  God  and  of  Mary,  as  has  been  shown. 

Again,  if  you  are  yd  in  doubt  about  the 
fiuit  of  the  loins  of  David,  I  would  first  re- 
fer you  to  my  "Confession,"  which  I  wrote 
to  John  A'Lasco  and  his  preachers,  A.  D. 
1543,  thereby  admonishing  you,  to  observe 
how  the  throne  and  the  Kingdom  of  David, 
were  promised  to  Christ,  by  Isaiah  and  the 
angel  Gabriel;  which  was,  however,  not 
literally  fulfilled  in  Christ,  but  in  Solomon, 


THE  CONFUTATION. 


159 


who  was  a  figure  and  symbol  of  Cluist,  as 
were  also  Isaac,  Moses,  Aaron,  Joshua  and 
Joseph. 

Since  the  whole  Scriptures  teach  us  that 
his  kingdom  and  throne  are  not  literal  but 
spiritual,  therefore  we  must,  in  the  same 
manner,  judge  the  fruit  and  the  king  who 
shall  sit  upon  the  throne  and  reign;  or  else 
the  one  word  must  be  understood  literally, 
and  the  other  spiritually.  This  is  too  plain 
to  be  controverted. 

Secondly,  observe  what  Christ  asked  of 
the  Pharisees  in  regard  to  Christ  the  Son  of 
David,  and  how  he  answered  them.  Matt. 
22:42. 

Thirdly,  observe  that  if  the  man  Christ 
were  a  natural  fruit  of  the  loins  of  David, 
all  the  insolvable,  gross  inconsistencies 
would  be  included  in  him,  which  we  have 
partly  pointed  out  above,  and  upon  which 
we  will  enlarge  if  God  permits. 

Fourthly,  observe  that  all  the  properties 
of  God  are  alike  perfect  in  him.  And  there- 
fore his  perfect,  eternal  love  and  justice 
require  it,  as  Christ  says,  "God  so  loved 
the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten 
Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  should 
not  perisli,  but  have  everlasting  life."  Yea, 
says  John,  therein  God's  love  appeared 
that  he  sent  his  only  begotten  Son  into  the 
world,  that  we,  through  him  might  live; 
for  as  he  adjudged  Adam  and  all  his  seed 
unto  death,  by  his  eternal  justice,  on  ac- 
count of  his  disobedience,  so,  also,  has  he, 
on  account  of  the  obedience  of  Christ,  by 
his  eternal  love,  promised  life  to  all  who 
believe  in  him ;  for  as  his  righteous  punish- 
ment of  the  sins  of  Adam's  descendants 
who  reject  Christ,  lasts  forever,  thus  also 
his  paternal  love  to  forgive  sin  through 
Christ,  lasts  forever  to  all  those  who  believe 
in  Christ,  and  accept  and  obey  the  word  of 
his  grace,  John  3:  16. 

Ill  the  third  place,  I  find  that  it  is  said  that  my  foun- 
dation is,  tliat  Christ  was  begotten  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Ansioer.  It  is  very  unreasonable  that  I 
am  ever  blamed  of  things  of  which  I  am  not 
guilty.  In  my  iirst  "Confession"  I  have 
plainly  and  clearly  shown  in  Latin  letters 
that  I  do  not  believe  that  Christ  was  con- 
ceived in  Mary  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  but 
through  the  Holy  Ghost.    Yet  I  must  hear 


that  I  teach  that  Christ  was  begotten  of  the 
Holy  Ghost. 

O,  dear  Lord,  how  lamentably  I  am  slan- 
dered !  What  else  do  they  against  me  than 
the  Scribes  did  unto  Jeremiah,  when  they 
counseled  about  him,  and  said:  Come,  and 
let  us  devise  devices  against  him,  and  not 
regard  his  reasoning,  Jer.  18:  18.  Yea,  I 
think  that  I  am  born  to  turn  my  ear  to  the 
slanderer,  and  my  back  to  the  scourger. 
Nevertheless,  I  hope,  by  the  grace  of  the 
Lord,  that  the  time  will  come  when  some  of 
them  will  yet  awaken  and  acknowledge,  in 
all  humility,  with  penitent  hearts  that  they 
have  not  despised  me,  but  the  word  of  God, 
and  that  they  have  scorned  his  Spirit. 

In  the  fourth  place  he  intimates  "That  I  teach  that  the 
Word  changes  itself  into  human  flesh  and  blood  in  the 
womb  of  the  virgin." 

Answer.  I  presume  that  it  will  never  be 
proven  by  virtue  of  the  truth  that  I  have 
ever,  at  any  place,  said  or  written  so;  nev- 
ertheless they  dare  say  and  write  so  of  us. 
I  have  spoken  thereof  as  the  high  apostle 
has  taught  me,  that  the  "Word  became 
flesh."  That  testimony  I  leave  unbroken ;  and 
leave  it  to  the  Incomprehensible,  to  him,  who, 
through  his  omnipotent  power  so  arranged 
it  for  the  salvation  of  us  all,  how  much,  and 
what  was  changed.  Tet,  I  would,  in  my 
simplicity,  add  (if  they  explain  the  testi- 
mony of  John  to  which  I  alluded  in  un- 
changed letters,  and  conclude  therefrom: 
Menno  teaches,  with  John,  that  the  "Word 
became  flesh,"  therefore  his  foundation 
must  be  that  it  was  changed  into  flesh,  &c.), 
that  they  should  kiiow  that  cliange  does 
not  always  take  away  the  first  nature  of 
the  substances  of  which  something  is 
wrought. 

Adam  was  a  man  created  of  the  earth ; 
he  was  a  man  of  the  earth,  and  re- 
mained of  earth,  as  the  Lord  said,  "Dust 
thou  art  and  unto  dust  shalt  thou  return," 
Gen.  3:19. 

Again,  in  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  all 
those  who  have  again  returned  to  earth, 
shall,  through  the  power  of  God,  be 
resurrected  from  the  earth.  It  is  manifest 
that  at  first  we  were  earth,  afterward  we  be- 
came flesh  of  the  earth,  again  we  became 
earth  of  the  flesh,  and  lastly  we  became 
flesh  of  the  earth,  out  of  the  first  flesh,  but 


too 


THE  CONFUTATION. 


in  glory  and  bitgbtnesa,  aa  tlie  Scriptures 
testify;  and.  thus  the  first  substance,  al- 
though changed,  of  which  the  thing  changed 
was  wrought,  remains,  as  has  been  heard. 
Reader,  understand  me  rightly.  I  do  not 
present  this  parable  for  the  purpose  of  as- 
serting that  the  Word  was  changed  into 
Mesh  and  blood,  the  same  as  the  earth  of 
which  Adam  was  made  was  changed  into 
human  flesh,  but  I  have  presented  it  for  the 
purpose  of  showing  to  the  reader  that,  al- 
though if  the  Word  was  changed  in  being 
incarnated,  it  yet  remained  the  word,  John 
1: 14;  8:  23;  1  John  1:  2;  Rev.  19:  13. 

Ill  the  fifth  place  he  writes,  "  The  Lord  Christ  was  a 
Spirit  from  the  beginning,  undiangcable,  holy  and  eter- 
nal. If  he,  then,  -vTiis  Spirit  and  unchangeable,  how, 
then,  has  he  changed  his  substance  or  his  being,  and 
become  flesh." 

Ansioer.  If  I  understand  him  aright,  in 
Letter  E,  page  five,  he  says.  That  he  has  not 
yet  rightly  comprehended  my  meaning  of 
the  phrase  "factum  est,''''  i.  e.  become.  If, 
now,  he  has  not  rightly  comprehended  me, 
then  I  cannot  see  why  he  should  blame  me 
of  such  doctrine,  unless  he  cannot  under- 
stand the  testimony  of  John  in  any  other 
way,  notwithstanding  his  flattery  and  cor- 
ruption; as  I  have  merely  testified  to  the 
same  thing  literally  and  unchanged. 

Inasmuch  as  they  verbally  and  in  writing 
blame  me  of  believing  in  such  change,  from 
the  testimony  of  John  (although  they  never 
heard  such  doctrine  from  my  lips,  nor  read 
it  in  my  writings),  therefore  I  would  pray 
the  reader,  for  Christ's  sake,  not  to  blame 
me  of  any  thing  in  regard  to  the  change  of 
the  eternal  Word  than  of  what  I  hereby 
confess  and  explain  in  plain  words:  I  be 
lieve  and  confess  that  there  is  an  Almighty, 
eternal  and  incomprehensible  God,  Father, 
Word,  and  Holy  Ghost,  who  has  lived  in 
eternal  glory  and  shall  live  so  forever.  And 
that  this  same  Almighty,  eternal  Father,  be- 
fore all  creatures,  yea,  from  the  beginning 
and  from  eternity,  begets  of  himself  this  his 
Almighty,  eternal  Word,  in  a  divine  and 
therefore  incomprehensiblemanner;  and  that 
this,  his  Almighty,  eternal  Spirit  proceeds  or 
flows  from  him  through  the  Word  or  Son ; 
but  I  do  not  comprehend  it. 

I  also  believe  and  confess  in  the  same 
manner,  that  this  Almighty,  eternal  Father, 


tlnough  his  Almighty,  eternal  Word, 
which  is  the  Son,  has,  in  the  power  of  his 
Almighty,  eternal  Spirit,  created  heaven 
and  earth  with  their  fullness,  and  that  he, 
thereby,  forever  preserves  and  maintains 
all  things  created  therein  and  thereby,  but 
I  do  not  comprehend  it. 

I  further  believe  and  confess  that  all  hu- 
man nature  (at  the  sound  of  the  last  trump), 
through  the  power  of  the  Almighty  and 
everlasting  God,  shall  again  arise  from  the 
earth  with  a  glorified  body;  and  that  the 
children  of  God,  who,  here  on  earth,  have 
walked  before  him  in  a  firm  faith  and  in 
meekness,  shall  receive  the  gloriotts,  prom- 
ised kingdom  of  honor,  at  the  hands  of  the 
Lord — that,  on  the  other  hand,  those  who 
have  rejected  the  Lord  and  his  word  shall 
be  eternally  tonnented  with  unquenchable, 
everlasting  fire,  with  the  devil  and  his  an- 
gels, under  the  fearful,  unbearable  judg- 
ment of  the  Almighty  and  gi'eat  God;  but 
I  do  not  comprehend  it. 

Faithful  reader,  observe,  that  although 
I  do  not  comprehend  the  Almighty,  only 
and  eternal  God  in  his  eternal,  divine  being, 
in  the  dominion  of  his  glory,  in  the  creation 
and  preservation  of  his  creatures,  in  the  re- 
ward of  both  the  good  and  the  evil,  and 
in  many  of  his  works,  yet  I  do  truly  believe 
it,  and  for  this  reason:  Because  the  Scrip- 
ture teaches  so;  in  like  manner  I  can  not 
comprehend  how,  or  in  what  manner  the  in- 
comprehensible, eternal  Word  became  flesh 
or  man  in  Mary;  nevertheless  I  do  tnily  be- 
lieve that  he  became  man,  because  the  Scrip- 
ture teaches  so.  I  know  that  it  is  a  work 
that  was  done  by  the  Lord,  and  is  a  mira- 
cle before  our  eyes.  Nay,  it  is  such  a  work 
that  intellect  cannot  fathom,  nor  accuteness 
comprehend.  Truly  it  is  said.  Who  shall 
tell  of  his  birth? 

Inasmuch  as  I  clearly  find  that  it  is  an 
exalted  and  incomprehensible  miracle  of 
the  Almighty  and  gi-eat  God  which  the  Al- 
mighty, eternal  Father,  through  the  omnip- 
otence of  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  has 
wi'ought  in  Mary;  and  inasmuch  as  I  know 
how  very  perilous  and  solicitous  it  is  for 
one  to  search  into  the  incompreliensible 
profundity  and  divine  mystery  with  one's 
foolish  earthly  understanding;  and  to  gar- 
ble the  plain  testimonies  of  tlielloly  Ghost, 


THE  CONFUTATION. 


161 


by  deceitfulneps  and  human  smartness: 
Therefore  it  is  that  I  dare  not  believe,  nor 
teach  more  nor  less  of  the  holy  incarnation 
than  the  holy  prophets  of  the  Lord,  Christ 
Jesus,  and  also  John,  Peter  and  Paul,  teach 
me  on  every  hand  in  the  Scriptiues,  with 
such  incontrovertibly  clear  testimonies ;  all  of 
which  are  surer  and  wiser  witnesses  to  me 
than  all  the  learned  who  have  been,  are,  or 
shall  ever  be  on  earth;  although,  I  repeat 
it,  I  cannot  comprehend  the  ineflable  mys- 
tery, with  my  dull,  earthly  understanding. 
Sirach  says,  Inquire  not  into  the  things 
which  j'-ou  cannot  bear ;  and  that  which  is 
too  great  or  too  exalted  for  you  do  not 
search. 

Again,  as  to  the  saying  of  Malaclii,  "For  I  am  the 
Lord,  I  change  not,"  Mai.  3  :  6,  and  to  the  question  of 
.John  A'Lasco,  "If  He  is  eternal  how  could  He  die?" 

Answer.  Malachi  does  not  here  speak 
of  God's  substance  or  being,  but  of  his  in- 
tention, counsel,  resolution  and  will.  From 
which  I  confess  that  God's  intention,  coun- 
sel, will,  purpose,  promise  and  love  are 
eternal  and  unchangeable  and  must  come 
to  pass  as  he  will  and  has  resolved  upon 
in  his  wisdom. 

Inasmuch  as  it  is  manifest  that  the  Al- 
mighty, eternal  and  unchangeable  Father 
rules,  and  does  all  things  according  to  his 
eternal,  unchangeable  intention,  counsel, 
will  and  purpose,  and  as  he  had,  through 
his  eternal,  unchangeable  love,  provided 
his  eternal  holy  Word,  or  Son,  that  he,  ac- 
.cording  to  his  firm  and  unchangeable  inten- 
tion, should  become  the  Paschal  lamb,  as 
Peter  says.  Therefore  this  must  happen 
that  the  Word,  in  due  time,  became  flesh, 
although  we  cannot  comprehend  it;  for  it 
was  the  gracious  intention,  counsel,  resolu- 
tion, providence  and  will  of  his  Almighty 
and  everlasting  Word  which  will  forever 
stand  firm,  and  which,  according  to  the  pro- 
phetic word,  can  never  be  changed,  as  has 
l^een  heard. 

Behold,  honorable  reader,  this  is  my  re- 
ply to  the  three  questions :  If  he  is  a  Spirit 
how  could  he  become  flesh  ?  Is  he  God,  how 
could  he  change  ?  and  if  he  is  Eternal  how 
could  he  die?  as  I,  before  my  God,  believe 
and  confess.  I  trust',  by  the  grace  of  God, 
to  remain  firmly  therein  unto  death. 

I  have  not  counseled  with  nature  and  my 
57 


intellect  in  this  respect,  but  with  the  word 
of  the  Lord,  which  is  the  true  light 
to  my  feet,  which  shows  me  in  plain  words 
that  the  conqueror,  the  promised  seed  of 
woman  from  the  loins  of  Abraham,  Isaac, 
Jacob,  Judah  and  of  David,  born  according 
to  the  flesh,  who  is  the  Blessing,  Messiah, 
Christ,  King  and  Savior  of  all  the  world,  is 
not  of  unclean,  sinful  flesh,  but  of  the  pure 
seed  of  his  heavenly  Father;  the  word  of 
God  conceived  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  in  the 
virgin  Mary,  and  in  her  became  flesh,  as 
John  says.  Christ  himself  also  says  that 
he  is  from  above,  that  he  is  the  bread  from 
heaven,  and  that  he  went  forth  from  the 
Father,  John  16.  And  Paul  says  that  he  is 
the  Lord  of  heaven;  descended  from  aliove; 
that  he  is  the  Alpha  and  Omega;  our  Im- 
manuel,  1  Cor.  15;  Eph.  4:  10;  Rev.  1:8; 
Isa.  7:  14.  And,  besides,  as  I  plainly  see 
that  our  opponents  dare  not  advance  these 
and  such  plain  Scriptures,  but  garble  them 
by  their  intellect  with  many  exceptions  and 
flatterings;  therefore  I  repeat  it,  that  I  turn 
away  from  intellect  and  nature,  bind  my 
faith  and  conscience  to  the  word  of  the 
Lord,  and  truly  and  firmly  believe  and 
trust,  that  this  great  miracle  of  God  was 
thus  produced  in  Mary ;  although  I  cannot 
comprehend  it. 

Behold,  kind  reader,  whosoever  testifies 
or  writes  any  thing  else  of  me,  in  regard  to 
the  change  of  the  eternal  Word,  but  that 
which  I  hereby  confess,  is  a  liar  and  does 
not  testify  to  the  truth.  The  testimony  to 
which  I  refer  is  fu'm  and  binding:  "The 
word  is  become  flesh."  But  how  far  it  was 
changed  he  knows  who  in  his  eternal  love 
has  so  arranged  it  for  the  salvation  and 
everlasting  deliverance  of  us  all,  through 
his  Omnipotence.  Praise  be  to  God  forev- 
er. Amen. 

Here  I  will  perhaps  be  asked,  if  then,  the 
Father  is  not  of  divine  nature  ?  and  whence 
has  Christ  derived  his  humanity  ?  To  this  I 
answer:  From  whence  came  the  abundance 
of  water  which  flowed  from  the  hard  rock  ? 
The  rock  was  no  water  nor  watery  sub- 
stance. Was  it  not  produced  by  the  om- 
nipotence of  God,  to  whom  nothing  is  im- 
possible, above  all  human  understanding 
and  comprehension  ? 

Again,  how  did  a  virgin  conceive  other- 


102 


THE  CONFUTATION. 


wise  than  tlirongh  the  power  of  God,  and 
the  operation  of  tlie  Holy  Spirit,  above  the 
comprehension  of  all  philosophers?  Nay, 
above  the  comprehension  of  Mary  herself, 
for  she  said,  "How  shall  this  be,  seeing  I 
know  not  a  man?  and  the  angel  answered 
and  said  nnto  her.  The  Holy  Ghost  shall 
come  upon  thee,  and  the  power  of  the  High- 
est shall  overshadow  thee;  therefore  also 
that  holy  thing  which  shall  be  born  of  thee 
shall  be  called  the  Son  of  God."  He  does 
not  say,  that  holy  thing  which  shall  come 
from  thy  tiesh  and  blood,  as  say  our  op- 
ponents. 

If  they  should  further  say,  that  if  the 
Word  became  Hesh,  and  did  not  take  unto 
itself  our  flesh,  then  it  did  not  remain  God's 
Word;  as  when  Lot's  wife  became  a  pillar 
of  salt,  she  did  no  longer  remain  man  or 
woman;  and  when  the  water  became  wine 
it  did  no  longer  remain  water.  I  would  re- 
ply: The  Scripture  says  that  Lot's  wife 
became  a  pillar  of  salt,  and  that  the  water 
became  wine.  This  the  Scripture  says,  and 
therefore  it  is  also  true.  But  the  Scripture 
says  not  that  Lot's  housewife  took  unto 
herself  a  pillar  of  salt,  and  that  water  took 
unto  itself  wine.  In  the  same  manner  the 
Scriptures  also  testify  that  the  Word  became 
flesh;  but  does  not  testify,  that  tlie  Word 
took  unto  himself  our  'flesh. 

I  would  further  say,  that  if  some  Script- 
ures could  be  produced  to  prove  that  "be- 
coming "  is  taking  unto  one's  self;  or  that 
two  persons  and  sons  of  different  natures 
and  minds  can  be  one  person  and  son;  or 
that  there  was  a  true  Son  from  the  begin- 
ning who  had  not  l)oth  father  and  mother; 
or  that  a  son  can  be  his  father's  son,  who 
is  not  of  the  father's  seed,  then  we  might 
ponder  upon  their  foundation  a  little  fur- 
ther. But  since  they  never  produce  such 
Scriptures,  neither  are  they  able  to  produce 
them;  and  since  the  Scriptures  testify  that 
Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God,  therefore  the 
testimony  of  John  remains  firm  and  immu- 
table: "The  AVord  is  become  flesh,"  how- 
ever much  philosophers  may  dispute  this. 

Lastly  I  woiild  say,  That  if  the  Word 
did  not  become  flesh,  but  only  took  imto 
himself  a  man  of  Mary's  flesh,  as  our  oppo- 
nents assert,  and  if  the  same  was  nsed  as 
an  instrument  to  suffer  for  its,  then  it  is 


manifest  that  Jesus  Christ,  a  Son  of  his 
Father  in  truth  (as  John  calls  him),  did  not 
come  in  the  flesh  {corporatus  as  Castalion 
says),  for  were  he  to  sufier  himself,  and  not 
another  in  his  stead,  then  he  must  come  in 
the  flesh,  otherwise  he  could  not  have  suf- 
fered. This  is  too  clear  to  be  contradicted. 
All  those  who  deny  this,  are  deceivers  and 
anti-christs,  2  John  1 :  7. 

He  further  ■n'rites,  "  If  he  is  holy  why  was  he  con- 
demned for  the  sake  of  sin  in  the  judgment  of  the  Fa- 
ther?" At  another  place  he  also  writes :  "Christ  jjartook 
of  no  other  flesh  than  that  which  was  subject  to  sin  and 
death,  that  he  might  be  tempted." 

Ans^oer.  If  we  are  to  understand  his 
words  as  they  read,  then  Christ,  together 
with  his  holy  flesh  was  subject  to  sin  and 
death;  this  is  incontrovertible.  For  he  says. 
If  he  is  holy  why  was  he  then  condemned 
for  sin  under  the  judgment  of  the  Father. 
Just  as  if  he,  was  unholy,  and  guilty  of  death 
under  the  judgment,  and  deserving  of  the 
wrath  and  punishment  of  God.  But  this 
must  be  so  too  if  we  are  to  assert  that  the 
flesh  of  Christ  was  of  Mary's  flesh.  There- 
fore it  is  manifest  from  his  words  that  the 
sin  by  which  he  was  tempted  dwelt  in  his 
flesh;  and  that  thus  he  did  not  die,  out  of 
grace  for  us,  but  as  one  guilty,  for  himself. 
For  the  wages  of  sin  is  death. 

O,  dear  Lord,  If  the  poor  Menno  was  to 
speak  of  the  Son  of  God  thus  blasphemous- 
ly, and  were  to  include  him  in  sin,  O,  what 
an  unpleasant,  bitter  song  would  be  sung 
about  him !  But  whatever  the  learned 
dream  and  philosophize,  must  be  accepted 
as  right  and  good. 

This,  then,  is  my  short  reply  to  his  words 
just  cited,  namely:  Isaiah  and  Peter  testify 
of  him  that  he  did  not  know  sin,  and  that 
guile  was  not  found  in  his  mouth.  Yea, 
dear  reader,  he  was  holy  before  his  incar- 
nation, holy  in  his  incarnation,  and  will  re- 
main holy  forever.  For  it  was  needful, 
that  we  should  have  such  a  high  priest,  who 
is  holy,  innocent  and  spotless,  and  who 
became  higher  than  the  heavens;  for  if  he 
were  not  innnocent  and  holy,  he  could  not 
have  requited  for  our  sins  and  guilt,  but 
nuist  have  suffered  for  his  own  imperfec- 
tions and  guilt.  But  now  the  Scriptures 
testify  that  he  was  l)rui8ed  for  our  ini(|ui- 
ties  and  was  stricken  for  our.  transgression, 
Is.  m-.  5,  8. 


THE  CONFUTATION. 


163 


In  the  sixth  place  he  writes  and  says,  "  The  compari- 
son of  the  words  of  Paul,  The  form  of  God  and  the  form  of 
a  servant,  teaches  us  that  by  which  God  is  known  to  lie 
God,  and  nothing  else,  than  the  innneasurable  power 
and  tlie  brightness  of  his  light  auil  glory  to  which  none 
can  aspire;  that  we  must  also  understand  it  as  that  by 
which  a  servant  is  known  to  be  a  servant,  and  that  it  is 
nothing  else  but  our  human  flesh,  and  that  through  the 
disobedience  of  our  first  parents  it  was  forfeited  under 
the  servitude  of  sin;  nevertheless  he  writes  that  we 
must  so  understand  it  that  he  took  upon  himself  our 
flesh,  but  not  the  servitude  thereof,"  Ilac  Hie. 

Answer.  Here  I  will  leave  the  reader  to 
choose  whether  to  explain  this  form  of  a 
servant  as  having  reference  to  a  servile* 
form,  or,  as  John  A'Lasco  thinks,  to  a  sin- 
ful form.  If  it  has  reference  to  a  servile, 
and  not  to  a  sinful  form,  then  it  does 
not  support  the  assertion  that  the  Word 
has  taken  unto  himself  our  liesh.  But  if  it  is 
explained,  as  John  A'Lasco  explains  it,  as 
having  reference  to  a  sinful,  and  not  to  a 
servile  condition,  then  it  must  necessarily 
follow  that  that  is  also  in  Christ,  on  ac- 
count of  which  we  are  called  sei"vants,  name- 
ly, on  account  of  sin,  or  else  the  adduced 
antithetical  form  is  not  in  place  and  can 
not  stand,  as  you  will  hereafter,  by  the 
grace  of  God,  clearly  hear  and  see. 

I  deny  that  I  misinterpreted  the  Latin 
phi-ase  Exinanimt  seraetipsum,  as  John 
A'Lasco  accuses  me  of  doing;  although  at 
one  place  I  wrote,  He  Jias  liunibled  lumself, 
I  trust  I  have  not  written  it  wrongly.  At 
another  place  I  wrote,  Tlie  Son,  the  Word, 
loas  Jaimhled,  went  beneath  himself;  was 
made  lower  than  the  angels.  But  nowhere 
have  I  written  that  he  went  out  from  him- 
self, as  John  A'Lasco  wrongfully  accuses 
me.  I  will  leave  it  to  the  judgment  of  all 
grammarians  whether  or  not  I  have  written 
correctly. 

I  think  Christ  has  greatly  humbled  him- 
self, since  he  is  the  Almighty,  eternal  AVord, 
Wisdom  and  Power  of  God,  and  became 
such  a  poor,  weak,  despised  man.  He 
also  went  much  beneath  himself,  since  he 
was  in  divine  form  and  became  such  a  de- 
spised servant.  Yea,  reader,  that  Paul  here 
speaks  (Phil.  3:  7,  8),  of  the  servile  and  not 
of  the  sinful  condition,  we  may  well  deduce 
from  the  following  Scriptures.     "Behold," 

*The  words  servile  and  sercilily  here  mean,  a  condition 
of  servitude  as  spoken  of  by  Paul  in  Phil.  2  :  7,  8. — The 
Publishers. 


says  Isaiah,  "my  servant,  whom  I  uphold; 
mine  Elect,  in  whom  my  soul  delighteth," 
Is.  42:  1.  Matthew  is  my  witness  that  the 
projihet  sjieaks  this  of  Christ;  and  there- 
fore is  he  called  the  servant  of  his  Father, 
because  he  has  performed  the  work  and 
service  of  his  Father  here  on  earth,  for  ns 
poor  sinners,  as  he  says,  "Even  as  the  Son 
of  man  came  not  to  be  ministered  unto,  but 
to  minister,  and  to  give  his  life  a  ransom 
for  many,"  Matt.  20:' 28. 

Therefore,  I  repeat  it.  Paul  here  speaks 
of  the  servile  and  not  of  the  sinful  condi- 
tion which  Clirist  took  npon  himself  for  our 
salvation.  For  if  he  here  spoke  of  the  sin- 
ful and  not  of  the  servile  condition,  then 
Christ  must  also  have  assumed  the  form  of 
a  servant,  that  is  sin;  else  the  j^hrase  The 
form  of  a  sercant,  and  The  form  of  God 
could  not  exist  together.  For  as  the  phrase 
form  of  God  testities  to  his  true  divinity,  so 
also,  the  form  of  a  servant  must  testify  to 
his  true  servile  form;  or  it  must  follow  from 
the  argument  of  John  A'Lasco,  that,  al- 
though Christ  was  in  divine  form,  yet  he 
lacked  the  divinity,  the  same  as  he  had  the 
form  of  a  servant  but  the  servility,  i.  e.  sin 
he  had  not. 

O,  no,  it  is  not  so.  He  was  in  God-form, 
and  was  therein  truly  God;  thus  he  also 
took  upon  himself  the  form  of  a  true  serv- 
ant, and  was  therein  a  true  servant;  as  may 
be  deduced  ft-om  Isaiah,  Matthew  and  the  , 
words  of  Christ.  And  in  this  sense  the  an- 
tithesis, the  form  of  God  and  the  form  of  a 
servant,  exists,  and  does  not  require  the 
exception  which  John  A'Lasco  here  made. 
And  this  is  the  proper  cause  and  reason 
why  Paul  wi-ote  to  the  Philippians  about 
this,  that  they  should  not  be  contentious 
one  with  another,  nor  seek  their  own  vain, 
carnal  honor,  or  any  thing  selfish,  but  that 
they  should,  after  the  examjjle  of  Christ, 
humble  themselves  one  towards  another,  and 
walk  in  love;  for  although  Christ  was  in 
the  form  of  God,  yea  "equal  with  God,  but 
made  himself  of  no  reputation  and  took 
upon  him  the  form  of  a  servant,"  and  not 
the  exalted  form  of  a  mighty  emperor  or 
king.  He  came  to  minister  unto  us  and 
not  to  be  ministered  unto.  Matt.  20:  28. 
Yea,  "He  was  in  all  points  temjited  like  as 
we  are  yet  without  sin,"  Heb.  4: 15.    He 


164 


THE  CONFUTATION. 


sougM  not  liis  own  but  that  which  was 
oui's;  and  for  our  sakes  "became  obedient 
unto  death,  even  the  death  of  the  cross," 
Phil.  2:  8.  Thus  the  assertion  of  John 
A'Lasco,  that  the  Word  took  unto  himself 
our  flesh  or  a  man  of  our  flesh,  remains  tin- 
proven. 

But  his  point  that  while  Clirist  was  here 
upon  earth  he  still  was  also  in  heaven,  that 
his  face  shone  as  the  sun,  that  his  raiment 
was  white  as  the  light,  that  he  healed  the 
sick,  raised  the  dead,  and  by  his  word  re- 
mitted sin,  which  power  alone  belongs  to 
God,  does  not  prove  that  he  received  his 
holy  flesh  from  our  sinful  flesh;  but  it 
rather  proves  that  he  still  remained  God 
and  his  word,  notwithstanding  he,  for  a 
time,  so  humbled  himself  and  went  beneath 
his  divine  splendor,  attributes,  right  and 
glory,  for  our  sakes.  Whosoever  sincerely 
fears  God,  let  him  consider  and  judge,  Matt. 
17:  2;  Luke  7:  21. 

In  tlie  seventh  place  lie  asserta  it  as  liis  foundation 
tliat  the  Word  did  not  become  flesh,  but  that  he  took 
unto  himself  our  flesh  of  Mary,  and  conflnns  this  with 
the  Scripture  Heb.  3:14;  which  reads  thus,  "Foras- 
much then  as  the  children  are  partakers  of  flesh  and 
blood,  he  also  himself  likewise  took  part  of  the  same," 
and  says,  "The  word  was  made  flesh;"  not  that  he  has 
in  any  manner  changed  his  first  estate,  or  form,  liut  ho 
has  taken  unto  himself  our  flesli  and  has  therewith  cov- 
ered his  divinity  while  here  upon  earth. 

Ansioer.  All  those  who  desire  a  script- 
ural and  correct  understanding  of  the  Script- 
ures quoted,  and  also  of  Christ,  the  Son  of 
God,  should  well  observe  that  God,  the 
Almighty,  eternal  Father,  the  true  Creator, 
who  wills  and  works,  is  the  only  som"ce  of 
all  good;  and  that  he  inefl'ably  before  all 
creatures,  begat  of  himself  his  Almighty, 
eternal  and  ineflable  Word,  and  has, 
through  the  same  created  all  things,  and 
thereby  governs,  maintains  and  preserves 
them;  and  tliat  he  in  his  eternal  justice, 
love,  and  in  all  his  attril)utes,  together  with 
his  inefi"able  AVord  and  Holy  Spirit,  is  an 
eternal  and  perfect  God,  and  beside  him 
there  is  none  other;  and  that  he  is  eternal 
and  unchangeable  in  his  counsel,  purpose, 
will  and  conclusion,  as  was  said  before, 
Mai.  8:  6 

And,  that  this  Almight}^  external  Father, 
through  his  Almighty,  eternal  Word,  in  the 
power  of  his  Almighty,  eternal  Spirit,  has, 


according  to  his  divine  purpose,  counsel, 
will  and  conclusion,  created  Adam  and 
Eve,  the  parents  of  us  all,  as  righteous, 
good  and  pure  creatures,  unto  eternal  life, 
nay,  after  his  own  image  and  likeness,  as 
the  Scriptures  testify;  that  he  gave  unto 
them  the  command  of  life  and  death,  that 
they  might  fear,  love,  praise,  thank  and 
serve  him,  and  live  according  to  his  will, 
Gen.  1. 

Behold,  this  is  the  Creator  that  created 
Adam  and  Eve;  it  also  shows  through  what 
he  created  them,  how  and  for  what  purpose 
he  created  them;  what  he  permitted  and 
what  he  forbid  them  to  do ;  what  he  prom- 
ised them  if  they  obeyed  him,  and  what  he 
threatened  if  they  should  disobey  him;  and 
thus  the  glory  of  God  began  to  shine,  Ps. 
33:  5;  John  1:  10. 

In  this  piety,  holiness  and  righteousness, 
Adam  and  Eve  remained  so  long  as  they 
did  not  deviate  from  the  counsel,  word,  wiU 
and  command  of  God,  in  which  all  things 
have,  and  must  have  their  being.  But  man 
was  left  in  the  hands  of  his  counsel,  Su'ach 
15:  14.  But  through  the  old  serpent,  the 
cunning  reptile  and  envier  of  the  honor  of 
God,  and  all  good,  caused  the  glorious, 
noble  creature  of  life  to  be  led  from  the 
the  favor  and  grace  of  his  Creator  into  con- 
demnation and  death,  and  obscured  the 
glory  of  God.  He  began  with  Eve,  the 
weaker  vessel,  to  tempt  her  with  the  desires 
of  her  appetite;  for  the  woman  saw,  says 
Moses,  that  the  tree  was  good  for  food  and 
pleasant  to  tlie  eyes.  He  falsitied  the  word 
of  the  Lord,  and  said,  "Ye  shall  not  sin-ely 
die,"  and  made  glorious  jiromises,  saying, 
"In  the  day  ye  eat  thereof  then  your  eyes 
shall  be  opened;  and  ye  shall  be  as  Gods, 
knowing  good  and  evil." 

Adam  and  Eve  disobeyed  the  command 
of  their  God  and  Creator,  by  which  alone 
they  must  live;  believed  the  promise  of  the 
serpent;  ate,  and  through  the  justice  of 
God,  fell  into  the  threatened  curse,  con- 
demnation and  death,  and  thus  the  deceiv- 
ing serpent  established  the  kingdom  of  liell 
and  of  death.  There,  now  lay  the  misera- 
ble, accursed  Adam  and  his  wife.  Eve,  in 
the  power  of  the  devil,  poisoned  "from  the 
sole  of  the  foot  even  unto  the  head,"  both 
within  and  without,  with  his  impure,  dead- 


THE  CONFUTATION. 


165 


ly  venom,  and  became  subject  unto  sin  and 
death.  According  to  the  justice  of  God, 
there  was  now  no  way  of  escape,  for  Adam 
and  all  his  descendants;  for  the  word  of 
life  was  rejected;  the  holy  command  of  God 
was  transgressed,  the  venom  of  the  serjDent 
was  taken.  Alas,  all  was  lost  to  them ! 
Their  eyes  were  opened,  the  shame  was  ac- 
knowledged, the  gnawing  worm  was  in  the 
disobedient,  self-accusing  conscience;  there 
was  nothing  but  shaking  and  trembling, 
sighing  and  remorse.  They  fled  before  the 
face  of  the  Lord  and  knew  not  where  to  hide 
from  his  wrath;  for  the  justice  of  God 
pointed  to  the  word,  "For  in  the  day  that 
thou  eatest  thereof  thou  slialt  surely  die." 

Here  the  counsel,  purpose,  will  and  con- 
clusion of  the  Almighty,  eternal  God  were 
unchanged.  He  would  make  manifest  his 
glory  and  have  a  man  after  his  own  image 
and  likeness. 

Inasmuch  as  this  was  resolved  upon  and 
provided  for  with  God,  as  has  been  said; 
and  as  with  poor  Adam,  all  was  lost,  as 
also  with  all  his  descendants,  for  at  heart 
lie  Avas  full  of  venom  and  abashed  before 
liis  God,  therefore  should  the  unchangeable, 
will,  counsel  and  resolution  of  the  unchange- 
able God  be  executed,  there  must  be  anoth- 
er who  was  like  the  corrupted  Adam  before 
his  fall;  for  upon  such  a  man,  God's  will 
had  resolved;  and  with  Adam  all  was  lost. 

Therefore  tlie  ineifixble,  eternal  "Word,  by 
which  Adam  and  Eve  were  created,  by  which 
all  things  are  and  must  forever  remain;  the 
Almighty  power  and  wi?dora  of  God,  must 
become  man,  that  he  might  bruise  tlie  head 
<.)f  the  deceiving  serpent,  for  the  salvation 
of  the  condemned  Adam  and  all  his  descend- 
ants; that  temptation  miglit  be  overcome; 
that  the  holy  and  unchangeable  will  of  the 
Father  might  be  fulfilled;  that  the  do- 
minion and  power  of  tlie  devil  might  be  de- 
stroyed; and  that  he  might,  by  his  willing 
obedience  and  spotless  offering,  discharge 
and  put  away  the  guilt  and  deserved  death 
of  Adam,  by  his  innocent  death. 

Behold,  this  joyous  gospel,  and  these 
glad  tidings  of  the  divine  grace,  which  God 
declared  to  the  poor,  afilicted  and  fugitive, 
Adam.  He  accepted  them  through  faith; 
consoled  himself  therewith,  and  sincerely 


rejoiced  in  Ms  grace,   Gen.  3:  15;  22:  18; 
Jer.  23:  6;  Luke  1:28. 

And  this  is  the  Messiah  who,  I  say,  was 
promised  Adam,  of  a  woman,  the  salvation 
of  all  the  world;  promised  to  Abraham, 
Isaac  and  Jacob;  the  glorious  Branch, 
Rod,  Plant  and  Fruit  of  David,  symbolized 
in  Solomon,  the  natural  fruit  of  his  loins; 
wlio  shall  sit  on  his  throne  and  reign  in 
Israel  forever.  All  who  believe  on  him 
shall  receive  the  mercy,  grace  and  peace  of 
God;  but  whosoever  does  not  believe  on 
him,  on  him  remaineth  the  wrath  of  God, 
John  3:  36. 

From  all  tliis  it  follows  that  as  Adam 
was  created,  in  the  beginning  and  we  in 
him,  tlirough  the  Word,  he  and  also  we  are 
again  quickened  of  God  through  this  same 
AVord,  and  accepted  in  grace.  John  says, 
"In  the  beginning  was  the  Word,  and  the 
Word  was  with  God;  and  the  Word  was 
God;  the  same  was  in  the  beginning  with 
God.  All  things  were  made  by  him,  and 
without  him  was  not  any  thing  made  that 
was  made,"  &c.  "And  the  Word  was  made 
fiesh,  and  dwelt  among  us,  and  we  beheld 
his  glory,  the  glory  as  of  the  only  begotten 
of  the  Father,  full  of  grace  and  truth."  Be- 
hold, in  such  plain  words  testifies  the  Sj)irit 
of  God,  that  both  the  creation  and  the  res- 
toration of  Adam  and  his  seed,  was  brouglit 
about  by  no  other  means  than  through  the 
Word,  as  has  been  heard.  Matt.  3:  11;  John 
1;  Col.  1:  19. 

And  to  the  better  explanation  of  this, 
and  also  to  learn  to  understand  rightly  how 
entirely  sinful,  impiu'e,  poisoned,  powerless, 
and  as  nothing  we  all  have  become  in 
Adam,  I  would  point  you,  witli  Paul,  to 
the  law  and  the  Scriptures;  they  will  depict 
to  you  tlie  impure,  powerless  nature  and 
sinfulness  of  our  flesh  so  plainly,  that  you 
are  forced  to  acknowledge  that  the  holy, 
glorious  and  spotless  Messiah,  through 
whom  we  all  are  pacified  and  reconciled' 
with  God,  could  not  be  of  such  impure,  sin- 
ful and  accursed  seed  and  flesh  as  the 
learned  teach  us,  and  pretend  with  their 
philosophic  reasoning,  without  the  Script- 
ures. 

Thus  speaks  Moses,  Thou  shalt  not  covet, 
or  thoix  shalt  not  desire.  Reader,  observe: 
In  these  few  words  is  properly  represented 


166 


THE  CONFUTATION. 


the  first  rigliteoiTsness  in  wliicli  Adam  was 
created  in  tlie  beginning;  and  wliicli  is  yet 
claimed  of  God  according  to  his  righteous- 
ness, by  liis  descendants.  Ponder  diligent- 
ly on  these  words  of  Moses  and  examine 
yourself  closely,  before  your  God,  who 
tries  the  hearts  and  reins,  Avhether  or  not 
you  sometimes  do  not,  against  the  law, 
find  such  forbidden  lusts  in  your  flesh. 

If  you  imagine  yourself  free  from  these, 
you  convert  God  into  a  liar,  1  John  1:  10; 
and  thereby  you  also  shame  all  the  right- 
eous of  God,  who  were  from  the  beginning; 
for  they  have  all  unanimously  complained 
of  their  evil-disposed,  wicked  llesh,  and 
have,  alas,  too  unanimously  shown  it  in 
their  fruits.  The  Scriptures  testify  that  I 
speak  the  truth. 

Yea,  reader,  if  any  man,  born  of  the 
sinful  flesh  of  Adam,  had  completely 
fulfilled  the  law,  then  for  such  the  com- 
manded yearly  sin-offering,  which  was  of- 
fered by  the  high  priest  in  the  Holy  of 
Holies,  was  useless  and  fruitless.  Neither 
would  it  have  been  necessary  for  the  Son  of 
the  Most  high,  the  eternal  word  of  God  to 
become  man;  for  such  a  person  could  have 
done  all  this  and  fulfilled  the  required 
righteousness.  But  as  it  was,  there  was 
neither  prophet  nor  any  man  of  God,  born 
of  Adam,  so  holy,  or  so  pious,  but  who  had 
to  console  himself  with  the  promise  of  God 
in  regard  to  Christ,  also  symbolized  in  the 
offering,  and  with  the  divine  grace,  through 
faith. 

But  if  you  find  that  you  do  not  as  the  law 
requires,  but  that  you  are  not  alone  ever 
fought  by  the  lusts  which  dwelt  in  your 
flesh,  but  that  you  are  also  often  involunta- 
rily conquered  thereby,  then  you  must  ac- 
knowledge that  you  are  already  condemned 
to  death  by  the  law  of  righteousness.  For 
the  law  says,  "Cursed  be  he  that  confirm- 
eth  not  all  the  words  of  this  law  to  do  them; 
and  all  the  people  shall  say,  Amen,"  Deut. 
27:  26. 

Behold,  kind  reader,  if  you  would  rightly 
know  and  acknowledge  how  miserable, 
naked,  powerless,  impotent,  unclean,  sinful 
and  poisoned  all  of  Adam's  seed  is  become 
in  him,  through  his  transgression,  and  how 
his  seed  is  fallen,  through  the  just  right- 
eousness of  God,  into  his  wrath,  judgment, 


curse,  condemnation  and  death,  then,  I  say, 
search  the  law  diligently;  for  it  i)oints  out 
to  you.  First,  the  obedience  to  God  and 
righteousness  required  of  you;  and  also  the 
weakness  of  your  sinful  fiesh,  your  impure 
and  evil  disposed  nature;  and  that  you  are 
already  condemned  to  death,  accoiding  to 
the  rigor  of  the  above  mentioned  righteous- 
ness, since  you,  through  your  inherent, 
weak  nature  and  evil  disposed  flesh,  do  not 
walk  in  the  required  righteousness  as  God 
has  commanded  and  required  of  j^ou  in  his 
law,  as  you  Avill  clearly  notice  by  j^our  own 
unction  if  you  but  rightly  observe. 

Inasmuch  as  Adam  and  his  seed  are  so 
entirely  corrupted;  as  by  nature  he  was 
created  pm*e  and  clean,  and  became  wholly 
impure  and  evil  disposed,  and  thus  fell  in 
the  righteous  judgment  of  God;  and  since 
every  thing  is  involved  in  sin;  therefore,  if 
this  venom  was  to  be  weakened  in  its  power; 
if  the  corrupted  nature  of  Adam  was  to  be 
delivered  from  the  curse  and  judgment  of 
sin;  if  the  righteousness  of  God  was  to  be 
appeased;  if  the  power  of  the  devil  was  to 
be  distiu'bed;  if  curse,  wrath,  condemnation 
and  death  were  to  be  taken  away;  if  the 
hand  Avriting  of  the  law,  which  required 
such  righteousness  of  Adam's  children,  was 
to  be  broken  to  pieces;  if  the  eternal  provi- 
dence, counsel,  will  and  determination  of 
God  were  to  be  fulfilled;  if  his  kingdom 
and  glory  were  to  be  acknowledged ;  and  if 
there  was  to  be  such  a  man  as  the  counsel, 
will,  and  determination  of  God  required,  as 
has  been  heard;  then  the  everlasting  love 
of  God  wo^ild  require  that  there  should  be 
another  man,  who,  conquering  the  devil, 
should  disturb  his  power,  fulfill  the  right- 
eousness of  God,  promiilgate  his  glory, 
make  a  clean  sacrifice,  and  who  should 
thus,  out  of  love  and  compassion,  be  inno- 
cently accursed  and  condemned  to  death; 
not  o/Adam,  but /or  the  everlasting  salva- 
tion of  Adam  and  his  seed;  that  thus  the 
corrupted  and  condemned  Adam,  together 
with  his  corrupt  and  condemned  seed, 
should  be  again  accepted  in  grace,  through 
his  name,  and  be  again  delivered  from  their 
great  fall.  Gal.  3;  Gen.  3:  17;  Luke  11:  21; 
John  14:  30;  Col.  1:  14. 

It  could  not,  I  repeat  it,  be  a  man  of 
Adam's  flesh;   for  the  corrupted  flesh  of 


THE  CONFUTATION. 


1G7 


Adam  could  not  beget  fruit  which  could 
fulfill  this,  while  it  was  so  thoroughly  cor- 
rupted and  condemned  before  God;  but  it 
must  be  a  man  who  was  free  from  the  de- 
served curse,  condemnation  and  death  of 
Adam,  and  also  from  all  his  venom,  sin 
and  unrighteousness,  as  has  been  sufficient- 
ly heard. 

Observe,  my  faithful  reader,  and  here 
learn  to  know  your  God  in  his  grace  and 
love.  For  although  the  whole  Scriptures 
conclude  Adam  and  Eve,  together  with  all 
their  descendants,  entirely  under  the  sin, 
cm'se,  condemnation  and  death,  according 
to  justice,  yet  it  does  not  leave  in  hell  the 
solicitous,  afflicted  conscience,  which  has 
been  so  far  taught  and  directed  by  the  law, 
that  it  feels  its  wounds  and  stripes,  and  ac- 
knowledges that  it  is  deserving  of  eternal 
death  and  condemnation;  but  the  Script- 
ui'es  show  in  consoling  words  and  symbols, 
where  and  of  whom  to  get  the  healing  med- 
icine, namely:  of  Christ  Jesus.  For  it  is 
he  who  with  all  his  righteousness,  merit, 
cross,  blood  and  death,  was  graciously 
given  of  God  our  heavenly  Father  to  the 
fallen  and  condemned  Adam  and  his  pos- 
terity, for  their  eternal  salvation  and  rec- 
onciliation, o 

I  think  this  may  well  be  called  a  joyous 
gospel,  and  glad  tidings  to  all  afflicted  and 
lamenting  souls,  who  having  become  sub- 
ject to  sin  and  death  under  the  law,  so  fear- 
fully tremble  at  the  righteous  judgment  and 
wi-ath  of  God,  that  the  Almighty,  eternal 
God  and  Father  has  so  loved  us  miserable, 
trifling  and  condemned  sinners  who  are  so 
far  estranged  from  him  and,  according  to 
his  righteoiis  judgment,  are  deserving  of 
eternal  death,  that  he  sent  into  this  misera- 
ble world,  his  Almighty,  eternal  and  ineffa- 
ble Word,  his  only,  eternal  and  beloved 
Son,  the  Inightness  of  his  glory ;  and  who 
was  like  unto  Adam  before  the  fall,  as  a 
proof  and  means  of  his  divine  grace;  and 
that  this  One  has,  througli  his  perfect  riglit- 
eousness,  willing  obedience  and  innocent 
death,  led  us  from  the  kingdom  and  do- 
minion of  the  devil  into  tlie  kingdom  of  liis 
divine  grace  and  eternal  peace. 


Inasmuch  as  the  Scriptures  pronounce 
the  first  Adam  and  all  his  seed  to  be  such 
an  impure,  sinful,  acciu'sed  and  condemned 
Adam,  and  pronounce  Christ,  the  second 
Adam,  free  from  all  impurity,  sin,  curse 
and  condemnation,  therefore  the  impartial 
reader  may  well  deduce  therefrom  that  such 
a  precious,  glorious  fruit  could  not  be 
plucked  from  an  elder  or  thorn  bush;  but 
should  be  begotten  from  some  other  source, 
namely:  from  him  who  is  the  only  cause 
and  eternal  source  of  all  good  things,  as 
has  been  said. 

That  the  holy  and  saving  flesh  of  Christ 
was  not  of  the  sinful  and  condemned  flesh 
of  Adam  may  be  plainly  observed  from  the 
following  passages  and  figures  of  the  Holy 
Scripture. 

Isaiah  says,  "All  we  like  sheep,  have 
gone  astray;  we  have  tiu-ned  every  one  to 
his  own  way;  and  the  Lord  hath  laid  on 
him  the  iniquity  of  us  all."  "He  hath  done 
violence  to  no  one;  neither  was  any  deceit 
in  his  mouth.  Yet  it  pleased  the  Lord  to 
bruise  him,"  Isa.  53 :  6,  9,  10. 

I  must  pay,  says  the  Psalmist,  in  the  per- 
son of  Christ  that  which  I  had  not  taken. 
He  "bare  our  sins  in  his  own  body  on  the 
tree,"  and  by  his  stripes  we  were  healed,  1 
Pet.  2:24. 

"  For  he  hath  made  him  to  be  sin  for  us, 
who  knew  no  sin;  that  we  might  be  made 
the  righteousness  of  God  in  him,"  2  Cor. 
5:  21.  Again,  we  are  all  sinners  and  come 
short  of  the  glory  of  God;  but  are  made 
righteoias,  without  merit,  by  his  grace, 
through  the  deliverance  wliich  is  in  Christ. 

Again,  "  The  Scripture  hath  concluded  all 
under  sin,  that  the  promise  by  faith  of  Jesus 
Christ  might  be  given  to  them  that  believe," 
Gal.  3:  22. 

Ye  know,  says  John,  that  the  Son  of  God 
"was  manifested  to  take  away  oiu-  sins;" 
and  in  him  is  no  sin,  1  John  3:  5.  Read 
also  all  these  Scriptures,  Isa.  7:  9  and  40; 
Jer.  23;  Mic.  H;  John  1,  3,  H,  6,  8,  9,  10,  11, 
14,  IG,  17;  1  Cor.  15;  Acts,  20;  Epli.  4;  1 
Tim.  3;  1  John  1,  2,  3,  4,  5;  Heb.  1,  2,  3,  7; 
Rev.  1 :  19. 


168 


THE   CONFUTATION. 


SCRIPTURAL  REFERENCES  UPON  THE  FOREGOING  SUBJECT. 


He  is  the  spiritiTal  tree  of  life  in  tlie  midst 
of  the  paradise  of  God,  which  is  not  planted 
by  the  hands  of  man,  bnt  of  God  himself. 
Rev.  2:  7;  all  those  that  shall  eat  the  fruits 
of  this  tree,  with  pure  hearts,  shall  live  for- 
ever; and  the  leaves  of  the  tree  are  for  the 
healing  of  the  nations,  Rev.  29:  3. 

He  is  the  spiritual,  brazen  serpent,  sym- 
bolized in  the  Mosaic  serpent,  Num.  21:  9, 
which  was  erected  for  us  miserable  sinners, 
by  the  Father,  in  the  wilderness  of  this 
world,  as  a  healing  sign,  which  had  the 
venomous  form  of  the  venomous  serpent, 
yet  had  not  its  venomous  nature.  All  those 
who  believe  on  him  are  delivered  from  the 
curse,  condemnation  and  death  caused  by 
the  serpent;  but  whosoever  does  not  believe 
on  him,  on  him  the  wrath  of  God  remains, 
and  he  must  eternally  bear  and  suffer,  ac- 
cording to  God's  eternal  justice,  the  threat- 
ened curse,  death  and  condemnation,  John 
3:  36. 

He  is  the  spiritual  mercy  seat,  which  is 
not,  like  the  ark  made  of  Shittim  wood,  but 
of  fine,  pure  gold,  from  which  God  gracious- 
ly hears  us  and  speaks  unto  us  through  his 
Spirit  and  word,  Ex.  25:  10;  Rom.  3:  24; 
Heb.  4:  13.  He  is  the  spiritual  Paschal 
Lamb,  which  is  without  spot,  and  in  the 
sprinkling  and  sanctification  of  whose 
blood  the  chosen  Israel  of  God  was  ever 
graciously  saved  from  the  destroying  angel, 
and  from  the  wrath  of  God,  in  the  midst  of 
the  cruel,  dark  Egypt  of  this  world,  Ex. 
12:23;  Num.  9:  10. 

He  is  the  true  bread  from  heaven,  which 
is  not  made  of  natural  corn  or  wheat,  I 
mean,  of  our  sinful  flesh,  but  is  begotten  of 
the  dew  of  the  eternal  Word,  which  is  the 
only  and  true  food  for  our  souls,  by  which 
we  shall  live  forever,  if  we  only  eat  of  him 
through  true  faith,  Ex.  16:  5;  Num.  11:  18. 

He  is  the  Rock  which  was  torn  from  the 
mountain,  without  hands,  that  is,  without 
human  assistance,  which  Nebuchadnezzar 
saw  in  a  dream;  and  to  which  Daniel  was 
referred  as  being  the  one  who  should  waste 
and  destroy  the  iron,  clay,  silver  and  gold; 
yea,  all  the  kingdoms  of  this  world;  for  he 


has  all  power  in  heaven  and  upon  earth; 
he  is  a  powerful  King  over  all ;  and  to  his 
kingdom  there  shall  be  no  end,  nor  pass  to 
other  people,  Dan.  2: 44. 

Behold,  kind  reader,  judge  from  the 
above  mentioned  Scriptures  and  figures,  if 
you  fear  God,  if  such  doctrine  is  based  upon 
the  Scriptures,  which  claims  that  this  right- 
eous, holy,  spotless,  obedient  and  saving 
Messiah  was  born  of  the  unrighteous,  sinful, 
impure,  disobedient  and  accursed  flesh  or 
seed  of  Adani;  and  that  it  took  its  humani- 
ty therefrom.  O,  no.  This  pure,  clear 
water,  with  which  all  our  blemishes  were  to 
be  washed  away,  could  never  be  drawn 
from  such  an  impure,  stagnated  pool.  Let 
every  body  reflect  what  the  word  of  the 
Lord  teaches  him. 

Now  we  Avill,  by  the  grace  of  the  Lord, 
enlarge  upon  the  Scriptures  of  Heb.  2,  that 
we  may  rightly  comprehend  the  foundation 
and  truth  thereof;  and  that,  too,  that  our 
opponents  may  not  boast  that  Ave  do  not 
satisfy  them;  I  would  first  refer  you  to  the 
first  chapter  of  Hebrews,  and  have  you 
observe  what  is  said  there  of  Christ. 

In  the  first  place  it  reads,  that  "  God  hath 
in  these  last  days  spoken  unto  us  by  his 
Son,  whom  he  hath  appointed  heir  of  all 
things,  by  whom  also  he  made  the  worlds." 

In  the  second  place  it  reads,  that  this 
same  Son  is  "the  brightness  of  his  glory, 
and  the  express  image  of  his  person.'' 

Thirdly,  that  he  has  purged  our  sins  l)y 
himself. 

Fourthly,  that  he  is  the  first  begotten  Son 
of  God,  and  that  all  the  angels  shall  wor- 
ship him. 

Fifthly,  that  he  is  God,  and  that  his 
kingdom  and  throne  shall  endure  forever. 

Sixthly,  that  he  laid  the  foundation  of 
the  earth;  and  the  heavens  are  the  work  of 
his  hands. 

I  think  that  if  you  earnestly  ponder  on 
these  Scriptures  and  rightly  observe  them, 
you  will  soon  perceive  from  whence  Christ 
came,  who  and  what  he  is.  For  these  plain 
evidences  clearly  teach  that  the  world  was 
made  by  him;  that  he  is  the  brightness  of 


THE  CONFUTATION. 


169 


/ 


the  glory  of  God;  that  he  hath  purged  our 
sins  by  himself;  that  he  is  the  first  begotten 
Son  of  God,  that  he  is  God,  and  that  he  has 
laid  the  foundations  of  the  earth.  This 
could  not  be  of  Mary's  flesh.  Gen.  1:1;  Ps. 
33:  6;  Eph.  3:  9;  1:9;  Col.  1:16;  Heb.  1:3; 
Ps.  102:  26;  1  John  1:7;  Col.  1:  15. 

If  they  should  say  that  these  Scriptures 
are  not  spoken  in  regard  to  the  Son  of  Mary, 
but  in  regard  to  the  Son  of  God,  then  they 
confess  thereby  a  divided  Son,  two  persons, 
two  sons;  besides,  we  are  convinced  by 
these  very  Scriptures  that  they  are  spoken 
of  the  whole  Christ;  for  he  has  spoken  with 
us  as  a  man,  and  we  are  also  cleansed  of 
our  sins  through  his  human  suffering  and 
death,  as  the  Scripture  teaches,  1  John  1:7; 
1  Pet.  1 :  19. 

But  if  they  should  call  to  their  support 
the  sinecdoche,  or  commonness  of  the 
names,  then  I  would  answer  in  brief,  plain, 
words,  that  the  plain,  faithful  souls,  Peter 
and  John  the  fishermen,  Martha  the  servant, 
and  the  plain  Nathaniel,  knew  nothing 
at  all  of  such  satanic  testimony  and  human 
cunning;  but  they  have  given  praise  to  the 
visible  and  tangible  Christ,  and  confessed 
that  he  was  the  Son  of  God,  Matt.  16: 15; 
Jn.  6:  69;  11:  27. 

This  is  still  further  declared  in  the  second 
chapter  in  these  words:  "AVhat  is  man^ 
that  thou  art  mindful  of  him  ?  or  the  son  of 
man,  that  thou  visitest  him  ?  Thou  madest 
him  a  little  lower  than  the  angels;  thou 
crownedst  him  with  glory  and  honor,"  Heb. 
2:  6,  7. 

Here  I  would  faithfully  admonish  the 
faithful  reader,  to  observe  that  both  Eras- 
mus and  Hieronymus,  in  their  Latin  trans- 
lations, have  translated  this  thus:  "Thou 
madest  him  a  little  lower  than  the  angels ;" 
and  the  Hebrew  Psalm  also  has  it:  "Thou 
madest  him  inferior  to  God;  with  praise  I 
and  honor  thou  crownedst  him,"  Heb.  2:7;} 
Ps.  8:  5. 

This  agrees  with  the  word  of  Paul,  where 
he  says,  "Who  being  in  the  form  of  God, 
thought  it  not  robbery  to  be  equal  with 
God,  but  made  himself  of  no  reputation, 
and  took  upon  him  the  form  of  a  servant," 
Phil.  2:7.  At  another  place  he  says, 
"Though  he  was  rich,  yet  for  your  sakes 
he  became  poor,"  2  Cor.  8:9.  This  also 
58 


agrees  with  the  words  of  Christ,  "Now,  O 
Father,  glorify  thou  me  with  thine  own  self, 
with  the  glory  which  I  had  with  thee,  before 
the  world  was,"  Jn.  17:  5.  I  think  these 
plain  Scriptures  and  clear  testimonies  prove 
fully  that  the  teachings  of  our  opponents 
are  unscriptural  and  erroneous,  when  they 
say  that  the  Son  of  God  remained  in  his 
first  form  and  estate,  and  was  not  bruised  ' 
for  our  iniquities.  I 

This  same  man,  who,  for  our  sake,  was 
thus  humbled  and  made  less  than  God  and 
the  angels,  we  see  is  Christ,  who  for  suffer- 
ing death  was  crowned  with  praise  and 
honor;  for  as  he,  for  the  purpose  of  obedi- 
ence, humbled  himself  to  the  lowest,  for  our 
service,  therefore  he  was  again  exalted  to 
the  highest,  by  the  Father.  And  thus  he 
was  innocently  put  to  death  for  the  sake  of 
Adam  and  all  his  posterity',  b)^  the  grace  of 
God;  for  Adam  and  his  posterity  could  not 
be  otherwise  delivered  from  the  power  of 
death.  For  it  became  1dm.,  for  whom  and 
by  whom  are  all  things,  who  has  brought 
many  children  unto  glory,  to  make  the 
Prince  and  Captain  of  their  salvation  per- 
fect through  sufi'ering,  as  both  the  Sanctitier, 
Christ,  and  those  who  are  sanctified  through 
him,  the  regenerated,  are  all  of  one,  that  is, 
of  God,  Phil.  2:  9;  Heb.  2:  10. 

Thus  the  sanctified  together  have  one 
Father  with  their  Sanctifier,  as  John  says, 
"As  many  as  received  him,  to  them  gave 
he  power  to  become  the  sons  of  God,  even 
to  them  that  believe  on  his  name;  which 
were  born  not  of  blood,  nor  of  the  will  of 
the  flesh,  nor  of  the  will  of  man,  but  of 
God;"  and  therefore  our  Savior  "is  not 
ashamed  to  call  them  (the  sanctified),  breth- 
ren, saying,  I  will  declare  thy  name  unto 
my  brethren,  in  the  midst  of  the  church  will 
I  sing  praise  unto  thee,"  John  1:  12;  Heb. 
2:  11,  12.  Yea,  dear  reader,  if  the  flesh  of 
Christ  was  of  Adam's  flesh,  and  if  we  were 
called  his  brethren  on  that  account,  as  is 
the  doctrine  of  the  learned,  then  one  brother 
must  beget  the  other;  besides,  then  all  the 
ungodlj^,  yea,  whores  and  knaves,  must 
also  be  Christ's  brethren  and  sisters.  This 
is  too  i)lain  to  be  controverted. 

O,  no.  Who  his  brethren  are,  he  has 
himself  plainly  declared.  Matt.  12  :  59; 
Mark  3:  35;  Luke  8:  21.    And  he  not  only 


170 


THE  CONFUTATION. 


calls  them  his  brethren,  but  also,  his  chil- 
dren, and  says,  "Behold,  I  and  the  children 
which  God  hath  given  me."  They  are 
called  his  children  for  the  reason  that  he 
has  begotten  them  unto  God  his  Father,  by 
the  word  of  his  grace,  through  the  power  of 
his  Holy  Spirit,  in  the  besprinlding  of  his 
precious  blood.  At  another  place  he  also 
calls  them  his  mother,  bride,  flesh  and 
bones;  which,  according  to  the  flesh,  they 
could  not  be. 

Yea,  dear  reader,  if  he  had  received  his 
flesh  from  the  flesh  of  his  children,  as  John 
A'Lasco  and  his  followers  claim  that  he  has, 
then  the  children  must  have  begotten  the 
father.  Christ,  the  new  Adam,  would  say 
to  his  new  Eve:  I  am  flesh  of  thy  flesh— and 
not:  "  Thou  art  flesh  of  my  flesh."  If  you 
fear  God,  then  reflect  and  judge,  Heb.2: 13; 
Gen.  2:23. 

As  the  children  partake  of  flesh  and 
blood,  so  he,  in  the  same  manner  partook 
of  the  same,  that  he  might,  through  death, 
take  the  power  from  him  who  had  the  power 
of  death,  that  is,  the  devil,  and  deliver  those 
who,  of  necessity,  were  in  servitude  all  their 
lives;  for  he  does  not  accept  the  seed  of 
angels,  but  of  Abraham;  therefore  he  must 
become  like  unto  his  brethren  in  all  things. 

Behold,  this  is  the  strongest  and  most 
important  saying  wherewith  John  A'Lasco 
(in  regard  to  this  subject j,  disputes  the 
whole  Scriptures,  divides  Christ  and  makes 
him  into  two  persons  and  sons,  and,  as  he 
thinks,  joins  together  his  whole  work,  ar- 
guments, sayings  and  Batterings.  And 
this  is  his  proper  foundation  and  meaning: 
"As  the  children  are  partakers  of  flesh  and 
blood,  so,  also,  has  the  AVord,  or  Son  of 
God  received  or  partaken  of  this  flesh  and 
blood  from  the  flesh  and  blood  of  the  chil- 
dren; and  has  thus  vanquished  hell,  sin, 
death  and  devil  in  our  flesh,  Heb.  2;  Phil. 
2:  7;  Hosea  13:  14;  1  Cor.  15:  54;  Col.  2:15; 
2  Tim.  1:  10. 

Inasmuch  as  he  so  strenuously  insists  on 
the  above^  saying,  therefore  have  I  by  ad- 
ducing so  many  Scriptures,  so  enlarged 
upon  the  inherent,  unclean,  sinful  flesh  and 
nature  of  the  children,  and  their  deserved 
death  and  condemnation  on  the  one  hand, 
and  the  pure,  holy  flesh  and  nature  of 
Christ,  his  undeserved  death  and  judgment 


on  the  other,  that  the  reader  might  thereby 
rightly  understand  and  comprehend  that  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  could  not  be  of  such  un- 
clean flesh  and  seed  of  the  children,  nor  par- 
take of  such  a  man;  for  the  flesh  of  the  chil- 
dren is  unclean  and  sinful,  but  the  flesh  of 
Clu-ist  is  piu'e  and  holy. 

Since  his  pure  flesh  could  not  be  of  the 
imclean  flesh  of  the  children,  as  has  been 
said,  and  since  our  opijonents  so  strenuous- 
ly insist  upon  it,  on  account  of  this  Script- 
ure, therefore  I  will  diligently  examine  it 
word  for  word,  and,  by  the  grace  of  God,  I 
will  attach  to  each  word  its  wholesome  and 
right  meaning. 

First,  observe  that  the  word  cMldren  has 
reference  to  none  other  than  those  who, 
above,  are  called  Christ's  brethren,  namely, 
those  who  believe  in  him,  and  who  are  born 
of  God  by  the  living  power  of  his  Spirit  and 
word,  as  said. 

Secondly,  observe  what  the  Scriptural 
meaning  of  liaving  communion  with  flesTb 
and  hlood  is;  that  it  is  not  simply  having 
flesh  and  blood,  as  some  have  interpreted 
it;  but  that  it  also  means,  to  intermix  with 
flesh  and  blood,  and  to  do  the  things  which 
are  forbidden  of  God,  through  the  lusts  of 
our  flesh,  Rom.  7:7;  3:  20. 

Thirdly,  observe  that  since  the  children 
of  God  are  partakers  of  sinful  flesh  and 
blood  and  are  subject  to  such  human  weak- 
ness by  Avhich  they  involuntarily  ever  strug- 
gle and  fail — therefore  they  must  have  such 
a  High  Priest  who  could  have  compassion 
with  their  human  failui-es ;  as  he  was  tempt- 
ed in  the  same  manner,  although  withoiit 
sin,  as  said. 

Fourthly,  observe  that  the  adverb  sivii- 
liter  (that  is,  in  the  same  manner),  here  ex- 
presses a  true  human  nature  in  Christ,  it  is 
true,  but  not  a  natural  conception  as  John 
A'Lasco  claims  and  argues;  for  it  is  mani- 
fest all  through  the  Scriptures  tliat  the  con- 
ceiJtiou  of  Mary  was  supernatural;  that  it 
was  brought  about  by  the  Holy  Ghost, 
through  faith,  as  lias  been  shown  above. 

Fifthly,  observe  that  the  expression 
"partaking  of  flesh  and  blood"  means 
nothing  else  than  liairing  flesh  and  blood; 
since  his  children  and  brethren,  also  liave 
flesh  and  blood,  as  Sebastian  Castalion, 
also,  has  rendered  it,  but  with  such  differ- 


THE  CONFUTATION. 


171 


ence  that  his  flesh  was  holy  and  knew  no 
sin,  and  therefore  experienced  no  decay, 
bnt  the  flesh  of  his  brethren  and  children  is 
sinfiil,  and  therefore  also  subject  to  decay, 
1  Cor.  15:53;  5:4. 

Sixthly,  observe  that  Paul  does  not  at  all 
times  use  the  words  ^lartaJcing  offiesh  and 
blood,  in  the  same  sense.  In  one  place,  1 
Cor.  9:12,  hewi'ites,  "If  others  be  partakers 
of  this  power  over  you,"  that  is.  If  others 
hate  this  power  over  you;  again,  "He  that 
thresheth  in  hope  should  be  partaker  of  his 
hope,"  that  is  should  receive  that  which  he 
hopes  to  get.  Again  in  the  10th,  17th  and 
21st  of  the  same  epistle,  it  is  used  for  en- 

.1o.yiiig. 

Inasmuch  as  the  word  partalcing  has  not, 
every  where  in  Scripture,  one  meaning — 
therefore,  wherever  it  is  found,  it  should  not 
be  explained  otherwise  than  according  to 
the  true  nature  and  meaning  of  the  Script- 
ures, or  else  the  whole  Scriptures  must  be 
broken  and  garbled  for  the  sake  of  such  a 
word. 

Seventhly,  observe  that  the  word  eorun- 
dem  (that  is,  of  the  same),  has  reference  to 
the  words  flesli  and  Mood,  but  not  to  the 
flesh  and  blood  of  the  children,  for  that  is 
unclean,  sinful,  guilty  and  condemned;  if 
it  had  reference  to  the  flesh  and  blood  of 
the  children,  as  John  A'Lasco  and  M.  M. 
claim,  and  that  the  Son  of  God  took  unto 
himself  a  perfect  man,  body  and  soul,  of 
the  flesh  of  the  children,  then  it  is  incontro- 
vertible that  all  the  following  and  indisso- 
luble inconsistencies  must  exist : 

In  the  first  place  an  impure,  sinful,  ac- 
cursed, and  death-guilty  Christ,  as  is  the 
flesh  of  the  children  of  whom  he  should 
have  partaken  his  flesh;  for  wherever  the 
flesh  of  the  children  is,  there,  also,  is  the 
sin  and  curse  of  the  children;  this  cannot 
be  controverted,  or  else  justice  must  have 
been  changed  and  the  curse  taken  away 
and  ended  by  our  own  flesh.  To  which  M., 
in  the  first  conversation  I  had  with  him, 
thus  replied:  "  Christ  was  pure  and  without 
sin,  and  that  because  Mary  did  not  conceive 
him  of  the  seed  of  man."  I  answered:  I 
must  understand,  then,  that  sin  is  because 
of  the  mixture,  which  is  the  ordinance  of 
God,  and  not  because  of  the  transgression 
of  Adam.    He  answered:   No,  it  was  be- 


cause of  the  justice  of  God  that  he  became 
of  a  corrupted  nature.  I  asked,  how?  He 
answered:  "Because  God  had  said.  That 
in  the  day  thou  eatest  thereof  thou  shalt 
surely  die."  I  then  replied:  then  God  was 
the  cause  of  the  sin  of  Adam;  and  the 
threatened  death  must  not  only  be  punish- 
ment of  sin,  but  sin  itself.  I  said,  Martin, 
do  observe  what  reasoning  you  bring  for- 
ward. 

In  the  second  place  it  follows  that  there 
must  be  a  divided  Christ,  of  whom  one  half 
must  be  of  heaven  and  the  other  half  of 
earth. 

In  the  third  place  that  there  must  be  two 
persons  in  Christ;  one  divine  and  one  lur- 
man.  To  which  Martin  in  our  second  con- 
versation, thus  replied:  "There  were  not 
two  persons  in  Christ,  but  one  person;  for, 
although  the  word  was  one  person  from 
eternity,  yet  it  was  no  person  which  was 
conceived  in  Mary."  He  further  said,  "Al- 
though each  human  being  is  one  person, 
and  although  the  man,  Christ,  was  one 
man  as  any  other  man,  yet  the  man,  Christ 
alone  was  no  person."  I  am  ashamed  to 
touch  upon  such  inconsistent  things.  Paul 
justly  said,  Vhi  disputator  secvl'-'^^Htjus? 
"Where  is  the  disputer  of'i!fi^V,^r^^"' 

In  the  fourth  place  that  there  are  two 
Sons  in  Christ — ^the  Sou  of  God  without 
mother,  and  he  impassive;  and  the  son  of 
man  without  father,  and  he  passive;  some- 
thing which  M.  M.,  both  in  our  first  and 
also  in  our  second  conversation,  several 
times  openly  admitted  before  us  all,  in 
plain  language.  O  God,  what  strange 
things  we  hear ! 

In  the  fifth  place,  that  not  the  first  begot- 
ten and  only  Son  of  God,  but  the  fatherless 
Son  of  Mary,  of  the  accursed,  sinful  flesh  of 
Adam,  died  for  us — something  which  is  di 
recti  V  contrary  to  Christ,  John,  Paul  and 
the  Wxioie  Scriptures. 

In  the  sixth  place,  that  the  eternal  oflTer- 
ing  of  reconciliation,  once  offered  for  the 
sins  of  the  whole  world,  was  not  the  spot- 
less Lamb,  but  an  unclean,  blemished  otfer- 
ing  which  was  subject  to  sin  and  death,  as 
may  also  be  unmistakably  deduced  from 
the  writings  of  A'Lasco,  John  3:  16;  Rom. 
8:31. 

In  the  seventh  place,  the  angel  Gabriel 


172 


THE  CONFUTATION. 


Peter,  and  the  Lord  himself,  acknowledge 
that  the  man,  Christ  Jesus,  is  the  Son  of 
God.  Thomas  acknowledges  him  as  his 
Lord  and  God;  besides  the  whole  Script- 
ures teach  that  he  is  our  Advocate,  Recon- 
ciler, Mediator,  High  Priest,  Deliverer  and 
Messiah — and  if  he  is  yet  to  he  of  the  un- 
clean sinful  flesh  and  seed  of  Adam,  then  it 
is  manifest  that  a  created  creature  and  man 
of  the  sinful  flesh  of  Adam,  is  our  Messiah, 
Deliverer,  Eeconciliator,  Advocate,  High 
Priest,  Yea,  Lord  and  God ;  something  which 
is  not  alone  an  abomination  and  idola- 
tiy,  but  also  open  blasphf^my  against  God. 

•X-  '  * 

In  the  tenth  place,  if  the  eternal  Word,  by 
which  every  thing  was  created,  had  par- 
taken of  such  a  carnal  son  of  the  flesh  of 
of  the  children,  or  of  Mary,  and  had  thus 
united  himself  into  one  person  and  son, 
then  the  Creator  and  the  creature,  the  Sou 
of  God  without  mother,  and  the  son  of 
Mary  without  father,  must  have  become 
one,  undivided  person  and  son.  This  is  in- 
controvertible. 

In  the  eleventh  place,  if  the  Word  has 
partaken  of  such  flesh  as  that  of  Mary,  and 
if  it's""!/!  not  become  man,  then  God  is  not 
the  tl-iik^aOAer  of  Christ,  Mary  no  true 
mother,  and  Christ  no  true  son  of  both  his 
father  and  mother;  besides,  the  whole 
Scriptures  are  denied  which  testify  that 
Christ  is  the  Son  of  God. 

I  think  that  all  these  indissoluble  incon- 
sistencies, sufficiently  show  you  that  John 
A'Lasco  has  not  given  the  Scriptural  mean- 
ing to  the  word  eorundem. 

Eighthly,  observe  why  Christ,  the  Prince 
of  our  salvation,  became  man,  namely,  that 
he  might  destroy  the  prince  of  death,  the 
devil,  by  his  innocent  death,  and  that  he 
might  thus  deliver  and  free  his  poor,  en- 
slaved, timorous  brethren  and  children  from 
the  accusing  law,  from  the  judgment  of  sin 
and  the  terror  of  death. 

Ninthly,  observe  that  the  passage,  "He 
takes*  not  on  him  the  nature  of  angels,  but 
he  takes*  on  him  the  seed  of  Abraham," 
should  not  be  understood  as  having  any 
reference  to  the  taking  on  of  human  flesh, 
as  the  learned  explain  it,  but  to  the  par- 
taking of  gi-ace,  by  which  we  are  accepted; 

*German  and  Holland  translation*. 


for  he  uses  the  word  talie  in  the  present 
tense  and  angels  in  the  plural  number,  and 
says,  "He  talces -aoi  oti  him  the  natm-e  of 
ongels,  but  he  takes  on  him  the  seed  of 
Abraham,"  the  children  of  the  promise, 
Rom.  9:8;  the  believers,  Gal.  3:29;  his 
brethren  and  children.  He  accepts  them, 
in  grace,  to  the  praise  of  his  Father, 
Rom.  15:  7;  prays  for  their  failings  and 
weaknesses,  Rom.  8:7;  Heb.  5:10.  For 
the}^  can  never  be  freed  from  the  inherent, 
impure,  wicked  nature  of  their  sinful  flesh, 
in  this  life. 

Tenthly,  observe  that  a  thing  which  is 
like  unto  another,  is  not  necessarily  the 
same  thing  which  it  resembles;  and,  there- 
fore it  cannot  be  maintained  by  this  pas- 
sage, "AVherefore  in  all  things  it  behooved 
him  to  be  made  like  unto  his  brethren,"  that 
the  holy,  pure  flesh  of  Christ  is  of  the  un- 
clean, sinful  flesh  of  Adam. 

Behold,  dear  reader,  if  you  consider  well 
the  explanation  of  the  Scripture,  Heb.  2, 
and  weigh  it  in  the  balance  of  the  Scriptures, 
you  will  very  plainly  find  that  this  is  the 
meaning  of  the  above  mentioned  Scripture; 
that  although  Christ,  the  Prince  of  our  sal- 
vation, has  led  us  to  his  glorj^,  and  has 
thus  accepted  us  as  brethren  and  children 
in  faith,  yet  we  are,  in  our  first  Adamic 
birth,  so  poisoned  by  the  serpent,  and  so 
corrupted  by  nature,  that  we  can  nevermore 
become  free  of  our  unclean  sinful  flesh,  so 
long  as  we  dwell  in  this  tabernacle;  but 
oftentimes  (although  involuntarily)  mix  and 
soil  ourselves  therewith ;  and  become,  there- 
fore, convinced  by  the  hand  writing,  that 
we  are  guilty  of  death,  according  to  the  eter- 
nal justice,  Rom.  7:  7;  3:  20;  Col.  2:  13. 

Since  we  are  ensnared  by  such  wicked, 
sinful,  disobedient  and  death  guilty  flesh, 
as  all  the  pious  children  of  God  have,  from 
the  beginning,  dolefully  complained  of,  and 
could  not  be  entirely  freed  from  the  inserted 
sting  of  the  serpent ;  therefore  it  is  that  our 
Prince,  Savior,  Brother  and  Father,  Christ, 
in  his  extremely  great  love,  has  given  him- 
self according  to  the  counsel,  purpose,  will 
and  determination  of  his  everlasting  Father, 
and  in  accordance  partook  of  flesh  and 
blood;  not  of  the  flesh  of  the  children,  for 
they  are  sinful  and  unclean,  but  as  John 
says,  "The  Word  was  made  flesh,"  John 


THE  CONFUTATION. 


173 


1:  14;  Deut.  32: 15;  Isa.  64:  4;  Job  15: 14; 
Ps.  143:  2;  Gal.  2:  17;  3:  11;  1  Jolm  1:  3; 
Heb.  2:14;  Phil.  2:7.  Yea,  a  despised, 
afflicted,  tempted  and  mortal  man;  and  is 
thns  voluntarily  come  forward  to  battle  for 
his  associates,  sanctified  brethren  and  chil- 
dren; has  placed  himself  heroically  in  their 
defense,  and  has  abashed  the  tempter  in 
his  temptation;  vanquished  him  in  his 
power;  taken  his  stronghold;  bruised  his 
head;  fulfilled  and  blotted  out  the  hand 
writing;  blotted  it  out  with  his  precious 
blood;  requited  our  guilty  and  deserved 
death  by  his  innocent  and  unmerited  death, 
to  the  fulfilling  of  the  prophetic  word,  "O 
death,  I  will  be  thy  plagues;  O  grave,  I 
will  be  thy  destruction !"  and  he  has  thus 
delivered  and  freed  his  chosen,  his  saints, 
his  brethren  and  children  from  servitude 
and  the  penalty  of  the  law;  from  the  judg- 
ment of  sin,  and  from  the  fearful  terrors  of 
the  threatened  death  in  such  a  manner  that 
their  human  weaknesses  and  involuntary 
mistakes,  for  his  sake,  will  no  more  be 
counted  against  them  as  sin,  if  they  will 
but  walk  before  him  with  penitent  believing 
hearts,  and  will  steadily  cling  to  his  word 
with  positive,  assured  consciences,  Gen. 
49:  10;  Isa.  2:5;  Luke  11:  21;  Col.  2:  14; 
Hosea  13:  14;  Rom.  8:  2,  3. 

Behold,  thus  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  has 
accepted  the  seed  of  Abraham  and  liberated 
it,  to  the  praise  of  his  Father;  and  has 
therefore  appeared  in  person,  and  become, 
in  all  things,  like  unto  his  poor,  weak,  af- 
flicted brethren  in  all  manner  of  poverty, 
misery,  affliction,  need,  fear  of  death  and 
mortality;  that  he  might  thus  be  a  compas- 
sionate, merciful  and  faithful  High  Priest 
to  reconcile  the  sins,  defects  and  errors 
of  his  saints  before  God  his  Father;  for,  as 
he  has  walked  with  them  in  the  same  temp- 
tation, battle,  misery,  anxiety  and  fear  of 
death,  therefore  he  can  also  come  to  the 
rescue  of  all  those  who  are  tempted  of  the 
world,  hell,  sin,  devil  and  death.  This  is 
my  reply  to  the  construction  which  John 
A'Lasco  and  his  class  put  upon  the  Script- 
ure, Heb.  2.  If  you  fear  God  then  read  and 
judge. 

In  the  eighth  place  he  explains  the  testi- 
mony of  John  and  says,  "The  AVord,  the 
Son  of  God,  commenced  being  of  the  seed 


of  David,  Rom.  1,  of  the  virgin  Mary,  Matt. 
1,  flesh,  man,  Christ,  Immanuel,"  &c.  Again, 
"The  Word  has  accepted  our  flesh."  Again, 
"  The  Word,  which  from  the  beginning  alone 
was  God,  is  become  (that  is,  it  commenced 
being  together)  flesh  (that  is,  man),  and  has 
dwelt  (that  is,  it  has  taken  its  abode)  in  us 
(that  is,  in  our  flesh)  through  its  participa- 
tion," as  Paul  says.  These  are  his  words  in 
regard  to  the  Scripture  John  1. 

0  dear  reader,  what  is  so  clear  that 
it  cannot  be  obscured  by  human  intellect, 
and  what  so  straight  that  it  can  not  be 
bent  ?  If  he  does  it  through  a  misconcep- 
tion he  may  yet  be  corrected;  but  if  he  does 
it  for  other  reasons,  then  it  will  not  be  well 
with  his  poor  soul. 

1  am  surprised  that  he  dares  publish  such 
inconsistent  explanations,  in  print,  when  he 
well  knows  that  there  are  to  be  found  so 
many  learned  theological  men.  O,  dear 
Lord!  How  frightful  it  is  to  mix  God's  clear 
wine,  and  the  high  testimony  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  with  such  impure  water,  and  thus  to 
corrupt  it  by  earthly  wisdom.  He  has  so 
treated  with  this  plain  Scripture,  that  it 
would  have  removed  all  doubt  and  given 
me  new  courage,  if  I  had  had  any  doubt  of 
my  faith  and  foundation,  which,  thank  God, 
I  have  none. 

Inasmuch  as  he  so  fearfully  belittles  the 
wonderful,  glorious  work  of  divine  grace 
and  love,  which  the  Almiglity,  eternal  Fa- 
ther has  so  graciously  shown  us  poor,  mis- 
erable sinners,  through  his  eternal  Word 
and  Son;  and  as  he  would  rather  break  the 
holy  word  and  testimony  of  the  Lord,  than 
doubt  his  own  intelligence,  therefore  I  pray 
every  body,  for  God's  sake,  not  to  think 
hard  of  me,  that  I,  unlearned  man,  oppose 
this  and  confute  his  unscriptural  explana- 
tions with  the  clear,  plain  Scriptures  and 
reasoning,  and  thus  lay  the  foundation  of 
truth. 

I  trust  that  no  reasonable  and  impartial 
person  can,  in  any  way,  think  hard  of  me, 
for  publicly  replying  to  him,  and  defending 
the  praise  of  the  Lord,  since  he  has  publicly 
written  against  me  and  fearfully  violated 
the  word  of  God,  as  I  understand  it. 

I  would  undoubtedly  have  excused  him 

and  not  have  mentioned  his  name,  if  only 

i  he  and  his  followers  would  leave  the  Script- 


174 


THE  CONFUTATION. 


iires  unbroken,  and  would  not  so  indiscreet- 
ly war  against  the  clear,  jjure  truth,  both 
verbally  and  in  -nTiting.  But  my  conscience 
and  the  word  of  God  constrain  me  to  pro- 
tect the  praise  of  my  Lord  and  my  faith. 

I  say  First,  that  he,  by  his  explanation, 
has  broken  the  testimony  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  adulterated  the  Scriptures;  for 
he  writes,  "The  Word,  the  Son  of  God  has, 
of  the  seed  of  David,  Rom.  1 : 3,  of  a  woman, 
Gal.  4:4,  of  the  virgin  Mary,  commenced 
being  flesh,  man.  In  Rom.  1:  3,  it  reads, 
"Made  of  the  seed  of  David  according  to 
the  flesh;"  Gal.  4,  born  of  a  woman;  and 
"That  which  is  conceived  in  her,  is  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,"  Matt.  1 :  20.  Inasmuch  as  he 
has  not  left  the  Scriptures  in  their  natural 
sense,  but  has  garbled  and  turned  them  to 
his  own  advantage;  and,  instead  of  horn  of 
and  conceived  o/he  writes  commenced  heing, 
therefore  he  shows  thereby  clearly  that  he 
cannot  prove  his  explanation  by  the  Script- 
ures, but  merely  decorates  it,  in  semblance,  I 
by  adducing  mutilated  Scriptures  and 
palms  them  ofi"  as  true. 

Secondly,  I  say  that  there  is  not  a  letter 
to  be  found  in  all  the  Scriptures  that  the 
Word  accepted  our  flesh,  which  he  so  often- 
times writes;  or  that  the  divine  nature  mi- 
raculously united  itself  with  our  human 
nature;  or  that  the  Son  of  God  should  have 
remained  unchanged  and  took  on  him  the 
son  of  Mary ;  or  that  the  Son  of  God  should 
have  bestowed  all  his  Attributes  on  the  son 
of  man,  and  that  one  person  was  made  of 
two,  as  John  Brent  says;  or  that  the  son  of 
man  should  be  the  chosen  Son  of  God,  as 
Pomeranus  says;  or  that  the  Word,  the 
Son,  should  have  taken  on  him  a  perfect 
man  of  the  flesh  of  Mary ;  or  that  the  blood 
of  Mary  was  concreted  in  her  womb,  as  the 
servants  of  the  barbarous  churches  of  Lon- 
don say;  or  that  he  put  on  our  flesh;  or 
that  he  should  have  dwelt  therein ;  or  that 
he  was  flesh  of  our  flesh;  or  that  our  flesh 
should  sit  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Father — 
therefore  I  say  that  they  are  wrong  in  all 
particulars,  yea  more,  that  they  are  anath- 
ematized. For  they  ai*e  a  strange  gospel 
and  new  doctrine  which  is  not  derived  from 
the  Spirit  and  word  of  God,  but  is  invented 
of  flesh  and  blood.  Gal.  1 : 8. 

Thirdly,  I  say  that  his  explanation  is  in- 


consistent in  every  particular.  For  he  says, 
The  word  commenced  heing  man,  and  also, 
that  it  dwelt  in  our  flesh.  If  ithecamevaan, 
as  it  truly  did,  as  the  testimony  of  John, 
when  not  adulterated,  clearly  shows — how 
could  it  then,  yet  dwell  in  the  flesh  of  man? 
For  to  commence  being  a  house  and  to 
dwell  in  a  house,  are  widely  diff'erent.  This 
all  reasonable  people  must  admit. 

Fourthly,  I  say  that  this  explanation  of 
his  is  inconsistent  in  itself.  For  if  the  word 
commenced  heing  man.  tlien  it  did  not  re- 
main unchanged  in  its  first  state.  But  if  it 
remained  unchanged,  then  it  did  not  com- 
mence heing  man,  but  it  commenced  taking 
on  a  man  of  our  flesh  and  thus  it  com- 
menced to  dwell  in  one  of  our  flesh,  let  him 
turn  the  matter  as  he  pleases.  Therefore  I 
will  not  let  John  A'Lasco  be  the  expounder, 
but  will  let  the  faithful  and  plain  John  him- 
self explain  his  own  words.  He  writes, 
"That  which  was  from  the  beginning,  which 
we  have  heard,  which  we  have  seen  with 
our  eyes,  which  we  have  looked  upon,  and 
our  hands  have  handled,  of  the  Word  of 
Life,  for  the  life  was  manifested,  and  we 
have  seen  it,"  1  John  1:  1,  2. 

Inasmuch  as  his  explanation  is  incon- 
sistent in  itself,  and  is  both  contrary  to 
nature  and  the  Scriptures ;  and  inasmuch  as 
John  shows  me  such  a  plain  foundation— 
therefore  I  will  not  establish  my  foundation 
and  faith  on  such  uncertain,  dark  and  col- 
ored flatterings,  but  I  will  establish  them  on 
the  certain,  clear  and  undeceivable  testimo- 
ny of  John;  for  I  know  that  his  testimony 
is  true,  yea,  that  it  is  the  unbroken  truth 
and  pure  word  of  God.     , 

Fifthly,  I  say  that  his  explanation  of  the 
verb  hdbitavit,  that  is,  has  dwelt,  is  false, 
for  he  says  and  claims  that  the  Word  and 
our  flesh,  or  the  son  of  Maiy,  taken  on  by 
the  Word,  are  one  person  and  one  Christ; 
and  here  he  claims  that  the  Word,  which  is 
the  Son  of  God,  has  taken  its  abode  in  our 
flesh,  and  refers  to  Xenophon.  From  which 
one  or  the  other  must  follow,  either  that  Xen- 
ophon and  his  domicil  are  one  being  and 
thing,  the  same  as  the  Son  of  God  and  the 
son  of  Mary  (understand,  according  to  his 
explanation)  are  one  person  and  Christ — 
or,  if  Xenophon  and  his  domicil  are  two 
separate  things,  as  they  really  are,  that 


THE  CONFUTATION. 


ITS- 


then,  also,  tlie  Son  of  God  and  the  son  of 
Mary,  in  whom  God's  Son  should  have 
dwelt,  according  to  his  explanation,  are  two 
separate  persons  and  Christs;  for,  the  one 
who  dwells  in  a  house  and  the  house  are 
two  different  things,  is  too  self-evident  to 
be  denied. 

Further  I  say,  that  his  explanation  of  the 
verb  habitamt  is  not  at  all  founded  in  fact. 
For  the  evangelist  uses  the  verb  to  dwell  in 
the  perfect  tense,  and  says.  Has  dwelt; 
from  which  it  is  evident  that  John  does  not 
here  speak  of  dwelling  in  our  flesh,  but  of 
his  dwelling  among  men,  as  all  intelligent ; 
translators  have  rendered  it.  For  if  he 
should  have  spoken  it  with  such  a  meaning 
as  John  A'Lasco  explains  it,  then  he  would  | 
have  said  dicell,  in  the  present  tense,  or  we 
must  acknowledge  that  the  word  did  not 
dwell  in  the  man  Christ  longer  than  while 
he  walked  here  on  earth,  which  to  my  un- 
derstanding, would  be  a  gross  abomination 
and  a  great  error. 

Sixthly,  I  say  that  the  explanation  can 
not  be  maintained  in  any  manner;  for  the 
whole  Scriptures  in  regard  to  Christ  would 
contradict  themselves.  There  would  be  two 
persons  and  sons  in  Christ — a  sinful  and 
death-giiilty  Messiah — the  father  no  true 
father,  the  mother  no  true  mother,  and  the 
son  no  true  son.  The  prophets,  Gabriel, 
the  angel  of  the  Lord,  Christ  Jesus,  John 
and  Paul,  would  all  be  false  witnesses,  as 
has  been  previously  heard. 

Lastly,  I  say  as  before,  that  John  wrote 
his  gospel  and  testimony  of  Christ,  the  Son 
of  God,  in  a  very  contentious  time.  If  he 
had  not  meant  just  as  he  wrote,  but  if  he 
had  written  it  in  such  a  confused  and  strange 
sense  as  John  A'Lasco  explains  it — then 
he  would  not  have  abated  the  dispute  there- 
by, but  would  rather  have  given  new  energy 
thereto. 

O  no.  John  has  simply,  clearly  and 
plainly  given  his  testimony,  foundation 
and  faith  concerning  Christ  Jesus,  the  Son 
of  God,  and  our  only  and  eternal  Messiah, 
and  has  testified,  without  duplicity,  that 
the  Word  of  God,  which  was  from  the  be- 
ginning, became  flesh,  and  that  this  same  : 
incarnated  AVord  has  dwelt  amongst  us. 
But  he  did  not  write  a  syllable  that  he  ac-  } 
cepted  OUT  flesh,  or  that  he  dwelt  in  a  man  | 


of  the  flesh  of  Mary,  as,  alas,  John  A'Lasco, 
by  his  human  wisdom  obscures  his  simple, 
plain  word  and  clear  testimony,  mutilates 
and  controverts  it. 

Inasmuch  as  he,  in  his  defense  and  ex- 
planation, has  so  frightfully  broken  the 
Scripture,  and  has  so  indiscreetly  varied 
from  the  truth,  as  you  may  plainly  see  from 
the  cited  extracts — therefore  I  felt  con- 
strained by  the  pure  love  to  God  and  your 
souls,  to  discover  unto  you  his  great  mis- 
understanding and  gross  errors;  that  the 
glory  of  the  Lord  may  be  maintained  and 
that  you  may  be  led  to  the  right,  ti'ue  con- 
fession of  your  God  and  of  his  beloved  Son 
Jesus  Christ. 

But  I  am  grieved  to  mention  his  name  in 
such  a  connection,  and  that  I  must  publish 
his  errors,  although  he  has  given  me  an  ill 
reputation  and  hateful  name  with  many  by 
his  writing.  I  commend  him  to  the  Lord. 
Perhaps  he  thinks  that  he  has  thereby  done 
rightly.  Whatever  I  do,  I  do  for  con- 
science' sake,  to  the  glory  of  my  Lord  and 
Savior,  Christ;  for  his  glory  I  love  far  more 
than  the  honor  of  all  creatures — and  him  I 
must  seek  with  all  my  strength,  even  at  the 
cost  of  my  life. 

I  am  sure  that  if  John  A'Lasco  seeks  the 
praise  of  God  more  than  his  own;  if  he 
loves  his  neighbor  as  the  Scriptures  require, 
and  sincerely  seeks  after  truth,  he  will  not  be 
angry  with  me,  but  will  love  and  thank  me, 
for  not  excusing  him  in  this  regard,  but  faith- 
fully showing  him  his  errors,  for  maintain- 
ing my  faith  and  doctrine  according  to  the 
truth,  for  warning  my  fellow-men  against 
corruption,  and  most  of  all  for  protecting 
and  defending  by  the  word  of  my  Lord,  my 
Lord's  glory  and  great  name,  as  much  as 
is  in  my  power,  according  to  the  testimony 
of  the  Scripture  and  my  conscience.  But  if 
it  be  considered  oflensive  in  me,  as  I  fear  it 
will  be,  then  I  must  commend  it  to  the  Lord 
who,  iu  his  great  love,  has,  to  this  hour, 
stood  by  me  in  all  my  needs,  with  his  pa- 
ternal faithfulness,  and  who  has  so  gra- 
ciously succored  me  in  all  vaj  temptations. 
Behold,  dear  reader,  here  you  may  see 
how  far  we  differ  with  our  opponents  in 
the  confession,  doctrine  and  faith  of  Christ, 
the  Son  of  God.    Now  judge,  if  you  fear 


176 


THE  CONFUTATION. 


God,  wliicli  of  the  two  parties  lias  tlie  strong- 
est Scriptures  and  foundation. 

If  you  would  liave  the  Scriptures,  which 
they  call  contradicting  in  this  respect,  right- 
ly explained,  then  you  must  let  go  of  the 
foundation  of  our  opponents  and  cling  to 
ours.  For  it  can  never,  never  be  explained 
by  divine  truth  in  the  meaning  which  they 
attach  to  them.  For  every  intelligent  per- 
son who  will  not  wilfully  combat  the  plain 
truth  and  reject  the  Holy  Spirit,  must  ac- 
knowledge that  from  their  doctrine  it  fol- 
lows that  the  Lord,  Christ,  must  be  an  un- 
clean, sinful,  accursed,  condemned  and 
death  guilty  Christ:  that  there  are  two  per- 
sons in  Christ,  the  one  divine,  the  other  hu- 
man; two  sons — the  one  the  Son  of  God 
without  mother,  the  other  the  son  of  IMary, 
or  the  son  of  man  without  father ;  not  God's 
first  begotten  and  only^  own  Son,  but  the 
son  of  the  unclean  flesh  of  Adam,  died  for 
us.  Besides,  all  the  prophets,  Christ,  and 
the  apostles  must  be  false  witnesses ;  this  is 
too  plain  to  injure  by  any  writing,  or  dissi- 
pate by  flattery. 

But  whosoever  rightly  understands  our 
foundation,  and  confines  his  reasoning 
within  the  limits  of  the  word  of  God — who 
believes  the  testimony  of  John,  to  which  he 
testifies  in  his  first  chapter,  concerning  the 
incarnation,  as  just  and  true,  and  does  not 
injure  it;  who  attributes  nothing  more  to 
Mary,  the  mother  of  our  Lord,  than  what  is 
attributed  to  a  true  mother  in  Gen.  1,  and 
who  leaves  God,  the  Father,  a  true  father 
of  his  Son,  Christ;  Mary  a  true  mother,  and 
Christ  a  true  Son,  both  of  his  Father  and 
mother;  to  him  all  the  Scriptures  in  this  re- 
spect are  plain.  He  does  not  require  the 
flattery  of  any  one;  for  there  is  not  a  sen- 
tence in  all  the  Scriptures  which  contradict 
him;  he  has  an  undivided,  clean  and  inno- 
cent Christ;  the  Son  of  God,  and  the  son  of 
Mary;  an  only  person,  of  all  of  which  I 
trust,  you  have  been  fully  convinced  in  the 
foregoing  synopsis  founded  on  the  power 
of  the  Scriptures ;  and  which,  by  the  grace 
of  God,  you  will  see  by  the  following  brief 
collection  of  references. 

The  eternal  AVord  of  God,  by  which  all 
things  were  created,  John  1 ;  which  is  the  First 
and  the  Last,  Rev.  1:8;  which,  in  due  time, 
in  the  city  of  Nazareth,  according  to  the 


providence  of  God,  1  Pet.  1 :  20,  according  to 
the  will  of  God,  Eph.  1:  4,  according  to  the 
promise  of  God,  Gen.  3:  15,  through  the 
Holy  Ghost,  was  conceived  in  the  virgin 
Mary,  who  knew  no  man,  Luke  1 :  27,  28; 
Matt.  1;  Jn.  1  :  14.  According  to  which 
flesh  conceived  in  Mary,  through  the  Holy 
Ghost,  of  the  eternal  Word  of  the  eternal 
Father,  he,  in  due  time,  was  born  of  the 
seed  or  generation  of  David,  Acts  2:  13; 
Rom.  1:4,  of  a  woman,  Gen.  3:15;  Gal. 
4:  4,  of  the  virgin  Mary,  Matt.  1:  21;  Luke 
2:  21,  in  Bethlehem,  an  only  begotten  Son 
of  God,  Jn.  3:  16;  4:  9;  5:  13;  Rom.  8:  32; 
according  to  the  promise  and  the  genera- 
tion of  the  mother,  also,  of  Abraham,  of 
David  and  of  the  seed  of  the  woman,  fruit, 
and  son,  Gen.  3 :  15 ;  Matt.  1 :  21 :  Luke  1 :  31 ; 
a  Savior  of  the  world,  Luke  2:  11;  the  Lord 
himself  from  heaven,  1  Cor.  15  :  47;  the 
bread  which  came  down  from  heaven,  Jn. 
6:58;  Immanuel,  Isa.  7:14;  Matt.  1:23; 
the  mighty  Prince,  Isa.  9:6;  our  God,  Isa. 
40:  9.  The  Lord  Our  Righteousness,  Jer. 
23:  6;  33:  15. 

Behold,  faithful  reader,  here  you  have 
our  proper  foundation,  doctrine  and  confes- 
sion of  Christ,  the  Son  of  God;  how  he  is 
become  flesh  in  Maiy,  and  how  he  came 
into  the  world,  as  we,  before  our  God,  be- 
lieve   and    teach    our   brethren.    And  we 
would  hereby  pray  and  faithfully  admon- 
ish every  one,  gratefully  to  accept  this  no- 
ble   and    precious    Son    of  God,    with  a 
sincere    desire  to  hear,    love,    and    serve 
him  in  gladness  of  heart,   and  faithfully 
follow  in  his  footsteps;  walk  unblamably 
in  his  word  and  ways;  fi'eely  promulgate 
his  honor  and  praise,  glorify  his  holy  name, 
and  humbly  and   obediently    bend    their 
hearts  before  his  majestj^,  since  the  merci- 
ful Father  has  shown  us  such  great  love  as 
to  give  us,   poor,    misei-able  sinners,   his 
:  only,  eternal  and  beloved  Son;  for  he  it  is 
i  who  has  victoriously  led  us  poor  childi-en, 
I  through  the  merits  of  his  precious  blood  and 
{  bitter  death,  according  to  the  gracious  res- 
olution, counsel,  will  and  pvu-pose  of  God, 
j  his  heavenly  Father,  from  the  kingdom  of 
'  hell  and  from  eternal  death  into  the  glorious 
kingdom  of  his  divine  honor  and  eternal 
peace.    Eternal  praise  be  to  his  illustrious, 
wonderful,  high  and  glorious  name,  Amen. 


CONCLUSION. 


177 


C  0  N  C  L  U  S I  0  iN. 


Christ  says,  "This  is  eternal  life,  that 
they  might  know  thee,  the  only  true  God, 
and  Jesus  Christ,  whom  thou  hast  sent," 
John  17:  3.  At  another  place  he  says,  "If 
ye  believe  not  that  I  am  he,  ye  shall  die  in 
yom-  sins,"  John  8:  24.  John  also  says, 
"Whosoever  shall  confess  that  Jesus  is  the 
Son  of  God,  God  dwelleth  in  him,  and  he 
in  God,"  1  John  4:  15.  Again,  "Who  is  a 
liar  but  he  that  denieth  that  Jesus  is  the 
Christ  ?  He  is  anti-christ,  that  denieth  the 
the  Father  and  the  Son.  Whosoever  de- 
nieth the  Son,  the  same  hath  not  the  Fa- 
ther," 1  John  2:  22,  23. 

O,  that  our  opponents  would  rightly  take 
to  heart  these  and  the  like  Scriptures,  and 
would  learn  to  know  who  and  what  the  Son 
of  God  is,  and  from  whence  he  came,  then 
they  might  yet  be  delivered  from  the  chains 
of  the  deceiver  and  be  led  into  the  light  of 
the  true  doctrine.  But  so  long  as  they  do 
not  confess  Christ  it  will  always  be  wran- 
gling and  disputation,  changing  falsehood 
into  truth  and  truth  into  falsehood.  Yea 
they  will  be  so  estranged  and  blinded  that 
all  those  who,  with  the  angel  Gabriel,  with 
the  eternal  Father,  with  John  the  baptist, 
with  Peter,  Paul,  Martha,  Christ,  and  with 
tlie  whole  Scriptures,  confess  Christ  Jesus 
as  the  true  Son  of  the  true  and  living  God, 
must,  alas,  be  called  by  them,  deceivers  and 
heretics.  O,  dear  Lord,  how  long  wiU  this 
great  abomination  continue ! 

O,  that  they  might  yet  awaken  in  time 
while  it  is  yet  to-day,  and  that  they  could 
give  just  praise  unto  Christ !  Could  they 
see  their  accursed  hypocrisy,  idolatry,  the 
lamentable  deceit  of  the  poor  and  misera- 
ble people,  and  the  ignorant,  reckless  life 
of  the  wicked  world,  that  they  could  re- 
nounce and  quit  it,  what  a  blessing  it  would 
be  to  their  poor  souls  !  But  I  fear  that  so 
long  as  the  spiritual  Antioch  complacently 
stretches  the  idle  life,  and  Jezebel  sets  the 
delicious  tables,  the  accursed  Moaz  will  re- 
tain his  sway;  and  that  the  world  will  not 
be  in  want  of  false  teachers  and  deceivers. 
59 


Kind  reader,  ponder  well  what  I  write. 
I  warn  you  in  faithful  love,  watch,  look 
and  observe  well  what  you  believe  and  what 
you  uphold;  for  your  preachers  deceive 
you.  AVatch  and  pray;  the  day  is  at  hand, 
yea,  at  hand,  that  we  must  all  stand  before 
the  impartial  judgment  seat  of  our  God, 
who  judges  without  respect  of  person,  and 
will  reward  every  one  according  to  his 
works,  be  he  emperor  or  king,  doctor  or 
licentiate,  rich  or  poor,  man  or  woman. 

In  short,  this  is  my  reply  to  the  defence 
of  John  A'Lasco.  With  this  I  mil  not  only 
appear  on  earth,  before  man,  but  also,  in 
the  day  of  my  Lord  Christ.  According  to 
the  word  of  his  promise,  will  I,  by  his  grace, 
appear  before  the  eyes  of  his  majesty. 

If  you  are  of  reasonable  disposition  and 
not  blinded  by  the  spirit  of  the  envious 
partisans,  or  led  away  by  bitter  zeal,  then 
judge  between  us  and  our  opponents;  who 
of  us  most  glorilies  Christ  Jesus,  the  Son  of 
the  true  and  living  God;  who  has  most 
wholesomely  adduced  the  Scriptures;  and 
who  has  broken  and  turned  them  to  suit 
his  own  professions.  But  beware  of  judg- 
ing according  to  the  iiesh;  but  judge  in 
purity  of  heart,  even  as  if  before  your  God, 
according  to  truth. 

From  my  inuei-most  soul  I  wish  you  a 
true  and  unfeigned  faith,  a  true  confession 
of  God  and  Christ,  the  unction  and  love  of 
I  God,  a  pious,  penitent,  cheerful  heart,  an 
'  unblamable,  christian  life,  and  a  true  un- 
derstanding and  a  good  judgment.  Amen. 

Observe:  "For  God  so  loved  the  world, 
that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that 
whosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not  per- 
ish, but  have  everlasting  life.  For  God 
sent  not  his  Son  into  the  world  to  condemn 
the  world;  but  that  the  world  through  him 
might  be  saved;  he  that  believeth  on  him  is 
not  condemned;  but  he  that  believeth  not 
is  condemned  already;  because  he  hath  not 
believed  in  the  name  of  the  only  begotten 
Son  of  God,"  Jn.  3:  16,17. 

MENNO  SIMON. 


A 


CONFESSION 


OF  THE 


Triune,  Eternal  and  True 


GOD,  FATHER,  SON,  AND  HOLY  GHOST. 


BY 


MENNO  SIMON. 


Originally  pubUsTied  in  the  Dutch  Language,  A.  D.  159TL    RepuMshed,  in  1600,  and  1681 . 


"For  other  foundation  pan  no  man  lay  than  that  i«  laid,  which  i»  Jesut  Ohrift," 
1  Tor.  3:11. 


ELKHART,  INDIANA: 

PUBLISHED  BY  JOHN  F.  FUNK  AND  BROTHER. 

187  1. 


■  'xu.;- 


V  l'> 


PREFACE. 


Menno  Simon  wislies  all  Ids  heloved  hretliren  and  sisters  in  tiie  Lord,  grace  and  peace, 
an  nnhrol-en,  imre  and  firm  faith,  unfeigned  hrotlierly  lorn,  a  sure  and  living  liope,  and 
a  God-pleasing,  imblamable  icallc,  confession  and  life,  from  Ood  otcr  heavenly  Father, 
thr&iigh  Ms  beloved  Son.,  Christ  Jestis,  in  tJie  power  of  Ms  Holy  GJwst,  Amen. 


We  know,  dear  brethren  and  sisters  in 
Christ  Jesus,  that  we  are  condemned, 
by  the  whole  world,  to  water,  tu'e  and 
sword,  for  the  testimony  of  Christ  and  our 
consciences ;  and  that  we  are  the  spectacle 
of,  and  regarded  as  the  offscouring  of  all 
mankind.  Besides,  we  know  also  that  the 
true  Prince  of  Peace,  the  blessed  Christ 
Jesus,  has  summoned  and  taken  us  into  the 
mansion  of  peace  through  the  word  of  peace; 
and  that  he  has  given  and  left  his  followers 
such  a  glorious  sign  by  which  we  shall 
know  them  to  be  his  disciples,  namely, 
Love.  Therefore  it  is  reasonable  and  chris- 
tian-like  that  we,  poor,  outcast  bearers  of 
the  cross,  should  be  united  in  the  perfect 
bonds  of  true  love,  and  that  we  should 
cling  together  as  the  members  of  one  body, 
"  For  by  one  Spirit  are  we  all  baptized  into 
one  body  and  made  to  drink  into  one 
Spirit,"  1  Cor.  12:13.  But  now  we  see  plain- 
ly how  the  prince  of  darkness,  who  from 
the  beginning  was  a  murderer,  seeks,  with 
all  diligence,  to  disturb  this  same  peace  in 
the  house  of  God,  to  rend  this  bond  in  twain, 
and  thus  to  make  odious  to  many  the  dear 
gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  our  cross 
and  confession,  and  all  the  christian  socie- 
ties; and  thus  thoroughly  to  destroy  it, 
John  8 :  44.  Since  his  acute  attacks  are  so 
well  known  to  us,  therefore  it  is  necessary 
ever  to  be  aware,  to  repent,  to  seek  each 
other  in  true  christian  love,  to  resuscitate 


that  which  has  been  corrupted,  to  cure  and 
make  healthy  that  which  is  diseased,  with 
the  oil  of  the  divine  word;  for  during  the 
last  four  years,  alas,  christian  love  and 
peace  have  materially  decreased  with  some, 
on  account  of  much  pernicious  upbraiding 
and  'disputing  about  the  ineffable  depths 
of  the  divinity  of  Christ  and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost;  also,  about  angels  and  devils,  and 
about  the  ban;  and  this  has  always  been 
the  case  where  such  disputes  were  in  sway. 
May  the  Lord  not  count  it  as  sin  against 
those  who  have  used  the  ban.  I  see  this 
plainly,  and  as  I  have  been  troubled  not  a 
little  by  some  about  this  matter — and  since 
I  naturally  hate  such  upbraiding  and  dis- 
puting, for  I  have  these  fifteen  years  never 
found  any  use  in  it,  because  I  love  peace 
and  unity,  which  are  in  conformity  with  the 
word  of  God,  more  than  my  own  life.  I 
tnist  that  I  speak  no  lie,  for,  because  of 
that,  my  heart  is  very  much  troubled, 
mournful  and  afflicted,  yea,  more  so  than  I 
can  write. 

Would  to  God  that  I  could,  at  the  cost 
of  my  life-blood,  help  all  afflicted  con- 
sciences and  could  lead  them  to  God ;  for  I 
love  nothing  more  on  earth,  nor  do  I  seek 
any  thing,  before  God,  than  the  glory  of 
my  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  everlasting 
salvation  of  my  beloved  brethren.  And 
therefore  I  have,  at  the  risk  of  my  poor, 
diseased  body,  placed  at  your  disposal  and 


182 


PREFACE. 


service  my  firm  faith  and  confession  of  the  ; 
eternal,  Triune  God,  Father,  Son  and  Holy 
Ghost,  as  taken  from  the  snre  word  of  God;  ' 
wherewith  I  will,  unwaveringly,  live  and  ; 
die  before  my  God,  and  will  appear  there- 
with in  his  grace,  at  the  day  of  .judgment, 
trusting  hereby  to  make  pleasant  and  wor- 
thy to  many,  the  noble  and  desirable  peace 
and  unity  in  Christ,  and  to  restore  love. 

Brethren,  there  has  been  enough  of  dis- 
puting, upbraiding,  and  complaint  of  one 
another.  I  think  it  is  time  to  discounte- 
nance the  disturbers  of  the  peace,  and 
to  cordially  seek  scriptural  peace  and 
unity.  But  I  desire  no  peace  outside  of 
Christ.  I  ardently  desire  and  pray  all  my 
beloved  brethren  and  sisters  in  the  Lord,  to 
read,  hear  and  understand  this  my  admon- 
ishing   confession,  without    any  partisan 


bitterness  or  spitefulness  towards  God-fear- 
ing, pure  hearts,  as  I  have  written  it  in 
purity  of  heart,  as  before  God,  in  Christ 
Jesus,  without  hatred  or  malice.  I  doubt 
not  bvit  that,  if  you  do  this,  brethren,  I 
mean  the  unpeaceable  and  troubled  ones, 
disquiet,  dispute  and  disunion  will  far  re- 
cede from  the  peace-moimtain  of  the  Lord ; 
and  peace,  love  and  unity  will  again  install 
themselves. 

I  sincerely  desire  that  it  may  be  so  read 
and  taken  to  heart,  that  the  Almighty,  eter- 
nal Father,  with  his  blessed  Son,  Christ 
Jesus,  and  with  the  Holy  Spirit  may  re- 
main unchanged  in  their  true,  divine  being ; 
and  that  the  afflicted,  mournful,  wavering 
consciences  may  find  succor,  consolation 
and  strength.  The  beloved  Father  grant 
his  grace,  Amen. 


A  CONFESSION 


OF   THE 


TIUUNE,  ETERNAL,  AND  TRUE  GOD,  FATHER,  SON,  AND  HOLY  GHOST. 


We  believe  and  confess  witli  the  Holy 
Scriptures,  that  there  is  an  only,  eternal 
and  true  God,  who  is  a  Spirit.     One  God, 
who  created  heaven  and  earth,  the  sea,  and 
all  that  is  therein.     Such  a  God,   whom 
heaven  and  the  heaven  of  heavens  cannot 
comprehend.    "Whose  throne  is  heaven  and 
earth  his  footstool;    who    measures  "the 
waters  in  the  hollow  of  his  hand;"   who 
spanneth  the  heavens;  who  comprehendeth 
the  dust  of  the  earth  in  a  measure,  and 
weigheth  the  mountains  in  scales  and  the 
hills  in  a  balance;  who  is  as  high  as  heav- 
en, deeper  than  hell,  lower  than  earth  and 
broader  than  the  sea;  "Who  only  hath  im- 
mortality, dwelling  in  the  light  which  no 
man  can  approach  unto;    whom  no   man 
hath  seen,  nor  can  see ;"  who  is  an  Almighty, 
powerful  and  an  over-ruling  King,  in  the  * 
heavens  above  and  in  the  earth  beneath; 
whose  strength,  hand  and  power  none  can  I 
withstand.    A  "  God  of  Gods,  and  a  Lord  of 
Lords;"  there  is  none  like  unto  him,  but  he 
is  a  mighty,  holy,  terrible,  praiseworthy,  : 
wonderful,  and  consuming  fire;  whose  king- 
dom, power,  dominion,  majesty  and  glory 
is  eternal,  and  shall  endure   forever,  and 
besides  this  only,  eternal,  living,  Almighty 
over-ruling   God   and  Lord  we    know  no  ! 
other;  and  since  he  is  a  Spirit  so  great,  ter- 
rible, and  invisible,  he  is  also  inexpressi-  i 
ble,  incomprehensible  and  indescribable, 
as  may  be  deduced  and  understood  from 
the  following  Scriptures,  Dent,  4:  35;  ii:4; 
7:6;  10: 17;  32: 39;  Jn.  4: 24;  1: 18;  Gen. 
1:1;  Ps.  33  :  6  ;   Col.  1 :  16  ;   Isa.  43  :  11 ;  ^ 
44  :  6;   48  :  13;   40  :  12;   Job   11  :  8;  1  Tim.  | 
6:  16;  Eccl.  1:7;  Matt.  11:  27;  Rev.  17:  14;  | 
19:16;  Heb.  12:29;  1:8,  10. 

This  only,  eternal,  Omnipotent,  ineffable,  | 


invisible,  inexpressible  and  indescribable 
God,  we  believe  and  confess  with  the  Script- 
ures, to  be  the  eternal,  incomprehensible 
Father,  with  his  eternal,  incomprehensible 
Son,  and  with  his  eternal,  incomprehensible 
Holy  Spirit.  The  Father,  we  believe  and 
confess  to  be  a  true  Father,  the  Son,  a  true 
Son,  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  a  true  Holy  Spirit; 
not  carnal  and  comprehensible,  but  spiritu- 
al and  incomprehensible,  for  Christ  says, 
"  God  is  a  Spirit."  Inasmuch  as  God  is 
such  a  Spirit,  as  it  is  wi-itten,  therefore  we 
also  believe  and  confess  of  the  divine  gene- 
ration of  the  heavenly  Father,  and  of  his 
begotten  Son,  Christ  Jesus  (brethren,  un- 
derstand my  writing  well),  that  they  are 
spiritual  and  incomprehensible,  as  is  also 
the  Father  who  begat  them;  for  like  begets 
like.  This  is  incontrovertible.  Matt.  3:  17; 
28:  18,  19;  Mark  1  :  7,  11;  Luke  3  :  16;  Jn. 
14:  9;  15:26;  1  Cor.  12:11.  And  this  same 
incomprehensible,  inexpressible,  si^iritual, 
eternal,  divine  Being,  which  is  begotten  of 
the  Father,  before  every  creature,  divine 
and  incomprehensible,  we  believe  and  con- 
fess to  be  Christ  Jesus,  the  first  and  only 
begotten  Son  of  God,  "the  lirst-born  of  eve- 
ry creature,"  the  eternal  Wisdom,  the  power 
of  God,  the  everlasting  Light,  the  eternal 
Truth,  the  everlasting  Life,  Jn.  14:  6,  the 
eternal  Word,  Jn.  1: 1.  Do  not  understand 
this  as  a  literal  word;  for  it  is  divine  and 
spiritual,  and  not  carnal  and  literal;  for  a 
literal  word  is  but  a  passing  breeze,  com- 
prehended in  the  letter,  beginning  and  ceas- 
ing; and  then,  Christ  Jesus,  before  his  in- 
carnation, must  have  been  a  literal  word. 
0,  no !  But  he  is  the  eternal,  wise,  Al- 
mighty, holy,  true,  living  and  incomprehen- 
sible Word,  which  in  the  beginning  was 


184 


A  CONFESSION   OF  THE  TRIUNE, 


with  God,  and  was  God  (mark),  by  whom 
all  things  were  made,  and  without  whom 
not  any  thing  was  made  that  was  made, 
and  which  will  endm'e  forever.  And  there- 
fore he  says,  "Before  Abraham  was  I  am." 
Again  John  the  baptist  sa3^s,  "After  me 
Cometh  one  who  was  before  me,"  John  1:  1, 
15;  3:  36-,  8:12;  Lnke7:29,  35;  1  Cor.  1:9; 
Heb.  1 :  2.  Yea  he  had  this  glory  of  the 
divine  being  with  the  Father,  before  the 
foundation  of  the  world  was  laid.  He 
thought  it  not  robbery  to  be  equal  with 
God,  his  Father;  therefore,  we  confess  with 
John  the  Baptist,  Nathaniel,  Martha,  and 
Peter  that  he  is  the  Son  of  the  living  God, 
Jn.  1  ;  17  ;  Phil.  2  ;  Matt.  16  :  16  ;  Jn. 
11:27;  9:37;  6:  69. 

Dearly  beloved  brethren  understand  me 
rightly.  He  is  the  eternal  Wisdom,  the 
eternal  Power.  For,  as  we  believe  and 
confess  that  the  Father  was  from  eternity 
and  will  eternally  remain;  yea,  that  he  is 
the  Firet  and  the  Last,  so  we  may  also  free- 
ly believe  and  confess  that  his  wisdom,  his 
power,  his  light,  his  truth,  his  life,  his  Word, 
Christ  Jesus,  has  been  eternally  with  him, 
in  him  and  by  him;  yea,  that  he  is  the 
Alpha  and  Omega;  or  else,  we  must  admit 
that  this  begotten,  incomprehensible,  true, 
divine  being,  Christ  Jesus  (whom  the  fathers 
have  called  a  person),  through  whom  the 
eternal  Father  has  made  all  things,  has  had 
a  beginning  like  a  creature ;  which  all  true 
christians  admit  and  look  upon  as  a  terri- 
ble blasphemy,  curse  and  abomination. 
The  gracious,  beloved  Father  will  ever  pro- 
tect and  uphold  all  his  beloved  children  in 
the  right  and  true  confession  of  his  beloved 
Son  Jesus  Christ. 

Beloved  brethren  in  the  Lord,  we  believe 
and  confess  that  this  same  eternal,  wise, 
Almighty,  holy,  true,  living  and  incompre- 
hensible Word,  Christ  Jesus,  which  in  the 
beginning  was  with  God,  and  which  was 
God,  incomprehensible — born  of  the  incom- 
prehensible Father,  before  every  creature, 
is  in  the  fullness  of  time,  become,  according 
to  the  unchangeable  purpose  and  true  prom- 
ise of  the  Father,  a  true,  visible,  passive, 
hungry,  thirsty  and  mortal  man,  in  Mary, 
the  pure  virgin,  through  the  operation  and 
overshadowing  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  is 
thus  born  of  her.  Yea,  that  he  was  like  unto 


us  in  all  things  except  sin ;  that  he  grew  up  as 
other  men;  and  at  the  appointed  time  was 
baptized  and  entered  upon  his  ministerial 
office,  the  office  of  grace  and  love,  which 
was  enjoined  upon  him  from  the  Father, 
and  which  he  obediently  fulfilled ;  that  he 
effaced  the  hand  writing,  that  is,  the  law, 
against  us;  and  has  at  last,  through  the 
eternal  Spirit  of  his  heavenly  Father,  offered 
himself  in  this  his  human  flesh,  nature  and 
weakness,  in  which,  also,hehas  sighed,  wept, 
andprayed  unto  the  Father,  has  sweated  wa- 
ter andblood,  and  thus  purified  our  hearts  of 
the  deadly  works,  that  we  should  serve  the 
true  and  living  God;  and  all  who  believe  on 

i  him,  have  received,  through  him  grace, 
mercy,  remission  of  sins,  and  eternal  life; 
and  that,  by  means  of  his  precious  blood 
which  he  has,  in  his  great  love,  offered  and 
shed  for  us  poor  sinners  on  the  cross,  ac- 
cording to  the  good  pleasure  of  the  Father, 
he  is  thus  become  our  only  and  eternal 
High  Priest,  Reconciler,  Mercy-seat,  Medi- 
ator, and  Advocate,  with  God  his  Father. 
For,  as  God,  the  Almighty  Father,  through 
his  Almighty  Word,  Christ  Jesus,  had  cre- 
ated Adam  and  Eve,  so  he,  also,  would 
again  thereby  restore  them  and  make  them 
pious,  when  seducted  by  the  serpent,  to- 
gether with  all  their  descendants — that  we 

;  should  give  no  one  the  praise  of  our  salva- 

i  tion,  neither  in  heaven  nor  on  earth,  but  to 
the  only  and  eternal  Father,  through  Christ 
Jesus,  and  that  through  the  enlightenment 

'  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  This  is  sufficient  of  the 
incarnation,   Matt.   1:16,   25;    5:4;    Mark 

il5:37;  Luke  2:  7,  40;  22:  67;  23:  46; 
Jn.  15:  9,  10;  12:  13;  11:  26;  Phil.  2:  5,  7; 
Col.  2:14,  12;  1:13,  16;  Heb.  3:2;  Eph. 
2:  12;  1:  7;  Rom.  8:  32;  3:  24,  25;  5: 11, 12; 
Isa.  53:  12;  1  Pet.  1:  19;  Rev.  1:8;  2  Cor. 
5:  14. 

Further,  beloved  brethren,  we  believe  and 
confess  Christ  Jesus  to  be  the  true  God  with 
the  Father;  and  this  because  of  the  divine 
glory,  operation  and  attributes,  which  are 

'  found  in  such  abundance  with  him,  as  may 
be  clearly  deduced  and  understood  from  the 
following  Scriptures.     Say,  beloved !  Is  it 

'  not  the  only  and  tn;e  God  who  has  made 
heaven  and  earth,  and  whose  kingdom  shall 

I  endure    forever?    Doubtlessly,  yes.    Paul 

j  says,  "Unto  the  Son  he  saith,  Thy  throne, 


ETERNAL  AND  TRUE  GOD. 


185 


O  God,  is  forever  and  ever;  a,  scepter  of 
righteousness  is  the  scepter  of  thy  king- 
dom. Tlion  hast  loved  righteousness,  and 
hated  iniquity;  therefore  God,  even  thy 
God  hath  anointed  thee  with  the  oil  of  glad- 
ness, above  thy  fellows.  And,  thou,  Lord, 
in  the  beginning  hast  laid  the  foundation 
of  the  earth ;  and  the  heavens  are  the  works 
of  thine  hands,"  Heb.  1:  8,  9,  10. 

Is  it  not  the  only  God,  who  alone  is 
"King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of  lords?"  and 
who  reigns  in  heaven  and  on  earth  ?  Most 
assuredly.  And  the  Spirit  speaks  in  Rev., 
that  Christ  is  "King  of  kings  and  Lord  of 
lords."  Christ  himself  says,  "  All  power  is 
given  unto  me  in  heaven  and  in  earth." 
Paul  says,  "  That  at  the  name  of  Jesus  eve- 
ry knee  should  bow,  of  things  in  heaven, 
and  things  in  earth,  and  things  under  the 
earth,  and  that  every  tongue  shoiild  confess 
that  Jesus  Christ  is  Lord,"  Phil.  2:  10. 

Is  it  not  the  only  God  who  saith,  "I  the 
Lord,  the  first  and  with  the  last;  I  am  he  ?" 
Isa.  41:  4.  And  Christ  says,  "I  am  Alpha 
and  Omega;  the  beginning  and  the  ending, 
saith  the  Lord,  which  is,  and  which  was, 
and  which  is  to  come;  the  Almighty."  And 
"Fear  not;  I  am  the  first  and  the  last;  I 
am  he  that  liveth  and  was  dead;  and  be- 
hold, I  am  alive  for  evermore,"  Rev.  1 :  8, 
17,  18. 

Is  not  this  the  only  God  who  "trieth  the 
hearts  and  reins?"  Without  doubt  it  is. 
Christ  saith,  "All  the  chm-ches  shall  know 
that  I  am  he  which  searcheth  the  reins  and 
hearts;  and  I  will  give  unto  every  one  of 
you  according  to  your  works,"  Rev.  2:  23. 

Is  it  not  the  only  God,  whom  alone  we 
should  serve  and  worship?  Yes.  Christ 
says,  "That  all  men  should  honor  the  Son, 
even  as  they  honor  the  Father."  Of  divine 
service  Paul  says,  "He  that  in  these  things 
serveth  Christ,  is  acceptable  to  God,"  and 
"  Let  a  man  so  account  of  us  as  of  the  min- 
isters of  Christ,"  Rom.  14:  18;  1  Cor.  4:1. 

Paul  was  a  servant  of  Christ,  as  may  be 
generally  seen  at  the  commencement  of  all 
his  epistles.  Of  his  worship  Luke  says, 
that  when  Christ  had  ascended  to  heaven 
they  worshipped  him,  and  returned  to  Je- 
rusalem. Also  Stephen,  in  his  last  prayer, 
says,  "Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit." 
Paul  also  saithj  "Let  all  the  angels  of  God 
60 


worship  him,"  also  the  murderer  on  the 
cross,  "Lord,  remember  me  when  thou  com- 
est  into  thy  kingdom,"  Acts  7  :  58;  Heb. 
1:6;  Luke  23:42;  24:  52.  Is  it  not  the 
only  God  which  is  true;  and  every  man 
a  liar?  Oh,  yes.  The  prophet  says  "There 
was  not  any  deceit  in  his  mouth."  Christ 
himself  says,  "I  am  the  truth,"  "To  this 
end  was  I  born,  and  for  this  cause  came  I 
into  the  world,  that  I  should  bear  witness 
unto  the  truth,"  Ps.  116: 11;  Rom.  3:4;  Isa. 
53:9;  Jn.  14:  6;  18:37. 

Can  any  one  forgive  sins  and  bestow  ev- 
erlasting life  except  the  only  and  eternal 
God?  O,  no!  Christ  says,  "Know  that  the 
son  of  man  hath  power  on  earth  to  forgive 
sins;"  and  to  the  sinful  woman,  "Thy  sins 
are  forgiven."  "I  give  unto  them  eternal 
life,"  Ps.  103:  3;  Matt.  9:6;  Luke  7:  48; 
Jn.  10:  28. 

Should  we  believe  in  any  one  but  alone 
on  the  only  God  ?  Not  at  all.  For  Christ 
says,  "He  that  believeth  on  me  hath  ever- 
lasting life."  "Ye  believe  in  God,  believe 
also  in  me,"  Jn.  6:  47;  14:  1. 

Is  it  not  the  only  God  who  is  the  judge 
of  all  the  world?  who  will  raise  the  dead 
and  at  the  last  day  sit  in  judgment  ?  As- 
suredly, yes.  And  Christ  says,  "For  as 
the  Father  raiseth  up  the  dead,  and  quick- 
eneth  them,  even  so  the  Son  quick eneth  whom 
he  will."  "  He  was  ordained  of  God  to  be  the 
Judge  of  quick  and  dead ;"  and  at  his  com- 
ing he  will  judge  and  sentence,  Jn.  5:  21; 
Acts  10:  42;  Matt.  25:  31—46. 

Behold,  beloved  brethren,  as  the  throne 
of  Christ  is  an  eternal  throne,  and  as  the 
Scriptures  are  not  ashamed  to  confess  him 
to  be  God,  and  also  testify  that  he  founded 
heaven  and  earth,  that  he  has  all  power  in 
heaven  and  on  earth;  that  he  is  the  first 
and  last;  that  he  searcheth  the  hearts  and 
reins ;  whom  we  should  serve  and  worship ; 
who  is  truth;  who  forgives  sin,  and  bestows 
eternal  life;  in  whom  we  must  believe,  and 
who  at  the  last  day  will  raise  us  from  the 
dead  and  judge  us,  as  has  been  said;  so  it 
is  incontrovertible  that  Christ  Jesus  also 
with  his  Father,  must  be  the  true  God;  for 
God  gives  his  glory  to  none  other;  and 
these  are  all  glories,  powers  and  attributes 
which  belong  to  no  one  in  heaven  nor  upon 
earth,  except  alone,  the  only,  eternal,  and 


186 


A  CONFESSION  OF  THE  TRIUNE, 


true  God;  this  all  taugM  of  God,  must  fully 
admit  and  confess. 

Besides,  beloved  brethren,  we  believe  and 
confess  Christ  Jesus,  with  his  heavenly  Fa- 
ther, to  be  truly  God;  and  that  because  of 
the  plain  testimony  of  the  holy  prophets, 
evangelists  and  apostles,  as  we  may  learn 
from  the  following  Scriptures,  and  also  from 
some  other  texts.  Isaiah  says,  "  Unto  us  a 
child  is  born,  unto  us  a  Son  is  given;  and 
the  government  shall  be  upon  his  shoulder; 
and  his  name  shall  be  called  Wonderful, 
Counsellor,  The  Mighty  God,  the  everlasting 
Father,  the  Prince  of  peace,"  Isa.  9 :  G. 
j^gain, "  Say  unto  the  cities  of  Judah,  Behold 
your  God !  Behold,  the  Lord  God  will 
come  with  strong  hand,  and  his  arm  shall 
rule  for  him !  Behold,  his  reward  is  with 
him  and  his  work  before  him;  he  shall  feed 
his  flock  like  a  shepherd;  he  shall  gather 
the  lambs  with  his  arm,  and  carry  them  in 
his  bosom,  and  shall  gently  lead  those  that 
are  with  young,"  Isa.  40:  9 — 11.  Read  also 
Ezek.  34:  11. 

Jeremiah  says,  "Behold,  the  days  come, 
saith  the  Lord,  that  I  will  raise  unto  David 
a  righteous  Branch,  and  a  king  shall  reign 
and  prosper,  and  shall  execute  judgment 
and  justice  in  the  earth.  In  his  days  Judah 
shall  be  saved,  and  Israel  shall  dwell  safe- 
ly ;  and  this  is  his  name  whereby  he  shall 
be  called,  TsR  Lord  Oue  Ric^iiTEOUsness," 
Jer.  23:  5,  G;  33:  15. 

Micah  says,  "  But  thou  Bethlehem  Ejihra- 
tah,  though  thou  be  little  among  the  thou- 
sands of  Judah,  yet  out  of  thee  shall  he 
come  forth  unto  me  that  is  to  be  ruler  in 
Israel;  whose  goings  forth  have  been  from 
of  old,  from  everlasting,"  Micah  5 :  2.  Read 
also  Heb.  7:3,4;  Isa.  44:6;  Rev.  1:8; 
22:  13.  John  says,  "In  the  beginning  was 
the  Word,  and  the  Word  was  with  God, 
and  the  Word  was  God,"  Ju.  1:1.  The 
Lord  said  unto  Thomas,  "Reach hither  thy 
linger,  and  behold  my  hands;  and  reach 
hither  thy  hand,  and  thrust  it  into  my  side; 
and  be  not  faithless,  but  believing.  And 
Thomas  answered  and  said  unto  him,  My 
Lord,  and  my  God!  Jesus  saith  unto  him, 
Thomas,  because  thou  hast  seen  me,  thou 
hast  believed;  blessed  are  they  that  have 
not  seen,  and  yet  have  believed,"  Jn.  20:  27 
—29. 


Paul  says,  "Take  heed  therefore  unto 
yom-selves,  and  to  all  the  flock,  over  which 
the  Holy  Ghost  hath  made  you  overseers, 
to  feed  the  church  of  God,  which  he  hath 
purchased  with  his  own  blood;"  "Whose 
are  the  fathers,  and  of  whom,  as  concerning 
the  flesh,  Christ  came,  who  is  over  all,  God 
blessed  for  ever."  Again,  "  God  was  in 
Christ,  reconciling  the  world  unto  himself," 
Acts  20:  28;  Rom.  9:  5;  2  Cor.  5: 19.  Read 
also  John  14;  Col.  22;  1  Tim.  3.  Again, 
"Who  being  in  the  form  of  God,  thought  it 
not  robbery  to  be  equal  with  God.  But 
made  himself  of  no  reputation,  and  took 
upon  him  the  form  of  a  servant,"  Phil.  2:  6. 

John  says,  "We  know  that  the  Son  of 
God  is  come,  and,  hath  given  us  an  nnder- 
standing,  that  we  may  know  him  that  is 
true;  and  we  are  in  him  that  is  true,  even 
in  his  Son  Jesus  Christ.  This  is  the  true 
God  and  eternal  life,"  1  Jn.  5 :  20.  Besides, 
read  the  whole  gospel  of  John  and  1  Cor. 
10:15;  Eph.  4;  Heb.  1:3;  7;  11;  12;  13; 
and  you  Avill,  by  the  grace  of  God,  find  a 
siu'e  and  firm  foundation. 

Behold,  faithful  brethren,  here  you  have 
the  incomprehensible  birth  of  Christ,  his 
divine  glory,  operation  and  power;  and  a 
number  of  precious  and  plain  testimonies 
of  the  holy  prophets,  evangelists  and  apos- 
tles, all  of  whom  with  an  invincible  pow- 
er, testify  and  point  out,  with  such  clear- 
ness, the  true,  inefiable  divinity  of  our 
Lord,  Jesus  Christ.  I  am  convinced  and 
doubt  not  the  least,  that  a  pious,  humble. 
God-fearing  conscience  will  herewith  be  sat- 
isfied, and  not  search  into  this  incompre- 
hensible depth  any  further;  and  if  any  one 
desires  to  search  and  dispute  further,  to 
him  I  prophesjr  that  he  will  surely  search 
and  dispute  all  his  lifetime,  and  yet  never 
have  a  settled  mind  nor  a  fii-m  foundation. 
Therefore,  beloved  brethren,  be  warned. 
Watch  and  beware. 

As  we  have  now  pointed  out  and  made 
known  our  faith  and  confession  of  the  true 
divinity  of  Jesus  Christ;  so  we  will  also, 
now,  by  the  grace  of  God,  set  forth  in  few 
words,  our  faith  and  confession  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  Let  the  God  fearing  judge.  We 
believe  and  confess  the  Holy  Ghost  to  be  a 
true,  real,  or  personal  Holy  Ghost;  and 
that  in  a  divine  way — even  as  the  Father  is 


ETERNAL  AND  TRUE  GOD. 


187 


a  true  Father,  and  the  Son  a  true  Son; 
which  Holy  Ghost  is  a  mystery  to  all  man- 
kind, incomprehensible,  inexpressible  and 
indescribable  (as  we  have  shown  above  of 
the  Father  and  the  Son);  divine  with  his 
divine  attributes,  going  forth  from  the  Fa- 
ther through  the  Son,  although  he  ever  re- 
mains with  God  and  in  God,  and  is  never  sep- 
arated from  the  being  of  the  Father  and  the 
Son.  Andtlie  reason  thatwe  confess  him  to  be 
such  a  true  and  real  Holy  Spirit,  is  because 
we  are  impelled  to  this  by  the  Scriptures, 
for  lie  descended  upon  Christ  at  his  bap- 
tism in  the  bodily  shape  of  a  dove,  and  ap- 
peared unto  the  apostles  as  cloven  tongues 
like  as  of  fire ;  because  we  are  baptized  in  his 
name  as  well  as  in  the  name  of  the  Father 
and  of  the  Son ;  because  the  prophets  through 
him,  prophesied,  performed  miracles  and 
works,  had  dreams  and  saw  visions;  for 
he  is  a  distributer  of  the  gifts  of  God,  and 
that  according  to  his  will.  Mark  well.  He 
moved  Zachariah,  the  Son  of  Barachiah,  he 
moved  John  the  Baptist  while  yet  in  his 
mother's  womb,  and  he  said  to  Simeon, 
"That  he  should  not  see  death  before  he 
had  seen  the  Lord's  Christ."  "The  Holy 
Ghost  said.  Separate  me  Barnabas  and 
Saul."  And  to  Peter,  "Behold,  tliree  men 
seek  thee."  He  guides  us  into  all  truth;  he 
justifies  us;  he  cleanses,  sanctifies,  pacifies, 
consoles,  reproves,  cheers  and  assures  us; 
he  testifies  to  om'  spirit  that  we  are  the  chil- 
dren of  God.  This  Spirit  all  receive  who  be- 
lieve on  Christ;  Paul  admonishes  us,  not  to 
grievehim.  Whosoever  sins  againstthis  Spir- 
it (says  Christ),  unto  him  it  shall  not  be  for- 
given. David  desired  that  God  might  not 
take  from  him  this  Spirit,  for  all  that  have 
not  this  spirit  are  not  of  Christ,  Acts  2:  26; 
Luke  3:22;  John  1:33;  Acts  2:3;  Zach. 
7:12;  Jude  14;  Joel  2:29;  2  Cor.  12:4; 
Luke  2:  25;  Acts  13:  2;  10:  19;  Jn.  14:  26; 
15:  26;  Eph.  4:  30;  Rom.  8:16;  Matt.  8:13; 
Ps.  51:  11;  Rom.  8:  9.  Yea,  my  brethren, 
from  these  plain  Scriptures,  testimonies  and 
references,  and  a  great  many  other  texts 
which  are  too  lengthy  to  mention,  and 
which  may  be  found  in  abundance  in  the 
Scriptures  and  read,  we  believe  ^the  sHoly 
Spirit  to  be  the  true,  essential  Holy  Spirit 
of  God,  who  adorns  us  with  his  heavenly 
and  divine  gifts,  and  thi-ough  his  inspira- 


tions, according  to  the  good  pleasure  of  the 
Father,  frees  us  from  sin,  makes  us  cheerful, 
peaceful,  xnous,  satisfies  oui-  hearts  and 
minds,  and  makes  them  holy  in  Christ 
Jesus.  And  thus  we  believe  and  confess 
before  God,  before  his  angels,  before  all  our 
brethren,  and  before  all  the  world,  that 
these  three  names,  operations  and  powers, 
namely,  the  Father,  Son  and  Holy  Ghost 
(which  the  fathers  called  three  persons,  by 
which  they  meant  the  three,  true,  divine 
beings)  are  one  incomprehensible,  inde- 
scribable, Almighty,  holy,  only,  eternal 
and  sovereign  God,  as  John  says,  "There 
are  three  that  bear  record  in  heaven,  the 
Father,  the  AVord,  and  the  Holy  Ghost; 
and  these  three  are  one."  Read  also  Matt. 
28:  18;  Mark  1:  8;  Liike  3:8;  John  14:  16; 
15:  26;  1  Cor.  12: 11.  And  although  they 
are  three,  yet  in  Godliness,  will,  power  and 
operation  they  are  one,  and  can  no  more 
be  separated  from  each  other  than  the  sun, 
brightness  and  warmth;  for  the  one  cannot 
exist  without  the  other;  yet  incomprehensi- 
ble from  tlie  incomprehensible  Father,  even 
as  the  brightness  and  iieat  of  the  sun.  The 
one  must  exist  with  tlie  other,  or  else  the 
whole  divinity  is  denied ;  for  all  the  Father 
does  and  lias  wrought  from  the  beginning, 
he  works  through  his  Son,  in  the  power  of 
his  holy  and  eternal  Spirit.  This  Son  does 
not  work  without  the  Father  and  tlie  Holy 
Spirit.  Neither  doeth  the  Holy  Spirit  any 
thing  without  the  Father,  and  the  Son. 
Therefore  the  one  must  remain  with  tlie 
other,  or  else  there  must  be  an  imperfect 
God;  for  if  we  deny  the  divinity  of  Christ, 
or  the  true  existence  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
then  we  counterfeit  and  depict  unto  our- 
selves a  God  who  is  without  wisdom,  power, 
light,  life,  truth,  word,  and  without  the  Holy 
Spirit. 

Brethren,  understand  all  this  in  a  divine 
and  spiritual  sense,  and  not  in  a  human  or 
carnal  manner  !  Then  you  will  be  satisfied 
with  the  plain,  clear  and  simple  testimony 
of  the  prophets,  evangelists  and  apostles, 
concerning  this  deep  mystery.  Let  every 
one  see  to  it  with  fear  and  trembling,  lest 
he  put  his  hand  in  the  consuming  fire. 

Cordially  beloved  brethren  and  sisters 
in  Christ  Jesus!  mark  well  the  following; 
Since  the  eternal  God  is  such  a  great  and 


188 


A  CONFESSION  OF  TEE  TRIUNE,  &c. 


terrible  God,  as  you  have  read;  since  Christ 
was  thus  born  of  the  Father  as  said,  and 
as  the  attributes  of  God  so  richly  abound 
in  Christ;  and,  also,  as  the  prophets,  evan- 
gelists and  apostles  so  strongly  declare, 
preach  and  teach  him  as  God;  and  as  the 
Scriptures  so  abundantly  teach  and  testify 
of  the  Holy  Spii'it  and  confess  that  the  eter- 
nal Father,  with  his  eternal  Son  and  Holy 
Spirit,  in  their  divine  state,  power,  glory 
and  sovereignty  are  ineffable,  inexpressible 
and  incomprehensible,  as  may  be  plainly 
understood  from  the  cited  Scriptui-es  (for  it 
is  all  Spirit  and  God,  and  therefore  beyond 
human  understanding) ;  therefore  it  is  that  I 
pray,  admonish  and  desire  all  my  beloved 
brethren  and  fellows  in  Christ  Jesus,  with 
all  that  men  can  pray,  not  to  allow  and 
consent  to  flatterings,  innovations  nor  hu- 
man explanations,  be  it  by  whom  it  may, 
concerning  this  incomprehensible  majesty; 
ever  fearing,  ye  who  seek  God,  with  all 
your  powers,  that  ye  do  not,  by  such  high- 
soaring  thoughts  and  human  conjecture, 
mistake  the  ineifable  God  who  makes  all 
human  wisdom,  which  is  contrary  to  him, 
foolishness;  lest  ye,  through  your  vain 
searching  and  musing  of  such  imfathoma- 
ble  matters,  fall  into  his  hands,  and  be  con- 
sumed by  the  fire  of  his  wrath. 

Brethren,  I,  for  myself  confess  that  I 
would  rather  die  than  to  believe,  and  teach 
unto  my  brethren,  a  single  word  or  letter 
concerning  the  Father,  Son  and  Holy  Ghost 
(behold,  before  God  Hie  not),  differing  from 
the  express,  testifying  word  of  God  which 
so  clearly  points  out  and  teaches  through 
the  prophets,  evangelists  and  apostles. 

O,  my  pious,  God  fearing,  faithful  breth- 
ren! let  us  all,  one  with  another,  be  thus 
minded;  then  the  desolated  cities  may  be 
again  rebuilt;  the  strong  may  remain  firm; 
the  wavering  be  again  strengthened;  and 
thus  peace,  love,  and  unity  be  again  re- 
stored. I  know  certainly  and  truly  that  if 
any  one  wants  to  go  further  than  we  here 
testify  and  admonish  from  the  word  of  God, 
he  will  fall  into  error;  or  mount  too  high, 
or  deviate  from  side  to  side;  he  will  miss 


the  right  course  and  will  act  no  more  intel- 
ligently than  he  who  would  try  to  pom-  or 
confine  the  river  Rhine  or  Meuse  in  a  quart 
bottle.  But  those  who  abide  simply  and 
humbly  by  the  word  of  God,  the  testified, 
prophetical,  evangelical  and  apostolical 
word,  and  firmly  believe  it,  although  they 
neither  do  nor  can  fully  comprehend  it,  and 
take  heed  to  all  human  investigation,  dis- 
putations, flatterings,  explanations,  turn- 
ing and  conjectui-e  in  these  incomprehensi- 
ble abysses,  will,  in  all  temptations, 
stand  firmly,  by  the  grace  of  God,  and  walk 
all  their  lives  before  their  God  with  peni- 
tent and  cheerful  minds.  I  sincerely  wish 
that  all  the  brethren  were  of  like  mind  with 
me  in  this  respect ;  for  I  have  been  at  enmi- 
ty with  human  sophistry  and  flattery  for 
fifteen  years,  and  I  am  still;  I  expect  to  re- 
main so,  and,  by  the  help  of  God,  to  take 
heed  not  to  offer  the  blood  of  the  Lord  with 
leaven;  but  I  desire,  solely,  to  enter  into 
the  sanctuary  of  God,  that  is,  into  his  holy 
chui'ch,  with  the  unleavened  bread  of  the 
unalloyed  word  of  God,  overspread  with 
the  oil  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

O,  brethren !  were  they  all,  who  are  called 
brethren,  thus  minded  with  me,  how  soon 
then  would  the  sad,  afflicted  hearts  find 
consolation  and  cheerfulness,  and  the  di- 
vided, restless  minds  unity  and  peace.  O, 
Lord  Jesus !  Have  mercy  upon  thy  poor, 
afflicted  sheep,  and  let  every  hungry  and 
thksty  soul  find  thy  verdant  pastui-es  and 
limpid  waters,  Amen. 

Beloved  brethren  and  sisters  in  Christ 
Jesus !  Receive  this  with  the  same  mind 
with  which  I  have  written  it  to  you ;  read  it 
plainly  to  all  the  brethren,  and  understand 
it  in  a  christian  manner;  and  beware,  he- 
ware,  yea,  bewaee  of  all  disjnitation,  dis- 
cord and  division.  This  I  desire  from  my 
inmost  soul,  for  the  Lord's  sake.  The 
sincere,  evangelical  peace  be  with  all  my 
beloved  brethi-en  and  sisters  in  Christ  Jesus, 
Amen. 


MENNO  SIMON. 


Sept.  Wi,  A.  D.  1550. 


^nsr 


EXPLANATION 


OF 


Christian  Baptism 


IN  THE  WATER, 


FROM  THE  WORD  OF  GOD. 


IN  WNAT  MANNER  IT  WAS  COMMANDED  BY  CHRIST  JESUS,  AND  HOW 
IT  WAS  TAUGHT  AND  PRACTICED  BY  HIS  HOLY  APOSTLES. 


BY 


MENNO  SIMON. 


"  For  other  fonndatiou  cau  no  man  lay  than  that  is  laid,  which  is  Jesus  Christ," 
1  Cor.  3:  11. 


ELKHART,  INDBANA: 

PUBLISHED  BY  JOHN  F.  FUNK  AND  BROTHER. 

187  1. 


MENNO   SIMON'S   SALUTATION. 


Read  and  consider  carefully  the  words 
which  I  speak,  ye  learned,  who  appear  to 
be  distinguished  in  mind  and  doctrine 
above  others.  I  have  added  this  my 
little  German  work  for  the  celebration  of 
the  rite  of  Baptism.  For  I  am  not  well 
able  to  promote  this  cause  in  Latin,  and  if 
able,  am  unwilling  that  this,  my  labor, 
should  perish  in  the  hands  of  the  few,  but 
desire  that  it  may  become  known  to 
every  christian  and  3aeld  the  greater  ad- 
vantage. That  there  are,  in  this  work,  no 
interpolations  of  Scripture,  nor  satires,  nor 
falsehoods,  judge  for  yourselves.  More- 
over I  know  it  is  not  the  spirit  of  a  chris- 
tian to  lead  in  anyway  deceitfully,  especial- 
ly in  an  affair  so  serioias.  Indeed  the 
christian  does  not  know  deceit.  It  becomes 
the  evangelical  teacher  to  set  before  himself 
nothing  except  these  most  illustrious  pre- 
cepts of  the  evangelist — such  as  faith,  char- 
ity, patience,  life,  gentleness,  peace,  mild- 
ness, truth,  moderation,  and  finally  to  so 
live  that  no  one  is  able  with  justice  to  thrust 
against  him  any  taint  of  baseness,  that  he 
may  teach  not  only  by  word,  but  also  by 
example,  following  the  teachings  of  Paul 
who  says,  "I  keep  under  my  body,  and 
bring  it  into  subjection;  lest  that  by  any 
means,  when  I  have  preached  to  others,  I 
myself  should  be  a  castaway,"  1  Cor.  9:  27. 
And  elsewhere,  "Having  your  conversation 
honest  among  the  Gentiles;  that,  whereas 
they  speak    against  you  as  evil    doers," 


"they  may  be  ashamed  that  falsely  accuse 
your  good  conversation  in  Christ,"  1  Pet. 
2:12;  3:16.  For  in  the  midst  of  these 
things  it  behooves  one  to  repress  such  ig- 
norance and  stupidities,  lest  that  saying  of 
the  Savior  be  turned  against  us  which  says, 
"Cast  out  first  the  beam  out  of  thine  own 
eye,"  Luke  G:  42.  For  how  can  I  induce 
others  to  become  christians  when  I  myself 
am  not  a  christian. 

Read  therefore,  and  if  any  thing  be  found 
in  this  work  that  has  not  the  flavor  of  evan- 
gelical purity  and  spirit,  I  am  confounded, 
not  you.  For  I  have  written  from  a  sense 
of  pious  affection,  not  that  I  may  injure 
any  one,  but  for  the  benefit  of  all  men. 
Nevertheless,  such  are  my  thanks  from  you 
for  this  my  kindness  toward  you,  that  I 
know  it  is  not  enough  except  I,  with  my 
sanctified  Leader,  having  indeed  received 
Christ  as  my  reward,  endure  all  evil,  ig- 
nominy and  tortures.  No  wonder.  They 
indeed  do  not  spare  me  while  I  seek  the 
truth  and  declare  openly  the  offered  sacri- 
fice, when  almost  all  teachers  of  righteous- 
nesSjWho  were  from  the  b  eginning,haveyield- 
ed  to  death  in  the  same  way.  This  is  indeed 
gratitude,  when  the  world  displays  its  sub- 
jection to  God.  Would  that  in  very  truth 
they  were  christians  who  persuade  them- 
selves that  they  are  christians.  May  grace 
abound  with  all  the  diligent  through  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  witli  sincerity. 


PREFACE. 


Belo\^d  readers,  in  otir  first  publication 
of  the  writings  concerning  Baptism,  we 
have,  with  christian  truth,  satisfied  the  de- 
sire of  every  pious  cliristian.  Yet,  there 
ai'e  some  light  minded,  rebellious,  conten- 
tious and  carnal  persons  who,  without 
cause  and  Scripture,  and  in  every  respect 
without  the  fear  of  God,  teach,  write,  ad- 
monish and  cry  out  against  us,  with  partial 
hearts,  saying,  "It  is  heresy  and  deceit;  for 
it  is  written  and  taught  adverse  to  the 
learned,  and  against  the  doctrine  of  the 
holy,  christian  church."  Although  I  had 
not  intended  to  reply  to  snch  perverse,  re- 
bellious, disobedient  and  contentious  per- 
sons, according  to  the  word  of  the  Lord, 
Matt.  7,  but  solely  to  write  to  the  humble, 
meek.  God-fearing  and  penitent.  For  the 
wise  will  hear  wisdom;  will  love  it  and  be- 
come wiser;  but  the  fool  will  hear  folly, 
praise  it,  persist  and  die  in  it — yet  to  such 
contenders  and  gainsayers,  who  speak  so 
hard  against  the  word  of  God,  I  would  ask 
two  questions;  and  request  them  to  exam- 
ine and  ponder  them  well,  and  return  a 
discreet  and  becoming  reply  to  me.  In  the 
first  place :  What  are  properly  heretics  and 
deceivers?  Secondly,  AVho  are  they  that 
admonish  and  teach  against  the  doctrine  of 
the  holv  church?  If  they  answer  these 
questions  fairly  they  must  themselves  pro- 
nounce the  sentence,  that  with  us  tJie  up- 
■rigld  truth  of  Jesus  Christ  is  found  and  not 
with  them;  on  the  contrary,  that  all  man- 
ner of  heresy,  deceit  and  false  doctrine  are 
abundantly  taught  and  practiced  by  them, 
and  not  by  us.  Which  of  the  two  parties, 
then,  are  heretics  and  imposters,  I  will 
leave  to  the  judgment  of  the  reader.  For 
hereticus  means:  one  who  sorts  out,  one 
who  chooses,  one  who  gleans.  Quiaheresis 
Grece  ab  electione  vocatur,  inquit  Beda  super 
acta  Apostolorii/m,  one  who  selects  such  as 


will  suit  his  own  opinion.  If  these,  then, 
are  truly  heretics,  who,  according  to  their 
own  meaning,  without  Scripture,  form  them- 
selves a  faith,  then  I  truly  do  not  know 
where  to  find  more  miserable  and  more  de- 
plorable heretics  than  those  who  ever  com- 
bat, upbraid,  betray  and  persecute  us,  poor, 
scattered  and  rejected  christians,  as  damna- 
ble heretics.  For  there  is  no  worse,  or  more 
abominable  heresy  under  heaven  than  is 
found  among  our  gainsayers  and  contend- 
ers; while  they  so  shamefully  change  and 
garble  the  word  and  the  perfect  ordinance 
and  institution  of  our  beloved  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  as  to  baptize  sucli  things  which  God 
has  neither  commanded  nor  ordained  to 
be  baptized,  namely :  The  little,  unconscioirs 
children  and  bells;  and  do  not  baptize  those 
whom  God  has  commanded  to  be  baptized, 
namely:  Those  who  believe,  while  they 
worship  and  honor  a  mouthful  of  bread 
and  a  drink  of  wine  as  the  Son  of  God; 
while  they  ascribe  to  themselves,  without 
the  word  of  God,  tlie  power  over  the  living 
and  the  dead;  and  while  they  place  in 
Christ's  stead  a  sinful  man,  a  child  of  per- 
dition, whose  natural  pride,  pomp,  greed, 
cruelty,  uncleanliness  and  idolatry  are  be- 
yond description,  2  Thess.  2:  4. 

Truly,  I  do  not  know  how  a  worse  heresy 
could  be  invented.  Notwithstanding  these 
miserable  men  cruelly  cry  against  us.  Her- 
etics, heretics,  drown  tliem,  slaij  and  hum 
them.  And  this  for  no  other  reason  than 
that  we  teach,  according  to  the  holy  gospel 
of  Jesus  Christ,  the  new  life,  Baptism  on 
the  confession  of  faith,  the  Supper  as  rep- 
resenting both  a  holy  and  unblamable 
church;  because  we  rebuke  all  false  doc- 
trine, idolatry  and  the  accursed  carnal  life; 
and  point  alone  to  the  blessed  Christ  Jesus, 
and  to  no  other  means  of  salvation,  neither 
in  heaven  nor  on  earth. 


193 


PREFACE. 


If  tliis  is  heresy,  beloved  reader,  then,  in- 
deed, the  true  Being  is  not  in  Christ;  then 
he  is  not  the  true  way,  the  truth,  and  the 
life,  John  14:  6.  Be  not  frightened  by  their 
upbraiding  and  slandering;  for  from  the 
beginning  it  has  been  the  case  that  the  un- 
believing, hate,  slander  and  persecute  the 
believing;  the  wicked,  tlie  good;  the  un- 
righteous, the  righteous;  the  carnal,  the 
spiritual;  the  heretics,  the  christians.  It 
was  the  case  with  Cain  and  Abel,  Ishmael 
and  Isaac,  Esau  and  Jacob  and  with  the 
false  prophets  and  the  true  prophets; 
as  Christ  Jesus  has  told  us  before, 
namely:  "Ye  will  be  hated  of  all  nations, 
for  my  name's  sake,"  Matt.  24 :  9.  If  they 
were  the  true  disciples  of  Christ  Jesus  as 
they  boast  themselves  to  be,  they  would 
persecute,  betray  or  murder  no  body  for  the 
sake  of  their  faith;  but  with  Christ  Jesus, 
they  would  diligently  seek  to  reclaim  that 
which  was  lost.  Matt.  18:11,  if  we  were 
lost,  as  they  claim.  If  they  were  the  bride 
of  Christ,  they  would  not  be  spiteful,  cruel 
and  blood  thirsty,  but  meek,  mild  and  mer- 
ciful, yea  be  thus  minded  as  is  the  good 
and  faithful  bridegroom,  Christ  Jesus.  But 
they  plainly  manifest  themselves,  by  their 
works,  not  to  be  the  bride  of  Jesus  Christ, 
but  rather  to  be  the  bride  of  him,  who,  from 
the  beginning  was  a  mui'derer,  that  is,  the 
devil,  Jn.  8:44. 

If  they  were  the  body  of  Christ,  they 
would  not  crucify  and  persecute  any  one 
for  the  sake  of  the  truth  of  the  Lord,  but 
would  themselves,  with  Christ  Jesus,  and 
his  church,  be  crucified  and  persecuted  for 
the  sake  thereof,  Matt.  5:  11;  Jn.  16: 1,  2; 
3  Tim.  3:  12.  For  the  innocent  lamb  does 
not  kill,  but  from  the  beginning  it  was 
killed.  Behold,  kind  readers,  what  miser- 
able, bloody,  tyrannical  and  murderous 
heretics  our  gainsayers,  opponents  and  per- 
secutors are  found  to  be  before  God,  in  all 
their  teachings,  admonitions,  instructions, 
life  and  tyranny.  But  this  they  do  not  ac- 
knowledge. For  it  would  not  do  to  ac- 
knowledge this.  If  they  did,  how  could 
they  then  crucify  and  persecute  the  chosen 
children  of  God,  the  children  of  the  king- 
dom and  promise,  the  brethren  and  sisters 
of  Jesus  Christ,  the  angels  of  peace,  and  the 
children  of  the  eternal,  imperishable  life  ? 


But  now  their  minds  are  so  obscured, 
their  eyes  are  so  bedimmed,  their  ears  are 
so  closed  up  that  they  cannot  understand; 
for  their  evil-doing  and  wickedness  have  ob- 
scured and  blinded  them.  The  table  of  the 
divine  word  is  to  them  "  a  snare,  and  a  trap, 
and  a  stumbling  block,  and  a  recompense," 
Rom.  11:9.  The  righteous  judgment  and 
awful  wrath  is  come  upon  them,  because 
they  so  industriously  seek  falsehood,  and 
so  obstinately  combat  and  reject  the  lovely 
truth  of  Jesus  Christ. 

Christ  Jesus  says,  "Blessed  are  they 
which  do  hunger  and  thirst  after  righteous- 
ness; for  they  shall  be  filled,"  Matt.  H:  6. 
But  these  hunger  and  thirst  after  unright- 
eousness, with  which  they,  according  to 
Paul,  are  abundantly  filled,  2  Thess.  2:  12. 

Christ  Jesus  says,  "  Every  one  that  asketh 
receiveth;  and  he  that  seeketh,  findeth;  and 
to  him  that  knocketh  it  shall  be  opened," 
Luke  11 :  9.  But  these  seek  diligently, 
night  and  day,  not  after  the  right  way,  but 
after  the  wrong;  hoping  yet  to  find  some- 
thing, either  in  the  word  or  in  our  lives, 
which  may  be  so  twisted,  bent  or  applied 
as  to  trample  upon  and  nullify,  the  right, 
evangelical  truth,  even  as  if  the  eternal 
Truth,  the  blessed  Jesus  had  spoken  and 
taught  with  two  tongues;  and  if  they  can 
find  any  errors  in  our  walk,  as  there  often 
are  (for  we  are  all  of  the  sinful,  failing  flesh 
of  Adam);  then  the  evangelical  truth  is  all 
deceit,  as  if  we  had  no  help  from  God  but 
only  human  aid.  Inasmuch  as  they  so  as- 
siduously seek  after  unrighteousness  and 
delight  in  falsehood,  therefore  God  smites 
them  with  such  great  blindness  that  they 
can  neither  comprehend  nor  judge  of  the 
teachings  of  God;  yet  they  desire  to  clothe 
their  cause,  however  shameful  it  is,  in  the 
garment  of  the  Scriptures,  that  they  may, 
under  this  scriptural,  holy  appearance,  the 
better  deceive  the  foolish,  ignorant  populace 
that  desire  to  be  deceived  and  seduced. 
And  thus  they  remain,  both  teacher  and 
disciple,  in  the  service  of  their  perishable 
flesh  which  they  have  chosen  as  their  God, 
Phil.  3:  18;  Rom.  IG:  17. 

Again,  kind  reader,  they  cry  and  foam 
with  rage  against  us,  saying  that  we  write 
against  all  the  doctors,  and  also  against 
the  teachings  of  the  holy  chalstian  church. 


PREFACE. 


193 


I  affectionately  and  freely  admit  and  ac- 
knowledge that  we  write  against  the  greater 
part  of  the  doctors  or  the  learned  men. 
For  whenever  or  wherever  they  wi-ite,  ad- 
monish and  teach  contrary  to  the  word,  or- 
dinances, statutes  and  institutions  of  Jesus 
Christ,  we  do  not  consider  their  famous 
names  and  have  nothing  to  do  with  their 
human  philosophy.  But  if  they  teach 
rightly  we  do  not  contradict  nor  write  against 
them. 

I  trust,  Ijy  the  most  merciful  grace  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  the  oldest,  most 
pious,  most  upright,  truest  and  most  able 
doctors  of  the  church  of  Jesus  Christ,  who 
were  long  before  all  other  doctors,  are  re- 
ceived and  believed  by  me  and  my  beloved 
brethren,  in  every  word  and  doctrine. 
These  are,  Moses,  Isaiah,  Jeremiah,  David, 
Christ  Jesus,  Matthew,  Mark,  Luke,  John, 
Paul,  Peter,  James  and  Jude.  If  any  body 
can  show  me  a  word  in  all  my  writing  that 
I  have  taught  or  written  contrary  to  the 
doctrine  of  these  doctors,  then  I  am  willing 
to  be  abashed,  instructed  and  taught  bet- 
ter; but  I  trust  that  it  can  never  be  truth- 
fully done.  If  I  should  write  and  teach 
against  these  pious,  unblamable  doctors, 
then  my  writing  and  teaching  would  be 
against  the  teachings  and  admonitions  of 
the  christian  body,  community  or  holy 
church. 

I  acknowledge  and  know  well  that  I  ad- 
monish, teach,  instruct  and  write  contrary 
to  the  instructions  and  teachings  of  some 
communities  and  churches,  in  regard  to 
some  articles,  such  as  the  Papists,  Luther- 
ans, and  the  corrupted  sects;  but  not  con- 
trary to  the  teachings  of  the  holy,  christian 
church.  May  the  merciful  Father,  whose 
divine  will  I  industriously  seek  to  obey, 
save  me  from  teaching,  instructing  and 
writing  contrary  to  the  doctrine  of  the  holy 
church ;  for  else  woe  would  be  unto  my  soul 
forever. 

Lest  you  be  ensnared  by  the  word  Tioly 
cliurcli,  you  shall  learn  and  know  from  the 
word  of  God  that  the  holy,  christian  church 
is  no  collection  of  unbelievers,  carnal  or ' 
willful  sinners;  notwithstanding  they  false- 
ly claim  to  be  of  Christ  Jesus,  and  think 
themselves  to  be  the  true,  christian  church. 
No,  kind  readers,  no.  They  are  not  all 
61 


Abraham's  seed  who  are  born  of  Abraham, 
"But  the  children  of  the  promise  are  count- 
ed for  the  seed,"  Rom.  9:  8.  Thus,  also, 
the  holy,  christian  church  must  be  a  spirit- 
ual seed,  an  assembly  of  the  righteous,  and 
a  community  of  the  saints;  which  church  is 
begotten  of  God,  of  the  living  seed  of  the 
divine  word,  and  not  of  the  teachings,  insti- 
tutions, and  fictions  of  man.  Yea,  they  are 
those  who  are  regenerated,  renewed  and 
converted;  who  hear,  believe,  and  fulfill  all 
the  commandments  and  will  of  God;  who 
"have  crucified  the  flesh  with  the  affections 
and  lusts;"  who  "are  all  one  in  Christ 
Jesus."  "Joint  heirs  with  Christ,"  and 
heavenly  and  spiritually  minded  with  him. 
Gal.  5:  24;  3:  28;  Rom.  8:  17. 

These  are  the  holy,  christian  church,  the 
community  of  God,  the  body  and  the  bride 
of  Christ,  whom  he  hath  trusted,  cleansed 
and  sanctified;  but  "they  that  are  in  the 
flesh  cannot  please  God."  This  holy,  chris- 
tian church  has  a  spiritual  Prince  over  her 
who  rules  her  with  the  unbroken  rod  of  his 
divine  word;  a  Master,  or  Teacher  who 
teaches  the  commandments  of  eternal  life; 
and  a  Bridegroom  whose  voice  she  is  ever 
ready  to  hear,  that  is,  Christ  Jesus,  1  Cor. 
6:  11;  Rom.  8:  8;  Ps.  2:  9;  Jn.  6:  68;  3:  29. 

If,  now,  I  contend  against  his  scepter, 
trample  upon  his  commandments  and  teach 
or  write  aught  against  his  heavenly  doctrine, 
then  I  teach  and  write  against  the  doctrine 
of  the  holy,  christian  church.  For  this  holy, 
christian  church  has  but  one  doctrine  which 
is  fruitful  and  godlj'",  which  is  the  limpid, 
pure  and  unmixed  word  of  God,  the  lovely 
gospel  of  the  grace  of  our  beloved  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  Matt  28:19;  Mark  16:15;  1  Pet. 
1 :  25.  All  teachings  and  decrees  which  do 
not  accord  with  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  are 
but  teachings  and  commandments  of  men, 
be  they  teachings  and  opinions  of  doctors, 
decrees  of  popes,  councils  or  any  thing  else; 
they  are  doctrines  of  the  devil,  and  are  ac- 
cursed. Matt.  15:  9;  1  Tim.  4:  1;  Gal.  1:  8, 
9.  Since  we  write  and  teach  nothing  but 
the  pui'e,  heavenly  word,  and  the  perfect 
ordinances  of  the  holy  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ 
and  of  his  apostles;  therefore  we  do  not 
teach  and  write  against  the  teachings  of  the 
holy  church,  but  we  sustain  them. 

Beloved  readers,  let  the  light  minded  run 


194 


PREFACE. 


their  course  to  the  end,  which  is  certain 
death.  They  will  nevermore  concede  the 
truth,  however  powerfully  they  are  van- 
quished, but  they  will  ever  delight  in  hatred, 
upbraiding,  discord  and  disputation  and 
never  be  satisfied,  because  they  will  not  go 
into  the  strait  way  of  the  Spirit;  taught  of 
Jesus  Chiist  and  his  holy  apostles;  not- 
withstanding they  want  to  be  considered 
the  children  and  the  church  of  God,  without 
obedience.  Not  so  kind  readers.  Ever  re- 
member that  there  is  no  holy  church  of 
Christ  other  than  the  assembly  of  the  right- 
eous, and  the  church  of  the  saints,  which 
ever  acts  in  harmony  with  the  word  and  or- 
dinances of  the  Lord,  and  to  no  other  doc- 
trine. She  neitlier  will  nor  can  accept  any 
other  doctrine  or  ordinances  in  divine  mat- 
ters, forever. 

Because,  beloved  brethren,  the  divine  or- 
dinance of  baptism  in  the  water  has  thus 
been  destroyed  for  many  centuries,  and  as 
a  strange  baptism  has  been  practiced,  con- 
trary to  the  true  doctrine  of  the  holy,  chris- 
tian church,  namely,  contrary  to  the  word 
of  God,  from  wliich  evil  custom  so  much 
false  doctrine,  disbelief  and  fruitless,  carnal 
life  have  resulted — therefore  I  have  again 
clearly  pointed  out  from  the  holy  gospel, 
how  we  should  practice  the  true,  script- 
ural, christian  baptism ;  that  the  hearts  and 
faith  of  the  wise  may  be  affirmed  and  as- 
sured, and  the  mouths  of  the  fools  may  be 
stopped,  and  that  God  may  have  the  glory 
in  his  holy  word.  Read  and  see  if  we  have 
not  rightly  tauglit  and  written  according  to 


the  meaning  of  Jesus  Christ.  And  because 
the  whole,  wide  world  so  shamefully  blas- 
pheme and  oppose  the  word  of  God,  and 
despise  his  commandments  and  ceremonies 
as  useless,  saying.  What  good  can  water 
do  us  ?  never  considering  that  the  kingdom 
of  God  and  the  will  of  God  do  not  consist 
in  external  ceremonies,  but  in  the  willing 
obedience  to  the  word  of  God — therefore  we 
have,  in  the  following  wi-itings,  so  exten- 
sively shown  from  the  holy  Scriptures,  who 
should  be  baptized,  according  to  the  word 
of  God,  namely,  the  believing,  or  the  regen- 
erated, Mark  10:  16;  Jn.  3:5;  Tit.  3:  5. 

Besides  we  have  also  shown  how  very 
weak,  useless  and  groundless  all  the  argu- 
ments of  the  world  are,  by  which  they  de- 
fend infant  baptism,  that  the  beforemen- 
tioned  despisers  of  God  may  know  and  un- 
derstand that  they  are  not  baptized  accord- 
ing to  the  evangelical  commandment  of  our 
beloved  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  From  which 
it  follows  that  they  are  not  in  obedience  to 
the  divine  word,  and  if  they  are  not  in  the 
obedience  which  has  the  promise  (I  speak 
of  those  of  understanding  minds),  then  they 
cannot  inherit  nor  obtain  the  promise,  so 
long  as  they  do  not  believe  the  word  of 
God,  and  obediently  fulfill  it  in  all  respects. 
Let  every  one  beware,  and  save  his  own 
soul;  for  our  God  is  a  consuming  fire. 

May  the  merciful  Father,  through    his 
blessed  Son,  Jesus  Christ,  our  Lord,  grant 
you  all  a  true  knowledge,  and  his  affection 
ate  grace  for  your  edification,  Amen. 


CHRISTIAN  BAPTISM. 


Heak  ye,  O,  illustrious,  noble,  wise  lords 
and  princes !  Hear  ye  all  judges  of  the 
land,  where  tlie  sword  of  God  is  given  to 
the  destruction  of  the  evil  doers,  to  the 
protection  of  the  good,  and  to  the  punish- 
ment of  the  wicked  !  Hear,  ye  wise  and  in- 
telligent, you,  who  think  that  you  bear  the 
vessels  of  the  Lord !  Hear  ye,  all  people, 
of  whatever  state,  condition,  trade  or  class, 
who  call  yourselves  christians,  and  who 
boast  of  his  bitter  death  and  precious  blood ! 
Rom.  13:  1;  Tit.  3:4;  1  Peter  2:  13,  14. 

Since  we,  for  the  sake  of  baptism,  are  so 
miserably  profaned,  slandered  and  perse- 
cuted by  all  mankind,  and  as  we  are  ever 
suspicioned  by  the  ungodly  sects  (who  are 
to  you  very  shameful,  perilous  and  abom- 
inable, as  may  be  plainly  seen);  therefore 
we  say  and  testify  in  Christ  Jesus,  before 
God,  before  his  holy  angels,  before  you, 
and  before  the  whole  world,  that  we  are 
solely  urged  by  a  God  fearing  faith  which 
we  have  in  the  word  of  God,  to  baptize  and 
to  be  baptized,  as  the  only  means;  nor  will 
it  be  found  otherwise  neither  in  this  life, 
nor  in  death,  nor  in  the  last  judgment  of 
God. 

Beloved,  we  verily  seek  nothing  in  this 
baptism  other  than  to  obey  our  beloved 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  has  taught  and 
commanded  us  this  with  his  own  blessed 
mouth.  Matt.  28: 19;  Mark  16: 16.  Consider, 
once,  we  pray  you,  that  we  cannot  possibly 
seek  carnal  profit  in  this  our  actions ;  neither 
gold,  nor  silver,  nor  honor,  nor  ease,  nor  long 
life  on  earth.  For  you  may  plainly  see 
that  we  are  made  a  prey  to  the  world  on 
account  of  it.  But  we  are  urged  solely  by 
the  love  of  God,  by  an  upright,  fruitful 
faith,  which  faith  industriously  examines 
all  the  words  of  Christy  giving  ourselves  in 
willing  obedience  to  God;  knowing  to  a 
certainty  that  if  we  oppose,  and  do  not 


obey  that  which  our  Lord  has  commanded, 
we  can  never  receive  nor  inherit  the  heavenly 
blessing  and  divine  promise.  Fo;-  thi-ough 
obedience  every  thing  is  received)-  as  has 
been  mentioned  in  the  preface.  Matt.  3:6; 
Acts  19:  18;  2:  38;  9:  6;  10:  48;  16:  30. 

How  could  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob, 
together  with  all  the  beloved  fathers  and 
patriarchs,  have  obtained  the  consoling 
promise  of  God,  if  they  had  not  done,  be  it 
ever  so  little,  that  which  God  had  command- 
ed them  through  his  holy  word  "i  But  they 
heard  the  word  of  God;  firmly  believed  and 
obeyed  it;  and  therefore  they  became  joint 
heirs  of  righteousness,  Ileb.  11:  8. 

On  the  contrary,  however,  all  those  who 
did  not  obey  God,  undoubtedly,  must  have 
borne  the  punishment  of  the  Lord,  as  did 
Adam  and  Eve;  Nadaband  Abihu;  Korah, 
Dathan  and  Abiram;  as  Saul;  as  the  man 
of  God  who  reproved  Jeroboam  the  king, 
for  his  idolatry,  and  was  deceived  by  the 
old  prophet  in  Bethel,  and  other  instances, 
v.'hich  may  be  read  of  in  Moses  and  other 
scriptural  ^TOtings,  Gen.  3:  17;  Lev.  10:2; 
Kum.  16:  32;  1  Sam.  15:  23. 

Since  we  are  so  pitiably  opposed  by 
all  mankind  in  our  doctrine  and  practice  of 
the  christian  baptism,  and  since  they  do 
not  realize  that  their  opposition  tends  to 
eternal  death,  for  they  oppose  Christ  and 
his  word;  therefore  I  will  again  briefly 
show  them  and  all  persons,  from  the  Avord 
of  God  who  shall  read,  see  or  hear  these 
my  writings,  how  wonderfully,  powerfully, 
nay,  how  incontrovertibly  this  our  doctrine 
and  practice  are  contained  and  founded  on 
the  holy  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  although 
we  have  fully  shown  and  jjroven  this  before, 
in  our  writings  on  baptism. 

Most  beloved,  there  are  necessarily  three 
reasons  why  our  faith  accepts  this  baptism 
under  such  a  heavy  cross  and  anxiety. 


196 


CHRISTIAN  BAPTISM. 


First,  because  of  the  divine  command- 
ment of  our  beloved  Lord  Jesus  Clirist, 
whicli  can  never  be  broken.  Secondly,  be- 
cause of  the  teaching  of  the  holy  apostles. 
Thirdly,  because  of  the  practice  of  these 
same  apostles.  And  tirst  of  the  command- 
ment: After  Christ  Jesus  had  risen  from 
the  power  of  death  and  was  going  to  ascend 
to  his  heavenly  Father,  he  thus  commanded 
his  disciples,  saj'ing,  "  Go  j'e  therefore,  and 
teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in  the  name 
of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,"  Matt.  28:  19.  Again,  at  another 
place,  "  Go  ye  into  all  the  world  and  preach 
the  gospel  to  every  creature,  he  that  believ- 
eth  and  is  baptized,  shall  be  saved,"  Mark 
16:  15,  16.  While,  now,  Jesus  Christ,  the 
eternal  wisdom  who  cannot  err,  the  eternal 
truth  Avho  cannot  lie,  has  commanded  this, 
namely,  that  we  sliall  first  preach  the  gos- 
pel, from  the  hearing  of  which  comes  faith, 
Kom.  10,  and  that  we  shall  baptize  those 
Avho  believe,  who  will  or  who  can,  now, 
explain  this  divine  commandment  other- 
wise, or  make  it  of  more  value  than  the 
eternal,  wise,  perfect,  blessed  Christ  Jesus, 
has  made  and  commanded  it  ? 

Brethren,  it  was  not  allowed  to  apply 
one  single  word  of  the  Mosaic  ceremonies 
different  from  what  they  were  contained  in 
the  law.  For  the  Almighty  God  will  not 
that  we  should  follow  our  own  inclinations 
with  regard  to  the  ceremonies  which  he  has 
commanded  us,  but  alone  desires  us  to  ob- 
serve his  good  will  and  pleasure;  for  that 
purpose  he  has  commanded  them.x  Inthe 
outward  ceremonies  alone  God  finds  no 
pleasure;  but  he  has  commanded  them  be- 
cause he  requires  of  us  faithful  obedience.. 
His  wrath  has  often  come  on  those  who 
practiced  his  ceremonies  differently  from  the 
commandment,  as  in  the  case  of  Nadab  and 
Abihu  and  many  others.  For  he  will,  yea, 
he  will  that  we  should  not  follow  our  own 
opinion,  but  that  we  should  hear,  believe 
and  obey  his  holy  voice,  Jer.  7:  5—7. 

If  God  would  have  his  ceremonies  under 
the  law  (which  were  numerous,  and  in  one 
respect  attended  with  trouble  and  expense, 
and  which  he  commanded  not  through 
Christ,  his  Son,  but  through  his  servant 
Moses),  kept  thus  strictly  and  unchanged 
until  the  time  of  Christ;  how  much  more  so 


will  he  have  the  few  ceremonies  of  the  New 
Testament  kept  strictly  and  unchanged, 
which  are  but  two  in  number,  being  bap- 
tism and  the  Supper,  which  he  has  com- 
manded, not  through  his  servant  but  through 
his  only  begotten  Son,  Jesus  Clirist;  and 
which  are  neither  attended  with  trouble  nor 
expense. 

Consider  how  troublesome  and  expensive 
it  was  to  the  Israelites  to  travel  a  long  dis- 
tance over  hill  and  dale,  to  appear  two  or 
three  times  a  year  before  the  Lord,  at  Jeru- 
salem, with  their  offerings  of  bullocks, 
rams,  goats  and  tenths,  which  they  were 
bound  to  offer  of  all  their  goods,  to  the 
Lord.  But  the  christian  ceremonies  of  the 
New  Testament,  baptism  and  Supper,  which 
are  commanded  us  of  God,  are  not  at  all 
attended  with  trouble  or  expense;  although 
the  meaning  or  representation  of  these  cer- 
emonies to  true  believers,  is  attended  with 
great  vexation  to  the  flesh.  This  however 
is  not  caused  by  the  ceremonies  themselves, 
but  alone  through  the  faith  which  leads  us 
to  these  ceremonies,  out  of  love  and  obedi- 
ence to  the  divine  word.  Most  beloved, 
since  the  ordinance  of  Jesus  Christ  is  un- 
changeable and  the  only  one  that  is  accept- 
able to  the  Father;  and  since  he  has  com- 
manded that  we  shall  first  preach  the  gospel 
and  then  baptize  those  who  believe;  it  fol- 
lows that  all  those  who  baptize  and  are 
baptized,  without  the  teaching  of  the  gospel 
and  without  faith,  ba^jtize  and  are  bap- 
tized on  their  own  opinion,  without  the 
doctrine  and  the  ordinance  of  Jesus  Christ, 
and  therefore  it  is  idolatry,  useless  and 
vain.  For  had  Israel  circumcised  their  fe- 
males because  it  was  not  expressly  forbid- 
den, they  would  yet  have  circumcised  with- 
out the  ordinance  of  God,  for  he  had 
commanded  that  the  males  were  to  be  cir- 
cumcised. Gen.  17:  10.  The  same  it  is  in 
this  instance.  If  we  baptize  the  unconscious 
children,  although  Scripture  has  not  ex- 
pressly forbidden  it,  just  as  it  was  not  fox*- 
bidden  to  circumcise  the  females,  we  yet 
baptize  without  the  ordinance  of  Jesus 
Christ;  for  he  commanded  to  baptize  those 
j  who  should  hear  and  believe  his  holy  gos- 
pel, Gen.  17:  10;  Matt.  38: 19;  Mark  16: 16; 
Acts  2:  38;  .9:  18;  10:  48;  16:  33. 

It  avails  nothing  that  some  say  that  these 


CHRISTIAN  BAPTISM. 


197 


words  of  Matthew  and  Mark  extend  the 
holy  church  to  the  Gentiles,  and  that  there- 
by the  baptism  of  infants  is  not  excluded. 
Beloved  reader,  it  is  true  by  this  command- 
ment the  holy  church  is  also  extended  to 
the  Gentiles,  to  the  fulfillment  of  the  pro- 
phetic Scriptures  which  long  before  had  seen 
this  through  the  Spirit,  as  Paul  proves, 
Rom.  15.  Yet  the  word  stands  firmly  with 
regard  to  both  Jews  and  Gentiles,  namely, 
whosoever  believeth  and  is  baptized,  shall 
be  saved.  .^  Faith  is  before  baptism.  For 
faith  is  the  beginning  of  all  righteousness 
which  avails  before  God,  from  which  faith, 
baptism  is  the  resiilt  as  a  sign  and  token 
of  obedience.  If  the  children,  then,  have 
faith,  their  baptism  is  not  forbidden  by  the 
alleged  words  of  Matthew  and  Mark. 

Again,  neither  does  it  avail  any  thing 
that  some  allege  and  say,  that  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  dead  was  not  expressly  written 
in  the  books  of  Moses,  yet  it  was  implied 
as  Christ  Jesus  proved  to  the  Sadducees 
from  Exod.  3:  6,  namely:  I  am  the  God  of 
Abraham,  of  Isaac  and  of  Jacob.  As  in 
these  words  of  Moses  the  resurrection  is  not 
expressed,  yet  it  is  implied,  as  God  is  no 
God  of  the  dead  but  of  the  living,  as  Christ 
teaches.  Matt.  22:  82;  thus  they  say,  infant 
baptism  is  not  expressed  in  the  gospel,  yet 
it  is  implied.  To  this  we  reply:  That  the 
resurrection  of  the  dead  is  no  outward  cere- 
mony which  God  has  commanded  us  to  do; 
but  it  is  something  which  God  himself  will 
accomplish  in  us  by  his  Almighty  i^ower, 
therefore  it  is  an  invisible  consolation  in 
the  hearts  of  all  believers,  which  is  compre- 
hended by  faith  alone.  But  the  baptism 
of  unconscious  children  is  an  outward  cere- 
mony. If,  then,  it  is  an  ordinance  and 
word  of  God  which  has  the  promise,  it  must 
be  plainly  expressed  in  the  Scriptures.  If 
not,  it  cannot  be  called  a  ceremony  of 
Christ. 

Thirdly,  neither  does  it  avail  that  some- 
allege  and  say,  "Although  the  believing 
women  have  no  express  word  of  invitation 
to  the  Lord's  Supper,  neither  were  they  at 
the  celebration  of  the  last  Supper  of  the 
Lord,  3'et  they  are,  for  good  reasons,  ad- 
mitted to  the  Supper,  and  it  is  the  same 
with  unconscious  children.  Although  there 
is  no  express  command  for  their  baptism, 


neither  were  they  baptized  of  the  Lord  nor 
of  his  disciples  so  far  as  we  can  learn  from 
the  Scriptures;  yet  they  are,  for  good 
reasons,  admitted  to  baptism,  the  same  as 
the  believing  women  are  admitted  to  the 
Supper." 

Kind  reader,  this  is  a  very  crafty  argu- 
ment to  deceive  the  simple  and  ignorant, 
for  it  savors  highly  of  subtlety,  but  is  not 
at  all  according  to  the  example  of  Jesus 
Christ.  Because  the  Holy  Supper  repre- 
sents the  death  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
and  the  love  of  our  neighbors;  both  of 
which  are  known  and  practiced  by  the  be- 
lieving women  as  well  as  the  believing  men. 
If,  then,  the  unconscious  children  have  that 
which  is  represented  by  baptism,  namely, 
death  unto  sin,  the  new  life,  Rom.  6:4;  the 
new  birth,  Jn.  3,  the  putting  on  of  Christ, 
Gal.  3:  27,  the  moving,  quickening  Spirit  by 
which  we  are  baptized  into  the  body  of  Christ, 
1  Cor.  12:  13,  and  a  good  conscience,  1  Pet. 
3:  16,  as  have  the  believing  women  of  what 
is  represented  in  the  Holy  Supper,  then  they 
should  be  baptized  for  the  same  reason  that 
believing  women  are  admitted  to  the  Sup- 
per; but  it  neither  will  nor  can  ever  be 
!  found  in  unconscious  children. 

Fourthly,  it  avails  nothing  that  some  al- 
lege from  Ecclesiasticus  1:  14,  that  "To  fear 
the  Lord  is  the  beginning  of  wisdom :  and 
it  was  created  with  the  faithful  in  the 
womb,"  and  will  be  with  the  chosen  women. 
If  then,  they  say,  "The  fear  of  the  Lord  is 
created  with  the  believing  in  the  mother's 
womb,  which  fear  is  a  fruit  of  faith,  and  as 
the  fruit  can  not  be  before  the  tree,  there- 
fore the  children  from  their  mother's  womb 
have  a  fruitful  faith;  if  they  have  faith, 
then  their  baptism  cannot  be  hindered  ac- 
cording to  the  Scriptures."  Not  so,  beloved 
reader,  but  judge  every  thing  according  to 
the  word  of  God  and  his  Spirit.  For  I  do 
not  doubt  but  that  you  will  confess  that  the 
faith  which  avails  with  God,  is  a  gift  of 
God,  from  whence  all  righteousness  pro- 
ceeds, comes  by  the  hearing  of  the  divine 
word.  If,  now,  it  comes  by  hearing  1*ie 
divine  word,  as  Paul  teaches,  how  will  it 
be  found  in  unconscious  children;  for  it  is 
plain  that  they  can  not  be  taught,  admon- 
ished or  instructed,  na}'',  they  are  more 
senseless  and  helpless  at  their  birth  than. 


198 


CHRISTIAN  BAPTISM. 


the  irrational  creatures;  so  unconscious 
tliat  tliey  cannot  be  taught  any  thing  about 
carnal  things,  until  their  hearing,  compre- 
hension and  understanding  have  commenced 
to  develop  themselves.  If  they  cannot  be 
made  to  understand  any  thing  visible,  how 
can  they,  then,  j^rematurelj^,  that  is,  before 
they  can  comprehend  things,  be  taught  and 
instructed  in  invisible,  celestial  matters  of 
the  Spirit? 

Secondly,  you  know  and  acknowledge 
that  where  there  is  a  true  faith  there  is  the 
true  knowledge  of  the  dili'erenca  between 
good  and  evil;  the  fear  of  God,  the  love  of 
God  and  also  of  our  neighbor,  and  the  obe- 
dience to  God  and  the  desire  after  right- 
eousness. It  can  not  be  otherwise  than 
that  a  good  tree  bringeth  forth  good  fruit. 
Faith  works  all  manner  of  righteousness, 
as  it  is  written,  "The  just  shall  live  by 
faith,"  and  •'  Faith  is  the  substance  of  things 
hoped  for,  the  evidence  of  things  not  seen," 
Matt.  7:  18;  Rom.  1:  17;  Heb.  11:  1. 

Say,  dear  reader.  If  faith  ever  begets 
good  fruits,  all  manner  of  righteousness  is 
the  substance  of  things  hoped  for,  the  evi- 
dence of  things  not  seen — what  fruits  and 
righteousness  do  our  little  children  beget, 
which  are  evidence  of  faith',,  and  what  do 
they  hope  for,  and  seek  after  but  eating, 
drinking,  laughter,  crying,  warmth,  play, 
&c.,  as  has  been  the  natui-e  of  children  from 
the  beginning.  Besides,  they  often  show 
the  growth  of  the  evil,  Adamic  seed;  and  as 
they  advance  in  youth  they  manifest  it  still 
more ;  but  the  fruits  of  faith,  or  of  the  new 
birth  they  do  not  show,  as  may  be  plainly 
observed,  and  if  you  do  not  observe  it  by 
daily  experience,  then  believe  the  word  of 
God,  which  will  never  deceive  you.  Thus 
Moses  says,  "  Your  children,  which  in  that 
day  had  no  knowledge  between  good  and 
evil,"  &c.,  Deut.  1 :  39.  They  had  no  knowl- 
edge between  good  and  evil,  as  it  appears — 
where,  then,  is  their  faith  which  has  the 
knowledge  between  good  and  evil  ? 

.Thirdly,  you  will  acknowledge  that  all 
righteousness  comes  by  faith  as  our  coutro- 
verters  themselves  allege  and  adduce  in 
their  opposition,  Rom.  4:  5.  Without  faith 
there  is  no  godly  righteousness;  therefore 
Paul  says  to  the  Hebrews  (speaking  of  those 
of  understanding   years),  that  "Without 


I  faith  it  is  impossible  to  please  God,"  Heb. 
1 11 :  6.  Inasmuch  as  the  children,  then,  have 
i  no  faith  by  which  they  can  realize  what 
God  is  and  that  he  is  a  rewarder  of  both 
good  and  evil,  as  they  plainly  show  by 
their  fruits — therefore  they  have  not  the  fear 
of  God,  and  consequently  they  have  nothing 
upon  which  they  should  be  baptized,  yet 
they  have  the  promise  of  everlasting  life, 
out  of  pure  grace.  This  is  all  that  the 
Scriptures  accord  to  them,  and  all  that  the 
word  of  God  says  of  them,  as  will  be  shown 
below. 

Inasmuch,  then,  as  faith  must  be  first 
!  and  afterwards  the  righteous  fruits  which 
'  come  by  faith — such  as  the  fear  of  God,  the 
love  of  God,  frc,  which  fruits  do  not  appear 
in  unconscious  children,  as  has  been  often 
j  said;  tlierefore^' we  must  presume  that  Ec- 
clesiasticus  does  not  teach  that  the  fear  of 
I  God  is  not  in  little  children  immediately 
j  after  conception;   but  we  are  taught  here 
that  the  fear  of  God  is  to  the  believing  in 
the  womb,  that  it  will  be  given  them  in  due 
I  time;  because  his  eyes  of  lire,  those  eyes 
I  whicli  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  fore- 
saw all  things;  foresaw  when  they  were  yet 
in  their  mother's  womb,  that  they  in  time 
would  hear  his  holy  voice,  truly  believe, 
and  through  faith  fear  God;  and  become 
righteous  before  him;  for  true  faith  cannot 
be  without  its  fruits,, as  has  been  often 
proven. 

-If  then,  faith  were  in  the  little,  uncon- 
scious children  from  conception,  as  our  op- 
ponents say,  it  would  be  a  fruitless  faith, 
for  they  do  not  bring  forth  fruits;  and 
therefore  their  preaching dn  this  regard  is 
in  vain.  For,  if  that  Avere  the  case,  faith 
would  come  by  the  creation,  or  conception, 
I  of  the  believing,  and  not  by  the  preaching 
I  of  the  divine  word.  ISTot  so,  beloved  reader. 
This  is  a  sure,  eternal,  imperishable  and  an 
j  enduring  rule  of  the  divine  truth,  to  fulfill 
all  righteousness,  namely:  First,  the  true 
preaching  of  the  holy  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ. 
Secondly,  a  desire  to  hear  and  understand. 
Thirdly,  to  cordially  believe  this  gospel  and 
to  fulfill  it  in  fruit.  This  being  the  case,  it 
follows  that  the  little,  unconscious  children 
have  no  faith,  for  they  can  not  understand 
and  learn.  If  they  have  no  faith,  they 
cannot   have  the  fear  of  God.    Therefore 


CHRISTIAN  BAPTISM. 


199 


our  opponents  cannot  prove  the  justice  of 
baptizing  little,  unconscious  cliildren,  from 
this  passage  of  Ecclesiasticus ;  but  they 
must  wait  according  to  God's  word  until 
they  can  understand  the  holy  gospel  of 
grace,  and  sincerely  confess  it;  then  it  is 
time,  no  matter  how  young  or  old  they  are, 
to  receive  christian  baptism,  as  the  infalli- 
ble word  of  our  beloved  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
has  taught  and  commanded  all  true  believ- 
ers, in  his  holy  gospel,  Matt.  28:  19;  Mark 
16:  16.  If  they  die  before  maturity,  that  is 
in  childhood,  before  they  have  come  to 
years  of  understanding  and  before  they 
have  faith,  then  they  die  under  the  promise 
of  God,  and  that  by  no  other  means  tlian 
the  precious  promise  of  grace,  given  through 
Christ  Jesus,  Luke  18:  IG;  and  if  they  be- 
•come  of  understanding  minds  and  have 
faith,  they  should  then  be  baptized.  But 
if  they  do  not  accept  or  believe  the  word 
Avhen  they  shall  have  arrived  at  the  years 
of  understanding,  no  matter  whether  they 
are  baptized  or  not,  they  will  be  damned, 
as  Christ  himself  teaches,  Mark  10:  16. 

I  know  that  there  are  a  great  many  who 
will  ask,  "Why  I,  unlearned  man,  am  not 
satisiied  in  regard  to  this  matter  with  the 
doctrine  of  Martin  Luther  and  otlier  re- 
nowned doctors,  who  are  versed  in  the 
Scriptures  and  many  tongues  and  sciences 
— who  teach,  and  particularly  Luther,  that 
faith  lies  dormant  in  little  children  the  same 
as  in  a  sleeping  believer  T 

To  this  I  answer:  In  the  tirst  place/ if 
there  were  such  a  dormant  faith  in  little 
children  (which,  however,  is  nothing  but 
invention),  then  it  would  not  be  proper  to 
baptize  such  children  so  long  as  they  would 
not  verbally  confess  it  and  show  it  by  their 
fruits.  For  the  holy  apostles  did  not  bap- 
tize any  believers  while  they  were  asleep> 
as  we  have  shown  in  our  former  writings. 

Secondly,  I  acknowledge  and  confess 
from  my  inmost  heart,  before  you,  and  the 
whole  world,  that  they  and  many  others  are 
well  gifted  with  learning,  eloquence,  subtle- 
ty, languages  and  science,  and  that  I,  poor, 
ignorant  man,  am  in  comparison  to  them, 
as  a  fly  is  to  an  elephant;  therefore  I  am 
heartily  ashamed  to  write  and  speak  against 
them,  with  my  dull  pen  and  awkward 
speech.    Yet  every    reader    should   know 


that  however  learned  the  beforementioned 
philosophers  are,  and  however  ignorant  I 
am,  yet  our  opinions  avail  the  same  with 
God  and  before  him,  for,  without  the  com- 
mand of  the  holy  Scripture,  nothing  right- 
eous can  be  done  and  nothing  pleasing  to 
God  can  be  practiced,  let  him  be  whosoever 
he  may.  The  holy  Scriptures  do  not  refer 
us  to  them  nor  to  any  other  learned  person, 
but  to  Christ  Jesus,  alone.  AVhenever  such 
highly  renowned  men,  by  their  subtle 
acuteness  and  artful  philosophy  try  to  take 
from  us  and  garble  the  plain  ordinances  of 
Jesus  Christ  and  of  his  apostles,  we  must, 
surely,  consider  their  doctrine,  in  that  re- 
spect, as  doctrine  of  men  and  false;  for 
Christ  Jesus  is  not  under  them,  but  above 
them.  Neither  has  he  received  his  holy 
doctrine  from  them,  but  from  his  wise  Fa- 
ther, Jn.  7:  24;  8:  26;  12:  46;  16: 13. 

Since  they,  by  their  philosophy,  assert 
that  there  is  a  dormant,  unfruitful  faith  in 
unconscious  children,  evident)}^  against  all 
Scripture  and  trutli,  and  that  the  children 
should  be  baptized  upon  such  human  phan- 
tasy; now,  judge  for  yourselves,  you  who 
oppose  me,  which  of  the  two  I  woiild  better 
do — hear  the  holy  word  and  ordinance  of 
Christ  Jesus,  to  whom  the  Father,  together 
with  all  the  prophets,  have  pointed  me,  or 
hear  the  learned,  who,  against  his  holy 
word  and  ordinance,  would  liave  me  follow 
fJiC/'r  opinion,  which  they  have  formed  by 
garbling  the  Scriptures.  Eradicate  from 
your  carnal  hearts  all  partisanship  and 
contention  so  that  you  can  fairlj^  judge  of 
spiritual  matters.  God  grant  that  all  the 
learned  and  those  that  are  taught  of  them, 
may  acknowledge  and  teach  truth,  and  ful- 
fill it  in  their  works.  Amen. 

Inasmuch  as  Christ  Jesus  has  command- 
ed his  holy  apostles  that  they  should  first 
teach  the  holy  gospel  of  grace  and  then 
bajjtize  those  who  should  believe;  we  are, 
for  the  same  reasons,  urged  hy  the  love  of 
God,  to  teach  this  christian  baptism  ac- 
cording to  the  word  of  God,  and  afterwards 
obediently  receive  it,  and,  by  the  grace  of 
the  Lord,  to  save  it,  to  the  honor  of  God, 
both  in  life  and  death;  notwithstanding  all 
the  world  opposes  us. 


200 


CHRISTIAN  BAPTISM. 


TEACHINGS  OF  THE  HOLY  APOSTLES  COXCERXING  BAPTISM  IX  THE  WATER. 


Again,  we  are  urged  by  the  pure,  chaste 
teaching  of  the  holy  apostles  thus  diligent- 
ly to  teach  and  receive  this  christian  bap- 
tism: First,  because  it  is  written,  "Now 
when  they  heard  this,  they  were  pricked  in 
their  heart,  and  said  unto  Peter,"  "Men 
and  brethren  what  shall  we  do  ?  Then  Peter 
said  unto  them,  Repent  and  be  baptized, 
every  one  of  yon,  in  the  name  of  Jesus 
Christ  for  the  remission  of  sins,  and  ye 
shall  receive  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost," 
Acts  2:  37,38. 

Most  beloved,  bear  in  mind,  now  and  all 
the  days  of  your  lives,  not  only  concerning 
baptism,  but  concerning  all  doctrine  you 
may  hear,  lest  you  be  deceived  by  false 
teaching,  namelj^  as  all  the  true  prophets 
of  God,  who  were  between  Moses  and  Christ, 
conformed  their  teaching  to  the  doctrine  of 
Moses,  so  the  holy  apostles,  also,  con- 
formed their  teaching  to  the  doctrine  of 
Christ  Jesus,  as  he  had  commanded  them, 
saying,  "Teaching  them  to  observe  all 
things  whatsoever  I  have  commanded  you," 
Matt.  28:  20. 

Therefore  consider  and  ponder  well  that 
which  shall  be  taught  you,  by  the  grace  of 
the  Lord,  from  the  word  of  God,  and  you 
will  clearly  perceive  from  these  words  of 
Peter,  how  the  words  of  Jesus  to  Nicode- 
mus,  concerning  the  new  birth,  should  be 
understood  thus,  "Verily,  verily,  I  say 
unto  thee.  Except  a  man  be  born  of  water 
and  of  the  Spirit,  he  can  not  enter  into  the 
kingdom  of  God,"  Jn.  3:  5.  Beloved  breth- 
ren, the  new  birth  came  to  pass  through  the 
word  of  God.  When  this  word  was  taught 
on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  by  Peter  at  Jeru- 
salem, tlie  multitudes  heard  it  from  his 
mouth  and  from  the  mouth  of  the  other 
apostles;  their  hearts  were  pierced,  for,  by 
faith,  they  accepted  these  words,  and  there- 
fore they  said,  "Men  and  brethren,  what' 
shall  we  do  ?  Then  Peter  said  unto  them. 
Repent,  and  be  baptized  every  one  of  you, 
in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  for  the  remis- 
sion of  sins,  and  ye  shall  receive  the  gift  of 
the  Holy  Ghost."  The  same  as  Christ  said 
to  Nicodemus,  when  he  first  taught  of  the 


birth  from  above,  saying,  "Veril}^,  verily, 
I  say  unto  thee.  Except  a  man  be  born 
of  water  and  of  the  Spirit,  he  cannot  enter 
into  the  kingdom  of  God." 

Behold,  my  chosen  brethren !  how  har- 
monious are  both  master  and  disciples  in 
their  teachings,  namely:  First,  the  birth 
from  above  by  which  we  become  children 
of  God.  Secondly,  the  water  by  which  the 
obedience  of  the  children  of  God  is  shown. 
Thirdly,  the  communion  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
by  which  we  are  assured  in  our  hearts  of 
the  grace  of  God,  of  the  remission  of  sins, 
and  of  everlasting  life  through  Christ  Jesus 
our  Lord,  Jn.  1:  14;  3:  2v 

Inasmuch  as  the  holy  Peter,  who  is  the 
apostle  of  God,  a  true  witness,  sent  by  Jesus 
Christ  with  the  word  of  everlasting  life,  en- 
lightened and  taught  by  the  Holy  Ghost, 
has  thus  taught  and  commanded  us,  name- 
ly, that  we  shall  suffer  oiu-selves  to  be  bap- 
tized upon  the  confession  of  faith  according  to 
the  command  of  the  Lord,  Mark  16 :  16 ;  in 
the  name  of  Christ  for  the  remission  of  sin, 
therefore  we  must  receive  this  baptism  the 
same  as  is  commanded  us  in  the  Holy 
Scriptures,  or  else  we  cannot  obtain  remis- 
sion of  sins  nor  the  Holy  Ghost.  For  who 
has  ever  received  remission  of  sins,  contra- 
ry to  the  word  of  God^  Surely,  it  is  impos- 
sible that  we  can  rob  God  of  the  remission 
of  sins  and  of  his  Holy  Ghost.  If  we,  then, 
desire  the  remission  of  our  sins  and  the 
Holy  Ghost,  we  must  do  and  fulfill  all  that 
which  God,  the  Almighty  Father  has  taught 
and  commanded  us  through  Christ  Jesus 
his  beloved  Son,  and  through  his  holy 
apostles,  in  all  spiritual  matters. 

Here  it  avails  nothing  that  some  teach 
and  say,  contrary  to  the  holy  Scripture, 
"  That  the  little  children  are  born  of  Adam, 
with  a  sinful  or  wicked  nature,  and  that 
therefore  they  should  be  washed  of  their 
inherent  guilt  and  sin,  by  baptism."  To 
teach  and  believe  thus,  my  brethren,  is 
first,  a  fearful  idolatry,  and  abominable 
blasphemy  against  the  blood  of  Christ.' 
There  is  no  remedy,  in  heaven  nor  on  earth, 
for  our  sins,  whether  they  are  inherent  or 


CHRISTIAN  BAPTISM. 


201 


worldly,  but  the  blood  of  Christ  alone,  as 
we  have  often  shown  in  our  fu'st  writings, 
1  Pet.  1 :  19  ;  1  Jn.  1 :  7 ;  Eph.  1:7.  If  we 
ascribe  the  remission  of  sins  to  baptism 
and  not  to  the  blood  of  Christ,  then  we 
mould  a  golden  calf  and  pilace  it  in  the 
stead  of  Christ.  For  if  we  could  be  washed 
or  cleansed  by  baptism,  then  Christ  Jesus 
and  his  merits  would  be  of  none  effect ;  oth- 
erwise we  must  admit  that  there  are  two 
means  for  the  remission  of  sin  which  is  not, 
nor  ever  can  be;  first,  baptism;  second,  the 
blood  of  Christ.  For  the  most  holy  and 
most  precious  blood  of  our  beloved  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  must  and  shall  have  the  praise, 
as  has  been  so  clearly  prophesied  and  tes- 
tified of  all  the  true  prophets  and  apostles, 
throughout  the  Scriptures. 

The  believing  receive  remission  of  sins 
not  through  baptism,  but  in  baptism,  in 
this  manner:  as  they  now,  sincerely  believe 
the  lovely  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  Avhich  has 
been  preached  and  taught  to  them,'  which 
is  the  glad  tidings  of  grace,  namely,  of  the 
remission  of  sin,  of  grace,  of  peace,  of  favor, 
of  mercy  and  of  eternal  life  through  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord,  so  they  become  of  a  new 
mind,  deny  themselves,  bitterly  lament  their 
old,  corrupted  life,  and  look  diligently  to 
the  word  of  the  Lord,  who  has  shown  them 
such  great  love  j' to  fulfill  all  that  which  he 
has  taught  and  commanded  them  in  his 
holy  gospel,  triisting  firmly  in  the  word 
of  grace,  in  the  remission  of  their  sins 
through  the  jirecious  blood  and  through  the 
merits  of  our  beloved  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

They  therefore  receive  the  holy  baptism 
as  a  token  of  obedience  which  proceeds 
from  faith,  as  proof,  before  God  and  his 
church,  that  they  firmly  believe  in  the  re- 
mission.of  their  sins  through  Christ  Jesus, 
as  was  pi-^ached  and  taught  them  from  the 
word  of  Go9.;  therefore  they  receive  remis- 
sion of  their  sins  in  baptism,  as  the  lovely 
promise  of  grace  proclaims  and  represents; 
the  same  as  the  literal  Israelites  received 
remission  of  their  sins  by  their  offerings. 
For  in  case  that  we  only  sought  outward 
baptism  and  trusted  in  the  literal  practice, 
and  would  yet  continue  in  our  old,  corrupted 
walk,  then  indeed,  all  would  be  in  vain, 
the  same  as  it  was  in  such  case,  a  vain  offer- 
ing, amongst  the  ungodly  and  carnal  Isra- 
62 


elites.  For  the  Lord  of  lords  so  often  com- 
plained through  his  holy  prophets,  that 
their  offering  was  not  pleasing  to  him,  that 
it  was  nothing  but  a  corrupt  abomination 
and  stench,  before  his  holy  eyes;  inasmuch 
that  they  despised  the  law,  love  and  the 
commandments  of  God,  and  lived  according 
to  the  lusts  of  their  flesh,  Isa.  66 :  4,  fi ;  and 
other  passages. 

Secondly,  we  are  not  cleansed,  in  bap- 
tism, of  our  inherited  sinful  nature  which  is 
in  our  flesh,  so  that  it  is  entirely  destroyed 
in  us,  for  it  remains  with  us  after  baptism ; 
but  since  the  merciful  Father,  from  whom 
are  all  good  and  perfect  gifts,  has  gracious- 
ly given  us  the  most  holy  faith,  so  we  man- 
ifest in  the  baptism  we  receive,  that  we 
desire  to  die  unto  the  inherent,  sinful  nature, 
and  destroy  it,  so  that  it  will  not  any  longer 
be  master  of  our  mortal  bodies,  Rom.  6: 12. 
Although  such  true  believers  are  often  over- 
come by  sin,  as  John  observes,  "Whoso- 
ever is  born  of  God  doth  not  commit  sin; 
for  his  seed  remaineth  in  him;  and  he  can- 
not sin,  because  he  is  born  of  God,"  1  Jn. 
3:  9. 

Brethren,  I  repeat  it,  as  the  Israelites 
received  remission  of  their  sins,  through  the 
promise,  with  Avhich  were  associated  their 
offerings,  when  they  offered  with  contrite 
hearts,  not  through  the  offering  itself,  for 
then  it  would  be  merit,  but  alone  through 
the  word  of  promise;  for  it  is  grace  and  not 
merit^r:SO  we  receive  remission  of  our  sins, 
when  we  are  true  believers  and  are  washed 
and  cleansed  in  baptism,  through  the  prom- 
ise; not,  I  say,  through  the  washing  of  water, 
for  it  is  not  merit,  but  through  the  promise, 
for  it  is  grac©,  with  which  promise  the  Holy 
Spirit  of  God  has  associated  the  baptism 
of  the  believing,  in  the  gospel,  as  Paul 
teaches,  saying,  "Christ  also  loved  the 
church,  and  gave  himself  for  it;  that  he 
might  sanctify  and  cleanse  it  with  the  wash- 
ing of  water  by  the  word,  that  he  might 
present  it  to  himself  a  glorious  church," 
Eph.  .5:25—27. 

Behold,  most  beloved,  from  this  it  is  plain 
that  we  are  not  cleansed  by  the  washing  of 
water,  but  by  the  word  of  the  Lord,  as  the 
holy  Paul  clearly  teaches  us  in  the  before- 
mentioned  words.  -Jnasmuch  as  the  little, 
unconscious  children,  by  reason  of  their  in- 


202 


CHRISTIAN  BAPTISM. 


capability  of  compreliending  and  under- 
standing the  preacliing  of  the  holy  gospel, 
by  whicb,  alone,  comes  faith,  Rom.  10:  17; 
by  which  faith,  alone,  God  purifies  our 
hearts.  Acts  15 :  9,  and  not  by  the  outward 
baptism,  as  has  been  said  before,  and,  in- 
asmuch as  the  express  command  and  word 
of  God,  which  associates  the  promise  with 
baptism,  solely  refers  to  those  who  are  be- 
gotten of  this  same  word  and  are  thus 
cleansed  in  their  hearts  by  faith,  it  there- 
fore follows  incontrovertibly  therefrom,  that 
these  little  children,  notwithstanding  that 
they  are  baptized  under  a  false  pretension 
and  false  explanation  of  the  divine  word, 
are  not  cleansed  thereby,  if  they  ever  were 
imclean,  which  however  is  not  the  case. 
Why  ?  Because  the  promise  is  not  associa- 
ted with  their  baptism.  Therefore  their 
baptism  is  not  done  according  to  the  word ; 
but  in  every  respect  contrary  to  the  word. 
For  the  word  requires  faith,  and  they  have 
no  faith.  Therefore  their  baptism  is  with- 
out doubt  a  baptism  of  their  own  choice, 
without  God,  without  promise,  yea,  idola- 
trous, useless  and  in  vain. 

Whosoever  now  wants  to  oppose  this, 
and  does  not  want  to  believe  the  ordi- 
nance and  word  of  God,  let  him  take  heed 
to  what  he  does.  For  by  infant  baptism 
he  nullifies  the  command  of  the  Lord ;  tram- 
ples upon  his  precious  blood  (for  he  seeks 
righteousness  in  this  baptism),  and  he  es- 
tablishes, contrary  to  the  immutable  ordi- 
nance of  God,  and  of  his  own  carnal  choice, 
a  false  baptism  which  God  never  command- 
ed. Therefore  it  neither  is  his  holy  will, 
as  has  been  said  above  and  as  will  be  shown 
more  extensively  below. 

Again  the  apostle  Peter  writes.  As  Noah, 
in  his  day,  was  saved  in  the  ark  from  the 
waters  of  the  deluge,  so  "  even  baptism 
doth  also  now  save  us  (not  the  putting  away 
of  the  filth  of  the  flesh,  but  the  answer  of  a 
good  conscience  toward  God),  by  the  res- 
urrection of  Jesus  Christ,"  1  Pet.  3:  21. 

By  this  passage  of  Peter,  the  baptism  of 
the  heliemng  is  again  clearly  affirmed  and 
the  baptism  of  infants  nullified.  For  it  is 
impossible  that  any  one  can  have  a  good 
conscience  but  those,  alone,  who  believe, 
and  whose  hearts  are  regenerated  and  con- 
verted; who  acknowledge  the  divine  word 


which  teaches  that  God  the  Almighty  Fa- 
ther, whose  enemies  we  were  before,  Rom. 
5  :  10,  is  now  again  reconciled  through 
Christ  Jesus,  his  beloved  Son;  that  hence- 
forth, through  the  merits  of  our  beloved 
Lord,  neither  hell,  devil,  past  sins,  eternal 
death,  nor  the  wrath  of  God  will  hm-t  or 
hinder  us.  All  those  who  truly  believe  this, 
shall  receive  and  obtain  a  joyous  mind  and 
go,Dd  conscience  by  the  resurrection  of  Jesus 
Christ  as  Peter  says;  because  he  has  so 
gloriously  triumphed  over  all  his  enemies, 
visible  and  invisible,  to  our  profit;  and  has 
again  seated  himself  in  heaven,  at  the  right 
hand  of  his  Father.  Such,  are  first  inward- 
ly baptized  with  the  Spirit  and  fire,  accord- 
ing to  the  word  of  God,  and  are  thus  taught 
in  their  hearts  by  this  Spirit,  and  are  led  in 
all  divine  truth,  righteousness,  obedience, 
and  evangelical  fruits  and  works.  They 
are  inwardly  so  enkindled  with  this  fire  of 
love,  having  become  conscious,  by  the  word 
of  God,  that  such  great  grace,  I  repeat  it, 
grace,  has  iDeen  bestowed  on  them  through 
Christ  Jesus,  that  they  regard  neither  lords, 
princes,  philosophers,  learned  men,  coun- 
cils, long  usages,  women,  children,  flesh, 
blood,  decrees,  nor  any  other  thi'eats; 
neither  life  nor  death,  but  remain  glad 
in  Spirit,  maintain,  at  the  risk  of  home,  not 
only  the  outward  baptism,  but  also  all  the 
works  of  love  and  the  fruits  of  righteous- 
ness, which  the  true  mouth  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  has  taught  and  commanded  us 
in  his  holy  gospel,  either  himself  or  through 
his  holy  apostles. 

Behold,  beloved  brethren,  in  this  manner 
baptism  saves  us,  as  Peter  teaches;  not  the 
outward  literal  baptism,  but  the  inward, 
spiritual  baptism,  which  as  obedient  chil- 
dren of  God,  has  led  us  through  the  power 
of  faith,  to  tlie  outward  literal  baptism ;  for 
the  outward,  literal  baptism  is  nothing 
more  than  obedience  to  the  divine  word, 
and  thus  it  is  a  seal  or  proof  of  the  right- 
eousness from  whence  the  true,  fruitful  faith 
comes;  the  same  as  was  the  literal  circum- 
cision to  the  believing  and  obedient  Abra- 
:  ham,  Rom.  4:  10,  11. 

Since  Clii'ist  Jesus  has  commanded  that 
we  should  baptize  the  believing,  Mark 
16  :  16— therefore  holy  Peter  followed  the 
commandment  in  his  teachings;  and  has 


I 


CHRISTIAN  BAPTISM. 


203 


taught  baptism  to  be  a  work  of  faith,  name- 
ly, the  answer  of  a  good  conscience 
toward  God,  which  answer  none  can 
experience  but  those  alone  who  have  faith. 
Inasmuch  as  there  is  but  one  literal  baptism 
taught  in  Scripture,  which  baptism  shows 
and  is  proof  of  the  answer  of  a  good  con- 
science toward  God,  as  Peter  teaches,  and 
thus  by  this  Scripture  of  Peter,  infant  bap- 
tism is  prohibited;  for  they  cannot  have 
this  consciousness  like  the  believing.  There- 
fore take  heed,  kind  reader,  whosoever  you 
are,  lest  you  offend  God.  For  all  those 
who  thus  lamentably  oppose  this  evangeli- 
cal baptism  of  the  believing,  which  baptism 
is  so  pointedly  commanded  of  Jesus  Christ, 
and  is  thus  taught  and  practiced  by  his 
holy  apostles,  either  by  doctrine,  word  or 
sword,  must  confess  and  acknowledge  that 
they  were  hitherto  neither  right  believing, 
regenerated,  obedient,  nor  inwardly  bap- 
tized with  the  Spirit  and  fire.  Again,  let 
every  one  of  you  beware  and  take  heed  for 
it  does  not  concern  anything  temporal,  but 
it  concerns  your  poor,  naked  souls  which 
have  been  so  dearly  bought  and  delivered 
by  such  a  precious  treasm-e. 

Beloved  children  in  the  Lord,  however  in- 
controvertibly  our  cause  is  confirmed  and 
founded  in  the  word  of  God,  yet  some  are 
not  ashamed,  persistently  and  continually 
to  write,  talk,  and  slander  against  us;  ad- 
vising and  exciting  persecution,  slaughter 
and  blood-shed  against  us;  in  part  I  pre- 
sume from  ignorance,  partly  out  of  par- 
tiality, and  because  they  are  enemies  of  the 
cross  of  Christ  and  because  they  do  not  de- 
sire the  lovely,  spiritual  life  which  is  of 
God;  and  say,  "Although  infants  have 
not  the  answer  of  a  good  conscience, 
as  the  believing  have,  yet  this  should  be 
no  cause  of  not  administering  baptism  to 
them;  but  they  ought  to  be  baptized,  that 
they  may  the  better  receive  instruction  in 
the  word  and  commandments  of  God." 

Most  beloved  brethren,  when  an  idola- 
trous, refractory  and  disobedient  person 
has  not  the  word  of  God  wherewith  to  de- 
fend his  cause,  he  yet  acutely  invents 
something  wherewith  he  can  so  beautify 
and  adorn  his  invention  and  carnal  right- 
eousness with  a  semblance  of  divinity  and 
holiness,  that  it  seems  quite  right,  just, 


spiritual,  holy,  divine  and  unblamable  in 
the  sight  of  those  who  are  not  versed  in 
spiritual  matters  of  faith;  and  the  more  so 
because  their  unchristian  hearts  and  carnal 
minds  are  prone  to  trust  in  outward  works, 
yea,  through  their  own  choice  and  opinion, 
as  I  understand  it.  If  I  write  wrongly,  then 
rebuke  me  according  to  the  word  of  God; 
for  the  greater  part  of  them  have  always 
sought  righteousness  in  wrought  ceremonies, 
and  not  in  Christ,  as  is  evident  from  the 
fact  that,  as  now,  the  unintelligent  teachers 
and  bishops  in  the  days  of  the  apostles,  or 
soon  after,  commenced  the  practice  of  in- 
fant baptism,  contrary  to  the  command  of 
God  and  the  doctrine  of  the  holy  apostles, 
as  may  be  readily  perceived  in  the  book  of 
TertuUian,  called  "Corona  Milites."  He 
writes  that  among  the  ancients  almost  in- 
variably the  adults  were  baptized  with  the 
washing  of  regeneration.  Understand  me 
rightly  brethren.  TertuUian  lived  one  hun- 
dred and  eight  years  after  Christ,  some  say 
one  hundred  and  forty  years.  As  early  as 
in  the  days  of  these  ancient  -writers,  the 
true,  evangelical  baptism,  which  was  com- 
manded by  Christ  and  taught  and  practiced 
by  his  holy  apostles,  had  become  degener- 
ated with  many,  which  baptism  he  clearly 
testifies  that  the  ancients  almost  invariably 
practiced  upon  adults.  If  now,  brethren,  it 
were  so  that  the  ancients,  who  were  before 
him,  already  baptized  infants,  as  it  appears, 
and  to  which  we  consent,  because  he  says  al- 
most incariahhj;  and  in  another  place  in 
the  same  book^  as  the  Strasburgian  phi- 
losophers write  of  him,  he  says,  "That  in 
the  same  fount  or  water-bath,  both  children 
and  adults  were  baptized."  Nevertheless, 
infant  baptism  was  no  apostolic  institution 
nor  practice,  nor  a  divine  command;  for  if 
Christ  had  commanded  it,  and  the  holy 
apostles  had  taught  and  practiced  it,  then 
the  ancestors  of  TertuUian  would  not  have 
baptized  some  infants,  but  all  the  infants 
of  upright,  believing  parents,  indiscrimi- 
nately. 

That  it  is  no  divine  command  nor  apos- 
tolic institution,  was  well  known  and  shown 
by  the  beloved,  aged  father,  Alexander, 
bishop  of  Alexandria,  who  was  a  particu- 
lar opponent  of  Arrius;  for  he,  so  long 
after  the  days  of  the  apostles,  did  not  bap- 


304 


CHEISTIAN  BAPTISM. 


tize  the  infants  of  his  church,  as  may  be 
plainly  seen  and  understood  from  the  Church 
History  of  Eusebius,  Vol.  10,  Chap.  14, 
translated  by  RufBnis,  on  "The  play  of 
Children,"  by  Anthanasius.  Therefore  the 
intelligent  and  learned  Erasmus,  of  Rotter- 
dam, as  Sebastian  Franck  writes  of  him, 
who  had  perused  and  understood  all  the 
noteworthy  writers  of  the  world  say,  That 
the  ancient  fatliers  disputed  about  infant 
baptism,  but  never  settled  it. 

Behold,  kind  reader,  inasmuch  as  the  j 
ancients,  from  the  beginning,  were  not 
unanimous  in  tliis  matter;  and  inasmuch  i 
as  they  did  not  all  practice  infant  baptism, 
as  appears  from  TertuUian  and  Alexander; 
and  as  those  who  practiced  infant  baptism 
have  ever  sought  righteousness  therein,  as 
may  be  seen  by  their  writings — therefore 
we  will  not  place  our  foundation  upon  that 
which  is  imcertain,  but  upon  that  which  is 
certain,  which  is  Christ's  word.  -  ^"either 
will  we  seek  our  righteousness  in  the  out- 
ward baptism  nor  in  any  other  works,  as 
does  the  world,  but  in  Christ  Jesus,  as  all 
the  Scriptures  teach  us.  Herevdth  we  desire 
to  present  om-  cause  to  the  consideration 
and  judgment  of  all  the  world  and  let  them 
tell  whether  they  have  ever  read  in  the  word 
of  God,  I  say  in  the  tcord  of  God  or  in  his 
gospel,  that  Christ  Jesus  and  his  holy 
apostles  taught  two  different  baptisms  in 
the  water,  namely,  that  one  baptism  should 
be  administered  to  the  believing,  which 
baptism  represents  death  unto  sin,  a  new 
life,  the  answer  of  a  good  conscience  toward 
God,  and  the  washing  of  regeneration, 
Rom.  6:12;  Col.  3:12;  1  Pet.  3:31;  Tit. 
3:5;  and  that  the  other  baptism  should  be 
administered  to  infants,  which  signifies 
nothing  only  that  they  should  be  outward- 
ly washed  with  water. 

Brethren,  judge  rightly  and  do  not  de. 
ceive  your  souls.  We  know  that  they  first 
say  "That  infants  are  cleansed  of  their  in- 
herent sins  and  that  therefore  their  baptism 
is  not  in  vain."  To  this  we  reply  with  the 
word  of  God:  That  such  belief  is  abomina- 
ble idolatry;  for  in  this  case  the  blood  of 
Christ  avails,  and  not  the  outward  baptism, 
as  has  been  shown  above. 

In  the  second  place  they  say,  "That 
thereby  they  are  accepted  into  the  covenant 


of  God."  To  this  we  reply  again:  That 
this  is  not  because  of  baptism,  but  alone 
through  the  mild  election  of  grace,  Eph. 
1:  6;.  for  it  is  grace  and  not  merit,  Rom. 
11:  6,  > 

In  the  third  place  they  say,  "That  chil- 
dren should  be  baptized  that  they  may  the 
better  be  trained  in  the  word  of  God  and 
his  commandments."  To  this  we  reply 
again:  That  we  desire  to  know  where  such 
is  expressed  and  written  in  the  holy  Script- 
ures. Give  a  discreet  answer,  we  pray  you, 
who  assert  infant  baptism  to  be  right,  just 
and  necessary,  and  who  so  lamentably 
slander  and  profane  us  on  account  of  bap- 
tism, that  we  may  no  longer  be  deceived  in 
our  hearts;  but  that  we  may  assm-edly 
know  by  the  word  of  God  where  to  find  this 
infant  baptism.  For  however  industriously 
we  may  search  day  and  night,  we  yet  find 
but  one  baptism  in  the  water,  pleasing  to 
God,  which  is  expressed  and  contained  in 
his  word,  namely:  Baptism  on  the  confes- 
sion of  faith,  commanded  by  Christ  Jesus, 
taught  and  administered  bv  his  holy  apos- 
tles, which  is  administered  and  received  for 
the  forgiveness  and  remission  of  sins  in 
such  a  manner,  as  we  have  fully  proven 
above  by  the  words  of  Peter,  Acts.  3:  38. 
But  of  this  other  baptism,  that  is,  infant 
baptism,  we  find  nothing. 
<' Because  this  infant  baptism  is  nowhere 
commanded  nor  implied  in  the  divine  word, 
therefore  we  take  issue  with  you  and  all 
the  world,  that  we  regard  it  not  only  as 
vaiit^  but  we  believe  and  proclaim  it  as 
idolatrous,  useless,  and  unavailable,  not 
only  by  words  merely,  -but  at  the  cost 
of  our  lives,  as  has  been  proven  by  events 
in  many  countries  of  Germany.  The  reason 
is  this,  because  it  is  administered  without 
the  word  and  commandment  of  God;  be- 
cause righteousness  is  sought  therein;  and 
because  the  true  baptism  of  the  believing 
must  be  so  lamentably  rejected  and  tram- 
pled upon,  by  the  whole  world,  as  an  heret- 
ical baptism,  as  far  as  the  name  of  Christ 
is  mentioned. '.  Therefore,  brethren,  it  is 
nothing  but  opinion  and  human  righteous- 
ness, to  teach,  without  the  word  of  God, 
that  infants  should  be  baptized,  that  they 
may  be  the  better  trained  in  the  word  of 
God  and  Ms  comandments;  as  we  find  to 


CHRISTIAN  BAPTISM. 


205 


the  contrary  that,  although  these  parents 
have  their  infants  baptized,  they  yet,  from 
youth  on,  are  trained  by  these  same  parents 
in  this  Adamic  nature,  in  all  manner  of 
pride,  pomp,  avarice,  vanity,  lying,  cursing, 
swearing,  dancing,  singing,  foolishness, 
artfulness,  hatred,  enmity,  revengeful ness 
and  to  the  accursed  life  of  this  world,  the 
same,  as  from  the  beginning  the  heathen 
have  done  who  never  confessed  God. 

What  profits  svich  baptism  as  they  have 
received?  Is  it  not  merely  folly,  deceit, 
mockery  and  shame  in  the  sight  of  God  ? 
Certainly.  Beware.  There  can  be  no  greater 
hypocrisy,  mockery  or  blasphemy  in  his 
sight.  Inasmuch  as,  perhaps,  the  secret 
awfulness  which  is  hidden  in  infant  bap- 
tism, is  not  yet  rightly  understood  by  you 
— therefore  I  will  briefly  present  the  matter, 
that  j'ou  may  the  better  distinguish  between 
truth  and  falsehood.  I  will  present  to  you 
that  which  for  many  centuries,  as  all  men 
may  have  seen,  has  been  of  daily  occurrence 
and  which,  alas,  yet  occurs  daily. 

In  the  first  place,  we  will  imagine  an  ex- 
tremely corrupted,  ungodly,  carnal  knave 
who  is  yet  called  a  priest,  pastor,  vicar  or 
prebendary  by  the  world.  This  same  un- 
chaste man,  full  of  all  manner  of  roguery 
and  deceit,  covers  his  condemnable  knavery 
with  such  a  pleasant  semblance  that  none 
suspicion  him,  as  does  the  ravening  wolf  in 
sheeps  clothing,  Matt.  7  :  5.  His  head  is 
frequently  shaven,  perhaps,  as  proof  that 
he  wants  thus  violently  to  shave  ofl"  and  de- 
stroy all  lusts  and  desires  of  his  wicked, 
sinful  flesh;  he  desires  to  walk  in  long 
robes,  as  Christ  says,  Luke  20:  46,  as  if  he 
were  pious,  holy  and  venerable;  he  daily 
reads  his  prayers  with  folded  hands  and  un- 
covered head,  as  if  he  were  very  ardently 
inspired;  he  kneels  and  burns  incense  be- 
fore stone  and  wooden  blocks,  which  he 
calls  Peter,  Paul,  Mary  and  the  worthy 
crucifix  of  the  Lord.  I  tell  this  verily  with- 
out facetiousness,  of  which  God  is  my  wit- 
ness. Judge  now  whether  this  is  not  the 
case. 

Besides  he  buys  a  hundred  wafers  for  a 
stiver,  takes  one  at  a  time,  consecrates  it 
as  he  savs,  and  that  mentally,  without  say- 
ing a  word,  nods  to  it,  worships,  implores 
and  eats  it;  and  this  same  thing  he  believes 


and  teaches  to  be  the  true  flesh  and  blood 
of  our  beloved  Lord,  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son 
of  the  Almighty  and  living  God.  Besides 
he  must  be  so  pure  and  chaste  in  his  walk 
that  he  is  not  allowed  to  have  a  legitimate 
or  wedded  consort,  although  the  Holy 
Scriptures  allow  it,  but  the  Pope  has  for- 
bidden it.  All  these  and  other  abomina- 
tions he  calls  and  teaches  to  be  the  holy 
worship,  and  the  most  holy,  christian  faith. 
Such  fruits  are  begotten  and  produced  by 
this  evil  tree,  by  the  faith  that  is  within 
him;  and  after  he  has  orderly,  sumptuously 
and  well  performed  his  carnal  holiness,  he 
proves  his  inward  holiness,  by  seeking  the 
best  female  company,  wine  and  beer;  drinks, 
sings,  dances,  laughs,  shouts,  scolds,  fights, 
curses,  swears,  boasts,  plays,  courts  and 
defiles  himself  with  his  female  servant,  his 
neighbors  daughter,  or  wife  whose  husband 
perhaps  is  at  sea,  or  some  other  place,  try- 
ing to  earn  a  livelihood  by  the  labor  of  his 
hands.  Thus  he  lives  in  shameful  adultery 
until,  by  the  fruits  thereof,  it  can  no  longer 
be  concealed,  when  the  blame  is  cast  upon 
some  one  else,  and  the  fruit  (understand 
what  I  write),  is  disposed  of,  and  by  false- 
hood and  deception  their  shame  and  adul- 
tery are  concealed. 

Behold,  brethren,  they  of  whom  such  ille- 
gitimate children  are  born,  have  been  bap- 
tized in  their  infancy,  claiming  thereby  to 
be  christians;  they  boast  of  Jesus  Christ 
and  of  his  precious  blood.  But  we  may  see 
by  their  friiits  what  kind  of  christians  they 
are,  and  what  kind  of  faith  they  have. 

Therefore  I  tell  you  these  things,  O  kind 
reader,  that  you  may  know  in  the  first 
place,  what  kind  of  christian  parents  these 
are,  what  kind  of  faith  they  have,  of  whom 
some  children  are  born  who  are,  notwith- 
standing all  this,  carried  to  the  baptism 
and  are  baptized  on  the  faith  of  their  hyp- 
ocritical parents,  and  are  therefore  called 
christians.     O,  abominable  mockery  ! 

In  the  second  place,  I  find  at  many  places, 
throughout  the  world,  numbers  of  vain  and 
abandoned  ciiaracters,  some  of  them  sancti- 
fied, others  not,  some  claiming  nobility,  in 
a  worldly  sense,  some  of  large  means,  some 
of  mediocrity,  some  poor,  in  short,  of  all 
classes,  who,  in  the  same  manner,  live  in 
all  manner  of  debauchery,  vanity,  inebriety 


200 


CHRISTIAN  BAPTISM. 


and  uncleanliness,  according  to  their  shame- 
ful, inordinate  lusts  and  devilish  desires, 
and  in  all  manner  of  fornication  and  adul- 
tery. They  seduce  all  thej^  can,  notwith- 
standing they  are  baptized.  And  when 
they,  by  their  recklessness,  have  succeeded 
in  accomplishing  the  ruin  of  such  simple 
and  uncircumspect  souls  who  are  also  born 
of  Adam,  and  who  are,  perhaps,  deceived 
by  false  promises  and  gifts,  and  led  there- 
to by  their  accursed  actions,  then  yet,  it 
must  be  considered  by  those  of  their  class 
as  a  great  honor  and  respectability,  as  the 
prophet  says.  Yet,  notwithstanding  all 
this,  these  same  persons  alike  carry  the 
children  who  are  thus  illegitimately  born 
of  such  profaners,  rogues  and  abandoned 
women,  to  the  baptism,  that  they  may  be 
called  christians  and  be  trained  up  in  the 
same  works  and  fruits  as  their  adulterous 
parents,  in  whom  and  by  whom  they  are 
conceived,  and  begotten  in  accursed  and 
damnable  adultery.     O,  unbelief ! 

In  the  third  place,  I  find  almost  univer- 
sally, both  among  men  and  women  of  what- 
ever class  or  condition  they  are,  noble, 
rich,  poor,  citizen  or  yeoman,  who  were 
baptized  in  infancy,  and  on  that  account 
are  called  christians,  yet  they  lead  such 
sinful  lives  that  we  can  form  no  idea  there- 
of. Their  pride,  unchastity,  avarice,  fraud 
in  buying  and  selling,  quarreling,  hatred, 
unrighteousness,  unmercifulness  towards 
the  tenant  and  the  poor,  their  cursing, 
swearing,  lying,  cheating,  pomp,  debauch- 
ery, drinking,  vanity,  foolery,  blood-thirsti- 
ness, cruelty,  hypocrisy,  tyranny,  trans- 
gressions, idolatry  and  all  manner  of  wick- 
edness know  no  bounds. 

If  there  are  some  who  are  not  guilty  of 
all  the  beforementioned  vices,  on  account  of 
their  natural  indisposition  thereto,  it  must 
be  admitted  that  there  is  not  one  in  a  thou- 
sand who  industriously  seeks  and  desires 
to  walk  according  to  the  commandments  of 
God,  or  to  live  according  to  his  blessed 
will.  Nor  do  they  ask  for  the  right  way  to 
eternal  life  that  they  may  be  saved;  yet 
they  must  be  called  the  right,  christian 
church.  Thus  has  God,  the  righteous  judge, 
obscured  the  understanding  and  natural  in- 
tellect of  those  who  reject  his  holy  word. 


and  who  make  and  honor  things  of  their 
own  choice,  as  an  idol. 

Notwithstanding  the  heathenish  life  of 
both  father  and  mother,  yet  their  infants 
which  are  born  of  them  must,  without  the 
word  of  God  and  merely  out  of  their  own 
choice,  be  conjured,  blessed,  rubbed  with 
spittle,  anointed,  crucifixed  and  baptized, 
and  after  this  has  been  done  at  the  instance 
of  their  parents,  although  contrary  to  the 
commandment  of  God,  they  are  called  be- 
lieving, christian  people,  no  matter  how 
ungodly,  inhuman  and  devilish  a  life  they 
lead;  and  are  admitted  and  received  into 
the  church  as  full  and  proper  members. 

O,  Lord,  Father,  how  very  broad,  easy 
and  pleasing  to  the  flesh  is  the  entrance 
into  this  miserable,  carnal  church ;  for  it  is 
all  as  said,  no  matter  who,  or  what,  or  how 
he  is,  it  is  all  right,  if  he  has  but  been  sworn 
before  a  fountain,  and  washed  and  bap- 
tized in  it  by  an  idolater.  But  how  Avon- 
derfully  narrow,  O  Lord,  is  thy  way,  and 
how  very  strait  is  the  gate  which  leadeth 
into  thy  poor  and  holy  church.  Yea,  so 
narrow  that  on  its  posts  are  stripped  off 
gold  and  possessions,  tiesh  and  blood  and 
all  the  lusts  and  inclinations  of  those  who 
desire  and  sincerely  seek  to  enter  in  at  this 
narrow  gate;  and  thus,  by  thy  grace,  to 
rest  and  remain  forever  in  thy  holy  church, 
Matt.  7:  13. 

Behold,  kind  readers,  I  have  referred  to 
this  in  this  manner,  first,  that  you  may  the 
better  conceive  and  understand  wiiat  kind 
of  christians,  those  are,  what  kind  of  faith 
they  have,  and  what  kind  of  life  they  lead, 
to  whom  infant  baptism  Jias  been  adminis- 
tered and  who  now  have  it  administered  to 
their  children,  that  the  true,  divine  knowl- 
edge may  multiply  in  you,  that  you  may 
rightly  comprehend,  by  the  word  of  God, 
what  abominable  mockery  and  hypocrisy 
infant  baptism  is  before  the  Almighty  God; 
and  that  there  is  no  other  fruitful,  pleasing 
and  available  baptism  before  God,  than 
alone  the  baptism  which  is  administered 
and  received  according  to  the  command  of 
Christ,  Mark  16:  16;  namely,  the  baptism 
upon  the  confession  of  faith,  as  has  been 
frequently  remarked.  Secondly,  I  must 
refer  you,  in  the  same  manner,  to  how  won- 
derfully far  the  custom  of  the  godfathers, 


CHRISTIAN  BAPTISM. 


207 


who  lift  the  child  upon  the  basin  and  an- 
swer their  confession  of  faith,  is  different 
from  the  Spii-it,  commandment  and  word  of 
Christ,  that  by  all  these  facts,  falsehood, 
unbelief,  abuse,  and  satanic  imposture  may 
appear  to  you  and  be  demolished;  and 
that,  on  the  other  hand,  truth,  faith,  the 
right  practice  and  the  divine  will  may  be 
made  known  and  acted  upon. 

Inasmuch  as  Christ  commanded  that  the 
baptized  should  first  believe,  Mark  16:  16, 
before  baptism  should  be  administered, 
Acts  8 :  38,  and  as  the  world  well  knew  that 
infants  had  no  faith;  and  as  they,  notwith- 
standing this,  would  have  unconscious  in- 
fants baptized,  as  human  righteousness  ever 
has  looked  upon,  profaned,  persecuted, 'de- 
spised and  rejected  the  righteousness  of 
God  as  useless,  imperfect  and  foolish; 
therefore  the  ninth  or  tenth  pope,  named 
Higinius,  without  any  commandment  of 
God,  hit  lapon  a  happy  idea,  with  which 
the  world  has  hitherto  been  well  satisfied, 
and  by  means  of  which  they  baptized  their 
infants,  and  those  who  feared  God  more, 
and  therefore  understood  the  word  of  God 
better,  were  for  the  greater  part  thereby  ex- 
communicated as  heretics.  This  means  was 
this:  That  some  should  be  chosen  from  the 
church,  whom  they  called  godfathers,  who 
should  lift  the  children  up  to  the  fountain, 
to  be  baptized,  and  who  should  care  for 
and  answer  to  the  faith  of  the  child.  Most 
beloved  reader,  it  is  true  this  matter  has  a 
fine  appearance  and  show,  but  is  not  in  ac- 
cordance with  Christ's  Spirit  and  meaning 
because  the  practice  of  godfathers  is  a  hu- 
man institution,  as  history  plainly  shows; 
therefore  I  am  at  a  loss  to  know  why  it  is 
that  all  the  learned  of  the  upper  and  eastern 
countries  yet  have  this  practice  of  godfathers, 
since  they  have  so  bravely  and  incessantly 
written,  taught  and  battled  with  the  word  of 
God,  against  all  human  institutions  and 
teachings;  for  nowhere  in  the  divine  word 
are  we  taught  the  practice  of  such  godfa- 
thers, in  any  manner  whatever;  but  every 
where^in  the  Scriptures  where  baptism  is 
spoken  of,  it  is  shown  in  very  plain  charac- 
ters that  the  baptized  must  believe  for  them- 
selves, must  confess  it  verbally  and  by  their 
works,  and  thus  desire  and  receive  baptism 
as  a  commandment  of  God,  Mark  16:  16, 


Acts  2:  38;  8:  36;  10:  48;  16:  33;  and  other 
passages. 

Again,  if  it  were  even  so  that  the  practice 
of  godfathers  was  in  accordance  to  the  word 
of  God  or  the  commandment  of  Christ, 
which  however  is  not  so,  O,  how  extensive- 
ly and  closely,  and  with  what  great  care 
we  would  have  to  search,  in  city  and  coun- 
try, for  a  suitable  person  to  discharge  the 
duties  of  such  an  ofiice.  For,  How  can  one 
blind  man  lead  another  ?  How  can  one  fool 
make  another  wise?  How  can  one  poor  per- 
son be  surety  for  another?  Understand 
what  I  write.  In  the  same  manner  one  unbe- 
lieving person  can  be  no  surety  for  the  faith 
of  another;  "For  every  man  shall  bear  his 
own  burden,"  Gal.  6:  5.  Neither  can  he  teach 
nor  advocate  the  faith  of  another  so  long  as 
he  himself  has  no  true,  christian  faith ;  for 
whatever  I  am  to  teach  another  I  must  un- 
derstand myself;  and  prayer  must  be  the 
prayer  of  faith,  Jas.  H:  16,  in  Spirit  and  in 
truth,  Jn.  4:24. 

As  the  unbelieving  cannot  be  surety,  be- 
fore God,  for  the  faith  of  another,  nor  teach 
him  faith,  nor  advocate  it,  even  if  the  prac- 
tice of  godfathers  were  founded  on  the  or- 
dinance of  God,  whi-'h  however  it  is  not,  so 
it  must  be  acknowledged  and  admitted, 
that  the  practice  of  godfathers  in  infant 
baptism  is  entirely  vain,  useless  and  un- 
available. I  will  leave  every  intelligent 
christian  to  judge  what  faith  tnere  is  in  the 
godfathers. 

I  know  that  I  will  be  asked  if  there  are 
no  right,  believing  godfathers,  who  with 
good  consciences,  hold  the  infants  to  the 
basin?  To  this  I  briefly  answer:  No.  For, 
in  the  first  place,  it  is  human  righteousness, 
contrary  to  the  word  of  God,  and  without 
the  ordinance  of  Christ;  and  therefore  it 
can  not  be  practiced  with  a  good  conscience. 
In  the  second  place  I  admit  that  there  are 
godfathers  who  are  honorable  and  virtuous ; 
but,  truly,  I  do  not  know  that  they  are  tru- 
ly believing ;  for  if  they  were  true  believers 
it  would  be  impossible  that  they  could  ever 
be  led  to  practice  such  abominable  shame 
with  infants,  without  the  word  of  Christ. 
For  there  is  no  word  to  be  found  in  all  the 
i  apostolic  Scriptures  which  in  any  manner 
teaches  and  commands  us  such  a  thing; 
not  to  say  any  thing  about  the  impurity, 


208 


CHRISTIAN  BAPTISM. 


avarice,  pomp,  ignorance  concerning  divine 
matters,  idolatry,  foolisliness,  vanity,  re- 
fractoriness against  God  and  liis  blessed 
word,  and  of  the  accursed,  carnal  life  of 
most  of  those  who  are  called  to  this  office 
by  the  church,  that  the  faith  of  the  parents 
and  of  the  godfathers  alike,  upon  which 
they  baptize  these  infants  and  through 
which  they  are  thought  to  acquire  faith 
themselves,  may  go  over  on  them;  as  we 
have  too  often  seen  that  the  one  adulterous 
knave  calls  upon  the  other;  one  drunkard 
on  the  other;  or  one  proud  person  upon  the 
other.  By  their  works  they  show  plainly 
that  it  is  not  of  God;  but  that  it  is  deceit, 
devilish  hypocrisy,  human  righteousness, 
blasphemy,  mockery,  destruction  of  the  or- 
dinances of  Christ,  and,  in  every  respect 
contrary  to  the  blessed  word  of  God. 

Behold,  worthy  brethren,  in  the  conrse  of 
time  they  have  thus  subtlely  converted  and 
changed  the  heavenly  doctrine,  and  lovely 
ordinance  of  our  beloved  Lord  Jesus  Clu'ist 
into  such  unclean  mocking,  abuse  and 
shameful  practice.  O,  Lord,  Father  of 
grace,  that  this  fearful  and  abominable 
snare  and  imposture  to  our  miserable  souls, 
might  once  be  destroyed.  Amen. 

In  the  third  place,  as  we  have  first  shown 
yon  the  faith  and  life  of  the  parents ;  sec- 
ond, the  command,  faith  and  life  of  the  god- 
fathers, we  will  now  show  you  who  those 
are  whose  office  it  is  to  baptize  these  infants 
and  thus  to  make  christian  people  out  of 
them,  and  will  point  you,  faithful  reader, 
to  your  own  pastor,  vicar,  prebendary  or 
chaplain,  as  you  call  them.  Yea  to  all  the 
pi-iests  round  about  you;  that  you  may 
closely  scrutinize  them  according  to  the 
word  of  God,  and  see  if  there  is  one  amongst 
all  of  them,  I  say  one,  however  many  there 
may  be,  who  is  called  of  an  unblamable, 
christian  church,  who  is  moved  by  the  Holy 
Spirit,  and  who  is  unblamable  in  both  doc- 
trine and  life.  O,  brother,  not  one,  no,  not 
one,  however  far  you  may  travel,  and  how- 
ever industriously  you  may  search.  Their 
calling  is  of  the  dragon  and  of  the  beast. 
They  have  nothing  which  forces  them  to 
this  office,  but,  solely,  their  lazy,  greedy, 
avaricious,  proud  and  gluttonous  flesh. 
Their  teaching  for  the  greater  part,  is  mere- 
ly deceit;    their  worship  is   all  idolatry,  j 


spiritual  enchantment  of  the  bottomless  pit 
and  a  cause  for  shedding  innocent  blood. 
Besides,  their  daily  walk  is  so  shameful,  un- 
clean, sodomic,  adulterous,  lustful,  greed.y, 
avaricious,  backbiting,  envious,  unmerci- 
ful, treacherous,  ambitious,  blind,  ungodly, 
fearful  and  so  abominable  that  all  reason- 
able men,  the  angels  of  God  and  the  heav- 
ens must  be  astounded  and  ashamed 
thereat. 

Say,  kind  reader,  is  it  not  so  ?  Have  you, 
ever  found  greater  pride,  avarice,  gluttony, 
adultery,  fornication,  spitefulness,  hypoc- 
risy, mockery  and  shame  than  is  found 
amongst  them?  I  am  aware  that  they  are 
not  all  alike  unchaste  and  shameful  in  their 
daily  walk;  yet  there  is  not  one  amongst 
them,  however  finely  he  appears  before  the 
world,  but  his  worship  and  life  is  of  the 
flesh — of  the  devil;  contrary  to  God  and 
his  blessed  word. 

Worthy,  beloved  brethren,  he  who  know- 
eth  all  things,  knows  that  I  do  not  write 
this  with  hatred  or  with  bad  intentions. 
Therefore,  judge  for  yourselves  all  things 
according  to  the  word  of  God,  and  accord- 
ing to  your  rational,  natural  understand- 
ing; as  you  may  daily  perceive  these  things 
amongst  them.  You  will  without  doubt 
acknowledge  that  I  have  discovered  and 
presented  to  you  nothing  but  the  truth,  out 
of  love  for  your  salvation.  Say,  have  I 
done  wrong  to  discover  and  present  unto 
you  the  wiles  of  a  thief  or  murderer  ?  Pluck 
from  your  eyes  this  accursed  and  abomina- 
ble blindness,  and  look  to  the  truth  of  your 
Lord^  root  all  unbelief  from  your  obscured 
hearts,  and  believe  the  word  of  God.-  Be- 
hold, the  holy  apostle  Paul  says,  "Not  to 
keep  company,  if  any  man  that  is  called  a 
brother,  be  a  fornicator,  or  covetous,  or  an 
idolater,  or  a  railer,  or  a  drunkard,  or  an 
extortioner;  with  such  a  one  no  not  to  eat." 
A  proof  that,  although  they  call  themselves 
brethren  or  christians,  they  are  not  in  the 
church  of  Christ  on  account  of  their  dis- 
reputable life.  For  the  church  of  Christ  is 
holy,  pure  and  unblamable.  In  another 
place  he  teaches  that  such  shall  not  inherit 
the  kingdom  of  God,  Rom.  1:  32;  1  Cor. 
5:  11;  Gal.  5:22;  Eph.  5:  6. 

Now  if  they  are  not  in  the  church  of 
Christ,  and  if  they  cannot  inherit  the  king- 


CHRISTIAN  BAPTISM. 


209 


dom  of  God,  tell  Bie  what  tilings  divine,  or 
cliristian  can  tlien))e  served  or  practiced  by 
tlaem  in  the  house  of  the  Lord,  that  is,  in 
the  chuixh  of  Christ  ?  Notwithstanding  that 
we  should  not  keep  the  company  of  such, 
nor  eat  with  them,  and  notwithstanding 
they  have  not  the  promise  of  salvation  ac- 
cording to  Paul,  on  account  of  their  unbe- 
lief and  their  terrible,  wicked,  beastly  life, 
yet  the  world  is  so  blinded  by  them  and  so 
estranged  from  God  that  they  look  upon, 
honor  and  accept  them  as  true  shepherds, 
teachers  and  pastors  who  have  power  from 
God  to  do  anything  they  please  while  they 
only  make  their  pretensions  under  the  false 
cover  of  Christianity  and  of  the  holy,  chris- 
tian church,  as  they  call  it.     O,  blindness  ! 

These  are  they,  O  ye  men,  who  yet  this 
day  are  allowed  to  mislead  the  whole  world 
by  their  false  doctrine,  and  to  uselessly 
bless,  conjure  and  baptize  infants,  without 
the  word  or  command  of  God,  notwithstand- 
ing that  the  most  holy  gospel  of  Jesus 
Christ  opposes  and  rebukes  such  things. 

As  these  spiritual  fathers  or  teachers  are, 
so  also  are  their  children  who  are  begotten 
of  them,  that  is,  those  whom  they  teach  and 
baptize  as  they  plainly  prove  and  verify 
by  their  fruits. 

Behold,  brethren,  by  no  other  means  than 
by  these  beforementioned  teachers  and  in- 
fant baptists,  the  church  of  Christ  is  con- 
verted into  such  a  work  of  hypocrisy,  shame, 
mockery,  deceit,  degeneration,  knavery  and 
prostitution.      O,  misery  of  misery  ! 

Now  you  have  presented  to  you,  first,  the 
parents  of  whom  the  children  are  born, 
with  their  unbelief  and  carnal  life;  second- 
ly, the  papal  godfathers,  together  with  their 
abuse,  unbelief  and  evil  fruits,  who  lift  the 
children  to  the  basin  for  baptism,  and  an- 
swer their  confession.  Thirdly,  the  teach- 
ers, or  baptizers  together  with  their  send- 
ing, calling,  doctrine,  idolatry,  unbelief, 
and  ungodly  works,  who  baptize  the  in- 
fants, and,  as  they  call  it,  cleanse  and  wash 
them  of  their  inherent  sins;  all  of  which 
parties,  namely,  parents,  godfathers  and 
baptizers,  themselves  feel  in  their  hearts 
neither  knowledge,  faith,  truth,  love,  fear 
of  God,  gospel,  christian  fruits,  obedience, 
remission  of  sins,  peace  of  mind,  prayer, 
promise,  God,  Christ,  Spii'it,  nor  eternal 
63 


life;  but  are  only  nominal  christians.  These 
deliberately  claim  to  make  a  christian  out 
of  a  child  jiist  taken  from  the  mother's 
womb,  which  can  neither  stand,  walk,  hear, 
speak,  nor  comprehend;  which  for  lack  of 
understanding,  is  as  the  irrational  animals; 
which  cannot  distinguish  between  good  and 
evil;  without  the  word  and  without  faith — 
by  no  other  means  than  by  crucifixes,  breath- 
ing, salt,  oil,  crisma,  candles,  clothing,  use- 
less questions  and  answers,  blessings,  con- 
juring, baptizing,  offering,  and  such  like 
abominations,  and  when  this  noisy,  idola- 
trous hj'pocrisy  has  been  practiced  upon 
the  infants,  then  they  are  christian  people, 
as  the  nurses  tell  the  mother  after  these 
things  have  been  performed,  saying,  we 
have  received  from  you  a  heathen  but  a 
christian  we  return  and  deliver  to  .you 
again. 

The  next  thing  in  order,  is  setting  the  ta- 
ble. Victuals  and  drink  are  prepared,  the 
neighbors  and  friends  partake  thereof,  and 
the  parents  are  well  satisfied  with  their 
baptized  infant.  And  from  that  hour  it  is 
trained  in  all  manner  of  foolishness,  unbe- 
lief, vanit_y,  sin,  shame,  wickedness,  idola- 
try and  all  manner  of  carnal  and  devilish 
works;  in  a  manner,  that  no  knowledge, 
faith,  fear,  and  love  of  God,  evangelical 
truth  and  life  can  ever  take  root  in  it.  And 
should  anything  occur  that  something  cliris- 
tian-like  would  spring  up  in  it,  then  it  will 
have  to  suffer  much  and  bear  the  cross  of 
Christ.  I  repeat  it,  because  of  this  baptism 
it  is  henceforth  considered  a  christianperson, 
no  matter  how  it  acts.  Behold,  beloved 
brethren,  they  call  this  the  holy  church  of 
to-day,  and  in  this  manner  one  of  these 
christians  begets  the  other,  until  the  world 
is  full  of  them. 

Honored  reader,  understand  rightly  what 
I  have  written  unto  you,  for  I  have  treated 
so  extensively  of  this  matter  that  you  may 
be  convinced  of  what  a  secret,  hidden  snare 
and  what  a  terrible,  fearful  idol,  infant  bap- 
tism is  against  God;  and  how  very  useless 
and  idolatrous  it  is  to  teach  that  infants 
should  be  baptized  that  tliey  may  be  the 
better  trained  in  the  word  and  command- 
ments of  God.  Thus  human  doctrine  ever 
puts  on  a  fine  and  holy  air,  but  in  fact  it  is, 


210 


CHEISTIAN  BAPTISM. 


verily  nothing  but  hypocrisy,  falsehood 
and  a  deadly  venom. 

■(  Those  who  do  not  depend  on  tliis  auti- 
christian,  infant  baptism,  bnt  practice  the 
true,  christian  baptism  whicli  was  command- 
ed of  Christ  Jesus  and  taught  and  practiced 
by  his  holy  apostles,  take  care  of  the  sal- 
vation of  their  children.  Therefore  they 
train  them  in  the  fear  of  God  by  teaching, 
admonishing  and  chastising  them,  and  with 
an  example  of  an  unblamable  life,  that 
when  they  become  of  mature  years,  they 
may  hear,  believe  and  accept  the  most  holy 
gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  receive  the  holy, 
christian  baptism,  as  Jesus  and  his  holy 
apostles  have  taught  all  the  believing  of 
God,  in  divers  places  of  the  New  Testament. 

In  the  third  place,  Paul,  also,  teaches  us 
so,  saying,  "  Know  ye  not,  that  so  many  of 
us  as  were  baptized  into  Jesus  Christ,  were 
baptized  into  his  death  ?  Therefore  we  are 
bru'ied  with  him  by  baptism  into  death; 
that  like  as  Christ  was  raised  up  from  the 
dead  by  the  glory  of  the  Father,  even  so  we 
also  should  walk  in  newness  of  life,"  Rom. 
6:3,4. 

■Here  the  baptism  of  the  believing  is  again 
undeniably  confirmed,  and  infant  baptism 
is  made  void.  For  as  Christ  Jesus  com- 
manded that  we  should  baptize  the  believ- 
ing, Mark  10:  16,  so,  also,  it  is  evident  from 
these  words  of  Paul  that  baptism  represents 
and  signifies  something  which  none  can 
realize  but  those,  alone,  who  are  believing, 
namely,  it  represents  death  unto  sin  or  a 
burying  of  the  old  life,  and  a  resurrection 
into  newness  of  life. , 

Since  Paul  says.  This  christian  l^aptism  is' 
such  a  deatli  unto  sin,  and  a  raisijig  up  into 
a  new  life,  tlierefore  they  must  confess  and 
admit  that  none  can  die  unto,  and  bury  his 
shameful  lusts  and  desires,  his  inordinate, 
carnal,  ungodly  life;  and  that  none  can 
raise  up  into  a  pious,  unblamable,  godly 
life  but  those,  alone  Avho,  as  obedient  chil- 
dren of  God,  are  taught  and  regenerated  by 
the  word  of  the  Lord;  which  spiritual  death, 
burial  and  resurrection  are  represented  in 
holy  baptism.  At  another  place  Paul  calls 
it  the  si^iritual  circumcision,  saying,  "Ye 
are  circumcised  with  the  circumcision  made 
without  hands,  in  putting  off  the  body  of 
the  sins  of  the  flesh  hy  the  circumcision  of 


Christ;  buried  with  him  in  baptism,  where- 
in also  ye  are  risen  with  him  through  the 
faith  of  the  operation  of  God,  who  hath 
raised  him  from  the  dead,"  Col.  2:  11,  12. 

Inasmuch  as  it  clearly  appears  that  the 
believing  alone  die  unto  their  sins,  and 
bury  them,  and,  with  Christ,  enter  into,  and 
are  raised  up  into  the  new,  godly  life;  and 
as  little  children  cannot  do  this  because 
they  have  no  faith  by  which  God  operates 
in  his  children,  therefore  it  must  be  ac- 
knowledged and  admitted,  whether  they 
are  willing  or  not,  that  infant  baptism  is 
not  commanded  by  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
nor  taught  or  implied  in  the  apostolic  doc- 
trine. 

Kind  reader,  it  is  sometimes  alleged  that 
other  apostles  also  left  Scripture  behind 
them ;  which  Scriptures  Pope  Gelasius  has 
selected,  and  that  perhaps  infant  baptism 
was  expressed  and  implied  in  them. 

Beloved  reader,  if  our  opponents  build 
their  cause  upon  the  selected  Scriptures  of 
the  apostles  and  have  no  certainty  there- 
from, but  only  presuming  that  infant  bap- 
tism may  have  been  expressed  therein,  we 
would  discreetly  answer,  and  ask,  first, 
since  they  refer  to  the  apostolic  Scriptures 
which  we  do  not  have,  we  would  like  to 
know  of  them  what  these  apostles  have 
taught  and  commanded  concerning  infant 
baptism  ? 

Secondly,  as  they  seek  to  establish  their 
doctrine  by  uncertain  Scriptures  which  they 
do  not  have,  and  that  only  on  presumption, 
they  show  thereby  that  they  are  unable  to 
verify  their  doctrine  at  all  by  the  apostolic 
Scriptures  which  we  now  have. 

Thirdly,  we  say  that  we  should  not  teach 
and  practice  the  ceremonies  of  the  Lord, 
namely:  The  holy  baptism,  upon  presump- 
tion and  adventure,  but  on  certainties. 

Fourthly,  we  say  that  the  apostles  have 
all  written,  taught  and  preached  in  one 
spirit.  "■  Inasmuch  as  Christ  Jesus  has  com- 
manded baptism  on  the  confession  of  faith, 
Mark  10:  10,  and  as  Peter,  Paul  and  Philip 
taught  and  practiced,  according  to  the  com- 
mandment of  Christ,  the  baptism  of  the  be- 
lieving, and  not  of  infants,  therefore  you 
may  surely  deduce  therefrom  that  it  was 
not  taught  and  practiced  differently  by  the 
other  apostles  whose  Scriptiu'es  we  do  not 


CHRISTIAN  BAPTISM. 


211 


have;  even  if  tliey  had  vrritten  and  pub- 
lished six  liundred  volumes.  For  if  infant 
baptism  was  an  apostolic  institution  it 
would  appear  so  in  their  Scriptures.  Nor 
would  Tertiillian,  who  lived  not  long 
after  the  da3^s  of  the  apostles,  have  written, 
tliat  among  his  ancestors,  almost  invariably 
adults  were  baptized,  as  has  been  said 
above.  Also  would  Alexander,  bishop  of 
Alexandria,  have  baptized  the  infants  of 
his  cliurch;  and  the  ancients  would  not  have 
disputed  about  it,  as  all  those  who  feared 
God  would  act  according  to  the  Scriptures 
and  not  deviate  therefrom-,  for  what  God- 
fearing person  would  dare  to  despise,  op- 
pose, or  in  any  manner  contradict  an  apos- 
tolic institution  or  practice  ? 

Those  who  did  not  rightly  confess  Christ, 
but  sought  their  righteousness  and  placed 
their  trust  in  outward  ceremonies,  got  the  i 
upper  hand  of  the  world;  and  therefore  it 
was  not  necessary  that  this  infant  baptism 
should  be  contirmed  by  any  papal  tlecree 
or  council,  as  it  gradually  and  of  its  own 
accord  stole  its  way  into  all  classes,  nations 
and  tongues  and  took  its  full  sway ;  for  the 
whole  church,  after  the  demise  of  the  apos- 
tles, through  the  ignorant  teachings  of  the 
bishops,  gradually  degenerated  from  the 
trust  in  Jesus  Christ  to  the  trust  in  outward 
ceremonies,  as  may  be  plainly  seen. 

Again,  brethren,  however  plain  this  pas- 
sage of  Paul,  Rom.  6,  applies  to  the  believ- 
ing, yet  the  learned  of  this  barren  world 
have  inverted  and  explained  it  as  confirm- 
ing and  asserting  infant  baptism,  saying, 
That  infants  should  he  haptized  that  they 
■may  become  'partalcers  of  the  death  and  holy 
hlood.  of  Christ  Jesns;  and  that  when  they 
become  of  mature  age,  they  may  die  unto  sin 
and  walk  righteously  before  God. 

My  beloved  children  in  Christ  Jesus,  if  it 
would  do  thus  to  bend,  twist  and  garble,  of 
our  own  choice,  and  carnal  fancy,  the  plain 
triith  and  will  of  God  and  the  most  holy 
and  glorious  gospel  of  our  beloved  Lord  : 
Jesus  Christ,  then  verily,  I  do  not  see  why 
we  could  not  so  adorn  and  beautify  almost 
any  abomination  or  idolatry  as  to  give  it  a 
good  appearance  in  the  sight  of  the  igno- 
rant. No,  most  beloved,  no. -.The  eternal,  ! 
omnipotent,  and  saving  word  of  God,  must 
be  taught,  explained  and  understood  ac- 


cording to  the  true  meaning  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  For  they  baptize  before  that  which 
is  represented  by  it  (namely,  faith,)  isfound 
in  us.  This  is  no  more  sensible  than  to 
place  the  cart  before  the  horse,  to  sow  be- 
fore we  have  plowed,^  to  build  before  we 
have  the  lumber  at  hand,  or  to  seal  the  let- 
ter before  it  is  written.  AVould  this  not  be 
ridiculed  by  all  the  world  as  foolishness? 
Yes,  certainl^^.  Therefore,  the  Holy  Spirit 
of  God  did  not  imply  infant  baptism  in  this 
beforementioned  Scripture  of  Paul.  Yet 
they  are  partakers  of  the  death  and  blood 
of  Christ  hy  the  precious  promise  which 
was  graciously  given  of  God  through  Christ 
Jesus  our  Lord,  and  not  through  baptism, 
Luke  18 :  10.  But  this  passage  of  Paul 
speaks  and  teaches  of  those  who,  in  their 
bajotism,  through  their  new  birth  from  above 
and  through  their  fruitful,  operating  faith, 
have  died  unto  and  buried  their  old,  sinful 
life,  as  Christ  Jesus  once  died  in  his  flesh 
and  was  buried.  For  whosoever  thus  died 
with  Christ,  is  already  justified  of  his  sins, 
and  is  thus  victoriously  raised  up,  with 
Christ,  from  the  power  of  sin,  to  the  praise 
of  the  Lord,  in  a  new,  just,  godly,  and  un- 
blamable life,  which  is  by  no  other  means 
than  through  God's  word  alone,  which  is 
accepted  and  believed  by  them  through 
faith,  as  has  been  alleged  above,  and  is 
written  "Ye  are  circumcised  with  the 
circumcision  made  without  hands,  in  put- 
ting oft'  the  body  of  the  sins  of  the  flesh 
by  the  circumcision  of  Christ;  l^uried  with 
him  in  bajitism,  wherein  also  ye  are  risen 
with  him  through  the  faith  of  the  operation 
of  God,  who  hath  raised  him  from  the 
dead,"  Col.  2:  11,  12. 

O,  beloved  brethren,  open  the  eyes  of 
your  hearts  and  understanding  and  take 
heed;  for  he  who  will  not  willfully  battle 
against  his  God,  or  his  holy  word,  certain- 
ly, can  not  mistake  these  plain  words  of 
Paul.  Yet  Henry  Bullenger  and  many  oth- 
ers, on  the  strength  of  this  epistle  to  tlie 
Colossians,  have  taught  baptism  to  have 
taken  the  literal  place  of  the  Israelitic  cir- 
cumcision, although  without  a  good  reason 
and  without  the  Scriptures,  yet  not  without 
a  good  deal  of  blasphemy  and  vituperation. 
For  what  reason  they  have  done  so,  I  do 
not  know;  perhaps  because  Paul  has  so 


212 


CHRISTIAN  BAPTISM. 


closely  placed  together  and  so  intimately 
connected  both  the  spiritual  circumcision 
and  the  baptism  of  the  believing  or  upright 
christians. 

O,  Lord,  thy  divine,  blessed  word  is  ever 
garbled  into  a  shelter  for  all  manner  of 
false  doctrine,  heresy  and  wrong  doing,  so 
that  the  Bible  is  called  by  some  the  book 
of  heresy  !  Notwithstanding  their  opposi- 
tion and  subtle  lying  and  i)hilosophizing, 
the  eternal  truth  of  God  shall  obtain  and 
triumph  in  the  chosen  children  of  God  who 
sincerely  desire  and  seek  the  same. 

I  repeat  it  that  I  am  heartily  ashamed  to 
write  or  speak  one  single  word  against  such 
highly  renowned  and  learned  men.  But 
what  will  we  do?  It  will  never  do  to  be 
robbed,  by  these  learned  men,  of  God's 
eternal  truth  Avliich  leads  to  eternal  life, 
and  which  was  so  plainly  taught  us  by 
Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,  and  by  his  holy 
apostles.  For,  verily,  I  tind  nowhere  that 
we  should  follov/  and  obey  such  learned 
men  rather  than  Christ  and  his  holy  apos- 
tles. If  it  shoiild  be  said  that  they  are  wise 
and  pious,  I  say  that  Christ  is  the  most 
wise  and  pious;  and  if  it  be  said  that  they 
are  versed  in  many  tongues  and  sciences,  I 
rejoin,  briefly,  that  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  is  not  bound  by  tongues  and 
science.  Therefore  the  most  holy  and  in- 
vincilile  truth  of  God  must  be  defended  and 
maintained  by  us,  not  only  against  them, 
but  against  all  the  gates  of  hell,  by  the 
most  holy  word  of  God,  in  so  far  as  God 
has  bestowed  on  us  grace,  mercy  and 
knowledge. 

For  this  reason  I  will  refer.all  my  readers 
to  Col.  2:  12,  and  would  humbly  beseech 
them  to  judge  impartially  whether  we  find 
in  this  or  any  other  divine  Scriptures  that 
the  circnmcision  of  Uie  Israelites  was  the 
'prototype  of  infant  baptism.  <^t  is  incon- 
trovertible that  Paul,  in  this  passage  and 
also  in  Rom.  2:  29,  taught  that  the  literal 
circumcision  was  a  figure  of  the  spiritual 
circumcision  and  not  of  infant  baptism, 
which  circumcision  cannot  be  applied  to 
any  but  the  believing  as  may  be  plainly 
infeiTed  from  the  figurative,  literal  jjractice; 
for  the  literal  circumcision  Avas  to  be  per- 
formed with  *stone  knives  on  the  foreskin, 


*German.  translation  of  tlie  Bible. 


Josh.  5:2,  3;  Gen.  17:23.  This  spiritual 
Rock  is  Jesus  Christ,  1  Cor.  10:  4,  the  knife 
with  which  the  believing  are  circumcised  is 
his  holy  word;>  Brethren,  understand  it 
well.  If  we  wish  to  remain  with  believing, 
circumcised  Abraham  in  the  covenant  with 
God — into  which  covenant  we  are  all  gra- 
ciously accepted,  young  and  old,  male  and 
female,  through  Christ  Jesus  and  not 
through  any  sign — then  our  earthly,  carnal 
birth  which  is  of  the  earthly,  carnal  Adam, 
must  be  circumcised  with  this  same,  stone 
knife,  which  is  Christ  Jesus  and  his  holj^ 
word.  Therefore  examine  the  beforemen- 
tioned  words  of  Paul  to  the  Colossians,  and 
j_udge  whether  they  are  spoken  in  regard  to 
the  believing  or  to  unconscious  infants. 
Say,  who  is  it  that  is  circumcised  by  the 
circumcision  of  Christ?  Is  it  not  the  believ- 
ing ?  Who  is  it  that  has  put  off  the  body  of 
sin  by  the  circumcision  of  Christ?  Is  it  not 
the  believing?  AVho  is  it  that  is  buried  in 
baptism  with  Christ?  Is  it  not  the  believ- 
ing ?  AVho  is  it  that  is  raised  iip  into  a  new 
life  by  the  faith  of  the  operation  of  God  ? 
Is  it  not  the  believing  ?  Yea,  they  are  those 
who  hear  the  word  of  God  and  believe  it; 
and  not  the  little  infants.     Never. > 

Kind  reader,  since  the  infant  baptizers 
seek  to  provetheir  cause  by  the  circumcision 
of  Abraham  and  by  his  promise,  therefore 
observe  and  ponder  how  unreasonably  they 
make  this  assertion;  and  observe  and  pon- 
der also  on  that  which  will  be  briefly  taught 
and  i^resented  by  us,  from  Scriptural  truth. 

In  the  first  place,  as  we  said  before,  we 
are  all  accepted  into  the  covenant  with  God, 
not  l)y  any  signs  biit  by  >grace,  and  have 
obtained  the  promise  by  it,  if  we  ac- 
cept them  by  faith  and  Avalk  according  to 
the  will  of  the  giver;  as  Abraham  Avas  ac- 
cepted of  God  by  grace,  from  amongst  the 
nations,  and  was  made  glad  with  the  prom- 
ise of  grace;  for  he  accepted  it  by  faith, 
and  walked  according  to  the  will  of  him 
who  liad  accepted  him  as  the  Scriptures 
say,  He  believed  in  the  Lord,  and  it  was 
counted  to  him  for  righteousness.  Gen. 
15:  6;  Rom.  4:  3;  Gal.  3:  6;  Jas.  2:  23. 

To  all  those  who  are  thus,  by  faith,  gra- 
ciously accepted  of  God  into  the  covenant 
of  peace  Avith  Abraham,  God  has  given  his 
ceremonies  and  fig-urative  signs.     Not  that 


CHRISTIAN  BAPTISM. 


213 


they  should  thereby  be  justified  (for  if  it 
were  by  the  signs  it  would  not  be  grace, 
Rom.  11:  6),  but  that  they  should  be  justi- 
fied by  faith;  be  children  of  God,  children 
of  tlie  promise,  &c.,  that  ihej  should  show 
their  obedience  to  the  commandments  of 
God  who  has  graciously  caUed,  accepted 
and  consoled  them  by  his  promise.  For 
those  that  are  obedient  unto  God,  are  his 
friends,  Jn.  15. 

Behokl,  bretlnen,  this  is  one  reason  why 
God  commanded  his  ceremonies,  as  is  i>lain- 
ly  shown  in  the  case  of  Abraham;  foi^u^bra- 
ham  was  already  in  the  covenant  with'God, 
before  he  was  circumcised;  as  Paul  shows, 
that  his  faith  was  already  counted  for  right 
eousness  when  he  was  yet  uncircumcised; 
and  beca^use  he  was  in  the  covenant  with 
God,  justified  by  faith  therefore  God  com- 
manded him  the  circumcision,  in  itself  a 
useless  and  dishonorable  ceremony.  First, 
it  was  in  itself  quite  useless,  because  it  did 
not  benefit  any  neighbor.  Secondly,  dishon- 
orable, for  it  is  performed  upon  the  most 
dishonorable  member  of  the  body.  <  And 
it  was  commanded  him  that  the  believiiig 
fatlier,  Abraham,  sliould  deny  himself  and 
not  live  according  to  his  own  desires,  but 
according  to  the  will  of  him,  alone,  who, 
by  grace,  had  accepted  him  and  chosen  him 
from  among  the  nations ;  and  thus  he  sealed, 
by  this  perfonnance,  which  was  dishonora- 
ble in  itself,  that  his  faith  was  true  and 
fruitful  before  God.  Why  these  ceremonies 
were  again  commanded,  will  be  shown 
hereafter,  if  God  please. 

Behold,  kind  reader,,  in  this  manner 
Abraham  was  circumcised,  and  thus  we  are 
baptized;  because  it  is  thus  commanded  by 
God.  •■  Whosoever  disobeys  and  opposes 
the  voice  of  the  Lord  commanding  these 
ceremonies,  and  despises  the  performance 
of  them  because  of  their  uselessness  and 
triflingncss,  not  observing  that  it  was  com- 
manded by  God,  excludes  himself  from  the 
yn-ecious  covenant  of  grace,  by  his  disobe- 
dience; neither  does  he  prove  his  faith  to 
be  fruitful  and  living,  but  on  the  contrary 
he  proves  that  it  is  unfruitful  and  dead  be- 
fore God.  For  he  hears  not  the  voice  of , 
his  Lord  nor  lives  in  accordance  therewith,  j 
but  despises  it  as  powerless,  vain  and  use-  ! 
less.    Therefore  observe  and  know  that.we  j 


are  not  accepted  into  the  covenant  by  an 
outward  sign,  but  alone  by  grace  through 
Christ  Jesus.  And  because  we  are  in  the 
covenant  by  grace,  therefore  he  has  given 
and  commancled  us  his  signs,  that  we  shall 
perform  them  upon  those  on  whom  he  has 
commanded  them  to  be  performed,  namely, 
upon  the  faithful;  for  if  it  were  possible 
that  we  could  come  into  the  covenant  with 
God  by  any  signs  or  ceremonies,  then  the 
merits  of  Christ  were  vain,  and  grace  was 
endedo  No,  brethren,  no.  Abraham  was 
already  chosen,  accepted  and  justified  by 
God,  through  faith,  before  he  was  circum- 
cised; and  because  he  was  faithful,  and 
justified  through  faith,  therefore  the  circum- 
cision was  commanded  him  of  God  that  he 
should  thereby  seal  his  faith.  Again,  as 
Abraham  and  all  his  seed  born  of  Isaac, 
together  with  others,  were  already  included 
in  the  covenant  with  God,  women  as  well 
as  men,  and  as  the  promise  was  given  to 
both  sexes,  yet  it  was  not  commanded  that 
the  females  should  be  circumcised,  but  the 
males. 

Observe  well,  beloved  reader,  had  they 
obtained  the  covenant  with  God  by  the  sign 
and  not  by  grace,  then  the  females  must 
have  been  excluded  and  without  the  prom- 
ise. Not  so,  it  was  by  grace,  it  is  by  grace, 
and  it  ever  will  be  by  grace.  If  they  had 
been  disobedient  to  the  word  of  God,  and 
not  circumcised  their  males  on  the  appoint- 
ed day ;  or  if  they  had  done  dilferently  from 
the  commandment  of  God,  and  circumcised 
their  females,  then  they  would  have  had  to 
bear  the  punishment  of  their  disobedience 
in  their  children,  Gen.  17:14,  excluded  them 
from  the  covenant  with  the  Lord,  and  not 
have  obtained  the  gift  of  his  grace.  For 
God,  the  Almighty  Father,  whose  voice, 
will  and  commandment  all  creatures,  both 
in  heaven  and  earth,  should  obey,  will  have 
the  commanded  ceremonies  performed  as  it 
pleases  him  and  as  he  has  commanded 
them  to  be  performed,  for  therefore  he  has 
commanded  them.  If  we  do  not  perform 
them  or  perform  them  diiferently,  we  have, 
by  our  disobedience,  neither  covenant  nor 
promise.  This  is  the  right,  scriptural  mean- 
ing of  Abraham's  covenant,  circumcision 
and  promise.  Whosoever  teaches  you  dif- 
ferently deceives  jom:  soul;  for  he  points 


314 


CHRISTI^y^  BAPTISM. 


you  to  merits  and  works,  and  not  to  Christ 
Jesus  tlirougii  wliom  alone  are  received  the 
eternal  covenant  of  peace  and  promise  of 
grace,  given  of  God. 

O  liretln-en,  brethren,  how  long  will  you 
oppose  the  H0I3''  Gnost !  Give  the  word  of 
God  its  due  praise,  and  observe  that  little 
infants  are  not  buried  with  Christ  in  bap- 
tism; nor  are  raised  into  newness  of  life; 
for  if  they  did  die,  and  were  buried  in  bap- 
tism, then  sin  would  l)e  so  destroyed  in 
them  that  it  would  never  more  vanquish 
their  spirit.  Inasmuch  as  sin,  after  their 
baptism,  so  powerfull}^  and  so  abundant- 
ly lloiuishes  in  them  as  they  begin  to  come 
to  understanding,  as  may  be  jilainly  seen, 
therefore  the  infantbaptizersnuist  acknowl- 
edge and  confess  that  they  bury  the  chil- 
dren alive,  which  should  not  be;  or  else 
that  they  baptize  them  all  without  faith, 
and  contrary  to  the  ordinance  of  Christ, 
therefore  useless  and  vaim 

For  this  reason,  learn  once,  beloved  read- 
er, that  infant  baptism  is  not  of  God  nor 
through  him.  But  whosoever  rightly  ac- 
knowledges the  love  of  God  for  himself 
through  Christ  Jesus  and  is  baptized  upon 
his  own  faith  through  true  love  of  God,  ac- 
cording to  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  Peter, 
Paul  and  Philip,  is  rightly  circiimcised  in 
his  heart  with  the  circumcision  of  Christ,  as 
Paul  teaches;  he  is  buried  with  Christ 
Jesus;  he  has  died  unto  sin,  and  is  again 
raised  up  by  a  froiitful  faith  with  Jesus 
Christ  in  a  new  life,  Rom.  6:  4;  Col.  2: 12. 

In  opposition  to  this,  the  infant  baptizers 
have  still  another  point,  saying.  Because 
Paul,  in  fJtis  passar/e,  lias  not  forMdden  •in- 
fant baptism,  therefore  it  is  rigid.  To  this 
we  reply  by  asking:  Whether  infantbaptism 
is  commanded  in  this  or  any  other  Scripture'^ 
They  must  own  the  truth  and  answer,  no. 
If  it  is  not  commanded  cf  God,  then  it  is 
not  his  ordinance,  and  therefore  it  has  no 
promise.  Again,  if  it  is  not  commanded  of 
God,  then  it  is  not  his  ordinance;  if  it  is 
not  his  ordinance,  then  it  has  no  promise; 
and  if  it  has  no  promise,  it  is  doubtlessly 
useless  and  vain. 

Again,  we  ask  them.  Where  in  the  word 
of  God  it  is  expressly  forbidden  to  baptize 
bells?  They  must  own  the  truth  and  an- 
swer, noiohere.    If  it  is,  then,  not  expressly 


forbidden  to  baptize  bells,  is  theicfcue  bell- 
ba]itism  Just  and  rights  Not  at  all. 

Thirdly,  Israel  Avas  not  forbidden  to  cir- 
cumcise the  feuuiles.  Now,  would  it  have 
been  right  if  they  had  circumcised  their  fe- 
males? Far  from  it.  For  the  Scriptures 
commanded  that  the  males  should  b(*  cir- 
cumcised therefore  they  considered  that  it 
was  forbidden  to  circumcise  their  females. 
^In  the  same  manner  Christ  Jesus  com- 
mands us  to  baptize  the  believing,  and  that 
which  is  rein-esented  by  baptism  is  only 
found  in  the  believing,  as  may  be  plainly 
seen  from  Peter  and  Paul,  therefore  Ave  in- 
fer that  infant  baptism  is  suffitiently  for- 
bidden; for  they  have  no  faith  and  do  not 
understand  the  representation  of  baptism 
which  comes  by  faith.^ 

I  repeat  it,  If  the  infant  baptists  assert 
that  by  this  Scripture  of  Paul,  infant  bap- 
tism is  not  forbidden,  and  that  therefore  it 
is  right,  that  it  is  not  expressly  forbidden 
in  the  holy  Scriptures  to  bless  (as  they  call 
it),  hol}^  water,  candles,  palms,  goblets  and 
robes;  to  hold  mass,  and  other  ceremonies; 
yet  we  pointedly  say  that  it  is  wrong.  First, 
because  trust  is  put  in  it.  Secondl}^,  because 
it  is  done  without  the  ordinance  of  God,  for 
he  has  not  commanded  us  a  Avord  thereof; 
and  there  is  no  ordinance  in  AA'hich  his  holj^, 
blessed  word  is  not  expressed  and  implied 
either  in  spirit  or  letter. 

Since  Christ  Jesus  has  commanded  bap- 
tismuponthe  confession  of  faith, Mark  IG :  IG ; 
since  the  apostles  have  thus  taught  and 
practiced  it,  and  as  the  meaning  of  baptism 
Pom.  G:  3;  Col.  2:  12;  Tit.  3:  5^;  Gal.  3:  27; 
1  Cor.  12:  13;  1  Pet.  3:  21,  cannot  be  appli- 
cable but  to  the  believing,  therefore  it  is 
sufficiently  forbidden  by  this  divine  ordi- 
nance, to  baptize  infants;  for  there  is  no 
faith  in  them  nor  do  they  understand  the 
meaning  thereof;  notwithstanding  that  in- 
fant baptism  commenced  soon  after  the 
time  of  the  ajjostles,  or  perhaps  yet  in  their 
time,  and  thus  it  has  been  practiced  many 
centuries;  for  length  of  time  can  not  prevail 
against  the  word  of  God,  as  we  have  suffi- 
ciently shown  the  pious,  god-fearing  read- 
er, above. 

Fourthly,  Thus  says  the  holy  apostle 
Paul,  "The  kindness  and  love  of  God  our 
Savior  toward  man  appeared,  not  by  works 


CHRISTIANi  BAPTISM. 


215 


of  rigliteousness  wliioli  we  liave  done,  but 
according  to  his  mercy  lie  saved  ns,  by  tlie 
washing  of  regeneration,  and  renewing  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,"  Tit.  3:  4,  5. 

Most  beloved  brethren,  if  we  rightly  and 
thoroughly  examine  this  passage  of  Paul, 
with  spiritual  eyes,  and  weigh  it  with  the 
Scriptm-es,  then  the  infant  baptizers,  by 
force  of  the  Scriptures,  must  acknowledge 
that  the  christian  baptism  which  is  com- 
manded by  God,  pertains  alone  to  the  be- 
lieving, according  to  the  commandment  of 
Christ,  Mark  IG:  10,  and  not  to  those  who 
are  natiirally  unable  to  hear,  speak  and 
understand,  namely,  infants;  for  it  is  a 
washing  of  regeneration  as  holy  Paul  has 
taught  and  testified  to  by  the  above  words . 

My  worthy,  kind  brethren,  because  the 
holy,  christian  baptism  is  a  washing  of  re- 
generation, according  to  the  doctrine  of 
Paul,  therefore  none  can  be  washed  there- 
with, to  the  pleasure  and  will  of  God,  but 
those  alone  who  are  regenerated  through 
the  word  of  God;  for  we  are  not  regenerated 
because  of  baptism,  as  may  be  perceived  in 
the  infants  who  have  been  baptized;  but 
we  are  baptized  because  we  are  regenerated 
by  faith  in  God's  word,  as  regeneration  is 
not  the  result  of  baptism,  but  baptism  the 
residt  of  regeneration,  This  cannot  well  be 
controverted  by  an/  man,  by  force  of  the 
Scriptures.  Tlierefore  all  should  be  shamed 
by  this  passage  of  Paul,  h't  them  be  ever  so 
learned;  the  learned,  who  so  shamefully 
teach  and  make  the  unsuspecting  popidace 
believe  that  infants  are  regenerated  by  bap- 
tism. Beloved  reader,  such  teaching  and 
belief  is,  verily,  nothing  but  fraud  and  de- 
ceit. For  if  the  infants  were  regenerated, 
as  the  learned  say,  then  their  whole  course 
would  be  humility,  longsuffering,  mercy, 
pure  and  chaste  love,  true  faith,  certain 
knowledge,  sure  hope,  obedience  to  God, 
spiritual  joy,  inward  peace,  and  an  un- 
blamal)le  life;  for  these  are  tlie  true  and 
natural  fruits  of  the  new,  heavenly  birth; 
but  what  fruits  are  found  in  infants  every 
intelligent  reader  may  judge  from  eveiy 
day  experience. 

Do  joii  think,  most  beloved,  that  the  new 
birth  consists  in  nothing  but  in  that  which 
the  miserable  world  hitherto  has  thought 
that  it  cousi sts  in ,  namely , liaptism  'i  or  in  the 


expression,  I  baptize  thee  in  the  name  of 
the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost?  No,  worthy  brother,  no.  The  new 
birth  consists,  verily,  not  in  water  nor  in 
words;  but  it  is  the  heavenly,  living  and 
quickening  power  of  God  in  our  hearts, 
which  comes  from  God,  and  which,  by  the 
preaching  of  the  divine  word,  if  we  accept 
it  by  faith,  quickens,  renews,  pierces  and 
converts  our  hearts,  so  that  we  are  changed 
and  converted  from  unbelief  into  faith, 
from  unrighteousness  into  righteousness, 
from  evil  into  good,  from  carnality  into 
spirituality,  from  the  earthly  into  the  heav- 
enly, from  the  wicked  nature  of  Adam  into 
the  good  nature  of  Jesus  Christ;  and  of 
such  Paul  spoke  in  the  alleged  Scripture. 

Behold,  those  who  are  of  siich  a  nature 
are  the  truly  regenerated  children  of  God; 
those  are  the  beloved  brethren  and  sisters 
of  Jesus  Christ,  who  are  born  with  him  from 
above  of  one  Father,  namely,  of  God,  Jn. 
1: 13;  Heb.  2:  13.  And  these  regenerated  are 
those  to  whom,  alone,  he  has  taught  and 
commanded  the  holy,  christian  baptism,  as  a 
seal  of  faith,  Matt. '28:  19;  Mark  16:  15,  by 
which  they  receive  remission  of  sin;  Acts 
2:  38,  and  not  the  unconscious  infants,  as 
has  been  frequently  shown  above,  from  the 
word  of  God.  Therefore  the  holy  apostle 
Paul  teaches  us  by  this  Scripture  that  God 
sanctifies  the  regenerated  by  the  baptism  of 
regeneration;  because  they  are  regenerated 
by  the  word  of  God,  they  deny  themselves 
by  the  power  of  their  regeneration  and  have 
obediently  taken  upon  themselves  all  that 
which  God,  the  Almighty  Father,  in  his 
holy  word,  has  taught  and  commanded  his 
chosen  children,  through  his  beloved  Son, 
Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,  and  through  all  his 
true  servants  and  messengers.  Therefore  I 
repeat  that  the  baptism  by  which  God  sanc- 
tifies us,  belongs  to  the  believing  or  regen- 
erated, as  Paul  teaches.  And  in  this  man- 
ner: First,  there  must  be  the  preaching  of 
the  gospel  of  Christ,  Matt.  28: 19;  Secondly-, 
The  hearing  of  the  divine  word,  liom. 
10:  17;  thirdly,  faith,  by  hearing  the  word, 
Rom.  10 :  17 ;  fourthly,  there  must  be  the  new 
birth,  ])y  faith;  fifthly,  baptism,  by  the  new 
birth.  Tit.  3:  5,  in  obedience  to  God's  word, 
and,  lastly,  the  promise  follows.. 

If  we  do  not  desire  willfully  to  oppose  the 


216 


CHRISTIAN  BAPTISM. 


Holy  Ghost  and  reject  the  grace  of  God,  it 
is  impossible  to  believe  that  a  true  faith 
can  be  without  regeneration  and  obedience, 
and  that  this  obedience  can  be  -without  the 
promise.  For  the  eternal  truth,  the  blessed 
Jesus  Christ,  will  never  fail  nor  deceive  us 
in  his  holy  word;  and  it  is  he  who  taught 
this:  First,  to  preach  the  holy  gospel,  say- 
ing, Go  ye  into  all  tTie  world,  and  freacli 
tlie  f/os2)el  to  ever?/  creaivre;  therefrom  fol- 
lows faith,  saying.  And,  icJtoercr  sit  all  he- 
lieve;  from  faith  follows  baptism,  saying, 
And  he  baptized;  and  from  these  follows 
the  promise,  saying,  Sliall  he  saved,  Mark 
16. 

Inasmiich  as  the  ordinance  of  Jesus  Christ 
thus  reads,  and  as  the  one  follows  from  the 
other,  therefore  Paul  here  teaches  us  that 
God  sanctifies  us  by  the  washing  of  regen- 
eration and  the  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost; 
for  in  case  true  faith  and  obedience  be  sep- 
arated from  each  other,  as  is  sometimes  the 
case,  such  as  grieving  the  Holy  Ghost  and 
sinning  against  him,  then  such  faith  does 
not  profit  us;  for  it  has  no  promise,  on  ac- 
count of  disobedience  and  is,  besides,  use- 
less and  dead  before  God,  Jas.  2. 

To  all  those,  who,  of  their  own  choice, 
and  contrary  to  the  Scriptures,  assert  the 
regeneration  of  infants,  because  they  were 
baptized,  notwithstanding  there  are  no 
fruits  in  them,  as  may  be  plainly  seen,  I 
reply:  First,  that  he  does  not  know  what 
the  new  birth  is.  Secondly,  with  the  same 
propriety  and  reasonability,  bells  are  bap- 
tized. God  in  his  word  has  no  more  com- 
manded the  one  than  the  otlier,  for  accord- 
ing to  their  nature,  there  is  as  little  faith 
and  fruits  in  the  one  as  there  are  in  the 
other.  O,  Lord !  when  will  this  awful 
abomination  once  cease  to  be  practiced. 
AVhen  will  those  who  now  call  themselves 
christians  be  christians  ?  Yea,  when  will  the 
blessed  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  acknowledged 
as  wise,  true  and  perfect  in  his  holy  word  ? 
I  fear,  never.  The  false  teaching,  unbelief 
and  opinion  is  esteemed  and  loved  by  these 
miserable,  carnal  men,  far  above  the  same 
doctrine  of  Jesus  Christ  and  his  holy  apos- 
tles. Notwithstanding  we  say  in  Christ 
Jesus,  let  them  baptize  their  infants  as  much 
as  they  will,  let  them  teach  it  as  long  and 
as  strong  as  they  will,  and  let  them  assert 


it  on  the  strength  of  the  garbled  Scriptures, 
of  learned  men,  and  of  long  usage — yet  it 
is  all  vain  and  useless  before  God;  for  the 
regeneration  of  infants  cannot  be  main- 
tained by  virtue  of  the  word  of  God. 

Chosen  brethren,  let  them  freely  cr}'  out 
against  us,  let  them  adduce  all  doctors, 
learned  and  famous  men  who  have  lived 
centuries  ago,  let  them  console  themselves 
with  long  usage,  even  from  the  apostles' 
time;  yet  where  there  is  no  new  birth  there 
can  be  no  baptism  administered  in  accord- 
ance with  the  commandment  of  Jesus,  for 
baptism  is  the  washing  of  regeneration.  Tit. 
I  y;  which  regeneration  none  have  but  the 
;  believing,  alone,  as  we  have  shown  our 
readers  before. 

j  Therefore  I  Avould  admonish  all  my  be- 
loved readers  in  the  Lord,  not  to  heed  the 
philosophy  of  the  learned,  nor  to  look  at 
j  the  long  usage,  but  to  the  plain  and  un- 
j  mixed  word  of  God,  and  you  will  siu'ely 
find  by  this  Scripture  of  Paul,  and  others, 
that,  according  to  the  commandment  of 
Christ,  the  christian  baj)tism  should  be  ad- 
ministered to  none  but  those  who,  by  grace 
have  become  believing  and  regenerated 
through  the  word  of  God.  As  long  as  bap- 
tism is  administered  to  infants,  it  is  no 
washing  of  regeneration.  For  the  new 
birth  is  of  the  word  of  God,  as  has  been 
often  said,  which  word  infants  cannot  hear 
and  understand;  therefore  they  cannot  be 
born  again  as  long  as  they  are  minded  as 
a  child.  All  that  which  the  Father  has  not 
planted  should  be  i)lucked  from  the  heart 
by  the  word  of  God,  Matt.  15.  God's  word 
shall  stand  forever,  and  according  to  the 
divine  word,  every  pious  christian  shall 
and  must  build  the  structure  of  his  faith,  if 
his  work  shall  be  pleasing  before  God;  and 
should  not  build  it  according  to  his  own 
pleasure.  For  God,  the  Almighty  Father, 
who  rules  all  things  by  his  word,  will  not 
be  honored  by  human  doctiine  and  com- 
mandments. Matt.  IH:  9;  Mark  7:7;  Col. 
3:22;  Jer.  29:  8. 

In  the  fifth  place  holy  Paul  teaches  us 
saying.  For  ye  are  all  children  of  God  by 
faith  in  Christ  Jesus.  "For  as  many  of 
you  as  have  been  baptized  into  Christ,  have 
put  on  Christ,"  Gal.  3:  27;  Rom.  6:  3. 

My  beloved  childi-en  in  Christ  Jesus,  you 


i 


CHRISTIAN  BAPTISM. 


217 


are  aware  that  all  the  world,  by  their  blind 
and  foolish  unbelief,  have  hitherto  whored 
with  outward  works  and  ceremonies.  Yet 
you  should  not  do  likewise.  But  you 
should  know  that  tlie  righteousness  which 
avails  before  God,  consists  not  in  any  cere- 
monies and  outward  works,  but  solely  in  a 
true,  pious  and  fruitful  faith  and  in  nothing 
else,  in  this  manner.  For  the  faith  which 
comes  by  the  word  of  God  cannot  be  with- 
out fruit  only  in  those  who  sin  against  the 
Holy  Ghost,  as  said  above,  but  it  leads 
into  all  manner  of  righteousness,  it  willing- 
ly submits  itself  in  all  obedience  and  it, 
cheerfully  complies  not  only  with  baptism,  { 
but  with  all  the  words  and  ceremonies 
which  God,  the  gracious  Father,  through 
his  blessed  Sou,  has  so  clearly  taught  and  i 
commanded  in  his  holy  gospel,  ' 

-Therefore  true  faith  is  the    fullness    of 
righteousness,  Rom.  3  and  6;  yea,  it  is  the  i 
true  begetter  of  all  christian  virtues ;  and  | 
by  reason  of  this,  the  word  of  God  ascribes 
to  it  righteousness,  Rom.  3: 23,  the  blessing,  i 
salvation,  and  life  everlasting,   Jn.  3:  36;  , 
17:  4,  and  does  not  ascribe  these  to  ceremo-  j 
nies.    If  ceremonies   are    commanded    by 
him,  it  is  not  because  of  these  ceremonies, 
but  it  is  because  of  the  faith  which  com- 
pels us  to   observe  these    cei^emonies   for 
they  are  commanded  of  God.    Therefore 
you  should  know,  hind  reader,  that  when 
the  ceremonies  in  God's  word  are  coupled 
with  the  promise,  as  the  Israelitic  offerings 
in  the  law,  and  baptism  under  the  gospel, 
then  it  is  not  because  of  ceremonies,  but  it 
is  by  virtue  of  faith,  which  obediently  and 
in  love  fulfills  not  alone  the  commanded 
ceremonies,   but  also   all  that  which  God 
has  commanded,  as  has  been  said  aT)ove. 

For  this  reason  holy  Paul  taught  the 
Galatiaus  that  the}^  were  become  the  chil- 
dren of  God  through  faith  and  not  by  bap- 
tism, saying,  "Ye  are  all  the  children  of 
God  by  faith  in  Clirist  Jesus."  And  again, 
because  they  were  the  children  of  God  by 
faith,  they  showed  obedience  to  his  word, 
and  therefore  Paul  said  unto  them,  "As 
many  of  you  as  have  been  baptized  into 
Christ,  have  put  on  Christ."  Therefore  the 
principal  thing  is  in  faith,  and  not  in  cere- 
monies,.- But  this  godly,  fruitful  faith,  in 
which  all  consists,  together  with  its  chris- 
64 


\  tian  fruits,  is  not  known  to  many,  and  for 
that  reason  they  ever  seek  their  righteous- 
ness in  outward  ceremonies,  yea,  also  in 
the  most  useless  ceremonies  of  human  in- 
vention which  are  neither  taught  nor  com- 
manded of  God,  as  they  have  shown,  these 
many  centuries,  in  baptizing  infants.  Read 
what  we  told  you  above  about  the  parents, 
godfathers  and  baptizers  and  you  will  see 
that  all  the  Avorld  is  led  into  a  false  trust 
by  infant  baj^tism;  has  become  estranged 
from  God,  and  is  blinded  in  regard  to  all 
christian  matters.  And  to  give  their  false 
pretensions  a  beautiful,  holy  and  divine 
appearance,  they  mutilate  and  twist  the 
precious  word  of  God  to  suit  them,  as  they 
fully  show  in  this  case;  for,  by  tliis  Script- 
ure of  Paul,  and  other  garbled  Scriptures, 
they  have  fooled  and  deceived  the  poor,  ig- 
norant people  these  many  years;  teaching 
them  that  infants  put  on  Christ  in  baptism, 
plainly  showing  by  such  doctrine  that  they 
do  not  know  what  regeneration  is,  nor  what 
it  is  to  put  on  Christ  Jesus. 

Most  beloved  brethren,  verily  it  is  the 
nature  of  all  heretics  to  tear  a  fragment 
from  the  holy  Scriptures  and  thereby  to 
prove  their  chosen  worship;  never  observ- 
ing what  is  written  before  or  after,  by  which 
we  may  ascertain  the  right  meaning,  as  in 
this  instance  they  have  so  plainly  shown. 
For  this  sentence:  "as  many  of  you  as  are 
baptized  have  put  on  Christ,"  they  pick  out 
to  give  their  infant  baptism  an  appearance; 
but  the  foregoing  sentence:  "Ye  are  all  the 
children  of  God  because  you  believed  on 
Christ  Jesus,"  from  which,  as  we  have  shown 
above,  all  the  rest  must  follow,  that  they 
seem  not  to  have  noticed;  and  thus  they 
seek  merit  in  ceremonies  and  not  through 
faith  in  Jesus  Christ.  , 

Besides,  inasmuch  as  they  are  not  clothed 
with  Christ  nor  have  put  him  on,  either  act- 
ively or  passively,  and  have  not  tested  his 
heavenly,  spiritual  nature  and  Spirit,  be- 
cause they  are  carnally  minded^therefore 
they  do  not  understand,  however  much  they 
write  and  teach,  what  it  means  to  put  on 
Christ  Jesus,  I  repeat,  either  actively  or 
passively. 

That  we  may  convince  all  gainsayers  of 
the  word  of  the  Lord,  and  that  we  may 
neither  stumble  nor  err  in    these  words, 


218 


CHRISTIAN  BAPTISM. 


therefore  I  would  refer  all  my  readers  to 
lioly  Paul.  He  shows  who  they  are  that 
put  on  Christ,  and  what  fruits  thej^  man- 
ifest, by  which  we  nia}'  know  tliat  the}'  have 
put  on  Christ,  thus  saying,  "If  Christ  be 
in  you,  the  body  is  dead  because  of  sin; 
but  the  spirit  is  life  because  of  righteous-- 
ness,"  Horn.  8:  10;  0:5. 

Kind  reader,  however  dexterously  the 
scribes  and  infant  baptizers  may  controvert 
imder  a  false  semblance  of  the  divine  word, 
yet  none  can  deny  that  Christ  dwells  in  those 
who  have  put  on  Christ.-^  Since  the  tridy 
baptized  put  on  Christ  Jesiis,  he  is  in  them; 
and  if  he  is  in  them  then  the  body  is  dead 
imto  sin  and  the  spirit  is  life  because  of 
righteousness;  this  being  the  case,  I  again 
call  on  all  reasonable  persons  to  judge  im- 
partially for  themselves,  whether  it  is  found 
in  truly  believing  persons,  or  in  infants  ?.  If 
they  say,  in  the  believing,  their  judgment 
is  right;  for  Christ  Jesus  dwells  in  the  hearts 
of  the  believing,  Eph.  3:  17.  But  if  they 
say  in  infants,  then  I  would  again  ask  by 
what  means  we  may  find  this  out,  inasmuch 
as  in  these  infants  tlie  death  unto  sin  and 
tlie  sj)iritual  life  are  not  shown  nor  found? 
For  all  of  them,  from  infancy,  so  long  as 
they  do  not  believe  the  word  of  God,  not- 
withstanding their  baptism,  are  not  alone 
prone  to  evil,  but  also  to  disobedience,  as 
daily  experience  openly  shows  in  all  those 
baptized  of  this  world. 

Therefore  I  conclude  from  this  Scripture 
of  Paul,  and  say.  If  the  infant  baptists  re- 
main constant  in  their  opinion  and  belief, 
that  by  tlieir  baptism,  infants  put  on  Christ, 
that  they  must  come  to  the  conclusion  by 
virtue  of  the  word  of  God,  that  Christ  Jesus 
is  unbelieving,  proird,  ambitious,  envious, 
vain,  drunk,  adulterous,  refractory  and  dis- 
obedient to  the  word  of  God;  for  whosoever 
has  put  on  Christ  Jesus  does  not  live  him- 
self, but  Christ  lives  in  him.  If  they,  then, 
have  put  on  Christ  by  their  baptism,  as 
they  claim,  and  as,  according  to  Paul, 
Christ  lives  in  them  and  rules  their  actions, 
so  it  must  follow  that  Christ  is  vain  and 
useless  in  them,  or  that  their  accursed 
works  are  begotten  of  Christ,  for  tliey  yet 
live  in  all  manner  of  carnality  and  ungodli- 
ness, and  it  therefore  follows  that  they  have 
not  put  on  Christ. 


]  No,  verily,  no.  For  Christ  Jesus  cannot 
be  without  fruits;  but  whosoever  has  put 
on  the  humble,  long-suffering,  merciful, 
amiable,  peaceable,  sober,  chaste  and  obe- 

!  client  Christ,  in  such  an  one  the  beforemen- 
tioned  accursed  works  are  not  found;  for 
whosoever  has  put  on  Christ,  is  dead  xmto 
sin  and  lives  in  righteousness,  Rom.  8;  Is 
led  hy  the  Holy  Spirit,  born  with  Jesus, 
from  above,  of  the  Father;  and  therefore  he 
lives  according  to  the  will  of  the  Father, 
and  cannot  sin  because  he  is  born  of  God, 
1  Jn.  3:  9;  5:  IS. 

Inasmuch  as  all  those  who  are  baptized 
without  faith,  prove  the  contrary  by  their 
life  and  do  not  manifest  the  nature  and  vir- 
tues of  Christ  whom  they  have  put  on,  as 
they  falsely  claim;  but  they  manifest  in 
their  whole  walk  the  nature  and  vices  of  the 
flesh  and  of  Satan;  therefore  it  proves  clear- 
ly that  tliey  have  not  put  on  Christ  who  is 
from  heaven;  but  that  they  have  put  on 
the  devil,  who  is  from  hell;  for  it  is  he  who 
actuates  and  leads  them  at  will,  as  may  be 
plainly  seen;  as  all  their  thoughts  and 
works  of  the  flesh  and  of  Satan  are  natural, 
inherent  fruits  which  are  found  all  over  the 
world,  in  all  men;  no  matter  of  what  state, 
trade,  condition,  class  or  sect  they  are. 

Beloved  reader,  you  will  acknowledge 
that  every  tree  brings  forth  fruits  after  its 
own  kind,  and  that  by  the  fruit  we  may 
know  the  tree.  Matt.  7:  20;  12:  33.  There- 
fore it  can  not  fail  but  that  where  Christ 
Jesus  is,  there  are  the  good  fruits  of  life 
everlasting;  but  where  the  devil  is,  there 
are  the  wicked  fruits  of  eternal  death.  Yea, 
whosoever  has  put  on  Christ,  in  him  the 
works  of  the  devil  are  not  found.  On  the 
contrary,  where  the  devil  is,  there  Christ  is 
not;  the  one  must  give  place  to  the  other; 
for  they  are  two  princes  so  very  different 
that  it  is  impossible  for  them  to  dwell  in 
one  heart,  or  for  the  two  to  be  conceived 
and  included  in  one  human  heart.  Matt. 
6:24;  Eph.  2:  2. 

For  this  reason  I  would  admonisli  all 
God  fearing  christians  in  the  Lord  to  pon- 
der well  upon  these  words  of  Paul,  and  to 
understand  them  according  to  the  divine 
truth,  and  you  will  plainly  see  that  Paul 
taught  by  this  Scripture  just  what  Chi'ist 
had  commanded,  Mark  IG:  IG.    Thebeliev- 


CHRISTIAN  BAPTISM. 


219 


ing,  alone,  put  on  Christ  Jesns  in  their  bap- 
tism, and  they  alone  bring  forth  true  fruits, 
and  not  the  infants,  as  we  have  liere,  and 
also  in  our  first  writings  sufficiently  proven 
to  all  the  pious  and  true  believers. 

Most  beloved  brethren,  let  the  infant  bap- 
tizers,  to  their  own  condemnation,  thus 
scornfully  ridicule  such  plain  Scriptures, 
and  let  them  subtlely  garble  and  twist 
them  as  much  as  they  please,  yet  this  Script- 
ure will  ever  remain  unbroken  by  them; 
it  will  remain  so  firm  and  binding  that  they 
will  stumble  thereon,  be  shamed  thereby 
and  will  have  to  stand  back,  notwithstand- 
ing all  their  flattering.  If  they  would  but 
rightly  look  into  the  matter  and  then  judge 
according  to  the  woi'd  of  God,  what  it  means 
according  to  Paul,  what  it  implies,  to  put 
on  Christ,  whether  spoken  in  the  active  or 
in  the  passive  (for  all  those  who  are  not 
content  with  the  active  may  apply  the  pas- 
sive to  Rom.  13,  although  it  is  in  the  active 
by  Paul,  according  to  the  translation  of 
Erasmus),  they  would  soon  perceive  that  it 
makes  no  difi'erence  in  this  matter  whether 
it  is  used  in  the  active  or  in  the  passive. 
But  what  will  it  benefit?  If  the  learned 
have  nothing  wherewith  to  obscure  the  truth 
they  garble  things  before  the  ignorant,  sim- 
ple populace,  by  strange  tongues,  false  ex- 
planations, lies,  and  high-sounding  philo- 
sophical reasons.  O  how  justly  Christ 
Jesus  said  unto  the  Pharisees,  "Woe  unto 
you,  scribes  and  Pharisees,  hj'pocrites ! 
for  ye  shut  up  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
against  men;  for  ye  neither  go  in  your- 
selves, neither  suifer  ye  them  that  are  en- 
tering to  go  in,"  Matt.  23:  13. 

In  the  sixth  place,  Paul  teaches,  saying, 
"For  by  one  Spirit  are  we  all  baptized  into 
one  body,  whether  we  be  Jews  or  Gentiles, 
whether  we  be  bond  or  free;  and  have  been 
all  made  to  drink  into  one  Spirit,"  1  Cor. 
12:  13. 

By  these  words  of  Paul  the  baptism  of  the 
beleiving  is  again  plainly  taught  and  con- 
firmed, and,  on  the  other  hand,  the  anti-chris- 
tian,  infant  baptism  is  rejected  and  made  of 
none  effect,  because  God,  the  merciful  Fa- 
ther, in  his  holy  gospel,  points  us  to  faith, 
alone,  through  Jesus  Christ,  and  to  the  new 
birth.  Because  the  believing  or  regenerated 
act  rightly  before  God,  and  diligently  seek 


and  fulfill  his  holy  will  according  to  the 
grace  they  have  received — therefore  we  must 
forcibly  acknowledge  that  we  cannot  be 
led  to  this  godly  gift  of  faith  and  of  regen- 
eration, otherwise  than  by  the  word  of  God, 
through  his  Holy  Spirit.  All  writing,  read- 
ing, and  teaching  is  in  vain,  when  the  Holy 
Spirit  of  God,  the  true  Teacher  of  all  right- 
eousness, does  not  quicken,  pierce  and  turn 
the  hearts  of  the  disciples  or  hearers,  by 
the  only  means  for  this  purpose  given  of 
God,  which  is  his  word. 

Since  we  are  baptized  by  one  Spirit  into 
one  bodj^,  according  to  the  teaching  of  Paul, 
and  since  this  same  Spirit  must  quicken 
and  turn  the  hearts  by  the  word  of  God — 
therefore  it  incontrovertibly  follows  that 
none  should  be  baptized  but  those  alone 
whose  hearts  are  quickened  and  turned  by 
this  Spirit  through  the  word  of  God. 

All  those,  then,  who  hear  the  holy  gospel 
of  Jesus  Christ  and  sincerely  believe  it  and 
are  thus  inwardly  quickened  and  pierced 
by  the  Holy  Spirit  (let  them  be  of  whatever 
nation  or  sex),  are  baptized  by  this  quick- 
ening Spirit  into  one  holy,  spiritual  body, 
of  which  Christ  is  the  head,  that  is  into  the 
church.  And  thus  Paul  has  taught  by  this 
Scripture  in  conformity  to  the  command  of 
Christ,  Mark  16:  16. 

Beloved  reader,  as  those  shoidd  be  bap- 
tized who  are  urged  by  faith  and  forced  by 
the  Spirit,  as  Paul  teaches,  so  I  will  again 
leave  it  to  your  judgment  who  they  are  that 
are  led  and  impelled  by  this  Spirit.  A^^lether 
they  are  the  believing  or  whether  they  are 
the  infants  ?  If  j^ou  say  the  believing,  yoiu- 
answer  is  riglit.  For  the  believing  die  unto 
their  flesh,  lusts  and  desires.  Gal.  5:  24; 
they  put  ofl'  the  old  man  and  all  his  works, 
Eph.  4:  23;  seek  Christ  Jesus  in  purity  of 
heart;  bring  forth  the  precious  fruits  of  the 
Spirit  which  is  in  them,  and  show  outward- 
ly and  inwardly  in  all  their  actions  that 
they  are  taught,  led  and  impelled  by  this 
Holy  Spirit,  Gal.  5:  IS;  Rom.  8:  14.  But 
if  you  answer,  t7te  infants,  then  I  would 
ask  you.  Where  are  their  spiritual  fruits? 
As  nothing  appears  in  a  child  biat  their 
childish  actions,  as  we  said  above.  Yet 
they  are  baptized  and  called  christians, 
without  doctrine,  faith  and  commandment, 
from  which  follows  that  in  all  the  baptized 


220 


CHKISTLAN  BAPTISM. 


of  the  world  nothing  is  found  bnt  abomina- 
ble blindness,  idolatry,  hypocrisy,  evil 
thoughts,  vain  words,  madness  against  the 
truth,  disobedience,  blasphemj'',  trickery 
and  a  very  wicked  life  contrary  to  God 
and  his  blessed  word. 

I  am  aware,  brethren,  that  children  have 
spirituni  vifalem,  that  is,  the  sjyirit  hy  inMcli 
tliey  h'ec,  which  God  breathed  into  Adam 
and  into  all  liesh  that  they  might  live.  Gen. 
3:  7;  Acts  17:  25.  But  they  have  not  the 
Sjnritum  justifjcantum,  aut  innovantem, 
that  is,  the  spt'rit  toliich  sanctifies  or  regen- 
erates. For  if  the  latter  spirit  was  in  them 
it  would  surely  be  manifested  in  the  fruits^- 
as  it  is  impossible  that  the  Holy  Spirit  o'f 
God,  which  of  itself  is  awake,  living  and 
fruitful,  and  by  which  all  true  christians 
are  justified,  taught,  led  and  urged,  should 
be  idle,  dormant,  and  fruitless  in  those  in 
whom  it  dwells.  Let  the  infant  baptists 
controvert  this  as  much  as  they  please,  no 
matter  whether  they  are  old,  learned,  or  of 
high  renown,  yet  it  will  never  be  proven  by 
the  word  of  God,  that  the  Holy  Spirit  of 
God  is  ever  idle,  useless  and  without  fruits. 
I  am  aware  that  one  may  stumble,  notwith- 
standing he  has  the  Spirit  of  God,  as  is 
shown  in  the  case  of  the  pride,  adultery, 
and  manslaughter  of  David;  the  hypocrisy 
of  Peter,  and  the  quarrel  of  Paul  and  Bar- 
nabus;  they  will  not  long  continue  therein, 
l)ut  will  be  immediately  admonished  to  re- 
pentance, either  by  the  kind  admonition  of 
the  brethren  or  by  the  Spirit.  For  it  is  im- 
possible that  those,  in  whom  is  the  spirit  of 
love  and  the  fear  of  God,  can  long  continue 
in  a  shameful  sin  and  transgression.  If 
the  baptized  infants,  now,  have  the  Holy 
Spirit,  as  the  infant  baptists  affirm,  then 
they  must  admit  that  it  is  a  dead,  unfruit- 
ful and  powerless  spirit  which  can  beget 
neither  faith,  love,  fear  of  God,  obedience, 
nor  any  evangelical,  divine  righteousness, 
in  these  children. 

Because  they  have,  of  their  own  choice, 
contrary  to  all  scriptural  truth,  and  by  their 
own  righteousness,  taught  infant  baptism — 
therefore  they  subtlely  seek  to  clothe  and 
adorn  it  with  a  garbled  form  of  the  divine 
word,  that  the  adulterous,  enchanting  wine 
which  is  in  the  goblet  of  the  Babylonian 
whore,  may  be  swallowed  as  a  good  and 


pure  wine.  Saying:  "That  infants  should 
be  baptized  that  they  may  be  the  better 
trained  in  the  word  and  commandments  of 
God;  cleansed  of  their  inherent  sins;  buried 
in  the  death  of  Christ;  regenerated  and  put 
on  Christ  Jesus,  yea,  baptized  into  the  body 
of  Jesus  Cnrist  and  thus  become  partakers 
of  the  Holy  Spirit."  Which  teaching  is, 
verily,  nothing  but  open  deceit,  lies,  gar- 
bling of  the  Scrijitures  and  a  deception  of 
satan.  For  in  all  the  baptized  of  the  world 
we  iind  the  very  contrary  in  their  fruits,  all 
through  their  lives,  as  ever}^  intelligent 
christian  may  plainly  observe. 

Most  beloved  brethren  in  the  Lord,  never 
let  such  shameful  and  abominable  lies  find 
place  in  your  hearts,  but  examine  all  things 
rightly  and  according  to  the  word  of  God, 
that  youmay  rightly  understand  all  evangel- 
ical truth.  For  thus  to  ornament  infant  bap- 
tism with  the  virtues  which  only  belong  to  the 
baptism  of  the  believing,  is  just  as  reasona- 
ble as  it  is  to  clothe  an  ape  in  purple  and 
silk,  as  the  common  saying  of  the  learned 
implies,  which  leads,  Simia  semper  manet 
simia,  etiamsi  induatur  purpura;  which 
means :  an  ape  is  an  ape  tJiongh  he  te  clotlied 
in  purple.  In  the  same  manner  infant  bap- 
tism will  remain  a  stench  and  abomina- 
tion before  God,  however  finely  it  be  orna- 
mented with  garbled  Scriptures,  by  the 
learned;  for  an  infant,  so  long  as  it  is  in  its 
infancy,  will  remain  ignorant,  simple  and 
of  childish  mind,  notwithstanding  it  be 
baptized  a  hundred  times  and  its  baptism 
be  still  more  subtlely  asserted  by  six  times 
a  hundred  garbled  Scriptures;  as  it  is  plain 
to  all  intelligent  persons-  that  with  infants 
are  found  neither  doctrine,  faith,  spirit, 
fruits  nor  idea  of  God's  commandment; 
and  that  therefore  they  should  not  be  bap- 
tized; that  is,  if  we  believe  that  the  word  of 
God  is  true  and  will  ever  remain  true,  as 
we  have  abundantly  proven  in  our  first 
writings  concerning  baptism,  as  also  in 
this. 

O,  kind  reader  I  Verily,  if  it  were  not 
that  this  bitter,  cancerous,  lime  spittle  of 
false  doctrine  and  long  usage  had  so  deeply 
eaten  into  the  eyes  of  your  hearts,  you 
would  acknowledge  at  once  that  this  large 
:  church,  in  its  young  days,  was  not  embod- 
I  ied  into  the  pui-e,  chaste,  god-serving,  and 


CHRISTIAN  BAPTISM. 


221 


unblamable  body  of  Jesus  Christ,  by  the 
office  of  a  clean  and  christian  spirit,  but 
rather  into  the  adulterous,  idolatrous  and 
blaniable  body  of  anti-christ,  by  an  unclean 
and  anti-ohristian  spirit, 
^or  if  it  were  the  case  that  they  were  in- 
corporated into  the  most  holy  bod}^  of  Jesus 
Christ,  as  they  persistently  boast,  they 
should  prove  by  their  works  that  they  are 
serviceable,  and  fruitful  members  of  that 
body  into  which  they  are  incorporated. 
For  we  plainly  see  that  there  is  no  member 
of  the  human  body  created  but  for  some  use 
and  purpose,  be  it  ever  so  small  and  trilling; 
but  it  is  in  its  way  protitable  and  useful  to 
the  body  to  which  it  belongs.  But  how 
useful  the  beforementioned  infants  are  to 
the  body  of  Christ  Jesus  will  be  perceived 
by  all  those  taught  of  the  spirit. 

From  this  it  incontrovertibly  follows, 
that  if  they  are  the  body  of  Christ,  as  they 
claim,  and  that  Christ  is  the  head  of  his 
church,  that  Christ  is  the  head  of  the  unbe- 
lieving, the  avaricious,  perjurious,  gam- 
blers, drunkards,  adulterers,  fornicators. 
Sodomites,  thieves,  murderers,  liars,  idola- 
ters, disobedient,  blood-thirsty,  traitors, 
tyrants,  proud,  and  of  all  rogues  and 
knaves .  For  where  is  there  one  in  the  whole 
church  of  those  who  were  baptized  in  in- 
fancy, that  walks  uublamably  in  all  the 
commandments  of  our  beloved  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  who,  either  inwardly  oroi^enly, 
is  not  guilty  before  God,  in  some  or  many 
of  the  beforementioned  crimes.  O  no, 
kind  reader,  no.  The  most  holy  and  glori- 
ous body  of  Jesus  Christ  is  wonderfully 
far  ditferent  from  such  a  cruel,  ungodly,  re- 
fractory, disobedient,  carnal,  bloody  and 
idolatrous  bod5\ 

Most  beloved  brethren,  since  they  plainly 
are  such  transgressors,  blasphemers,  and 
willful  sinners,  judge  for  yourselves  from 
these  and  other  scriptural  reasons,  what 
kind  of  a  body  they  are;  by  whose  doctrine, 
commandment  and  practice;  by  what  Spirit 
they  were  and  are  yet  daily  incorporated 
into  this  very  horrible  body;  yea,  such  a 
body  that  has  neither  gospel,  faith,  chris- 
tian baptism,  supper,  nor  christian  life; 
and  therefore  neither  God,  prayer,  promise 
aor  eternal  life;  but  only  false  doctrine, 
false  faith,  false  sacraments,  false  promise, 


ungodly  life  and  eternal  death.  O,  Lord, 
save  all  thy  beloved  children  from  such  an 
abominable,  bloody  body. 

But  in  the  most  holy  body  of  Jesus  Christ 
is  a  true  and  orderly  state  of  things  accord- 
ing to  the  word  of  God,  as  the  true  doctrine, 
faith,  baptism,  supper,  love,  life,  worship 
and  true  excommunication;  and  therefore 
also  grace,  favor,  mercy,  remission  of  sins, 
prayer,  God's  promise  and  eternal  life. 
Behold,  brethren,  where  these  are,  there 
also,  is  the  true  body  of  Jesus  Christ,  of 
which  Christ  Jesus  is  the  head.  They  are 
the  true  brethren  of  Jesus  Christ  who  with 
him  are  born  of  God  the  Father;  the  spirit- 
ual Mount  Zion  which  will  never  be  moved; 
the  spiritual  house  of  Israel  which  is  wisely 
ruled  by  Christ  Jesus  our  only  King,  ac- 
cording to  the  Spirit,  with  the  unbroken 
scepter  of  his  divine  word;  the  spiritual  Je- 
rusalem in  which  the  great  King,  the  blessed 
Christ  Jesus  has  placed  the  glorious,  king- 
ly throne  of  his  honor;  the  spiritual  temple 
of  the  Lord  in  which  his  lio]y  name  is  sin- 
cerely glorified;  the  spiritual  ark  of  the 
covenant  with  his  heavenly  bread;  bloom- 
ing, red  and  stone  tables  upon  which  the 
throne  of  mercy,  the  blessed  Christ  Jesus  is 
found  under  the  two  cherubims  of  his  testa- 
ments according  to  his  promise.  Yea,  the 
lovely  bride  of  Jesus  Christ;  flesh  of  his 
flesh,  and  bone  of  his  bone,  Eph.  5  :  30; 
which  he  placed  in  his  chamber.  Cant.  1 : 4, 
and  kissed  with  the  mouth  of  his  gternal 
peace.  Col.  1;  Eph.  1.  Therefore  ho  one 
can  be  a  j)rofitable  member  in  this  most 
holy,  glorious  and  pure  body  of  Christ, 
who  is  not  believing,  regenerated,  converted, 
changed  and  renewed;  who  is  not  amiable, 
mild,  meek,  obedient,  merciful,  chaste, 
sober,  humble,  forbearing,  peaceable,  just, 
constant,  and  who  are  heavenlj^  and  spirit- 
uall}^  minded  with  Christ;  for  it  is  impos- 
sible, according  to  Scripture,  that  Christ 
Jesus  will  or  can  be  a  Prince  or  iiead  of 
those  who  do  not  conform  themselves  to 
him,  that  is,  of  those  who  do  not  sincerely 
seek,  hear,  believe  and  serve  him;  but  rath- 
er trample  upon,  blaspheme  and  resist  him. 

But  those  who  hear  and  believe  the  word 
of  God,  are,  by  the  Holy  Spirit  which  has 
taught,  begotten  and  enlightened  tliem, 
baptized  into  the  body  of  Christ,  on  their 


222 


CHRISTIAN  BAPTISM. 


own  faith,  according  to  the  commandment 
of  Christ;  for  these  are  regenerated  of  tlie 
word  of  God;  biuy  their  sins  and  are  raised 
np  with  Christ  into  new  life;  have  a  good 
conscience;  receive  remission  of  sins;  put 
on  Christ  Jesns;  become  trne  members  of 
the  most  holy  body  of  Jesns  Christ,  which 
are  fi'uitful,  nsefnl  and  serviceable  accord- 
ing to  their  strength,  1  Cor.  12:  13;  Rom. 
6:5;  1  Pet.  3:21;  Acts  2:38;  Gal.  3:27. 
On  all  such  are  the  atfectionate  eyes  of  the 
Lord,  the  heavenly  blessing,  and  the  mer- 
ciful mind,  protection  and  solicitude  of  the 
eternal  Father;  because  they  have  sincerely 
and  fully  denied  themselves,  and  have  obe- 
diently followed  the  Avill  of  God  to  live  ac- 
cording to  the  will  of  him  who  has  gracious- 
ly called  them,  Chiist  Jesus.  Beloved  read- 
er, since  infants  have  not  this  mind,  and  as 
the  Holy  Si)irit  does  not  operate,  nor  show 
itself  to  be  in  them,  and  since  they  cannot 
serve  in  the  body  of  Christ  as  is  required 
by  the  word  of  God,  since  it  is  plain  to  all 
intelligent  persons,  they  should  not  be  bap- 


tized; for  without  the  quickening  Spirit  of 
God,  none  should  be  baptized,  as  we  have 
abundantly  proven  to  all  the  pious  children 
of  God,  from  his  wor5> 

Therefore  I  conclude  in  regard  to  this 
matter  of  baptism,  with  these  plain  words : 
Inasmuch  as  Christ  Jesus,  the  true  Teacher, 
sent  of  the  Father,  has  commanded  us  to 
baptize  the  believing,  Mark  IG:  IG,  and  as 
the  holy  apostles  have,  in  the  above  ad- 
duced Scriptures,  so  explained  that  which 
is  represented  by  baptism  as  pertaining  to 
none  but  the  believing,  and  as  infant  bap- 
tism is  no  such  baptism  because  it  is  evi- 
dent that  they  have  no  faith  nor  its  fruits, 
which  ^aith  and  fruits  are  the  true  repre- 
sentation of  baptism — therefore  we  are 
again  necessarily  forced  by  the  word  of  the 
Lord,  by  faith  and  by  the  love  of  God,  dil- 
igently to  teach  and  receive  the  baptism  of 
the  believing,  and  to  assert  it  to  the  praise 
of  the  Lord  before  lords,  princes,  and  the 
whole  world,  at  the  risk  of  life  and  goods 
as  true  witnesses  of  Jesus  Christ. 


HOW  THE  HOLY  Ai'OSTLES  PRACTICED  BAPTISM  IN  THE  WATER. 


In  the  third  and  last  place  we  are  forced 
to  assert  the  cluistian  baptism  of  the  be- 
lieving, even  at  the  risk  of  life  and  blood 
for  the  reason,  that  the  holy  apostles  of 
God  baptized  none  but  those  alone  who  de- 
sired to  be  baptized,  as  Christ  expressly 
and  plainly  commanded  them,  saying,  "  Go 
ye  into  all  the  world  and  preach  the  gospel 
to  every  creature;  he  that  believeth  and  is 
baptized  shall  be  saved,"  Mark  16: 15. 
This  commandment  the  apostles  received 
from  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  and  have  pro- 
claimed the  holy  gospel,  the  glad  tidings 
of  grace,  throughout  the  world,  Rom.  10, 
and  preached  it  to  every  creature  which 
was  under  the  heavens,  Col.  1.  They  bap- 
tized all  who  accepted  this  gospel  by  faith, 
and  no  others  as  is  shown  and  perceived  in 
many  Scriptures  treating  of  the  acts  of  the 
apostles;  some  of  which  Scriptures  I  shall 
place  before  the  reader,  by  which  all  the 
rest  of  the  Scriptures  will  be  easily  ex- 
plained. 


When  Philip  was  led  by  the  angel  of  the 
Lord,  to  the  chariot  of  the  eunuch,  who  was 
come  from  the  land  of  Ethiopia,  and  read 
the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  from  Esaias  the 
prophet,  "Philip  preached  unto  him  Jesus 
and  as  they  went  on  their  way,  they  came 
unto  a  certain  water;  and  the  eunuch  said. 
See  here  is  water;  what  doth  hinder  me  to 
be  baptized  ?  And  Philii)  said.  If  thou  be- 
lievest  with  all  thine  heart  thou  mayest. 
And  he  answered  and  said,  I  believe  that 
Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God,"'  Acts  8:  35 
—37. 

My  chosen,  beloved  brethren.  If  all  the 
earth  were  full  of  learned  orators  or  highly 
renowned  doctors,  and  these  were,  by  sharp 
siibtlety  and  human  philosophy,  exalted  as 
high  as  the  stars;  yet,  by  the  grace  of  God, 
the  word  will  never  be  wrung  from  us, 
namely  this:  That  where  there  is  no  faith, 
no  baptism  should  be  administered,  accord- 
ing to  the  word  of  God;  or  else  we  must 
admit,  fii"st,  that  the  command  of  Christ 


CHRISTIAN  BAPTISM. 


223 


Jesus  is  wrong.  Secondly,  that  the  holy 
apostles  have  taught  wrongfully,  thirdly, 
that  the  holy  Philip  here  asked  wi'ongfuUy ; 
fourthly,  that  the  eunuch  was  concerned 
about  this  matter  more  than  all  the  rest  of 
humanity. 

No,  kind  reader,  no.  But  as  Peter  and 
Paul,  together  with  all  the  pious  witnesses 
of  Christ  always  had  their  ej^es  fixed  upon 
the  commandment  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
and  did  not  act  in  opposition  thereto,  so 
also,  the  holy  Philip,  the  true  servant  of 
God  who  preached  and  taught  with  the 
same  spirit,  would  not  baptize  until  the  il- 
lustrious and  famous  man  had  sincerely 
confessed  his  faith;  for  it  was  thus  com- 
manded him  of  Christ  Jesus,  his  tnie  Master, 
our  Redeemer  and  Savior,  Matt.  28:  19; 
Mark  16:  15. 

As  the  holy  apostles  required  of  those 
that  were  to  be  baptized,  first,  to  make  a 
confession  of  their  faith  before  baptism,  so 
I  ask  you,  beloved  reader,  How  can  we  re- 
quire a  confession  of  faith  of  iufantg.,before 
they  are  baptized,  and  who  shall  confess 
for  them  ?  If  you  should  say  the  godfathers, 
then  I  would  reply,  that  the  godfathers 
were  first  gotten  up  by  pope  Higinius,  as 
we  have  shown  above.  Inasmuch  as  Hi- 
ginius is  the  getter  up  of  them,  and  as  in- 
fant baptism  has  been  practiced  ever  since 
the  time  of  the  apostles  as  Origen  and 
Augustine  write,  and  as  I  believe,  because 
those  who  do  not  rightly  confess  Christ, 
ever  seek  their  righteousness  in  wrought 
ceremonies,  notwithstanding  it  is  no  divine 
command  nor  apostolic  usage,  as  may  be 
particularly  proven  by  the  holy  Scriptures, 
and  also  by  TertuUian  and  Ruffinus  and 
others — therefore  I  verily  do  not  see  who, 
by  the  faith  of  infants,  has  answered  for 
them  in  their  baptism  which  were  baptized 
during  the  pei'iod  between  the  apostles  and 
pope  Higinius,  inasmuch  as  the  godfathers 
were  first  gotten  up  by  Higinius  who  was 
either  the  ninth  or  tenth  pope,  and  as  the 
infants  which  were  before  him  had  as  little 
doctrine,  hearing,  voice  or  understanding 
as  the  children  of  the  present  day,  as  they 
plainly  prove  by  their  fruits. 

Observe,  kind  reader,  that  all  their  doings 
with  children,  such  as  catechism,  godfathers, 
baptism,  crisma,  and  such  like  things,  is 


nothing  but  open  hypocrisy,  human  right- 
eousness, idolatry,  useless  fantasy  and 
opinion. 

Inasmuch  as  Christ  Jesus  has  command- 
ed but  one  baptism  on  the  confession  of 
faith,  and  as  the  apostles  have  taught  and 
practiced  it — therefore  the  infant  baptists 
must  consent  and  admit,  by  virtue  of  the 
word  of  God,  that  infant  baptism  is  not  by 
the  commandment  of  Christ,  not  by  the 
teaching  and  practice  of  the  holy  apostles, 
but  by  the  doctrine  of  anti-christ  and  by 
the  practice  of  his  preachers. 

I  repeat  that  the  holy  apostles  baptized 
none  but  those  that  desired  it,  or  those  who 
confessed  the  most  holy  faith  either  verbal- 
ly or  proved  it  by  their  walk,  as  did  holy 
Peter;  for  although  he  was  previously  in- 
formed by  a  heavenly  vision  that  he  might 
go  amongst  the  Gentiles  to  teach  them  the 
gospel,  yet  he  refused  to  baptize  the  pious, 
noble  and  godly  centurion  and  his  consorts, 
so  long  as  he  did  not  see  that  the  Holj^ 
Spirit  was  descended  upon  them,  that  they 
spoke  with  tongues,  and  glorified  God. 
But  when  Peter  plainly  saw  that  they  were 
truly  believing  and  that  the  Spirit  was  de- 
scended on  them,  he  said,  "Can  any  man 
forbid  water,  that  these  should  not  be  bap- 
tized which  have  received  the  Holy  Ghost 
as  well  as  we  ?  And  he  commanded  them  to 
be  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,''  Acts 
10:47,  48. 

Behold,  kind  reader,  here  you  are  plain- 
ly taught  that  Peter  commanded  that  those 
only  should  be  baptized  who  had  received 
the  Holy  Ghost;  who  spoke  with  tongues 
and  glorified  God,  which  only  pertains  to 
the  believing  and  not  the  unconscious  in- 
fants. Thus  the  practice  of  Peter  was  in 
accordance  with  the  commandment  of 
Christ,  Mark  10:16.  Therefore  Peter  did 
not  command  infant  baptism;  for  the  Holy 
Ghost  does  not  operate  in  them,  as  may  be 
plainly  seen.  This  may  also  be  understood 
from  a  passage  of  Paul;  for  he  says, 
"When  they  believed  Philip  preaching  the 
things  concerning  the  kingdom  of  God,  and 
the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  they  were  bap- 
tized both  men  and  women,"  Acts  8:  12. 
Observe,  nothing  is  said  of  infants. 

Paul,  a  preacher  and  apostle,  also  bap- 
tized upon  the  confession  of  faitli  and  truth. 


224 


CHEISTIAN  BAPTISM. 


He  required  faith  before  baptism  to  such 
perfection  that  he  regarded  the  baptism  of 
the  holy  John  the  baptist,  as  useless  and 
vain  among  the  disciples  at  Ephesus,  be- 
cause they  knew  not  the  Holy  Ghost,  say- 
ing, "Unto  what  then  were  ye  baptized? 
And  they  said  Unto  John's  baptism.  Then 
said  Paul,  John  verily  baptized  with  the 
baptism  of  repentance,  saying  unto  the 
people,  that  they  should  believe  on  him 
which  should  come  after  him,  that  is,  on 
Christ  Jesus.  When  they  heard  this,  they 
were  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Lord 
Jesus.  And  when  Paul  had  laid  his  hands 
upon  them,  the  Holy  Ghost  came  on  them, 
and  they  spake  with  tongues  and  prophe- 
sied; and  all  the  men  were  about  twelve," 
Acts  19:  3—7. 

Hear,  most  beloved  readers;  for  I  w^ould 
here  j^resent  to  you  and  to  all  the  world 
three  points,  which  you  should  imj)artially 
consider  and  judge  according  to  the  word 
of  God.  First,  Was  the  baptism  of  John 
not  of  God  ?  I  know  you  will  give  an  affirm- 
ative reply.  If  now  the  baptism  of  John  is 
of  God,  as  it  is  indeed,  and  if  Paul  yet  con- 
sidered this  baptism  which  was  from  above, 
as  insufficient  and  imperfect  in  these  disci- 
ples because  they  did  not  acknowledge  the 
Holy  Ghost,  and  as  he,  after  preaching  to 
them  Christ,  again  baptized  them  with  the 
baptism  of  Jesus  Christ,  as  is  mentioned  in 
Luke,  for  what  purpose  must  we  consider  the 
baptism  of  children  that  are  naturally  un- 
able to  understand  the  divine  word,  and 
therefore  they  acknowledge  neither  Father, 
Son,  nor  Holj^  Ghost;  neither  can  they  dis- 
tinguish between  truth  and  lies, righteousness 
and  sinfulness,  good  and  evil,  right  and 
wrong  ?  Does  not  this  prove  infant  bajjtism 
to  be  useless,  vain  and  unfruitful?  and  as  ad- 
ministered and  received  without  the  ordi- 
nance of  God?  and  if  we  acknowledge  this  by 
the  word  of  God  through  faith,  is  it  therefore 
not  necessary  to  be  baptized  with  the  bap- 
tism of  Jesus  Christ?  as  Christ  has  command- 
ed and  as  Paul  has  administered  to  these  dis- 
ciples ?  I  say,  verily,  if  we  do  not,  there  is, 
according  to  the  word  of  God,  neither  faith, 
regeneration,  obedience,  nor  Spirit  in  xis, 
and  therefore  no  eternal  life,  as  we  have 
frequently  shown  above. 

Let  all  the  learned  garble  this  invincible 


Scripture  and  practice  of  Paul  as  subtlety 
as  they  please,  yet  it  will  never  be  asserted 
by  virtue  of  the  word  of  God  but  that  these 
1  disciples,  notwithstanding  that  they  were 
baptized  with  the  baptism  of  John,  were 
again  baptized,  after  they  were  taught  by 
;  Paul,  with  the  baptism  of  Jesus  Christ;  be- 
cause they  knew  not  that  there  was  a  Holy 
I  Ghost;  that  is,  if  baptism  is  to  be  baptism 
according  to  the  word  of  God.    But,  breth- 
I  ren,  the  preaching  of  the  cross  is  ever  op- 
posed because  it  is  to  them  thatperish,  fool- 
ishness, 1  Cor.  1 :  18. 

Again,  judge  for  yourselves  kind  readers, 
since_  Christ  Jesus  himself  and  also  the 
holy  apostles,  Peter,  Paul  and  Philip,  have 
commanded  and  taught  no  other  baptism 
in  all  the  Scriptures  of  the  New  Testament, 
but  upon  the  confession  or  proof  of  faith, 
and  as  the  whole  world  in  opposition  there- 
to, teaches  and  practices  a  diflerent  bap- 
tism, which  is  founded  neither  in  the  com- 
mand of  Jesus  nor  in  the  teaching  and 
practice  of  the  holy  apostles,  namely,  in- 
fant baptism,  and  asserts  it  not  by  the 
word  of  God,  but  solely  by  the  opinion 
and  long  usage  of  the  learned;  and  forces 
it  upon  the  world  by  the  cruel,  bloody 
sword;  therefore  judge,  I  say,  which  of  the 
two  we  should  follow.  The  divine  truth  of 
Christ  Jesus,  or  the  lies  of  the  ungodly 
world?  If  you  answer,  C/?r?5/,  your  judg- 
ment is  right;  but  the  consequence  accord- 
ing to  the  flesh,  is  anxiety,  being  robbed, 
apprehension,  banishment,  poverty,  water, 
fire,  sword,  the  wheel,  shame,  cross,  suffer- 
ing and  temporal  death;  yet  in  the  end 
eternal  life.  Butif  3"ou  answer,  the  world, 
then  3' ou  verily  judge  wrongfully;  notwith- 
standing, on  the  contrary  according  to  the 
flesh,  the  consequence  is  honor,  peace,  ease, 
liberty,  temporal  life  and  such  perishable 
advantages;  3'et  the  end  is  eternal  death. 

Thirdly  and  lastly,  judge  rightly  whether 
the  ordinance  of  Jesus  Christ  which  he  com- 
manded into  his  church,  and  which  the  holy 
apostles  learned  and  administered  from  his 
blessed  mouth,  can  ever  be  changed  and 
broken  by  human  wisdom  or  excellency. 
If  you  answer  in  the  affirmative,  you  must 
prove  it  by  the  divine  and  evangelical 
Scriptures  or  else  we  should  not  believe  it. 
But  if  you  answer  in  the  negative,  as  it 


CHRISTIAN  BAPTISM. 


235 


should  be,  you  must  acknowledge  that 
those,  no  matter  who  they  are,  whether  they 
lived  at  the  time  of  the  apostles,  and  were 
even  their  disciples,  who  say  that  the  apos- 
tles baptized  infants,  shamefully  misrepre- 
sent the  apostles  and  load  falsehood  uj)on 
them,  3^ea,  that  they  speak  their  own  opin- 
ion and  not  the  word  of  God,  for  the  most 
holy  apostles,  the  true  witnesses  of  chris- 
tian truth,  never  taught  two  different  bap- 
tisms in  the  water;  neither  did  they  act 
contrary  to  the  command  and  ordinance  of 
Christ,  nor  administer  it  contrary  to  their 
own  doctrine. 

O,  had  the  educated  and  learned  men, 
Origen,  Augustine,  Jeronimus,  Lactantius 
and  others,  not  soared  so  high  in  their 
smartness  and  philosophy,  and  had  they 
been  satisfied  with  the  clear,  chaste,  and 
plain  doctrine  of  Jesus  Christ  and  his  apos- 
tles, and  had  they  conformed  their  intelli- 
gence and  subtle  reasoning  to  the  word  of 
God,  then  the  heavenly  doctrine  and  un- 
changeable ordinance  of  our  beloved  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  would  not  have  been  subjected 
to  such  shame  and  change !  And  in  par- 
ticular has  the  great  Origen,  by  his  philos- 
ophy and  self-conceit,  so  shamefully  treat- 
ed with  the  Holy  Scripture  that  Martin 
Luther  in  his  book  called  Seruum  Arhitri- 
um,  calls  him  Sjjercissimus  scriptiiranim  in- 
terpres,  that  is:  The  falsest  escplainer  oftlie 
Scriptures.  And  besides,  it  is  annotated 
in  the  Lutheran  New  Testament,  that  this 
Origen  is  the  great  star  which  fell  from 
heaven,  burning  like  a  lamp,  and  that  his 
name  is  Wormwood,  Rev.  8:  11.  Therefore 
we  will  leave  it  to  God  who  and  what  he  is. 
Notwithstanding  he  has  treated  the  word 
of  God  so  shamefully  and  has  erred  so  ter- 
ribly, yet,  because  he  pleases  the  world  in 
regard  to  infant  baptism^the  holy  doctrine 
of  Christ  Jesus  and  the  apostles  must  stand 
back;  and  Origen  is  lieeded,  accepted  and 
followed  as  a  sure  testimony  to  this  idola- 
trous ceremony.  O,  abominable  blindness! 
O,  shameful  foolishness  !  That  we  do  not 
lielieve  the  sure  word  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  the  word  of  truth,  and  the  tnie  Avit- 
nesses  who  were  sent  by  him  I  but  that  we 
would  rather  follow,  to  the  loss  of  our  souls, 
those  who  teach  to  please  us,  notwithstand- 
ing it  is  plain  from  their  writings  that  | 
C5 


'  they  have  so  often  stumbled  and  erred,  and 
been  mistaken  in  regard  to  the  truth  of 
Almighty  God ! 

Therefore  I  beseech  you  all,  beloved 
brethren  in  the  Lord,  by  the  grace  of  God 
to  open  your  understanding,  that  you  may 
be  no  longer  deceived,  and  that  you  may 
perceive,  you  who  are  made  uneasy  by  the 
writings  of  the  learned,  that  all  the  writers, 
both  ancient  and  modern,  have  ever  sought 
righteousness  in  wrought  ceremonies,  which 
we  should  only  seek  in  Christ  Jesus.  And 
again,  that,  because  they  have  not  the  word 
of  God  on  their  side  they  do  not  follow  the 
same  path  in  regard  to  this  matter,  do  not 
speak  of  one  accord  nor  write  unanimously. 
For  as  their  writings  show,  some  seek  the 
toasJt/'vg  away  of  in  Jcerent  sin .  Others  teach 
that  they  should  be  baptized  on  account  of 
their  faith.  Again,  to  train  them  in  the 
word  and  commandments  ofOod.  Still  oth- 
ers, to  have  them  included  into  the  covenant 
with  God;  and,  again,  to  baptize  them  into 
the  chxvrcli  of  Christ.  Behold,  kind  readers, 
thus  each  of  the  beforementioned  writers 
follows  his  own  course,  and  does  not  follow 
the  same  way.  If  they  were  supported  by 
the  word  of  God,  in  regard  to  this  matter, 
they  would  all  be  unanimous.  But  because 
they  have  not  the  word  of  God — each  one 
follows  his  own  inclination,  thinking  that 
he  can,  under  a  scriptural  app'earance,  palm 
oif  pernicious  falsehood  as  being  the  truth. 
Yea,  he  tickles  his  vision  so  long  with  gar- 
bled Scriptures,  that  his  mind  becomes  so 
obscm-ed  that  he  can  no  more  conceive  that 
he  teaches,  follows  and  administers  accursed 
falsehood  for  the  blessed  truth  of  God. 

Thus,  most  beloved  children,  because  the 
learned  have  ever  sought  and  yet  seek 
righteousness  in  infant  baptism,  you  can 
easily  surmise  that  these  infant  baptists 
have,  by  that  means,  made  this  innovation. 
For  with  the  ancients  it  was  not  the  com- 
mon 'practice,  I  say  common,  as  may  be 
deduced  from  Tertullian,  RuflTin  and  others; 
but  as  aj)pears,  just  after  the  demise  of  the 
apostles  or  perhaps  yet  in  their  times,  they 
commenced  to  abuse  the  true,  christian  bap- 
tism, which  solely  belongs  to  the  believing. 
As  some  of  the  Corinthians  already  in  the 
time  of  Paul  suffered  themselves  to  be  bap- 
tized for  the  dead,  1  Cor.  15:  29,  so,  also, 


226 


CHRISTIAN  BAPTISM. 


throngli  tlie  false  doctrine  and  opinions  of 
foolish  bishops,  tlie  abominahle  serpent  of 
infant  baptism  crept  in,  and  was  so  con- 
firmed by  long  usage  that,  at  last,  it  was 
thought  and  accepted  by  all  the  world  as 
an  apostolic  institution  for  the  sake  of 
righteousness  which  they  all  seek  therein. 
Therefore  you  must  acknowledge,  beloved 
brethren,  notwithstanding  infant  baptism 
is  of  old  date,  that  it  is  still  not  by  the  com- 
mand of  Jesus  Christ,  and  by  the  teaching 
and  practice  of  the  holy  apostles;  and  is 
therefore  idolatrous,  useless  and  vain. 

And  because  the  true,  christian  baptism 
has  such  a  great  promise,  namely,  the  re- 
mission of  sins,  and  other  promises,  Acts 
2:'S8;  Mark  16:  IG;  1  Cor.  12:  13;  1  Pet. 
3:  21;  Eph.  4:  ,n,  the  pedo-baptists  apply 
the  same  baptism  to  infants;  never  once 
observing  that  the  beforementioned  prom- 
ises are  solely  to  those  who  show  obedience 
to  the  word  of  God;  for  Christ  Jesus  has  so 
commanded  it.^  Inasmuch  aspedo-baptism 
is  not  commanded,  therefore  it  is  not  re- 
quired of  children  as  obedience.  For  where 
there  are  no  commandments  there  are  no 
transgi'essions.  Again,  baptism  is  not 
commanded  to  infants,  by  God;  and  there- 
fore they  have  no  promise  in  their  baptism, 
from  w^bich  it  follows  that  infant  baptism 
is  idolatrouSj^  vain,  useless  and  void,  before 
God,  as  was  said  above;  for  God,  the  Lord, 
has  no  pleasure  in  the  ceremonies,  unless 
they  are  administered  according  to  his  di- 
vine and  blessed  word. 

But  the  little  children,  and  particularly 
those  of  christian  seed,  havea  peculiar  prom- 
ise which  was  given  them  of  God  without 
any  ceremony ,  but  out  of  pure  grace,  through 
ChristJesusourLord,  who  says,'' Suffer  little 
children,  and  forbid  them  not,  to  comeunto 
me;  for  of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven," 
Matt.  19:  14;  Mark  10:  14;  Luke  18:  16. 
This  promise  makes  glad  and  assures  all 
the  chosen  saints  of  God,  in  regard  to  their 
children  or  infants;  being  assured  that  the 
true  word  of  our  beloved  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
can  never  fail.  Inasmuch  as  he  has  shown 
such  great  mercy  towards  the  children  that 
were  brought  to  him,  that  he  took  them 
up  in  his  arms,  blessed  them,  laid  his  hands 
upon  them,  promised  them  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  and  has  neither  done  nor  command- 


ed them  any  thing  more;  therefore  they 
have  in  their  hearts  a  sure  and  firm  faith 
in  the  grace  of  God.  concerning  their  be- 
loved children,  that  they  are  children  of  the 
kingdom,  of  grace,  of  the  promise  and  of 
eternal  life  through  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord, 
to  whom  alone  be  the  glory;  and  not  by 
any  ceremony.  Yea,  by  this  same  promise 
they  are  assured  that  their  beloved  chil- 
dren, so  long  as  they  are  not  of  understand- 
ing years,  are  clean,  holy,  saved  and  pleas- 
ing unto  God,  be  they  alive  or  dead.  There- 
fore they  give  thanks  to  the  eternal  Father 
through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,  for  his  in- 
expressibly great  love  to  their  children, 
and  train  them  in  the  love  of  God  and  in 
wisdom,  by  correcting,  chastising,  teach- 
ing and  admonishing  them,  and  by  walk- 
ing before  them  with  an  unblamable  life 
until  they  may  hear  the  word  of  God,  be- 
lieve it  and  fulfill  it  in  their  works.  Then 
is  the  time,  of  whatever  age  they  may  be, 
that  they  should  receive  the  christian  bap- 
tism which  Christ  Jesus  has  commanded, 
in  obedience  to  his  word,  to  all  christians; 
and  which  his  apostles  have  thus  practiced 
and  taught. 

Behold,  brethren,  if  it  should  be  said 
that  we  thus  rob  the  children  of  the  prom- 
ise and  of  the  grace  of  God,  you  will  ob- 
serve that  they  contradict  us  out  of  hatred 
and  envy,  and  do  not  tell  the  truth.  Say, 
who  has  the  strongest  ground  and  hope  of 
the  salvation  of  their  children?  Is  it  he  who 
places  his  hopes  upon  an  outward  sign  ?  or 
is  it  he  who  bases  his  hopes  upon  the  prom- 
ise of  grace,  given  and  promised  of  Christ 
Jesus  ?  ■Still  the  evangelical  truth  must,  in 
all  respects,  be  blasphemed  and  belied  by 
the  ignorant  and  light  minded.  But,  not- 
withstanding this,  the  just  and  impartial 
Judge,  Christ  Jesus,  will  some  time  pass 
the  true  sentence  between  them  and  us,  al- 
though they  do  not  fear  it  now.  I  am  forced 
to  think  that  then  it  ■v^ill  be  acknowledged 
by  many,  too  late,  that  they  did  not  believe 
and  follow  the  truth  of  Christ  Jesus  but  the 
falsehood  of  anti-christ.  Take  heed  and 
watch. 

Again,  it  is  sometimes,  and  very  foolish- 
ly too,  asserted  by  the  pedo-baptists,  "  That 
the  apostles  baptized  whole  households,  as 
the  household  of  Cornelius,  Acts  10:  48; 


CHRISTIAN  BAPTISM. 


237 


the  household  of  Stephanus,  1  Cor.  1: 13;  the 
household  of  Lydia,  and  of  the  jailer,  Acts 
16:  15,  '33;  from  which,  they  say,  it  may  be 
presumed  that  there  were  also  small  chil- 
dren'among  them."  From  this  allegation, 
beloved  brethren,  they  show,  although  not 
intentionally,  that  they  can  not  produce 
Scriptures  to  prove  infant  baptism.  For 
whenever  we  must  follow  (biiild  on)  pre- 
sumption, there  is  evidently  no  proof  of  the 
assertion.- 

To  such  opponents  I  would  reply,  in  plain 
language,  thus:  Three  households,  namely, 
of  Cornelius,  Stephanus  and  of  the  jailer, 
were  all  believing.  Of  the  first  household 
it  is  written,  "There  was  a  certain  man  in 
Cesarea,  called  Cornelius,  a  centurion  of 
the  band  called  the  Italian  band;  a  devout 
man  and  one  that  feared  God  with  all  his 
house,  which  gave  much  alms  to  the  people, 
and  prayed  to  God  always,"  Acts  10:  1,  2. 
If  they  all  served  and  feared  God,  as  Luke 
writes,  then  they  were  not  baptized  without 
faith,  as  is  plainly  shown  in  the  same  chap- 
ter; for  Peter  commanded  that  those  should 
be  baptized  who  had  received  the  Holy 
Ghost,  as  they  had  who  spoke  with  tongues 
and  glorilied  God;  which  are  all  fruits  of 
faith,  as  every  intelligent  person  will  admit. 

Again,  of  the  household  of  Stephanus  it 
is  written,  "I  beseech  you,  brethren  (ye 
know  the  house  of  Stephanus,  that  it  is  the 
first  fruits  of  Achaia,  and  that  they  have 
addicted  themselves  to  the  ministry  of  the 
saints);  that  ye  submit  yourselves  unto 
such,  and  to  every  one  that  helpeth  with  us, 
and  laboreth,"  1  Cor.  16:  15,  16.  I  repeat 
it  to  serve  the  saints  is  a  work  of  faith. 
Since  the  house  of  Stephanus  served  the 
saints,  as  Paul  writes,  therefore  they  showed 
by  their  fruits  that  they  had  faith. 

Again,  of  the  house  of  the  jailer  it  is 
written  that  Paul  and  Silas  spake  unto  him 
and  said,  "Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  thou  sbalt  be  saved  and  thy 
house;  and  they  spake  unto  him  the  word 
of  the  Lord,  and  to  all  that  were  in  his 
house.  And  he  (the  jailer)  took  them  the 
same  hour  of  the  night,  and  washed  their 
stripes;  and  was  baptized,  he  and  all  his, 
straightway.  And  when  he  had  brought  them 
into  his  house,  he  set  meat  before  them  and 
rejoiced  believing  in  God  with  all  his  house," 


Acts  16:  31 — 34;  or  as  Erasmus  says,  "He 
has  rejoiced  because  he  believed  in  God 
with  all  his  house."  Beloved  reader,  ob- 
serve first,  that  they  spake  unto  him  the 
word  of  the  Lord,  and  to  all  tliat  were  in 
his  house.  Secondly,  he  rejoiced  with  all 
his  house.  To  hear  the  word  is  something 
which  pertains  to  those  of  understanding 
minds,  and  spiritual  rejoicing  is  a  fruit  of 
the  believing  or  of  the  spiritual.  Gal.  5:  18. 
Inasmuch  as  they  all  heard  the  word  and 
rejoiced  in  God,  therefore  it  incontroverti- 
bly  follows  that  the  holy  apostles  did  not 
baptize  tliem  without  faith. 

In  the  fourth  place,  in  regard  to  the  house 
of  Lydia,  I  reply :  Because  the  world  tries 
to  establish  their  cause  on  presumption, 
therefore  we  would  say  first,  that  presump- 
tion ought  not  to  establish  faith;  and  if  it 
were  so  that  it  could  avail  before  God,  then 
still  the  presumption  in  the  case  of  the 
house  of  Lydia  would  not  be  in  favor  of  the 
world  but  against  it;  because  it  is  the  cus- 
tom in  the  Holy  Scriptures  and  also  with 
the  world,  that  a  house  is  named  after  the 
man  and  not  after  the  woman,  so  long  as 
the  husband  lives,  because  the  husband  is 
the  lord  of  his  wife  and  household.  As  in 
this  case  the  house  is  named  after  the  wo- 
man, and  as  there  is  no  mention  made  of 
the  man,  therefore  it  follows  that  she,  at  the 
time,  was  not  married.  If  she  was  a  young 
woman  or  widow,  as  appears,  then  the  pre- 
sumption of  the  world  is  contradictory; 
and  it  is  probable  that  she  had  no  children 
and  still  more  probable,  that  she  had  no 
infants,  since  she  at  that  time  had  no  hus- 
band. 

Again,  we  would  further  say  in  reference 
to  this  Scripture,  that  if  it  were  that  Lydia 
had  infants,  they  would  not  be  counted 
among  the  baptized  of  the  liouse.  For 
Christ  commanded  that  the  believing  should 
be  baptized  and  the  holy  apostles  taught 
and  practiced  such  baptism;  from  which  it 
may  be  safely  deduced  that  wlien  the  holy 
Scriptures  speak  of  houses  being  baptized, 
or  houses  being  subverted  that  it  has  refer- 
ence to  those  of  understanding  j'ears,  who 
may  be  taught  or  subverted,  as  Paul  shows 
in  another  Scripture,  that  some  "subvert 
whole  houses,  teaching  things  which  they 
ought  not,  for  filthy  lucre's  sake,"  Tit.  1:  11. 


228 


CHRISTIAN  BAPTISM.' 


If  you  take  the  term  wlioU  houses  as  apply- 
ing also  to  infants;  and  as  whole  houses 
were  subverted,  as  Paul  says,  then  it  would 
follow  that  infants  were  subverted  by  false 
doctrine.  No,  beloved  reader,  no.  An  in- 
fant without  understanding  can  be  neither 
taught  nor  subverted;  therefore  they  are 
not  counted  in  the  number  of  baptized,  or 
those  who  were  subverted,  of  which  the 
Scriptures  speafe^  But  the  Holy  Scripture 
teaches  and  admonishes,  both  by  words 
and  sacraments,  as  they  are  called,  those 
alone  Avho  have  ears  to  hear  and  minds  to 
understand,  as  we  have  freqiiently  shown 
above. 

If  any  one  would  like  to  have  more  infor- 
mation about  the  ceremony  of  baptism  and 
about  the  objections  made  to  it,  let  him  read 
our  first  treatise  on  baptism  which  we  pub- 
lished; and  by  the  grace  of  the  Lord,  he 
will  be  enlightened  upon  the  subject  from 
the  word  of  God. 

Brethren,  I  conclude  this  treatise  on  bap- 
tism in  the  water  in  these  words:  Inasmuch 
as  God,  the  merciful  Father,  has  graciously 
sent  into  this  miserable,  blind  and  erring 
world  his  chosen,  beloved  Son,  Christ  Jesus, 
who  has  taught  us  the  holy  will  of  his  Fa- 
ther, in  great  clearness ;  and  as  he  has,  in 
his  great  love,  offered  up  his  precious  and 
most  holy  flesh  and  blood  for  us,  and  as  to 
him  the  eternal  Father  has  not  only  pointed 
us  through  his  holy  prophets,  but  also  from 
high  heaven,  saying,  "This  is  my  beloved 
Son  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased;  hear  ye 
him,"  Matt.  17:  5;  therefore  we  say  and  tes- 
tify that  we  should  hear  this  Christ  Jesus ; 
that  we  should  believe  in  him  and  follow 
him  in  all  things  which  he  has  taught  and 
commanded  us;  and  that  we  should  also 
hear  and  follow  his  holy  apostles  who  by 
his  own  divine  command  were  sent  out  with 
the  most  precious  word  of  grace,  namely, 
with  the  holy  gospel — or  else  we  have 
neither  God,  promise,  nor  eternal  life,  as  is 
plain  and  intelligible  to  all  mankind,  from 
the  New  Testament.  / 

As  this  Christ  Jesus  has  given  us  this  ex- 
press and  incontrovertible  command  in  this 
wise:  First  to  teach  the  gospel  and  then  to 
baptize  those  who  believe,  and  those  that 
are  thus  baptized  shall  be  saved,  Mark 
16 :  16 ;  Matt.  28 :  19 ;  Acts  19 :  5 ;  2 :  38 ;  10 :  48 ; 


16:  33.  And  as  the  holy  apostles  have 
taught  and  used  no  other  baptism  than 
baptism  on  faith,  according  to  the  command 
of  Christ,  as  shown  and  proven  by  many 
reasons  from  Acts  2;  8;  10;  16;  19;  Rom. 
6:  4;  Col.  2;  1  Cor.  12:  13;  Tit.  3:  5;  1  Pet. 
3:21;  therefore  we  again  declare  before 
you,  before  all  the  world  and  liefore  God, 
that  we  are  prompted  by  nothing  but  by 
the  fear  of  God,  being  so  taught  by  his 
word,  thus  to  teach  this  christian  baptism, 
and  thus  to  receive  it  upon  the  confession  of 
faith,  for  the  remission  of  sins.  Acts  2:  38, 
as  said  before,  and  are  thus  baptized  with 
the  washing  of  water,  by  the  word,  Eph. 
5:  26;  and  by  a  Holy  Spirit  which  quickens 
our  hearts,  into  one  body,  1  Cor.  12:  13;  of 
which  body  Christ  Jesus  is  the  head,  Col. 
1 :  18;  Eph  1 :  22.  Nor  do  we  know  of  any 
other  baptism,  of  which  God  is  a  witness, 
than  this  alone;  of  which,  by  the  grace  of 
God,  we  have  so  much  taught  and  written. 

I  herewith  beseech  you,  kind  reader,  not 
to  do  like  the  angry,  blind  and  bloody 
world,  who  condemn  everything  from  an 
envious,  rebellious,  refractory  and  raving 
heart  before  they  have  thoroughly  perused 
and  understood  it;  who  reject  all  good, 
christian  doctrine  and  usage;  sometimes 
because  of  fashion,  again,  because  of  the 
cross,  and  sometimes  because  of  the  plain- 
ness of  the  person.  Do  not  thus;  but  judge 
this  and  all  our  writings  according  to  the 
Spirit  and  holy  word  of  the  Lord,  aijd  you 
will  plainly  see  whether  we  have  written 
and  taught  you  truth  or  falsehood;  whether 
we  teach  two  baptisms  or  one;  whether  we 
seek  to  save  your  souls  or  destroy  them; 
whether  we  seek  the  praise  and  honor  of 
the  Lord,  or  his  dishonor.  For  I  trust,  by 
the  grace  of  God,  if  you  are  desirous  of 
your  own  salvation,  and  if  you  peruse  what 
we  have  written  and  judge  it  with  a  spiritu- 
al judgment,  that  you  will  find  nothing  in 
it  but  the  teaching  which  is  of  God;  the 
eternal,  heavenly,  true  and  saving  will  of 
God,  and  the  very  strait  wa}^  of  truth  which 
the  ever  blessed  Jesus  Christ  and  his  apos- 
tles have,  in  the  most  holy  gospel  taught 
and  shown  all  mankind. 

Take  heed,  ye  illustrious,  noble  and 
pioiTS  lords !  Take  heed  ye  judges  and 
keepers  of  the  law,  against  whom  your  cruel, 


CHRISTIAN  BAPTISM. 


229 


bloody  sword  is  sometimes  sharpened  and 
drawn.  I  tell  you  in  Christ  Jesus  that  we 
seek  nothing  but  what  we  have  here  told 
you,  as  you  may  clearly  see  by  many, 
namely,  that  there  is  not  a  false  syllable 
nor  deceitful  word  heard  from  their  mouths 
or  found  in  them,  and  these  are  forced 
and  led  by  you  to  the  sword,  fire  and  water, 
as  poor,  innocent  sheep  to  the  slaughter. 
And  if  you  should  point  me  to  the  abomin- 
able actions  of  the  corrupted  sects,  and  say 
that  you  must  therefore  oppose  baptism, 
by  the  sword,  that  such  ungodlj^  doings 
maj^  be  averted  and  hindered;  then  I  would 
again  reply,  first:  Christian  baptism  be- 
longs not  to  corrupted  sects;  but  it  is  the 
word  of  God.  Secondly,  the  holy,  chris- 
tian baptism  does  not  cause  mutiny  nor 
shameful  actions;  but  it  is  caused  by  the 
false  teachers  and  false  prophets  who  boast 
themselves  to  be  baptized  christians,  and 
yet,  before  God,  are  not  such.  Thirdly, 
there  is  nothing  under  heaven  at  which  I 
am  more  alarmed  than  I  am  at  the  ungod- 
ly actions  of  the  false,  corrupted  sects. 
They  frighten  me  more  than  death;  for  I 
know  that  all  men  must  once  die,  Heb.  9 :  27. 
More  than  the  tyrannical  sword;  for  if  they 
take  my  body,  it  is  all  they  can  do,  Matt. 
10:  28.  More  than  Satan;  for  I  have  van- 
quished him  through  Christ.  But  in  case 
the  terrible  doctrine  of  the  corrupted  sects 
adhered  to  me,  then  I  would  verily,  be  lost; 
eternal  woe  would  be  to  my  poor  soul. 
Therefore  I  would  rather  die  the  temporal 
death  (that  he  knows  who  knows  all  things)  t 
than  to  eat,  drink,  commune,  greet  or  con- 
verse with  such,  if  I  knew  that  they  would 
not  be  helped  by  my  conversation  or  ad- 
monition; for  it  is  forbidden  in  the  word  of 
Christ  to  keep  the  company  of  such,  Matt,  i 
7:  15;  1  Cor.  5:  11;  2  Thess.  3:  14;  Phil.  3.  ' 
And,  by  the  grace  of  God,  I  know  to  a  cer- 
tainty, that  they  are  not  in  the  house  of  the 
Lord,  in  the  church  of  the  living  God  and 
in  the  body  of  Jesus  Christ.  Therefore  1 1 
say,  if  you  find  in  me  or  in  my  teach-' 
ings,  which  is  the  word  of  God,  or  among  i 
those  who  are  taught  by  me  or  by  my 
brethren,  any  thieving,  murdering,  perjury,  i 
mutiny,  rebellion  or  any  other  criminal  ' 
acts,  as  were  formerly,  and  are  yet  found 
among  the  corrupted  sects — then  punish  all 


of  us  r  as  we  would  be  culpable  if  this  were 
the  case.  I  repeat,  if  we  are  disobedient  to 
God  in  religious  matters,  we  are  willing  to 
be  instructed  and  corrected  by  the  word  of 
God ;  for  we  mean  diligently  to  do  and  fulfill 
his  most  holy  will.  Or  if  we  are  not  obedi- 
ent unto  the  emperor  in  matters  belong- 
ing to  him  as  he  is  called  and  ordained  of  God, 
I  say  in  matters  belonging  to  him,  then  we 
will  willingly  submit  to  such  punishment  as 
you  may  inflict  upon  us.  But  if  we  sincerely 
fear  and  seek  our  Lord  and  God,  as  I  trust 
we  do,  and  if  we  are  obedient  unto  the  em- 
peror in  temporal  matters,  as  we  should  be 
according  to  the  word  of  God,  Matt.  22:  21; 
Rom.  13:  7;  1  Pet.  2:  13;  Tit.  3:  1,  and  are 
yet  to  suffer  and  be  persecuted  and  crucified 
for  the  sake  of  the  truth  of  the  Lord — then 
we  should  consider  that  "the  disciple  is  not 
above  his  master  nor  the  servant  above  his 
lord.  *  *  If  they  have  called  the  master 
of  the  house  Beelzebub,  how  much  more 
shall  they  call  them  of  his  household?" 
Matt.  10 :  24,  25.  Yet  you  should  know  and 
acknowledge,  0  ye  beloved,  noble,  illustri- 
ous, pious  lords,  ye  judges  and  keepers  of 
the  law,  that  as  often  as  you  take,  condemn 
and  put  to  the  sword  such  people,  that  you 
put  your  tyrannical  sword  into  the  blessed 
flesh  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  that  you 
break  the  bones  of  his  holy  body;  for  they 
are  flesh  of  his  flesh  and  bone  of  his  bone, 
Eph.  5:  30;  they  are  his  chosen,  beloved 
brethren  and  sisters,  who  are  with  him, 
born  from  above,  of  one  Father,  Jn.  1:  13; 
they  are  his  sincerely  beloved  children  who 
are  born  of  the  seed  of  his  holy  word;  they 
are  his  holy,  spotless  and  pure  bride  whom 
he,  in  his  great  love  has  wedded  as  his  con- 
sort. AVhy  ?  Because  they  have,  by  the 
operation  of  their  faith,  and  led  by  the 
Holy  Spirit,  cordially  committed  themselves 
to  the  service  of  our  beloved  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  do  not  live  any  more  according 
to  their  lusts,  but  agreeably  to  the  will  of 
God,  alone,  according  to  the  direction  of 
his  holy,  blessed  word.  Yea,  they  would 
rather  surrender  every  thing  which  they 
possess,  and  suffer  envy,  slander,  scourging, 
persecution,  anxiety,  famine,  thirst,  naked- 
ness, cold,  heat,  poverty,  imprisonment, 
banishment,  water,  fire,  sword  or  any  other 
punishment  than  to  forsake  the  gospel  of 


\ 


230 


CHRISTIAN  BAPTISM. 


grace  and  the  confession  of  God  and  be 
separated  from  the  love  of  Christ  Jesus, 
Rom.  S:  35.  But  they  will  never  accept  the 
vain  doctrine  and  commandments  of  men. 

Therefore  we  pray  you,  as  our  beloved 
and  gracious  rulers  according  to  the  fesh, 
by  the  grace  of  God,  to  consider  and  real- 
ize, if  there  is  any  reasonableness  about 
you,  in  what  great  anxiety  and  suspense 
we  poor,  miserable  people  are  placed.  For 
if  we  abandon  Christ  Jesus  and  his  holy 
word,  we  fall  into  the  wrath  of  God;  and  if 
we  remain  firm  in  his  holy  word,  we  are 
put  to  your  cruel  sword.  O,  Lord !  if  it 
weie  true  that  this  large  church  were  thy 
holy  church,  bride  and  body,  as  they  boast 
it  to  be,  then  we  might  truthfully  assert 
that  tliou  art  the  prince,  bridegroom  and 
head  of  an  abominable,  detestable  band  of 
murderers,  who  thirst  after  the  innocent 
blood  of  those  who  sincerely  seek,  fear,  love 
and  serve  God.  For  the  ignorant,  blind 
people  go  about  like  a  backsliding  heifer,  as 
the  prophet  says,  seeking  nothing  but  the 
persecution,  imprisonment  and  destruction 
of  God's  saints  and  children. 

All  the  priests  and  monks,  who  seek  and 
fear  nothing  but  their  gluttonous,  greedy 
belly,  and  their  avaricious,  pompous  flesh, 
do  nothing  but  upbraid,  slander,  lie  and 
persecute;  the  judges  and  magisti^ates,  who 
seek  to  live  of  the  bloody  labor  of  the  mis- 
erable ;  take  them  and  deliver  them  into  the 
hands  of  the  tja'ants,  that  they  may  become 
favorites  of  the  rulers,  as  the  prophet  says, 
Mic.  7;  "The  prince  asketh  and  the  judge 
asketh  for  a  reward."  The  lords  and  keep- 
ers of  the  law,  as  a  body,  are  after 
nothing  but  the  favor  and  friendship  of 
their  prince  to  whom  they  are  sworn;  after 
authority,  good  wages  and  aggrandize- 
ment. They  are  those  who  torture,  banish, 
confiscate  and  murder,  as  the  prophet  says, 
"Her  princes  within  her  are  roaring  lions; 
her  judges  are  evening  wolves;  they  gnaw 
not  the  bones  till  the  morrow,"  Zeph.  3:  3. 
At  another  place,  "Her  princes  in  the  midst 
thereof  are  like  wolves,  ravening  the  prey  to 
shed  blood,  and  to  destroy  souls,  to  get  dis- 
honest gain,"  Ezek.  22:  27.  O,  how  just  was 
the  revelation  of  holy  John,  when  he  saw 
that  the  Babylonian  woman  was  drunk 
with  the  blood  of  the  saints  and  with  the 


blood  of  the  martyrs  of  Jesus,  Rev.  17:  6. 
O,  beloved  lords  and  judges  of  the  land, 
observe  once,  how  all  the  righteous,  the 
prophets,  Christ  Jesus  himself,  togethar 
with  his  holy  apostles  and  servants,  have 
been  treated  from  the  beginning ;  and  to  day 
pou  still  treat  those  thus,  who  in  purity  of 
heart  seek  the  truth  and  life  eternal. 
Therefore  we  must  run  the  risk;  for  in 
case  you  do  not  fear  God,  and  do  not 
sheathe  3'our  murderous  sword  against 
Christ  Jesus  and  against  his  holy  church, 
then  we  esteem  it  of  less  consequence  to 
fall  in  the  hands  of  worldly  princes  and 
judges,  than  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  God. 
I  repeat  it,  take  heed,  awake,  and  be  con- 
verted, that  the  innocent  blood  of  the  pious 
children  of  God,  which  calls  for  vengeance 
in  heaven,  may  never  more  be  found  on 
your  hands. 

Take  heed,  also,  ye  wise  and  learned  and 
ye  common  people  !  For  such  a  people  are 
they  and  such  is  their  doctrine  and  faith 
whom  you  daily  ridicule  and  mock  as  fools; 
whom  you  slander  as  heretics  and  deceivers; 
and  whom  you  take  and  deliver,  and  mur- 
der in  your  liearts,  as  thieves,  murderers 
and  criminals.  Yet,  God's  word  shall  never 
be  broken,  1  Pet.  1:24;  Jas.  1:10;  Ps. 
90:  0.  O  ye  miserable  people,  what  will 
become  of  you!  that  you  are  not  ashamed 
daily  to  mock  and  ridicule  the  blessed  Christ 
Jesus;  to  trample  iipon  him  and  thus  rav- 
ingly  tear  to  pieces  his  most  holy  and  glo- 
rious body,  notwithstanding  j^ou  boast  of 
his  divinity,  word,  death,  grace,  mercy  and 
blood. 

Say,  beloveds  if  you  are  the  church  of 

i  Christ,  why  are  you  not  obedient  unto  him? 

j  If  you  are  the  body  of  Christ  why  destroy 

its  holy  members?  If  you  are  the  children 

of  God  why  trample  upon  your  brethren  ? 

If  you  are  the  servants  of  Christ,  why  not 

I  do  the  things  he  has  commanded?  If  you 

I  are  the  bride  of  Christ  why  not  hear  his 

holy  A'oice?  If  you  are  the  truly  regenerated 

!  where  are,  then,  the  fruits  ?  If  you  are  the 

j  true  disciples  of  Christ,  where  is  your  love  ? 

;  If  you  are  the  true  christians  where  are 

!  your  christian  ordinances  of  baptism,  Sup- 

,  per,  deacons,  ban  and  life  as  commanded 

in  his  word  ?  If  you  are  the  truly  baptized 

j  ones  of  Christ  where  is  your  faith,  your 


CHRISTIAN  BAPTISM. 


231 


hew  birth,  yotii*  death  unto  sin,  your  un- 
blamable life,  your  good  conscience,  your 
christian  body  into  which  you  were  bap- 
tized, and  j'our  Christ  whom  you  have  put 
on? 

0  beloved  brethren,  error  has  been  ram- 
pant long  enough  !  Christ  Jesus  will  be  no 
longer  mocked  as  a  fool.  I  tell  you  as  tru- 
ly as  the  Lord  lives,  that  so  long  as  yoxa 
are  thus  earthly,  carnally  and  devilishly- 
minded;  so  long  as  you  oppose  God  and 
his  holy  word;  so  long  as  you  live  without 
the  fear  of  God,  according  to  the  lusts  of 
your  flesh,  so  long  you  are  not  the  true 
church  of  Christ,  even  if  it  were  that  you 
were  using  the  true  sacraments,  which, 
however  is  far  from  being  so.  Beloved 
brethren,  First  our  hearts  must  be  cleansed 
and  afterward  our  outward  actions  will 
show;  or  else  it  is  hypocrisy  before  the  eyes 
of  God.  I  repeat  it,  so  long  as  you  live 
thus  ungodly,  as  you  have  done  hitherto, 
Christ  Jesus  was,  verily,  born  in  vain,  died 
in  vain,  arose  and  ascended  in  vain. 
He  is  no  Lord,  Deliverer  or  Savior  of  the 
willful,  obdurate,  unrepenting  and  disobe- 
dient sinners,  but  he  is  a  Lord,  Deliverer 
and  Savior  of  those  who  willingly  hear  his 
divine  word;  who  sincerely  renounce  evil, 
and  walk  diligently  according  to  his  holy 
commandments,  all  the  days  of  their  lives. 

May  God,  the  gracious  Father,  who  lives 
in  mercy  forever,  grant  you  all  true  knowl- 


edge to  comprehend  all  divine  truth;  and  a 
heart,  mind  and  will  to  fulfill  that  which  you 
now  confess  by  faith  from  the  word  of  God, 
through  Christ  Jesus  our  beloved  Lord. 
To  him  be  the  honor,  praise,  kingdom, 
power  and  glory  forever  and  ever,  Amen. 

Let  the  bride  of  Christ  rejoice. 

Heeein,  reader,  you  have  most  devoutly 
what  the  mode  of  God's  baptism,  which 
perished  through  the  long  degeneracy  of 
the  ages,  in  the  church  ought  to  be,  being  re- 
stored whole  by  the  unspeakable  gift  of 
God.  Therefore  let  the  writers  oppose  as 
they  please;  let  the  learned  oppose  by  their 
shrewdness  as  they  know  how;  let  all  the 
world  under  the  heavens  oppose  in  every 
way  in  which  they  are  able,  this  is  the  onlj^ 
mode  of  bai^tism  which  Christ  Jesus  him- 
self instituted  and  the  apostles  taught  and 
practiced. 

The  invincible  truth  will  ever  abide,  al- 
though powerfully  opposed  by  many.  He 
who  reads  the  teachings  of  Christianity  and 
considers  well,  will  welcome  this  divine 
truth,  of  Christ,  though  for  many  ages  lost, 
and  now  thus  made  to  appear,  because  it 
is  not  without  merit  by  its  favor  toward  us. 

May  the  reader  give  thanks  to  the  infi- 
nitely great  and  good  God. 

Mayest  thou  be  well,  be  humble,  read, 
obtain,  believe  and  live,  and  may  the  Lord 
be  with  thee. 


A  LETTER  OF  CAUTION  ON  DISCORD. 

To  the  brethren  in  Oroeningen,  and  the  country  thereabout,  copied  and,  sent  by  the 
faithful  brother  John  Aertsen.    Receive  it  in  love. 


Grace  and  Peace:  Since,  beloved  breth- 
ren, it  is  known  to  all  chui'ches,  that  in  the 
southern  countries,  great  trouble  exists  in 
regard  to  the  divinity  of  Christ,  and  the 
Holy  Spirit,  whereby  much  unbelief,  discord 
and  division  have  been  caused  in  some 
bodies,  to  the  great  affliction  of  all  the 
saints;  and,  since  it  sometimes  happens 
that  this  one  or  that  one,  who  comes  from 
those  countries,  is  affected  thereby  and 
causes  troiible  with  some — therefore  love 


has  constrained  me  to  write  the  following 
to  the  churches,  and  for  these  reasons: 

First,  that  the  unaffected  and  sound 
hearts  may  beware  of  such  frightful  dispu- 
tations and  incomprehensible  murmurings, 
lest  their  hearts,  to  their  eternal  loss,  drown 
in  such  bottomless  profoundness,  and  be- 
come forever  ashamed  before  their  God. 

Secondly,  that  all  those  who  ignorantly 
and  unwittingly  err  and  are  bound  in  their 
consciences,  and  yet  fear  God,  and  walk 


233 


LETTERS  BY  MENNO  SIMON. 


Tinder  the  cross,  may  be  saved  and  freed, 
through  this  our  service  and  christian  warn- 
ing, to  the  eternal  praise  and  glory  of  God, 
and  to  the  joy  of  all  the  saints.  I  have 
■written  it  to  all  my  beloved  brethren  and 
fellows  out  of  sincere  love  and  compassion. 
If  but  one  atSicted,  wavering,  doubting  soul 
could  be  helped  thereby,  I  would  esteem  it 
the  dearest  thing  under  heaven.  My  chil- 
dren, beware  of  all  discord  and  division, 
that  ye  may  thrive  and  multiply  in  Christ 
Jesus.  Avoid  all  those  who  disturb  you 
and  excite  you  to  disunion;  all  those  who 


would  institute  something  novel  and  pe- 
culiar whereby  they  might  weaken  and  de- 
stroy the  christian,  evangelical  love,  peace 
and  unity.  O,  my  sincerely  beloved  breth- 
ren and  sisters  in  the  Lord  !  Consider  dil- 
igently that  which  I  write  to  j'ou,  that  God 
the  heavenly  Father  with  his  blessed  Son 
Christ  Jesus,  and  with  his  Holy  Spirit,  may 
retain  their  divine  honor.  Peace  be  with 
you. 

Note.  To  Tvritc  with  my  own  hand  snch  long  writ- 
ings and  send  tlicm  to  each  particular  church,  I  can  not 
do.  MENNO  SIMON. 


ANOTHER   LETTER. 


My  very  faithful  brother  in  Christ,  grace 
and  peace  with  thee. 

Chosen  brethren  in  the  Lord,  I  have 
nothing  particular  to  write  to  you,  but  that 
I  wish  you  would  write  to  me  how  far  the 
choosing  of  the  brethren  in  Waterhorne  and 
of  Lebe  Pieters  has  progressed.  Not  that 
I  desire  to  impede  the  choosing  of  Lebe; 
but  I  would  have  been  glad  to  have  had  a 
conversation  with  him,  before  his  entering 
upon  the  office  of  bishop;  for  my  soul  is 
troubled  about  that  which  passed  between 
us  last  year. 

O,  brother  Rein,  that  I  could  speak  with 
you  half  a  day,  and  make  known  to  you 
a  little  of  my  affliction,  sorrow  and  sadness, 
and  also  of  my  great  solicitude  which  I  yet 
bear  for  the  future  of  the  church ;  what  an 
ameliorating,  pleasing  application  that 
would  be  to  my  sorrowful  soul !  As  it  is  I 
must  bear  it  all  myself.  If  the  om- 
nipotent God  had  not  preserved  me  last 
year,  as  well  as  now,  I  would  already  have 
been  deprived  of  my  mind;  for  there  is 
nothing  upon  earth  which  my  heart  loves 
more  than  it  does  the  church;  and  yet  I 
must  live  to  see  this  sad  ailliction  upon  her. 
I  think  much,  yet  I  write  and  say  but  little. 
Help  me  pray  that  I  may  lind  refresliment, 
and  may  yet  see  a  gracious  result,  with  all 
afflicted  souls. 

Brethren,  beware  of  discord;  foster  love 
and  unity  with  sincerity;  accompany  the 
peaceful;  make  Tise  of  few  words,  and  in 


every  respect  show  yourselves  to  be  children 
of  God.  O,  chosen  brethren !  Come  and 
unite  your  ardent  prayers  for  me  in  my  great 
affliction.  I  pray  you  for  Jesus'  sake,  let  my 
affliction  be  buried  with  you;  but  if  you 
should  speak  about  it  to  any  one,  then 
know  with  whom  you  speak.  If  all  hearts 
were  pure,  all  tongues  seasoned  with  salt, 
and  all  the  mistakes  of  last  year  were  hon- 
estly and  truly  acknowledged,  how  soon 
would  I  be  found  a  cheerful  man.  Now, 
now  the  Lord  will  be  my  Comforter.  May 
the  poor  church  be  saved  !  O  brethren,  let 
us  pray  !  I  trust  that  yoti  will  not  be  of- 
fended at  the  writing  in  my  last,  to  a  pri- 
vate brother,  concerning  the  sixty  dollars 
annually.  I  took  the  liberty  of  so  writing, 
for  I  do  need  it  annually.  The  merciful 
Lord  will  send  them  to  me.  He  knows 
where.  Greet  the  pious  with  the  peace  of 
the  Lord.  My  daughters  greet  you.  The 
God  of  all  grace  be  with  you  most  beloved 
brother,  and  with  all  the  pious,  forever, 
Amen. 

If  something  should  be  sent  to  my  assist- 
ance, send  it  the  first  opportunity;  for 
slaughtering  time  will  soon  be  at  hand  and 
I  have  little  wherewith  to  buy.  O,  breth- 
ren, do  not  think  hard  of  it;  it  is  necessity 
which  compels  me  to  do  so. 

Your  unworthy  and  affectionate  brother, 

MENNO  SIMON. 

September  \st. 


THE    REASOS 


MENNO  SIMON 


IDOES    n^OT    CEj^SE 


TEACHING  AND  WMTING. 


WRITTEN  BY  HIMSELF. 


"  Preach  the  word  ;  be  instant  in  season,  out  of  season  ;  reprove,  rebuke,  exhort,  with 
all  longsuflfering  and  doctrine,"  3  Tim.  4  :  3. 

"For  other  foundation  can  no  man  lay  than  that  is  laid,  which  is  Jesus  Christ," 
1  Cor.  S :  11. 


ELKHART,  INDIANA: 

PUBLISHED  BY  JOHN  F.  FUNK  AND  BROTHER. 

1  8  7  L 


ee 


I 


THE  REASON  WHY  MENNO  SIMON 

DOES  NOT  CEASE  TEACHING  AND  WRITING. 


For  Zion's  sake  will  I  not  hold  my  peace, 
and  for  Jerusalem's  sake  I  will  not  rest, 
until  the  righteousness  thereof  go  forth  as 
brightness,  and  the  salvation  thereof  as  a 
lamp  that  burnetii;  and  the  Gentiles  shall 
see  thy  righteousness,  and  all  kings  thy 
glory,"  Isa.  62:  1,  2. 

I  am  well  aware,  most  beloved  readers, 
that  we  are,  on  account  of  our  teaching  and 
writing,  cursed,  envied,  hated,  slandered, 
persecuted  and  condemned  to  death,  by  in- 
numerable persons  of  both  high  and  low 
stations  in  life.  As  roaring  lions  they 
gnash  their  teeth  at  us.  Lords,  princes, 
learned  and  ignorant  people,  no  matter  of 
what  station  in  life,  exercise  their  tyranny  | 
over  us,  as  may  at  all  times  be  seen;  not 
solely  upon  us,  but  also  upon  all  those  who 
accept  and  fnltill,  by  their  works,  this  our 
doctrine,  with  believing,  faithful,  obedient 
and  resigned  hearts.  Not  that  we  claim  it 
to  be  our  doctrine,  understand,  but  it  is  the 
eternal,  heavenly  and  unchangeable  doc-  I 
trine  of  our  beloved  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  ' 
which  he  himself  has  carried  from  high 
heaven,  from  the  bosom  of  his  Father,  to 
earth  with  his  own  blessed  mouth  which 
cannot  lie;  which  he  has  taught,  and  pro- 
claimed to  the  world  by  his  faithful  wit- 
nesses, the  holy  apostles,  which  he  had 
chosen  for  that  purpose.  Whosoever  does 
not  believe  that  our  doctrine  is  the  pure, 
imdefiled  and  saving  doctrine  of  Jesus 
Christ,  may  piously  examine  the  rest  of 
the  plain  Scriptures  of  the  New  Testament , 
and  he  will  come  to  the  conclusion  and  ac- 1 
knowledge  that  it  is  the  pure  doctrine,  testi- 
mony and  Spirit  of  Christ  Jesus,  however 
much  his  reluctant,  lazy,  rebellious,  refrac- 
tory, selfish  and  disobedient  flesh  may  op- 
pose, frighten,  tremble  and  be  awe-stricken  j 


thereat.  Yet,  however  incontrovertible  our 
cause  appears,  so  much  so  that  it  can  not 
be  controverted  or  refuted  by  the  Scriptures, 
still  it  must  be  persecuted  by  this  ignorant, 
blind  world  as  an  abominable  crime  and 
treated  as  heresy.  The  prophet  says,  "I 
have  written  to  him  the  great  things  of  my 
law,  but  they  were  counted  as  a  strange 
thing,"  Hosea  8:  12. 

O,  worthy,  beloved  reader,  if  you  would 
consider  and  realize  how  earnestly  the 
righteous  God  ever  enforces  his  holy  word, 
and  how  terribly  his  wrath  has  ever  been 
enkindled  against  those  who  did  not  abide 
firm  in  his  divine  word,  you  would,  without 
doubt,  in  case  you  are  not  within  the  word 
of  God,  tremble,  and  be  frightened  in  your 
inmost  soul  before  God,  on  account  of  your 
disobedience !  Did  you  never  read  that  the 
parents  of  all  mankind,  Adam  and  Eve, 
who  were,  by  the  power  of  the  divine  AVord 
created  by  God  himself  and  punished  by  him 
on  account  of  their  disobedience;  banished 
from  paradise;  subjected  to  manual  labor; 
that  the  earth  was  accursed  in  them,  and  that 
all  their  daughters  must  sutfer  and  give 
birth  to  their  children  in  perilous  travail 
and  excrutiating  pain;  not  to  mention  that 
they  would  be  subject  to  eternal  death,  if 
the  new  Man  of  grace,  the  blessed  Christ 
Jesus,  had  not,  by  grace,  prevented  this? 
Why  was  it?  For  no  other  reason  than 
that  they  did  not  abide  in  the  true  word  of 
the  living  God,  but  lived  according  to  their 
lusts,  contrary  to  the  word  of  God,  trusting 
in  the  deceit  of  the  lying  serpent  rather 
than  in  the  warning  of  the  true  God,  who, 
by  grace,  had  created  them,  wise,  righteous 
and  incorrupt,  and  placed  them  as  lords  of 
all  creatures.  Gen.  2:  26. 

Again,  do  you  not  know  that  all  the  creat- 


286 


MEITO'O'S  REASONS  FOR  TEACHING  AKD  WRITESTG. 


Tires  tincler  the  heaven,  both  rational  and 
irrational,  were  destroyed  by  water,  through 
the  righteous  judgment  of  God,  except  those 
that  were  in  the  ark  with  Noah,  because 
they  became  corrupt  and  lived  according 
to  their  lusts,  and  in  my  opinion,  because 
they  did  not  acknowledge  the  Spirit  of  the 
Lord,  as  their  judge?  Gen.  6;  7;  8.  O  do 
consider  these  things,  and  doubtlessly,  you 
will  hereafter  sincerely  fear  your  God,  and 
ever  abide  in  his  holy  word  ! 

Besides,  you  must  have  often  heard,  and 
perchance  read  for  yourselves  about  Sodom 
and  Gomorrah,  Gen.  18;  20;  19:  4;  Er  and 
Onan,  Gen.  38  :  7 — 9;  the  idolaters,  Ex. 
32:  fi;  the  man  who  gathered  sticks  upon 
the  Sabbath  day,  Num.  15:  32—30;  Korah, 
Dathan,  and  Abiram,  Num.  16;  about  the 
murmiu-ers.  Num.  21:  5;  Zimri  and  the  oth- 
er adulterers,  Num.  25:  14,  15;  Nadab  and 
Abihu,  Lev.  10:  2;  those  who  hid  the  for- 
bidden things,  Joshua  7;  King  Saul,  1  Sam. 
15:  17 — 22;  Jeroboam,  Manasseh  and  the 
other  kings,  priests  and  prophets  who  did 
not  abide  in  the  true  worship  and  in  obedi- 
ence to  the  divine  word,  which  was  given 
through  Moses,  but  taught  and  practiced 
either  more  or  less  or  something  quite  dif- 
ferent from  the  law  of  the  Lord;  how  terri- 
bly and  in  how  many  different  ways  they 
and  their  followers  were  punished  and 
smitten  by  God,  who  desires  to  have  his 
will  obeyed.  Some  suddenly  died;  some  were 
pierced  with  the  sword,  Ex.  32:  27;  Num. 
25:  5;  some  were  stoned  to  death.  Num. 
15:  36;  Josh.  7:  25;  some  were  swallowed 
up  by  the  earth.  Num.  16:  32;  some  were 
bitten  by  serpents;  Num.  21:  6;  some  were 
hanged,  Num.  25:  4;  some  were  consumed 
by  the  iire.  Lev.  10:  2;  Saul's  kingdom  was 
taken  from  him,  1  Kings  15:28;  and  put  to 
death  with  the  sword;  the  house  of  Jerobo- 
am and  Achab  were  taken  from  the  earth; 
the  eyes  of  Zedechias  were  put  out;  Manas- 
seh was  captured ;  and  all  Israel  was  in  exile 
in  foreign  countries,  as  in  Assyria,  Baby- 
lonia, and  Egypt  as  recorded  in  Chronicles, 
Kings,  and  the  prophets.  I  repeat,  why 
was  it  ?  Solely  because  the}'  did  not  abide  in 
the  law  of  their  God,  but  either  by  their  own 
choice  or  else  out  of  disrespect  for  the  law, 
transgressed  it,  establishing  without  the 
command  of  God,  images,  temples  and  al- 


tars, in  many  countries  and  cities,  Jer.  2; 
Hosea  10;  in  many  mountains  and  under 
large  trees,  Hosea  4:  13;  notwithstanding, 
as  may  be  seen  by  the  writings  of  many 
prophets,  that  Moses  so  strenuously  com- 
manded them  as  also  was  commanded  their 
fathers,thus, "  What  thing  soever  I  comm  and 
you,  observe  to  do  it:  thou  shalt  not  add 
thereto  nor  diminish  from  it,"  Dent.  12:  32. 
At  another  place,  that  on  all  those  who  do 
not  abide  by  the  works  of  the  covenant, 
which  are  written  in  the  Book,  all  the 
plagues  will  come,  and  on  the  contrary,  all 
the  blessings  will  be  to  all  those  who  abide 
thereby,  Deut.  28:  58,  59.  The  children 
of  Israel  did  not  always  abide  by  the  ex- 
press, commanding  word  of  him  wlio  had, 
by  his  powerful  hand,  brought  them  out  of 
the  land  of  Egypt;  but  suffered  themselves 
to  be  misled  by  iingodly  princes  and  false 
prophets,  and  chose  for  themselves,  with- 
out the  divine  commandment,  places  for 
divine  worship;  carved  for  themselves  ima- 
ges and  built  themselves  temples.  All  this 
by  their  own  choice,  and  not  by  divine  com- 
mand; besides,  they  committed  all  manner 
of  idolatry.  This  the  Holj-  Spirit,  in  divers 
Scriptures,  has  called  shameful  whoredom, 
perjury,  accursed  idolatry  and  despising 
the  Lord.  The  prophet  says,  "Woe  unto 
them,  for  they  have  fled  from  me;  destruc- 
tion unto  them !  becavise  they  have  trans- 
gressed against  me;  though  I  have  redeemed 
them,  yet  they  have  spoken  lies  against 
me,"  Hosea  7:  13. 

As  Israel  deviated  from  the  law  of  their 
God,  and  committed  themselves  to  the  serv- 
ice of  Baal,  not  being  content  with  the  law, 
doctrine  and  service  which  God  had  com- 
manded them  through  Moses,  which  Baal 
with  his  altars  they  however  erected  to  the 
service  of  the  living  God,  as  it  appears; 
so  God  in  his  grace  and  paternal  love  which 
he  bore  to  Israel  for  the  sake  of  their  fa- 
thers, again  sent  his  faithful  servants,  the 
prophets,  Isaiah,  Jeremiah,  Elias,  Ezekiel, 
and  others,  who  sharply  reproved,  in  be- 
half of  God,  the  degenerated  princes,  false 
prophets  and  the  miserable,  confused  peo- 
ple; and  again  returned  them  to  the  true 
worship  and  ceremonies  of  the  law  which 
God  had  commanded,  and  which  they  had 
forsaken. 


MEWNO'S  EEASONS  FOR  TEACHING  ANT>  WEITWG. 


237 


Besirles,  they  prophesied  famine,  pesti- 
lence, failures,  drought,  war,  conflagration, 
robbery,  imprisonment  and  destruction,  as 
plagues  on  account  of  their  eins  and  diso- 
bedience. And  also  concerning  the  divine 
grace,  salvation,  deliverance,  peace,  mercy, 
and  the  eternal  glory,  which  in  the  latter 
days  will  so  gloriously  appear  unto  all  the 
world  through  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord,  who 
is  the  only  promised  propliet,  Dent.  18:  15. 
The  truly  anointed  of  the  Lord;  the  spirit- 
ual King  David,  Ezek.  37:  24;  who  estab- 
lishes his  kingdom  by  right  and  righteous- 
ness, Isa.  9:7;  the  true  Shepherd  who  leads 
ns  into  the  pastures  of  eternal  life,  Ezek. 
34:14;  whose  name  is  Emmanuel,  that  is, 
God  with  ns,  Isa.  7: 14;  Matt.  1:23:  and  the 
Lord  who  makes  us  righteous,  who  shall 
reign  over  the  house  of  Jacob  forever,  Luke 
1;  33;  and  this  was  the  peculiar  work  of  the 
holy  prophets  wlio  were  graciously  sent  of 
God  the  Lord,  to  the  carnal  Israel.  But 
what  did  it  avail,  dear  reader?  They 
preached  both  mildly  and  harshly,  punish- 
ment and  grace,  judgment  and  mercy;  yet 
it  was  all  in  vain,  as  God  plainly  pro- 
claimed by  these  same  prophets,  saying, 
"I  have  sjuead  out  my  hands  all  the  day 
nnto  a  rebellious  people,  which  walketh  in 
a  way  that  was  not  good,  after  their  own 
thoughts,"  Isa.  65:  2. 

Again,  "Proclaim  all  tiiese  words  in  the 
cities  of  Judah  and  in  the  streets  of  Jerusa- 
lem, saying,"  "Obey  mj^  voice.  Yet  the}- 
obej^ed  not,  nor  inclined  their  ear,  but 
walked  every  one  in  the  imagination  of 
their  evil  hearts;  therefore  I  will  bring  upon 
them  all  the  words  of  this  covenant  which  I 
commanded  them  to  do;  but  they  did  tliem 
not,"  Jer.  11:  6,  7,  8.  Again,  "  O  Ephraim, 
thou  committest  whoredom  and  Israel  is 
defiled;  they  will  not  frame  their  doings  to 
turn  unto  their  God;  for  the  spirit  of  whore- 
doms is  in  the  midst  of  them,  and  they 
have  not  known  the  Lord,"  Hosea  5.  Again, 
at  another  place,  "The  Lord  has  testified 
against  Israel  and  against  Judah,  by  all 
the  prophets,  and  by  all  the  seers,  saying. 
Turn  ye  from  3'our  evil  ways,  and  keep  my 
commandments,  and  my  statutes,  according 
to  all  the  law,  which  I  commanded  your 
fathers,  and  which  I  sent  to  j'ou  by  my 
servants,  the  prophets.     Notwithstanding 


they  would  not  hear,  but  hardened  their 
necks,  like  to  the  neck  of  their  fathers,  that 
did  not  believe  in  the  Lord  their  God,"  2 
Kings  17:  13,  14.  Again,  "Thus  speaketh 
the  Lord  of  hosts,  saying.  Execute  true 
judgment,  and  show  mercy  and  compassions 
every  man  to  his  brother;  and  oppress  not 
the  widow,  nor  the  fatherless,  the  stranger, 
nor  the  poor,  and  let  none  of  you  imagine 
evil  against  his  brother,  in  your  heart;  but 
they  refused  to  hearken,  and  pulled  away 
the  shoulder,  and  stopped  their  ears,  that 
they  should  not  hear.  Yea,  they  made 
their  hearts  as  an  adamant  stone,  lest  they 
should  hear  the  law,  and  the  words  which 
the  Lord  of  hosts  hath  sent  in  his  Spirit  by 
the  former  piophets;  therefore  came  a  great 
wrath  from  the  Lord  of  hosts, "Zedi.  7:9 — 12. 
j  Yea,  most  beloved  reader,  they  have  so 
!  stopped  their  ears  and  so  hardened  their 
j  heaits  that  they  would  not  only  not  hear, 
I  but  all  of  them,  as  a  general  rule,  and  par- 
ticularly most  of  the  kings,  princes,  proph- 
ets and  priests,  wittingly  thirsted  after  the 
innocent  blood  of  the  true  witnesses  of  God, 
who,  by  an  inextinguishable  lire  of  love 
fiaternally  reproved  them  of  their  sins, 
called  them  to  repent  and  turn  to  God,  and 
they  proclaimed  and  taught  the  way  of  the 
Lord  in  righteousness. 

Thus  the  mad,  blind  world  has  thanked 
and  rewarded  the  faithful  servants  of  God, 
the  true  piophets  and  true  teachers  of  the 
divine  truth,  who  sincerely  seek  their  sal- 
vaticju,  by  upbraiding,  imjirisoning,  beat- 
ing, banishing  and  sla.ying  them.  For  the 
obdurate,  ignorant,  whoring,  refractory 
people  will  not  be  reproved  as  may  be  read 
in  the  fourth  chapter  of  Hosea,  and  of  the 
men  of  Anathoth  to  Jeremiah,  saying, 
"Prophesy  not  in  the  name  of  the  Loid 
that  thou  die  not  by  our  hand,"  Jer.  11:  21; 
and  "As  for  the  word  which  thou  hast 
spoken  unto  us  in  the  name  of  the  Lord, 
we  will  not  hearken  unto  thee,"  Jer.  44:  13. 
The  selfish  and  lustful  teachers  will  not 
sufler  themselves  to  be  reproved  or  admon- 
ished; they  boast  of  their  wisdom,  and  say, 
"  We  are  supported  by  the  Holy  Scriptures; 
although  all  that  the  scribes  say  and  teach 
is  falsehood." 

Above   all,   the  proud,    carnal,    worldy, 
idolatrous  and  tyrannical  princes,  who  do 


238 


MENNO'S  REASONS  FOR  TEACHING  AND  WRITING. 


not  acknowledge  God,  I  speak  of  the  evil 
princes,  who  do  not  want  to  be  right  in  all 
their  mandates,  projects  and  undertakings, 
however  much  they  may  be  at  variance  with 
God  and  his  blessed  word ;  as  if  the  Almighty 
Father,  the  Creator  of  all  things,  who  holds 
heaven  and  earth  in  his  hands,  who  rules 
all  things  by  the  word  of  his  power,  had 
given  them  the  privilege  not  only  to  com- 
mand, rule  and  administer  according  to 
their  will  in  temporal  government,  but  also 
in  the  celestial  kingdom  of  Jesus  Christ. 
O  no,  beloved,  no.  This  is  not  the  inten- 
tion of  God;  but  it  is  an  abomination  in 
his  blessed  sight  when  mortal  man  substi- 
tutes himself  in  his  stead.  And  when  he 
raised  up  and  sent  his  beloved  servants, 
the  prophets  who,  fraternally  reproved  and 
admonished  all  the  princes,  prophets, 
priests  and  common  people  from  the  mouth 
of  God;  the  princes  destroyed  them  as  se- 
ditious persons,  and  the  learned  and  com- 
mon people  as  deceivers  and  heretics;  as 
was  the  case  with  Zechariah,  the  son  of 
Berechiah;  with  Isaiah,  Jeremiah,  Uriah, 
Kiriathaim  and  others,  as  may  be  read  in 
history. 

However  ravenously  the  princes  and  the 
learned  tyranized  and  opposed  the  law  and 
its  followers,  3^et  the  law  and  word  of  God 
remained  immutable  until  Christ  Jesus;  so 
that  every  one  who  desired  to  be  saved  had 
to  regulate  and  conform  himself  according 
to  the  law  and  his  conscience,  if  he  would 
see  the  dawn  of  da}^  For  God  is  an  eter- 
nal God  and  his  will  can  never  be  changed 
and  diverted  by  man.  In  this  case  neither 
prince  nor  learned  man  can  avail.  God 
alone,  has  dominion  over  man;  he  will 
keep  them  in  all  eternity. 

Therefore  all  things  which  they  instituted 
and  practiced  as  holy  worship  without  the 
command  of  God,  or  against  it  (notwith- 
standing it  was  in  honor  of  the  living  God 
who  had  so  gloriously  led  their  fathers  and 
them  from  the  land  of  Egypt),  was  nothing 
less  than  open  idolatry,  spiritual  whore- 
dom, perfidy,  degeneracy,  blasphemy  and 
an  awful  abomination,  as  we  have  above 
brieliy  shown  the  reader  from  the  prophetic 
Scriptures.  God  is  a  God  who  does  not 
need  our  aid  and  offerings,  because  he  has 
made  all  things.    Mine,  he  says,  are  the 


cattle,  upon  athousand  hills.  What  then  can 
I  offer  2  He  will  take  no  other  sacrifices 
than  those  alone  which  are  commanded  in 
his  holy  word,  as  Samuel  spake  unto  Saul, 
"Behold  to  obey  is  better  than  sacrifice." 
The  Lord  God  of  Israel  spake  through  Jer- 
emiah, saying,  "Obey  my  voice,  and  do 
them,  according  to  all  which  I  commanded 
you,  so  shall  ye  be  my  people,  and  I  will 
be  your  God,"  Jer.  11:  4;  2  Cor.  6:  17. 

All  those,  beloved  reader,  who  sought  a 
different  way  of  salvation  than  the  one 
which  God  had  commanded,  either  did  not 
esteem  God  as  wise  enough  to  teach  the 
right  way;  or  else  that  he  would  deceive 
them  by  his  word.  They  despised  the  com- 
manding voice  of  their  God;  they  honored 
and  exalted  their  own  opinions  and  de- 
ceiving wisdom  far  above  the  wisdom  of 
God;  and  they  transgressed  the  precious 
covenant  which  God,  by  mere  grace  and 
mercy,  had  entered  into  with  them  and  their 
fathers;  for  the  most  shameful  obduracy, 
and  the  worst  disesteem  of  God,  is  not  to 
abide  by  his  divine  word,  as  the  Scriptures 
say,  They  transgress  the  covenant,  as  did 
x\dam,  and  thereby  they  despise  and  abhor 
me. 

O,  had  Israel  acknowledged  the  most 
glorious  promise  of  grace  which  was  given 
them  and  their  fathers  in  regard  to  the 
promise  of  the  seed,  land,  kingdom  and 
glory  'i  And  had  they  considered  the  benefi- 
cences of  God,  so  abundantly  shown  to 
them  and  their  fathers,  in  miraculously 
leading  them  from  the  land  of  Egypt,  and 
letting  them  pass  through  the  Red  Sea,  Ex. 
14:  22;  that  "He  went  before  them  by  day 
in  a  pillar  of  a  cloud  to  lead  them  the  way; 
and  by  night  in  a  pillar  of  tire,"  Ex.  13:  21 ; 
that  he  gave  them  bread  from  heaven,  Ex. 
IG:  4;  that  he  gave  tliem  to  drink  from  the 
rock,  Ex.  17:  (>;  that  their  clothes  nor  their 
shoes  did  not  wax  old,  Deut.  2i):  5;  that  he 
scattered  the  giants  from  before  them ;  tliat 
he  led  them  into  the  promised  land  over- 
flowing with  milk  and  honey;  that  he  gave 
to  them  the  strong)}^  fortified  cities  and  well 
built  houses  full  of  gold  and  silver,  which 
they  had  not  built;  that  he  gave  them  the 
vineyards  they  had  not  planted,  Deut.  C:  11 ; 
that  he  gave  them  these  not  for  their  right- 
eousness' sake,  but  by  grace,  and  because 


MENNO'S  EEASONS  FOR  TEACHING  AND  WRITING. 


23d 


he  would  fulfill  Ms  promise  wMch  he  had 
sworn  to  Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob.  Yea 
he  gave  it  as  a  permanent  possession,  if 
they  should  abide  by  his  holy  word  and 
should  walk  in  his  divine  commands,  stat- 
utes and  righteousness,  as  Moses  the  faith- 
ful servant  had,  in  divers  instances,  taught 
and  commanded.  Besides,  that  he  gave 
them  corn,  oil,  wine,  peace,  freedom,  reli- 
gion, and  fame  above  all  the  people  round 
about;  for  there  was  no  people  under  all 
the  heavens  which  was  like  unto  them. 
Dent.  4.  He  led  them  by  the  hand,  as  a 
young  child;  carried  them  in  his  blessed 
ai'ms ;  and  girded  himself  round  about  them 
as  a  lancer,  as  Jeremiah  says;  raising  up 
among  them  his  righteous  men  and  proph- 
ets who  spake  unto  them  the  words  of  the 
Lord,  fraternally  reproving  all  disobedient 
transgressors,  and  mildly  consoling  the 
pious  hearts  with  the  gracious  promise  of 
both  temporal  and  eternal  life. 

O,  had  the  children  of  Israel  sincerely 
realized  all  these  favors  and  many  others, 
they  would  never  have  deviated  so  shame- 
fully from  the  word,  law,  will  and  com- 
mandments of  God  their  Savior  and  Deliv- 
erer, who  in  every  respect  treated  them  with 
such  a  paternal  spirit.  But  because  they 
did  not  acknowledge  the  gracious  benefi- 
cences which  the  Lord  showed  unto  them, 
and  because  they  did  not  fear  the  righteous 
judgments  against  them,  therefore  the  wick- 
ed, blind  flesh  and  the  adulterous  spirit  of 
idolatry  has  so  misled  them,  so  estranged 
them  from  God,  and  made  them  so  drunk 
and  mad  that  they  acted  worse  than  the 
Gentiles  which  were  before  them,  whom 
God  had,  on  account  of  their  sinfulness,  re- 
jected and  scattered,  as  the  holy  prophets 
in  divers  Scriptures  show  and  proclaim. 

O,  fearful  wrath  of  God !  We  can  never 
escape  it.  If  we  do  not  desire  grace,  light, 
truth,  righteousness,  salvation,  true  religion, 
life,  the  kingdom,  blessing  and  God  him- 
self, we  must,  by  his  righteovrs  judgment, 
doubtlessly,  inherit  disgrace,  darkness, 
falsehood,  unrighteousness  and  idolatry, 
and  hereafter  eternal  damnation,  death, 
hell,  malediction,  and  the  devil  himself. 

Sincerely  beloved  readers,  God  knows 
that  I  love  you  with  pure  love  in  Christ 
Jesus.  Inasmuch  as  I  find  in  proof  of  many 


Scriptures  how  severely  God  has,  from  the 
beginning  of  the  creation,  ever  punished  all 
transgression  of  his  divine  word  and  diso- 
bedience thereto,  as  every  intelligent  reader 
may  clearly  understand  from  the  history  of 
Israel;  and  as  I  clearly  see  that  the  whole 
world,  from  east  to  west,  from  south  to 
north,  in  the  course  of  time,  has  been  mis- 
led by  ignorant  teachers  and  preachers, 
who  seek  nothing  but  carnality,  aided  by 
unfaithful  lords  and  princes,  and  that  they 
have  lost  their  faith  in  and  knowledge  of 
our  beloved  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  ever 
blessed  Savior,  his  holy  gospel  and  sacra- 
ments, true  religion  and  the  pious,  unblam- 
able life  which  is  of  God;  and  as  they  are 
falsely  led,  under  the  name  of  Christ,  to 
put  faith  in  a  man  of  proud,  unclean,  idol- 
atrous and  ungodly  flesh,  in  useless  fables, 
doctrines  and  human  commandments;  in 
an  idolatrous  baptism  and  supj^er;  in  im- 
ages, wood,  stone,  gold,  silver,  water,  bread 
and  wine;  in  a  shameful  idolatry;  in  mere 
vain,  false  and  useless  promises,  so  that  it 
has  gone  so  far  among  those  who  boast  of 
I  the  name  of  Christ,  that  there  is  nothing 
1  left  them,  neither  in  regard  to  faith,  love, 
sacraments,  nor  in  their  life  of  which  it  can 
be  truthfully  said  that  it  comports  to  the 
life  and  doctrine  of  Christ,  judge  for  your- 
selves whether  or  not  I  speak  the  truth; 
and  although  some  of  them,  to-day,  boast 
of  the  holy  gospel  of  Christ,  yet  there  is 
nothing  preached  but  that  is  useless  and 
vain,  and  this  no  stronger  than  the  tempo- 
ral lords  and  princes  allow  them  to  do; 
and,  as  the  princes  are,  so  are  the  preach- 
ers; and,  as  the  preachers  are,  so  are  the 
people;  and  as  by  this  we  are  asked  to 
abandon  Christ  and  his  holy  apostles  and 
humble  them  in  their  doctrine  and  believe 
and  adhere  to  the  princes  and  the  learned, 
if  we  do  not  want  to  be  tortured  or  burned, 
at  their  hands,  or  be  murdered  by  some 
other  tyrannical  means ;  as  if  the  preachers 
were  sent  by  the  princes,  and  not  of  Christ 
I  — therefore,  for  the  sake  of  the  chosen  of 
I  Zion  and  of  Jerusalem,  I  can  no  longer  hold 
I  my  tongue,  but  must  tell  the  truth;  that 
their  righteousness  may  go  forth  as  a  light, 
and  their  salvation  burn  as  a  torch;  and 
that  thus  aU  mankind  may  acknowledge 
the  righteousness  of  the   Lord,    and    all 


240 


J^fEimO'S  REAS0:NS  for  teaching  AKb  WBITING. 


tongues,  generations  and  people  confess  his 
glory;  although  I  have  sometimes,  with 
Jeremiah,  thought  not  to  teach  any  more 
in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  because  so  many 
thirst  after  my  blood.  Yet,  I  can  no  longer 
hold  my  tongue;  for  lam,  with  the  prophet, 
very  much  troubled  at  heart;  my  heart 
trembles  in  mj'  bosom;  all  my  joints  shake 
and  quake,  with  the  idea  that  the  whole 
world,  lords,  princes,  learned  and  ignorant 
people,  males  and  females,  bond  and  fi'ee, 
are  so  widely  estranged  from  Chiist  Jesus, 
from  evangelical  truth  and  from  life  eternal. 

When  I  think  to  find  a  magistrate  who 
fears  God,  riglitlj^  performs  his  ofBce  and 
uses  his  sword,  I  verily  find,  as  a  general 
thing,nothingbutavvinebibbingLucifer,An- 
tioch,  or  Nero;  for  they  place  themselves  in 
Christ's  s+ead  sothattheir  decreesmustbere- 
spected  a!)ove  the  word  of  God.  Whosoever 
does  not  regulate  himself  according  to  their 
contents ;  does  not  serve  Baal ;  maintains  the 
ceremonies  of  Christ  and  fulfills  the  word  of 
God  in  fruits,  must  be  taken  and  sufi'er  as  a 
rogue,  bis  property  be  confiscated,  and  the 
poor,  innocent  orphans  who  have  now  lost 
their  faithful  parents  because  of  the  testimo- 
ny of  the  Lord,  must  be  cast  out  and  find 
their  way  begging  through  the  land.  But  the 
idolaters,  deceivers  of  souls,  whoremongers, 
knaves,  adulterers,  fornicators,  blasphem- 
ers, peijurers,  drunkards  and  like  trans- 
gressors, are  not  persecuted,  but  can 
live  at  liberty  and  peace,  under  their  pro- 
tection, I  do  not  here  speak  of  the  good 
magistrates,  who  are  few;  but  of  the  evil 
ones,  which  are  numerous.  Besides,  we  have 
their  unseasonable  pomp,  pride,  greed,  un- 
cleanness,  lying,  robbing,  stealing,  burning, 
hatred,  envy,  avarice  and  idolatry.  Yet 
they  want  to  be  called  christian  princes  and 
gracious  lords.  O,  Lord !  Of  what  little 
benefit  will  these  hypocritical,  lying  titles 
and  false  boasting  be  to  them  before  Christ, 
when  he  shall  appear  ! 

Again,  when  I  think  of  finding  true  teach- 
ers, such  as  are  sent  of  God,  quickened  by 
the  Holy  Spirit;  who  sincerely  seek  the 
salvation  of  their  brethren;  who  are  not 
earthly  minded,  but  preach  the  saving, 
wholesome  word  of  our  beloved  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  in  purity  of  heart,  and  who  are 
quite  unblamable  in  their  doctrine  and  life. 


I  find  myself  altogether  mistaken.     But  in- 
stead, I  find  all  over  the  world  and  among 
most  of  the  sects,  nothing  but  robbers  of 
the  glory  of  God,  and  murderers  of  souls ; 
deceivers,  blind  watchmen,  mute  dogs,  mas- 
ters of  sects  who  are  carnally,  earthly  and 
devilishly  minded;    enemies  of  the  cross; 
!  serving  their  bellies  instead  of  serving  God; 
false  prophets,  idolaters,  vain  talkers,  liars, 
i  and  wizards.     If  any  person  does  not  be- 
I  lieve  my  words,  let  him  prove  their  walk  by 
j  the  word  of  the  Lord;  let  him  compare  their 
j  doctrine,  sacraments,   spirit,  object,   walk 
and  life  with  the  doctrine,  sacraments,  spir- 
it, object,  walk  and  life  of  Christ,  and  com- 
mon sense  will  teach  you,  without,  even  the 
word  of  God,  of  whom  they  are  sent;  how, 
what  and  why  they  teach  and  what  fruits 
their  teachings  bear. 

In  the  third  place,  when  I  think  of  find- 
ing an  unblamable  church  without  spot  and 
blemish,  which  serves  the  Lord  with  all  its 
power  and  which  conforms  itself  to  his  word 
— I  verily  find  such  an  ungodly,  abomina- 
ble, corrupted  and  confused  people;  so  car- 
nal, idolatrous,   whoring,   cruel,   ungodly, 
unbelieving,    ignorant,    blood-thirsty,    un- 
merciful,   drnnken,    pompous,    luxurious, 
proud,  avaricious,  greedy,  envious,  adulter- 
ous, false,  deceiving,  sodomitic,  refractory, 
disobedient,  rebellious,  vain,  and  so  devil- 
ish,   that   a   godfearing   soul   must   stand 
dumbfounded  and  be  ashamed  thereat.  Yet 
they  claim  to  be  the  true  bride,  the  believ- 
ing church  of  Christ.     O  no,  dear  reader, 
no.     Christ  Jesus  does  not  own  such  a  bride 
or  church.    But  his  bride  is  flesh  of  his 
flesh  and  bone  of  his  bone,  Eph.  5:  80;  she 
conforms  to  him,  Rom.  8:  29;  is  created 
after  his  image,  Col.  3:  10;  partakes  of  his 
nature,  2  Pet.  1:  4;  is  minded  as  he  is,  Phil. 
2:5;    seeks  nothing   but  heavenly  things 
:  where  Christ  Jesus  is,  sitting  at  the  right 
I  hand  of  his  Father,  Col.  3:  1;  yea  in  God's 
I  church  nothing  is  heard,  seen  or  found  but 
!  the  true  doctrine  of  our  beloved  Lord  Jesus 
[  Christ  and  his  holy  apostles,  according  to 
'  the  Holy  Scripture.    But  in  the  beforemen- 
tioned  churches  it  is  mostly  doctrines,  flat- 
terings,  comments,  councils  and  command- 
ments of  men.    Here  is  faith,  truth,  obedi- 
j  ence,  baptism  of  the  believing,  according  to 
I  the  word  of  God,  true  fraternal  love,  and 


MENNO'S  EEASONS  FOB  TEACHING  AND  WRITING. 


241 


the  service  of  our  neighbors;  yonder  is  un- 
belief, falsehood,  disobedience,  infant  bap- 
tism without  God's  word,  hatred,  envy,t3'r- 
anny,  cruelty,  shedding  blood,  quarreling, 
lawsuits,  backbiting,  cheating,  stealing, 
robbing  and  murdering;  here  is  teaching, 
admonition,  consolation,  reproof  in  right- 
eousness— there,  mere  corruption,  heresy, 
upbraiding  and  slandering;  here,  blessing, 
praise  and  thanksgiving — there,  cursing 
and  swearing  by  the  sutfering  of  the  Lord, 
by  his  wounds,  sacraments,  flesh,  blood 
and  judgment;  here,  lougsuffering — there, 
inflammable  temper;  here,  humility — there, 
pride;  here,  mercy — there,  mercilessness; 
here,  true  religion — there,  idolatry;  here, 
spirit  and  spiritual  wisdom — there,  flesh 
and  foolishness;  here  is  prayer  in  spirit 
and  in  truth — there,  mockery  with  many 
powerless  words;  here  is  prayer  for  the 
Lord*s  truth — there  the  righteousness  of  the 
Lord  is  persecuted;  here  is  faith  in  Christ 
— there,  idolatrous  ceremonies;  in  short, 
here  is  Christ  and  God — there,  anti-christ 
and  the  devil.  Yea,  most  beloved  brethren, 
the  pure,  chaste  and  spotless  bride  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  (judge  for  yourselves)  is 
quite  ditferent  from  this  carnal,  imclean, 
adulterous  and  shameful  cause. 

Verily,  they  are  not  the  true  church  of 
Christ  who  merely  boast  of  his  name.  But 
those  are  the  true  church  of  Christ,  who 
were  converted,  who  are  born  from  above 
of  God,  who  are  of  a  regenerated  mind  and 
by  the  operation  of  the  Holy  Spirit  from 
the  hearing  of  the  divine  word  have  become 
children  of  God;  who  obey  him,  and  live, 
unblamably  in  his  holy  commandments 
and  according  to  his  holy  will,  all  their 
days,  or  after  their  calling. 

Inasmuch  as  the  worldly  church  is  no 
such  amiable,  obedient  bride,  but  has  left 
her  lawful  husband,  Christ,  and  follows 
after  strange  adulteries,  as  may  be  plainly 
seen,  and  all  this  through  blindness,  igno- 
rance and  the  deceit  of  their  teachings — 
therefore  I  seek  to  accomplish  nothing  by 
my  writing  and  teaching,  according  to  the 
talent  God  was  pleased  to  give  me,  but  to 
reclaim  this  adulterous  bride,  the  erring 
church,  from  her  adulterous  actions  and 
again  to  return  her  to  her  first  husband, 
Christ  Jesus,  to  whom  she  was  so  unfaith- 
67 


ful,  notwithstanding  he  did  her  such  great 
service,  showing  and  declaring  to  all  sects, 
nations  and  individuals  who  desire  to  read 
or  hear  our  doctrine,  writings  and  admoni- 
tions, not  by  flatterings  and  my  own  opinion, 
but  b}^  the  express  word  of  God,  which 
alone  avails,  that  there  is  no  salvation  on 
earth  or  in  heaven  otherwise  than  in  Christ 
Jesus,  that  is,  in  his  doctrine,  faith,  sacra- 
ments, obedience  and  walk.  All  doctrine 
which  is  contrary  to  his  word  or  without 
his  command,  is  vain,  such  as,  in  the  papal 
church,  purgatorj^,  false  promises,  differ- 
ences in  places,  in  victuals  and  in  days, 
pilgrimages,  false  sacrifices,  &c.  Again, 
in  the  German  churches,  the  availibility  of 
infant  baptism.  Again,  with  the  corrupted 
sects,  the  third  David;  the  carnal  kingdom ; 
that  every  thing  is  clean  to  the  clean,  such 
as  to  show  to  idols  outward  honor  and  rever- 
ence, to  baptize  infants,  polygamy,  shameful 
confession,  to  make  indecent  show  of  person, 
not  to  believe  in  angels  or  the  devil;  that  a 
more  perfect  doctrine  willbeproclaimed  than 
was  taught  by  Christ  Jesus,  Paul  and  the 
other  apostles,  and  more  like  abominations. 
Again,  all  the  sacraments  not  comprised 
in  the  word  of  God,  as  tlie  idolatrous  bap- 
tism of  infants,  the  false  supper  in  a  church 
which  neither  seeks,  knows,  fears  nor  loves 
its  God;  which  believes  that  the  bread  is 
actual  flesh  and  the  wine  actual  blood; 
also,  the  confirmation,  the  holy  oil,  as  they 
call  it;  again,  all  the  services  which  are 
neither  taught  nor  commanded  by  Christ 
nor  his  apostles,  such  as  holy  water, 
altars,  images,  masses,  vigils,  absolution, 
the  invocation  of  the  departed,  monkhood, 
pilgrimages  and  the  like  abominations. 
Again,  the  private  and  public  life  which 
does  not  comport  with  the  Spirit  and  life  of 
Jesus  Christ;  such  as  unclean,  vulgar 
thoughts,  evil  desires,  unbecoming,  shame- 
ful words;  i;ncleanness,  adultery,  fornica- 
tion, drinking  to  excess,  hatred,  envy,  the 
shedding  of  blood  contrary  to  the  ordinance 
of  God,  avarice,  pride,  lying,  cheating,  back- 
biting, jesting,  theft,  usurj^  murder,  swear- 
ing ancl  fighting.  All  these  matters  and 
articles,  such  as  doctrines,  sacraments, 
worship  and  life,  which  are  here  noted,  and 
others  which  are  not,  every  reader  can  easi- 
ly understand  by  the  inward  unction  of  God, 


242 


MENNO'S  REASONS  FOR  TEACHING  AND  ^VRITING. 


that  they,  not  being  comprised,  expressed, 
nor  commanded  in  his  word  and  in  the 
wholesome  doctrine  of  our  beloved  Lord 
Jesns  Christ,  but  most  of  them  being  dia- 
metrically contrary  to  the  Word,  therefore 
we  deem  them,  according  to  the  sentence  of 
the  Holy  Scriptures,  as  nothing  else  than 
false  doctrine,  deceit  and  fantasy;  as 
false  and  garbled,  idolatrous  sacraments, 
as  abominable  idolatry,  spiritual  whore- 
dom, degeneracy,  and  as  carnal,  earthly 
and  deadly  life,  of  wliich  the  Holy  Spirit  of 
God  has  so  abundantly  testified  through 
Paul  and  John  that  those  who  commit  these 
things  shall  not  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God, 
Rom.  1:22;  1  Cor.  0:8;  Gal.  5:21;  Eph. 
3:r.;  Rev.  23:5. 

For  if  the  literal  Israel  was  so  severely 
punished  and  crushed  by  God,  because  they 
did  not  abide  by  the  law,  commandments, 
statutes  and  righteousnesses  of  their  God, 
and  because  they  did  not  hear  and  receive 
the  reproving,  admonition  and  teachings  of 
their  faithful  prophets  who  spoke  to  them 
through  the  inspiration  of  God,  but  stoned 
them,  put  them  to  the  sword,  killed,  up- 
braided and  blasphemed  them;  following  a 
worship  to  suit  their  own  taste,  as  has  been 
shown  above — O,  what  must  we,  then,  ex- 
pect from  God,  if  we  do  not  abide  by  the 
wholesome  doctrine  of  grace,  by  the  right 
holy  sacraments,  by  the  works  of  love 
which  are  pleasing  to  God  and  by  the  pious, 
unblamable  life  which  no  Moses,  prophet, 
angel,  nor  creature  has  taught  us,  but  which 
the  eternal  Son  of  God,  the  eternal  wisdom 
and  truth,  the  eternal  love  and  mercy,  the 
blessed  Christ  Jesus  has  taught  us  by  his 
own  blessed  mouth,  by  the  command  of  his 
Almighty  Father,  which  command  is  eternal 
and  immutable,  whose  love  for  us  is  ineffa- 
ble, who  has  confirmed  it  by  virtue  of  mira- 
cles and  at  last  sealed  it  with  his  precious 
blood;  and  has  proclaimed  the  same  to  all 
the  world  by  his  faithful  testimony,  his 
holy  apostles,  in  incomprehensible  power  of 
the  Spirit;  which  doctrine  is  nothing  else, 
nor  will  it  ever  be  any  thing  else,  than  the 
precious  gospel  of  peace,  the  glad  tidings 
of  grace,  the  remissiou  of  sin,  the  victory 
over  death,  hell  and  the  devil;  besides, 
grace,  peace,  freedom  and  admission  to  the 
Father;  and  all  this  out  of  love  and  grace 


— not  by  works  or  merit  of  our  own;  but  by 
means  of  Christ  Jesus  alone. 

Again,  these  are  the  sacraments  which 
Christ  Jesus  has  instituted  and  taught: 
First,  the  holy  baptism  of  the  believing,  in 
which  we  bury  our  sinful  flesh  and  take 
unto  ourselves  a  new  life,  seal  and  confess 
our  faith,  testify  to  the  new  birth  and  good 
conscience;  and  thus  we  enter  into  the  obe- 
dience of  Jesus  Christ,  who  has  taught  and 
commanded  us  thus  himself  and  also  in  his 
Holy  Spirit  through  his  disciples.  Secondly, 
the  Holy  Supper,  in  which  is  represented  the 
death  of  the  Lord,  who  died  for  us  in  his 
great  love;  and  in  which  is  represented 
true,  brotherly  love;  and  also  the  right'^ous, 
unblamable,  christian  life  which  must  be 
lived  inwardly  and  outwardly  in  full  meas- 
ure of  death  unto  sin  and  unfeigned  love, 
conformable  to  the  word  of  God. 

Behold,  worthy  reader,  since  the  whole 
world,  yea,  all  tongues,  tribes  and  people 
have  become  degenerated,  according  to  the 
righteous  sentence  of  God,  in  the  doctrines, 
sacraments  and  life  which  is  pleasing  to  God, 
for  they  prefer  falsehood  to  truth,  unright- 
eousness to  righteousness;  as  they  have 
committed  themselves  to  all  manner  of  false 
teachings,  false  ceremonies  and  carnal  life, 
so  that  we  may  consider  them  rather  as 
brutes  than  human  beings,  rather  as  devils 
than  christians,  as  every  reasonable  being 
can  easily,  even  without  the  word  of  God, 
comprehend  and  understand;  and  as  the 
learned  and  preachers,  who,  we  shoiild 
reasonably  expect  to  reprove  such  things, 
themselves  are  committed  to  such  false  doc- 
trine, unbelief  and  abominable  idolatry 
and  lead,  even,  a  more  bfeastly  and  infernal 
life — yea,  as  these  learned  jieople  diligent- 
ly lead  and  force  all  mankind  to  such  idol- 
atry, unbelief,  transgression  and  accursed 
life,  both  by  their  teaching  and  example, 
as  most  of  the  learned  have  done  from  the 
beginning,  as  they  are  ever  earthly,  carnal- 
ly and  devilishly  minded,  and  as  they  ever 
reject  the  spiritual  and  heavenly  wisdom 
and  will  of  Jesus  Christ  which  tempers  the 
carnal  lusts,  as  a  displeasure  and  incon- 
j  venience.  Col.  3:5;  1  Pet.  2:11;  Rom. 
13:  14;  therefore,  since  I  clearly  see  this 
awful  disesteem  of  the  holy  word  of  God, 
and  the  condemnation  of  innumerable  thou- 


MENNO'S  REASONS  FOR  TEACHING  AND  WRITING. 


245 


sands  of  souls  whom  Christ  Jesus  has  so 
dearly  bought  and  ransomed  by  his  precious 
blood,  for  outside  of  the  obedience  to  the 
divine  word  there  is  no  salvation,  therefore 
I  cannot  be  silent;  for  the  honor  and  praise 
of  my  Lord  and  God  are  at  stake,  and  it 
avails  the  salvation  of  a  poor,  erring  broth- 
er— although,  perchance,  it  may  be  at  the 
risk  of  my  life. 

Who  knows  but  that  God,  through  me 
and  through  my  beloved  brethren  who  are 
and  who  shall  be,  has  chosen  and  provided 
in  his  grace,  that  some  of  those  who  now 
unwittingly  err,  may  yet  acknowledge  and 
confess  the  right  way,  doctrine,  truth  and 
life,  and  walk  unblamably  in  Christ,  before 
God  and  before  all  the  world  all  the  days 
of  their  lives.  O,  Lord,  that  it  might  be  so. 
Amen. 

Behold,  most  beloved  reader,  inasmuch 
as  the  Babylonian  king,  namely,  the  anti- 
christ, has,  throiigh  his  servants,  that  is, 
through  the  false  prophets  and  teachers, 
demolished  the  disobedient  Jerusalem,  the 
temple  of  the  Lord,  and  has  thus  impris- 
oned Israel  these  many  years — therefore  I 
and  my  brethren  in  the  Lord  desire  nothing 
but  that  we  may,  to  the  honor  of  God,  so 
labor  at  his  fallen  city,  temple  and  impris- 
oned people,  according  to  the  talent  re- 
ceived of  him,  that  we  may  rebuild  that 
which  is  demolished,  repair  that  which  is 
damaged  and  free  those  who  are  imprisoned, 
with  the  word  of  God,  by  the  power  of  the 
Holy  Spu'it,  the  same  as  it  was  before  the 
fall,  that  is,  in  freedom  of  the  Spirit,  on  the 
doctrines,  sacraments,  ceremonies,  love  and 
life  of  Jesus  Christ  and  of  his  holy  apostles. 

For  this  reason  I  am  not  ashamed  to 
■write  down,  publish  and  loudly  proclaim 
my  faith,  doctrine,  seeking  and  desire,  be- 
foi'e  all  mankind  who  will  hear,  no  matter 
who  they  are.  Yea,  I  doubt  not  but  if 
those  could  see  my  inmost  heart  who  now 
assiduously  seek  my  life,  they  would  change 
their  hatred  against  me  and  my  brethren, 
into  love  for  us. 

In  the  first  place  we  desire,  according  to 
the  word  of  God,  that  no  bishop,  pastor  or 
teacher  shall  be  admitted  into  the  chm-ch  of 
the  Lord,  to  teach  and  administer  the  sac- 
raments of  the  Lord,  other  than  those  who 
are  comprised  in  the  doctrine,  ordinance 


and  life  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ— unblam- 
able in  all  things,  1  Tim.  3:  2;  Tit.  1:6; 
Lev.  21:7;  Ezek.  44:21;  for  the  word  of 
the  Lord  is  truth,  Jn.  17:  17;  it  is  Spirit  and 
life,  Jn.  6 :  63 ;  therefore  they  can  not  be  ad- 
ministered by  the  carnal  minded;  by  no 
children  of  death,  nor  by  liars;  but  by  the 
truthful,  by  the  spiritual  minded,  and  by 
those  who  rightly  confess  Christ  Jesus; 
who  surely  feel  the  life  eternal  in  their 
hearts,  and  who  live  unblamably  before 
God  and  walk  in  Christ  Jesus,  so  that  they 
may  truthfully  say  with  Paul,  "Be  ye  fol- 
lowers of  me,  even  as  I  also  am  of  Christ," 
1  Cor.  11:1. 

In  the  second  place  we  desire  with  ardent 
hearts,  even  at  the  cost  of  life  and  blood, 
that  the  holy  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  and  his 
apostles,  which  alone  is  the  true  doctrine, 
and  will  remain  so  until  Jesus  Christ  will 
reappear  in  the  clouds,  may  be  taught  and 
preached  through  all  the  world,  as  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  commanded  his  disciples  at 
the  last  moments  w^iile  he  was  on  earth. 
Matt.  28:  19;  Mark  16:  15. 

In  the  third  place  we  seek,  teach  and  de- 
sire a  true  faith  and  christian  life  conform- 
able to  the  doctrine  of  Jesus  Christ  and  his 
apostles;  for  the  doctrine  of  the  preachers 
is  all  vain  and  useless  if  the  word  which  is 
preached  is  not  accepted  by  faith,  Heb. 
4:2;  and  faith  is  vain,  ancl  dead  before 
God  when  it  does  not  work  by  love,  Jas. 
2:20. 

In  the  fourth  place,  we  teach,  seek  and 
desire  a  right,  christian  baptism;  first,  with 
Spirit  and  fire,  Luke  3:  16;  afterward  in  the 
water,  in  obedience  to  faith;  for  thus  has 
Christ  Jesus  commanded  all  the  believing; 
and  thus  the  holy  apostles  have  taught  and 
administered  it,  Matt.  28:  19;  Mark  16:  15; 
Acts  3:  38;  9:  5;  16:  31;  10:  47. 

In  the  fifth  place,  we  teach,  seek  and  de- 
sire such  a  Supper  as  Christ  Jesus  himself 
has  instituted  and  administered,  Matt. 
26:19;  Mark  14:22;  Luke  22:19;  first, 
to  a  church  which  is  outwardly  without  spot 
and  blemish,  that  is,  without  any  consider- 
able transgression  and  wickedness;  for  the 
church  can  only  judge  as  to  the  visible; 
but  what  is  inwardly  wicked  and  not  out- 
wardly apparent  to  the  charch,  as  the  be- 
traying of  Judas,  of  that  God  is  to  judge, 


244 


MEIWO'S  KEASONS  FOR  TEACHING  AND  WRITING. 


for  he  alone  tries  the  hearts  and  reins,  and 
not  the  chiu-ch.  Secondly,  in  both  forms, 
namely,  bread  and  wine;  thirdly,  to  the  re- 
membrance of  the  Lord's  death.  Fourthly, 
as  a  renewal  and  proof  of  brotherly  love, 
as  this  supper  was  also  called  amongst  the 
ancients,  a  brotherly  supper,  as  TertuUian 
writes. 

In  the  sixth  place  we  seek  and  desire 
that  all  strange  ceremonies  and  manners  of 
worship  which  are  without  the  word  of  God, 
or  instituted  contrary  thereto  and  tend  to 
abominable  idolatry,  such  as  holy  water,  oral 
confession,  infant  baptism,  masses,  matins, 
vespers,  images,  altars,  false  promises  and 
the  like  ceremonies,  may  be  abolished,  not 
by  force  of  arms,  but  peaceably  by  the  word 
of  God,  that  the  poor,  ignorant  populace 
may  no  longer  be  deceived  by  such  vain 
works  which  are  nothing  short  of  idolatry; 
but  that  they  may  put  their  faith  in  the  liv- 
ing God  and  in  the  merits  of  our  ever 
blessed  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  that  they 
may  cordially  walk  in  his  divine  command- 
ments, not  varying  to  the  right  or  the  left; 
for  in  him  is  life  everlasting,  Jn.  12: 50,  and 
in  none  other. 

In  the  seventh  place  we  seek,  desire, 
teach  and  preach,  that  all  magistrates, 
emperors,  kings,  dukes,  counts,  barons, 
mayors,  knights  and  other  officers  may 
be  so  taught  and  trained  by  the  Spirit 
and  Avord  of  God,  that  they  may  sincerely 
seek,  honor,  fear  and  serveChrist  Jesus,  the 
true  head  of  all  lords  and  potentates;  that 
they  may  rightly  administer  their  office, 
and  use  the  sword  given  them  of  God,  in 
his  fear  and  in  brotherly  love,  to  the  praise 
of  God,  to  the  protection  of  the  good  and  to 
the  punishment  of  the  evil,  according  to  the 
intent  of  the  word  of  God,  Rom.  13:  3;  1 
Pet.  2:  13;  as  did  the  men  of  God,  as  Moses, 
Joshua,  David,  Ezekiel,  Josiah  and  others. 
Read  also  Deut.  17:  2,  3,  and  you  will  clear- 
ly understand  what  God  has  commanded 
all  magistrates  to  do. 

Besides,  we  teach  the  true  love  and  fear 
of  God,  the  true  love  of  our  neighbor,  to 
aid  and  assist  all  mankind  and  to  injure 
none;  to  crucify  the  flesh  and  its  lusts;  to 
circumcise  the  heart,  mouth  and  the  whole 
body  with  the  knife  of  the  divine  word,  of 
all  unclean  thoughts,  xxnbecoming  words 


and  actions.  Now  consider  whether  these 
things  are  not  the  will  of  God,  the  true  doc- 
trine of  Jesus  Christ,  the  true  ministering 
of  the  sacraments  and  the  true  life  which  is 
of  God;  although  all  the  gates  of  hell  may 
willfully  oppose  them. 

Behold,  dear  brethren,  against  these  doc- 
trines, sacraments  and  life  no  imperial  de- 
crees, no  papal  bulls,  no  councils  of  the 
learned,  no  long  usage,  no  human  philoso- 
phy, no  Origen,  Augustine,  Luther,  Bucer, 
prison,  banishment  or  murder  can  prevail ; 
for  it  is  the  eternal,  imperishable  word  of 
God;  it  is,  I  repeat,  the  eternal  word  of 
God,  and  will  remain  immutable  forever. 
Etiamsi  rumpantur  ilia  codro.  Whosoever 
yet  opposes  and  wars  against  these  things, 
either  at  heart,  verbally  or  by  the  sword, 
does  not  war  against  flesh  and  blood,  that 
is,  against  man,  but  he  wars  against  the 
Lamb,  against  him  who  has  all  power,  and 
who  by  a  word  created  heaven  and  earth 
and  the  fullness  thereof.  Nay,  against 
him  who  lifts  up  his  hand  and  says,  "I  live 
forever,"  Deut.  32:40. 

As  this  is  the  true  doctrine  of  Jesus  Christ 
which  alone  leads  to  life  eternal,  and  as 
there  is  no  other  true  doctrine  beside;  there- 
fore I  might  be  asked  by  the  reader  why  it 
is  that  so  very  few  men  sincerely  believe 
and  fulfill  it  in  works  ?  In  my  opinion 
there  are  four  reasons  for  this.  First,  be- 
cause all  lords,  preachers  and  common  peo- 
ple are  carnal  and  earthly  minded;  there- 
fore they  cannot  admit  the  lovely  doctrine 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  doctrine  of  eternal 
peace.  Secondly,  because  they  are  drunk 
and  full  of  the  enchanting  wine  of  the 
Babylonian  whore,  exceedingly  rich  and 
not  in  want  of  any  thing.  Rev.  17:  2;  3:  17. 
Thirdly,  because  they  do  not  fear  the  awful 
judgment  and  fearful  wrath  of  God  against 
all  disobedience  and  transgression,  yea,  so 
utterly  disregard  the  word  of  God,  as  if  the 
Holy  Ghost  was  merely  jesting,  when  threat- 
ening temporal  or  eternal  punishment. 
Fourthly,  because  they  do  not  acknowledge 
the  great  beneficence  of  God  toward  them 
in  Christ  Jesus;  for  in  case  they  did  ac- 
knowledge the  works  of  divine  love  toward 
;  them,  namely,  tl)at  God  has  created  heaven 
and  earth  and  the  fullness  thereof  for  their 
benefit;  that  he  formed  them  after  his  own 


MENNO'S  KEASONS  FOR  TEACHING  AND  WRITING. 


245 


image  from  the  dust  of  earth ;  placed  them 
at  the  head  of  all  creation;  gave  them 
gold,  silver,  land,  house  and  home  and  all 
the  necessaries  of  life;  gave  them  his 
divine  word;  first,  the  law  of  nature,  then 
Moses  and  the  prophets,  and  afterward  his 
only  begotten  Son,  his  wisdom,  his  power, 
Christ  Jesus,  who  has  taught  them  the  will 
of  his  Father  in  great  clearness;  opened 
heaven  and  closed  hell;  vanquished  death, 
sin  and  the  devil  for  them;  fulfilled  the 
cumbersome,  threatening  law  on  the  cross, 
and  acquired  for  them  grace,  favor,  mercy, 
peace,  freedom,  deliverance,  remission  of 
sins  and  eternal  life  with  the  Father,  if  they 
in  truth  believe,  seek  and  desire  it,  besides 
calling  them  daily  to  repentance,  regenera- 
tion and  the  glory  of  the  chosen  children 
of  God;  desiring  to  draw  them  forth  from 
the  darkness  of  the  world  and  deliver  them 
into  the  kingdom  of  his  beloved  Son;  not 
letting  his  righteous  judgment  come  on 
them  as  it  did  on  Sodom  and  Gomorrah; 
giving  them  day  and  night,  sun  and  moon, 
rain  and  drought;  again,  blessing  them 
with  wisdom  and  understanding,  wife,  chil- 
dren, cattle  and  fruits ;  if  they  did  cordially 
acknowledge  these  rich  gifts  of  his  abun- 
dant grace,  then  all  the  tyrants  under  heav- 
en would  not  separate  them  from  the  doc 
trine,  love,  sacraments,  life  and  confession 
of  Jesus  Christ  even  if  it  were  possible  that 
they  could  testify  to  and  assert  it  by  a 
thousand  deaths.  Yea,  they  would  say 
with  the  apostle  Paul,  "Who  shall  sepa- 
rate us  from  the  love  of  Christ?  Shall  tribu- 
lation, or  distress,  or  persecution,  or  famine, 
or  nakedness,  or  peril,  or  sword  T'  Rom. 
8:35. 

But  because  they  do  not  acknowledge  the 
God  of  all  grace  in  his  divine  word,  judg- 
ments and  beneficences;  and  do  neither  ac- 
knowledge the  Spirit,  power,  will  and  life 
which  was  in  Christ  Jesus  whom  we  shoidd 
follow,  according  to  the  word  of  God ; 
therefore  they  so  wrongfully  oppose  and 
persecute  the  heavenly  doctrine  of  Jesus 
Christ,  and  diligently  follow,  teach  and  pro- 
tect all  manner  of  falsehood,  deceit,  fraud 
and  idolatry.  Again  I  repeat,  If  they 
rightly  acknowledged  and  believed  the  pa- 
ternal heart,  mind  and  love,  protei^tion,  fa- 
vor, will,  solicitude  and  affect.lon  of  the  .^^1- 


mighty  God  in  Christ  Jesus,  they  would 
doubtlessly  accept  and  cordially  fulfill  his 
blessed  word  and  admonition ;  but  as  they 
do  not  rightly  acknowledge  Christ  Jesus 
and  his  Father— the  Savior  said,  "  God  so 
loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only  be- 
gotten Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him 
should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life. 
For  God  sent  not  his  Son  into  the  world  to 
condemn  the  world;  but  that  the  world 
through  him  might  be  saved.  He  that  be- 
lieveth on  him  is  not  condemned;  but  he 
that  believeth  not,  is  condemned  already, 
because  he  hath  not  believed  in  the  name 
of  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God.  And  this 
is  the  condemnation,  that  light  is  come  into 
the  world  and  men  loved  darkness  rather 
than  light  because  their  deeds  were  evil," 
Jn.  3:  16—19. 

Take  heed,  O  ye  miserable,  erring  men ! 
For  here  the  eternal  wisdom  of  the  blessed 
Christ  Jesus  has  expressed,  why  you  do  not 
believe  his  precious  word,  and  do  not  fulfill 
his  divine  will,  because  you  prefer  the  dam- 
nable darkness  to  the  saving  light.  Yea,  I  re- 
peat, that  if  you  sincerely  accepted  and  be- 
lieved the  divine  goodness,  mercy,  and  the  in- 
effable love  of  our  beloved  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
toward  you,  namely,  that  b}'  his  ardent  love 
he  became  an  humble  mortal  man  for  you; 
came  down  from  high  heaven  into  these  lower 
parts  of  the  earth,  taught  and  prt ached  unto 
you  the  eternal  kingdom  of  God,  performed 
miracles,  prayed,  suffered  tribulation,  anx 
iety,  apprehension  and  prison;  that  he  was 
beaten,  mocked. derided, spit  ui3on,scourged, 
crowned  with  thorns,  drenched  with  gall 
and  vinegar,  blasphemed,  crucified  and  that 
he  died  and  was  buried  for  you;  was  again 
raised  up,  ascended  to  heaven,  seated  at 
the  right  hand  of  the  Father;  and  that  by 
his  precious  blood  he  became  your  faithful 
Servant,  Reconciler,  Deliverer,  Mediator 
and  Advocate;  that  by  love  he  sent  to  you 
and  the  whole  world,  his  faithful  servants, 
the  holy  apostles,  with  the  word  of  grace — 
if  you  believe  all  this,  you  would,  doubt- 
lessly, love  liim  who  has  shown  you  such 
great  love  and  grace  without  any  merit  on 
your  part;  and  if  you  would  return  the 
love  with  which  he  has  loved  you  and  yet 
loves  jon,  you  would,  verily,  not  tire  of 
seeking  and  following  him,   so  that  you 


346 


MENNO'S  KEASONS  FOE  TEACHING  AND  WRITING. 


might  live  iinblamably   according  to  his  ! 
blessed  will,  and  walk  all  your  life  in  his 
divine  commandments,  as  he  himself  says, 
'•  He  that  hath  my  commandments,  andkeep- 
eth  them,  he  it  is  that  loveth  me,"  Jn.  14: 21. 

Behold,  most  beloved  reader,  thus  true 
faith  or  true  knowledge  begets  love,  and 
love  begets  obedience  to  the  commandments 
of  God.  Therefore  Christ  Jesus  says,  "He 
that  believeth  on  him  is  not  condemned." 
Again  at  another  place,  "Verily,  verily,  I 
say  unto  you,  he  that  heareth  my  word, 
and  believeth  on  him  that  sent  me,  hath 
everlasting  life,  and  shall  not  come  into 
condemnation;  but  is  passed  from  death 
into  life,"  Jn.  5:  24.  For  true  evangelical 
faith  is  of  such  a  nature  that  it  cannot  lay 
dormant;  but  manifests  itself  in  all  right- 
eousness and  works  of  love;  it  dies  unto 
flesh  and  blood;  destroys  all  forbidden 
lusts  and  desires;  cordially  seeks,  sei-ves 
and  fears  God;  clothes  the  naked;  feeds 
the  hungry;  consoles  the  afliicted;  shelters 
the  miserable;  aids  and  consoles  all  the 
oppressed;  returns  good  for  evil;  serves 
those  that  injure  it;  prays  for  those  that 
persecute  it;  teaches,  admonishes  and  re- 
proves with  the  AVord  of  the  Lord;  seeks 
that  which  is  lost;  binds  up  that  which  is 
wounded;  heals  that  which  is  diseased  and 
saves  that  which  is  sound.  The  persecu- 
tion, suffering  and  anxiety  which  befalls  it 
for  the  sake  of  the  truth  of  the  Lord,  is  to  it 
a  glorious  joy  and  consolation. 

All  those  who  have  a  faith  as  is  here  men- 
tioned, namely,  a  faith  that  makes  desirous 
to  walk  in  the  commandments  of  the  Lord, 
to  do  the  will  of  the  Lord,  and  which  shows 
itself  in  all  righteousness,  love  and  obedi- 
ence, also  acknowledge  that  the  word 
and  will  of  our  beloved  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
is  true  wisdom,  truth  and  life,  yea,  un- 
changeable and  immutable  until  Christ 
Jesus  shall  reappear  in  the  clouds  of  heaven 
at  the  judgment  day;  they  do  not  scoff  at 
God's  word  as  if  it  were  a  vapor,  as  do  the 
ignorant  world,  saying,  "What  can  water 
avail  me?"  but  they  will  diligently  try  to 
obey  the  word  of  Jesus  Christ  in  every  par- 
ticular, even  at  the  risk  of  death  according 
to  the  flesh. 

Behold,  beloved  brethren,  I  speak  frankly 
with  a  certain  and  sure  comdction  not  by 


any  revelation  or  heavenly  inspiration,  but 
by  the  express,  definite  word  of  the  Lord, 
and  from  my  inmost  heart  I  am  convinced 
that  this  doctrine  is  not  our  doctrine,  but 
the  doctrine  of  him  who  sent  us,  that  is 
Christ  Jesus.  All  those  who  are  desirous 
of  doing  his  will,  will  acknowledge  that 
this  doctrine  is  of  God;  and  that  we  do  not 
preach  our  own  opinion,  dreamings, 
and  visions.  But  those  who  do  not  fear 
God;  do  not  believe  on  Christ  Jesus;  who 
trample  upon  his  word,  and  do  not  do  his 
will;  who  love  darkness  rather  than  light; 
by  those,  all  evangelical  truth  must  be  called 
damnable  heresy  and  considered  and  treat- 
ed as  deadly  treason.  Notwithstanding  all 
this,  the  word  of  God  shall  remain  un- 
broken until  the  judgment  day. 

AVoe  unto  such  !  For  in  them  are  lost  the 
abundant  gifts  of  grace,  the  heavenly  word 
of  peace,  the  mild  admonitions,  the  hard 
and  bitter  labor,  the  precious  treasure, 
which  is  the  precious  blood  and  bitter  death 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Again,  woe,  woe 
unto  them  !  For  it  can  never  be  that  we  can 
be  saved  without  faith,  love  and  obedience 
to  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  I  speak  of  those 
of  understanding  age.  Paul  says,  "With- 
out faith  it  is  impossible  to  please  him 
(God),"  Heb.  11 :  6.  "  He  that  believeth  not 
is  condemned,"  Jn.  3:  18. 

As  the  literal  law  of  Moses  could  not,  at 
any  time,  be  changed  by  the  tyranny  of 
princes,  the  accuteness  of  the  learned,  or 
by  the  madness  of  the  common  people; 
and  as  there  could  be  nothing  added  to,  nor 
taken  from  it,  it  had  to  remain  unchanged 
until  the  coming  of  Christ. "  Yea,  as  all  who 
did  not  abide  by  this  law  were  the  children 
of  the  wrath  and  of  death ;  so,  also,  it  is  to- 
day. If  all  the  deceased  apostles  should 
be  raised  up  and  should  teach  us  diSerent- 
ly  from  what  they  did  at  the  time  of  their 
ministration;  and  besides  these,  Moses  and 
the  prophets,  all  the  angels  of  heaven  and 
as  many  eloquent  and  mii-aculous  prophets 
as  we  have  hairs  on  our  heads;  and  if  be- 
sides these,  all  the  princes  should  roar  like 
devouring  lions  and  ravening  wolves,  and 
if  every  learned  tongue  should  cut  as  a 
razor,  it  would  yet  be  impossible  that  those 
could  be  saved  who  do  not  abide  by  the 
wholesome  doctrine,  sacraments,  obedience 


MENNO'S  REASONS  FOR  TEACHINa  AND  WRITING. 


247 


and  life  of  Jesus  Christ.  Yea  they  are  the 
children  of  wrath,  the  curse  and  of  death 
eternal,  as  Christ  himself  says,  "Not  every 
one  that  saith  unto  me.  Lord,  Lord,  shall 
enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven;  but  he 
that  doeth  the  will  of  my  Father  which  is 
in  heaven,"  Matt.  7:  21.  At  another  place 
he  says,  "If  ye  continue  in  my  word  then 
are  ye  my  disciples  indeed;  and  ye  shall 
know  the  truth,  and  the  truth  shall  make 
you  free,"  Jn.  8:  31,  32.  From  this  follows 
the  opposite,  beloved  brethren,  namely, 
that  if  we  do  not  abide  in  Christ's  word,  we 
cannot  be  his  disciples ;  that  we  do  not  ac- 
knowledge the  truth;  and  if  we  do  not  ac- 
knowledge the  truth  how  can  we  then  be 
made  free  thereby  ?  And  if  we  are  not  freed 
by  truth,  woe  unto  us  that  we  were  ever 
born ;  for  then  we  are  yet  in  sin,  under  the 
curse,  wrath,  children  of  hell,  of  the  devil 
and  of  eternal  death.  O,  misery,  misery  ! 
Fear  with  all  your  heart,  faithful  reader ! 
For  this  will  never  be  found  otherwise. 

If  the  bloodthirsty,  tyrannical  lords  and 
princes  had,  from  the  beginning,  acknowl- 
edged this,  and  woiild  now  acknowledge  it, 
namely,  that  the  word  is  eternal  and  will 
remain  unchangeable  and  tiiat  it  cannot  be 
changed  by  the  most  exalted  of  men,  never 
would  they  thus  have  opposed  and  mur- 
dered the  professors  of  the  divine  word. 

If  the  Roman  bishop  and  his  learned  fel- 
lows had  taken  this  matter  to  heart,  he 
would  never  have  taken  from  Italy  her  em- 
peror, and  from  Christ  Jesus  the  spiritual 
reign.  But  he  would,  doirbtlessly,  have 
bidden  adieu  to  his  worldly  glory,  pomp, 
luxury,  idolatry,  false  doctrine,  easy  life, 
garbled  sacraments,  sodomitic  unclean- 
ness,  councils,  statutes  and  decrees  and 
would  have  contented  himself  with  the  im- 
mutable, heavenly  doctrine  of  the  only, 
true  Shepherd,  Teacher  and  Bishop  of  our 
souls,  Christ  Jesus. 

As  the  whole  burden  of  our  salvation  is 
included  and  comprised  in  Christ  Jesus  and 
his  holy  word,  and  in  no  one  else,  nor  in 
any  other  doctrine — therefore  I  warn  every 
godfearing  soul,  by  the  word  of  God, 
through  nothing  but  brotherly  love,  not  to 
be  shaken  and  misled,  either  by  the  exalted 
position  of  man,  or  by  old  age,  learning, 
eloquence,    finely    gotten    up    ceremonies, 


dreams,  prophesies,  visions,  signs  and 
jugglery.  For  there  can  never  be  a  wiser, 
truer,  more  diligent,  more  righteous,  god- 
pleasing,  unblamable,  powerful,  perfect, 
higher  or  holier  Prophet  than  the  ever 
blessed  Christ  Jesus.  Every  thing,  too,  has 
testified  this  of  him,  both  in  heaven  and 
upon  earth.  In  the  first  place  God  testified 
this  to  Adam;  afterward  to  Moses,  David, 
Isaiah,  Jeremiah,  Ezekiel,  Hosea,  Zechari- 
ah,  and  to  most  of  the  prophets;  to  the 
angel  Gabriel;  to  the  angels  at  his  birth; 
by  the  star  of  heaven;  by  the  wise  from  the 
east;  the  learned  at  Jerusalem;  John  the 
Baptist.  Again  at  his  baptism  by  the  Fa- 
ther and  the  Holy  Ghost;  afterward  by  the 
multitudes,  the  devils;  by  the  healing,  the 
raising  up  of  the  dead;  by  changing  water 
into  wine;  commanding  the  storm  to  cease; 
by  the  loaves,  fishes,  fig-tree,  and  the  chil- 
dren on  palms-day;  at  his  death;  by  the 
murderer;  the  firmament  of  heaven;  the 
whole  earth ;  the  curtains  of  the  temple ;  the 
stones ;  the  deceased  dead,  and  the  centurion 
under  the  cross,  Ps.  22:  7;  Isa.  53:  5;  Dan. 
9:  25.  Say,  what  is  there  that  has  not  testi- 
fied to  Christ  Jesus  ?  Yea  he  is  the  one,  as 
he  himself  says,  who  after  his  resurrection 
again  ascended  to  heaven,  to  whom  all 
power  is  given  of  the  Father  both  in  heaven 
I  and  in  earth,  Matt.  28.  Therefore  it  is  just 
and  right,  yea  it  is  absolutely  required,  if 
they  do  not  want  to  be  lost,  that  all  magis- 
trates bow  themselves  under  his  scepter; 
all  reason  and  sagaciousness  place  them- 
selves under  his  heavenly  wisdom;  all  flesh 
lay  at  his  blessed  feet;  and  that  every 
tongue  confess  that  he  is  the  Lord,  to  the 
honor  and  praise  of  his  Father.  Therefore 
I  pray  all  godfearing  readers  in  the  Lord, 
by  the  merits  of  our  blessed  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  to  whom  be  the  kingdom,  the  praise 
and  honor;  not  to  consider  me  any  higher 
than  a  mere,  humble  servant  of  Jesus  Christ 
and  as  a  dispenser  of  his  mysteries,  accord- 
ing to  the  faith  given  me  of  him.  I,  miser- 
able sinner  that  I  am,  on  account  of  my  un- 
clean, greedy,  proud,  vain,  idolatrous  and 
carnal  life  which  I  formerly  led,  and  on  ac- 
countof  my  yet  often  sinning  and  transgress- 
ing before  my  God,  who  am  not  worthy  to  be 
the  least  servant  in  the  house  of  my  Lord  1 
Yet,  by  his  grace  I  am  that  I  am. 


248 


MENNO'S  REASONS  FOR  TEACHING  AND  WRITING. 


Brethren,  I  tell  you  the  truth  and  lie  not. 
I  am  no  Enoch,  no  Elias,  I  have  no  visions, 
am  no  prophet,  who  can  teach  and  prophe- 
sy differently  from  what  it  is  written  in  the 
word  of  God  and  whosoever  tries  to  teach 
something  else  will  soon  miss  the  right  way 
and  be  deceived  in   his  learning.     I  trust 
that  the  merciful  Father  will  keep  me  in  his 
word  so  til  at  I  shall  wi-ite  or  speak  nothing 
but  that  which  I  can  prove  by  Moses,  the 
prophets,  the  evangelists  or  by  other  apos- 
tolic Scriptures  and  doctrines,  explained  in 
their  true  sense,  Spirit  and  intent  of  Christ. 
Judge    ye    that    are    spiritually     minded. 
Again,  I  have  no  visions  nor  angelic  inspi- 
rations, neither  do  I  desire  such,  lest  I  be 
thereby     deceived.     The    word    of    Christ, 
alone,  is  sufficient  for  me.     If  I  do  not  fol- 
low his  testimony,  then,  verily,  all  that  I 
do  is  useless.    And  even  if  I  had    such 
visions  and  inspirations,  which  is  not  the 
case,  even  then  it  would  have  to  be  conform- 
able to  the  word  and  Spirit  of  Christ,  or 
else  it  would  be  mere  fantas}^  deceit  and 
Satanic  temptation.     For  Paul  saj^s,  "Let 
us  prophesy  according  to  the  proportion  of 
faith,"  Rom.  12:  6.  Nor  am  I  a  third  David, 
as  some  have  falsely  passed  themselves  and 
yet  pass  themselves  for.    There  are  but  two 
Davids  comprised  in  the  word  of  God.    The 
first,  a  literal  and  figurative,  namel}^,  the 
son  of  Jesse;  and  the  second,  the  spiritual, 
the  only  begotten  Son  of  God,  Christ  Jesus. 
Whosoever,   now,   passes    himself  for  the 
third,  is  a  falsifier  and  blasi)hemer.    Let 
every  soul  take  heed,  lest  he  err  in  his  faith. 
According  to  my  first  birth  I  am  nothing 
but  unclean  slime  and  dust  of  earth,  con- 
ceived and  born  in  sin  from  my  mother's 
womb,  and  educated  all  my  life  in  all  man- 
ner of  ignorance,  sin  and  blindness,  until 
the  clear  light  of  grace  and  knowledge  ap- 
peared unto  me  from  high  heaven  and  which 
has  given  me  such  a  heart,  will  and  desire, 
that    I  willingly  seek  after  that   which  is 
good,  and  strive,  with  holy  Paul  to  "follow 
after,  if  that  I  may  apprehend  that  for  which 
also  I  am  apprehended  of  Christ  Jesus," 
Phil.  3:  12. 

O,  most  beloved  reader,  I  repeat  that  I 
have  formerly  acted  shamefully  against 
God  and  my  neighbors;  and  yet  I  do,  some- 
times think,  speak  and  act  recklessly,  of 


]  which  however  I  sincerely  repent.  What 
I  am  I  that  I  should  boast  of,  seek  and  teach 
any  thing  else  than  the  ever  blessed  Christ 
Jesus  alone,  his  word,  sacraments,  obedi- 
ence and  his  god-pleasing,  virtuous  and  un- 
blamable life.  He  is  the  only  one  of  whom 
it  is  written:  That  he  was  begotten  of  the 
Holy  Ghost;  that  he  knew  no  sin;  that 
guile  was  not  found  in  his  mouth,  that  his 
doctrine,  word,  will,  and  commandments 
are  life  eternal,  Matt.  1:25;  Luke  1:31; 
1  Pet.  2:  22;  Isa.  53:  12. 

Therefore  take  heed  and  save  your  soul. 
For  thus  every  christian  must  be  minded  in 
regard  to  Christ  Jesus,  his  Savior  and  in  re- 
gard to  his  holy  word ;  nor  must  he  think  him- 
self more  exalted,  no  matter  what  gifts  he  has 
received,  if  he  would  not  rob  Christ  Jesus 
of  his  glory;  and  remain  in  a  humble  walk 
before  God,  in  the  ri^t  measure  of  his 
faith  as  becomes  him  in  Christ.  I  advise 
all  not  to  deceive  themselves.  Let  spiritual 
pride,  and  vain  boasting  be  far  from  you, 
"For  God  resisteth  the  proud,  and  giveth 
grace  to  the  humble,"  1  Pet.  5:  5. 

Inasmuch  as  I  daily  see  the  perils  which 
have  surrounded  us  from  the  beginning; 
and  as  so  many  souls  are  deceived  by  false 
prophesies,  smooth  words,  seeming  holi- 
ness, lying,  jugglery,  boasting  and  false 
promises  of  the  anti-christians  and  the  false 
prophets  who  are  ever  intent  upon  their 
own  honor,  fame  and  gain,  under  a  sem- 
blance of  God's  word,  as  was  the  case  with 
the  popes  of  Rome,  with  John  of  Leyden, 
the  Mnnsterites,  and  others — therefore  I 
deem  it  essential  and  well,  sincerely  to  warn 
and  admonish  all  beloved  readers  in  the 
Lord,  not  to  accept  my  doctrine  as  the  gos- 
pel of  Jesus  Christ  until  they  have  weighed 
it  in  the  balance  with  the  Spirit  and  word 
of  God,  that  they  may  not  place  their  faith 
in  me,  nor  in  any  teacher  or  writer,  but, 
solely  in  Christ  Jesus.  For  if  they  should 
accept  it  for  my  sake,  and  should  not  first 
compare  it  with  the  word  of  the  Lord,  and 
should,  thus  depend  upon  me  or  any  other 
man,  and  not  upon  Christ  Jesus,  they  would 
be  like  unto  the  culpable  Corinthians,  whom 
Paul  severely  reproved  because  there  were 
dissensions  among  them;  some  were  of 
Paul,  some  of  Apollos,  and  not  all  of  Christ 
Jesus,  1  Cor.  1.    They  would  be  like  unto 


MENNO'S  REASONS  FOR  TEACHING  AND  WRITING. 


249 


those  of  whom  it  is  written,  "Cursed be  the 
man  that  trusteth  in  man,  and  maketh  flesh 
his  arm,  and  whose  heart  departeth  from 
the  Lord,"  Jer.  17:  5. 

If  I  shonld,  by  my  teaching,  gain  disci- 
ples for  myself  and  not  for  Christ  Jesns, 
seeking  my  own  gain,  praise  and  honor, 
then,  indeed,  woe  unto  my  soul !  No  breth- 
ren, no.  The  Lord  be  blessed  I  seek  not 
that  which  Judas,  Gallio  and  Theudas 
sought.  By  the  grace  of  God  I  am  not 
minded  like  those  who,  in  their  imagination 
soar  above  the  clouds  and  want  to  be  like 
unto  the  Most  High;  Acts  5:  37.  But  I  re- 
peat it.  I  am  a  poor,  miserable  sinner,  who 
must  daily  fight  with  my  flesh,  the  world 
and  the  devil,  and  daily  seek  the  mercy  of 
the  Lord;  and  who,  with  holy  Paul  boasts 
of  nothing  but  of  Chi-ist  Jesus  alone;  and 
that  he  was  crucified  for  us. 

My  writing  and  preaching  is  for  nothing 
but  for  the  sake  of  Christ  Jesus ;  for  I  seek 
and  desire  nothing  (this  the  Lord  knows) 
but  that  the  most  glorious  name,  the  divine 
will,  and  the  glory  of  our  beloved  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  may  be  acknowledged  through- 
out the  world.    I  desire  and  seek  sincere 
teachers,  true  doctrines,  true    faith,    true 
sacraments,  true  worship  and  an  unblama- 
ble life;  for  which  I  must  pay  with  much 
tribulation,     trouble,     uneasiness,     labor, 
watching,    fear,     anxiety,     sorrow,    envy, 
shame,  heat  and  cold,  and  perhaps,  at  last 
by  torture,  yea  by  my  blood  and  death. 
For  my  reward,  according  to  the  flesh,  must 
be  that  of  him  who,  from  the  beginning,  in 
his  great  love,  has  sought  the  salvation  of 
the  world.    I  say  with  holy  John  the  Bap 
tist;  Christ  Jesus  must  increase,  but  I  must 
decrease,  Jn.  3:  30;   he  lives  forever  and 
ever,  but  I  shall  again  return  to  the  dust 
from  whence  I  came,  as  all  the  children  of 
men. 

Therefore  I  beseech  you  again,  by  the 
grace  of  God,  and  for  the  salvation  of  your 
souls,  that  you  may  weigh  my  doctrine  and 
the  doctrine  of  all  mankind,  who  have  been 
from  the  times  of  the  apostles,  are  now,  and 
shall  yet  be,  with  the  gospel  balance  of 
Jesus  Christ  and  the  doctrine  of  his  holy 
apostles,  lest  you  be  deceived  by  me  or  by 
any  other  man,  no  matter  whether  he  be  a 
prince,  learned  or  unlearned,  holy  in  ap- 
68 


pearance,  or  miraculous.  If  it  be  the  word 
of  God  which  I  teach,  accept  it  in  the  name 
of  the  Lord,  if  ye  would  not  be  lost.  But 
if  it  be  human  doctrine,  then  let  it  be  ac- 
cursed of  God.  "  For  other  foundation  can 
no  man  lay  than  that  is  laid  (by  the  apos- 
tles) which  is  Jesus  Christ,"  1  Cor.  3: 11. 

No  doctrine  is  profitable  or  serviceable  to 
our  salvation  but  the  doctrine  of  Christ 
Jesus  and  his  holy  apostles,  as  he  himself 
says,  "Teach  them  to  observe  all  things 
whatsoever  I  have  commanded  you,"  Matt. 
28:  19. 

All  Scripture,  both  of  the  Old  and  New 
Testaments,  rightly  explained  according  to 
the  intent  of  Christ  Jesus  and  his  holy  apos- 
tles, is  profitable  for  doctrine,  for  reproof, 
for  correction,  for  instruction  in  righteous- 
ness, 2  Tim.  3:  16;  but  whatever  is  taught 
contrary  to  the  Spirit  and  doctrine  of  Jesus 
is  accursed  of  God,  Gal.  1. 

Inasmuch  as  there  is  but  one  corner  stone 
laid  of  God,  the  Almighty  Father,  in  the 
foundation  of  Zion,  which  is  Christ  Jesus, 
Isa.  28:  16;  Rom.  9:  33;  1  Pet.  2:6;  upon 
whom  alone  we  should  build  conformable 
to  his  word,  and  upon  none  other;  and  as 
the  whole  world,  to  the  contrary,  have  built 
upon  strange  corner  stones,  such  as  popes, 
councils,  doctors,  doctrines  and  command- 
ments of  men;  upon  wrong  practices  of  long 
standing,  and  still  continue  to  build  upon 
pretending  prophets;  and  as  they  thus  so 
shamefully  reject  the  only,  noble  and  fin- 
ished corner  stone,  the  ever  blessed  Christ 
Jesus — ^therefore  I  can  not  be  restrained, 
but  must  warn  all  godfearing  souls  in  the 
Lord,  by  my  writings,  wherever  they  shall 
be  taken,  read  and  heard,  that  from  this 
moment  they  may  awaken,  if  they  desire  to 
be  saved  (whether  I  live  or  die  by  so  doing), 
and  that  they  may  without  delay,  enter 
upon  the  wholesome  doctrine,  sacraments, 
obedience  and  life  of  our  beloved  Lord  Jesus 
Christ;  for  in  him  alone  is  life  eternal,  as 
has  been  frequently  said  above. 

Beloved  reader,  verily,  I  can  not  but  won- 
der at  the  obduracy,  deafness  and  blind- 
ness of  the  world,  inasmuch  as  they  are  not 
ashamed  to  bear  the  name  of  Christ,  and  to 
boast  of  his  merits,  blood  and  death,  while 
nothing  is  found  among  them  at  all  by 
which  they  prove  the  good  will  and  natm-e 


250 


MENNO'S  REASONS  FOR  TEACHING  AND  WRITING. 


of  Christ  Jesus.     0  ye  vain  boasters,  if  you 
are  the  true  christians  in  whom  God  is 
pleased,  as  you  pretend,  where  then,  is  your 
christian  baptism  in  which  you  have  buried 
your  sins  and  put  on  the  new  life  ?  Where 
is  your  true  Supper  in  which  you  proclaim 
the  death  of  the  Lord  and  show  yoiir  broth- 
erly love?  Where  is  your  love  and  fear  of 
God?  your  love  of  your  neighbors?  Your 
humility  of  heart?  Your  mercifulness  to- 
wards the  needful?  Your  obedience  to  the 
commandments  of  God?   Your  new  birth 
from  above,  from  which  results  a  new  life 
which  should  be  unblamable  before  God, 
and  before  all  the  world  ?  Jas.  1 :  27.  Where 
is  the  living,  holy  and  pleasing  sacrifice  of 
3"our  own  body,  which  you  should  ever  be 
ready  to  present  for  the  sake  of  the  Lord's 
truth  ?    We  find  nothing  amongst  you  but 
unbelief  and  its  evil  fruits;  an  anti-chris- 
tian  baptism,  idolatrous  supper;  unclean 
love  of  flesh,  unmercifulness,  pride,  avarice, 
disobedience  in  all  divine  matters,  carnal 
birth,   earthly    mindedness,    and    the    old 
blamable  life,  led  according  to  the  will  of 
him  who,  from  the  beginning,  was  a  proud, 
false,  deceitful,  cruel  and  bloody  murderer. 
We  find  amongst  you  no  worship  but 
only  a  self-begotten  set  of  rites  which  are 
pleasing  to  the  flesh,  such  as,  bells,  organs, 
singing,  celebration,  ornamented  churches, 
beautiful  images,  differences  in  victuals  and 
in  days,  false  purification  and  promises, 
reading  many  psalms   and  jDater  nosters 
with  the  mouth  and  not  spiritually,  adul- 
teration of  the  sacraments,  and  a  destruc- 
tion and  garbling  of  all  that  which  Christ 
Jesus  has  taught  and  commanded  in  his 
holy  gospel.     All  of  which  are,  verily,  no 
works  of  regenerated  christians ;  but  rather 
the  works  of  Satan  or  of  the  foolish,  blind 
and  ignorant  flesh.     For  by  these  works 
neither  the  word  nor  righteousness  of  God 
is  taught;  no  flesh  is  crucified;  no  neigh- 
bors are  served;  and  above  all  they  are  not 
pleasing  to  God.    Therefore  they  can  not 
be  considered,  according  to  Scripture,  ser- 
vices of  God,  but  rather  an  abominable, 
fearful  and  terrible  service  of  idols.    For 
by    such    means    the    ignorant,    trusting 
populace  is  led  away  from  the  true  faith 
and  trust  in  Christ  Jesus  and  is  led  into  a 
false  trust  in  ceremonies,  yea,  in  such  cere- 


monies as  the  eternal  wisdom,  the  blessed 
Christ  Jesus,  has  never  commanded.  By 
which  ceremonies  they  plainly  show  that 
they  believe  at  heart  that  Christ  Jesus  is 
imperfect,  foolish,  and  unclean.  For  in 
case  they  believed  him  to  be  wise  and  per- 
fect how  could  they  thus  shamefully  adul- 
terate, break,  despise  and  garble  his  perfect, 
evangelical  word  and  ordinances?  And  if 
they  acknowledged  him  to  be  spotless  why 
do  they  seek  their  salvation  in  such  impure 
and  strange  means,  and  not  in  the  only 
pure  sacrifice,  which  is  Christ  Jesus  ? 

But  because  true  religion  opposes  your 
carnal  mindedness,  pride,  avarice,  unclean- 
ness,  vanity,  ease  and  the  lusts  of  your 
flesh,  therefore  you  have  chosen  for  your- 
selves a  vain  and  strange  religion  by  which 
you  think  to  be  saved,  although  you  do  not 
live  according  to  the  word  and  will  of  God. 
O,  no,  dear  reader,  no.  I  repeat  it,  if  all 
creatures  under  the  heavens  were  devouring 
swords,  fire  and  water;  if  all  men  were 
cruel,  horrible  and  bloody  tyrants;  and  if 
the  acuteness  of  the  learned,  ruled  all  the 
people,  yet  all  would  be  vanity.  If  you 
would  enter  into  life,  you  must  be  born 
again,  Jn.  3:  5,  you  must  be  regenerated 
and  in  malice  you  should  be  children,  1 
Cor.  14:  20;  yea,  you  must  keep  the  com- 
mandments which  were  taught  and  com- 
manded of  Jesus  Christ,  Matt.  18.  Nothing 
can  be  devised  as  a  substitute;  for  there 
will  never  be  a  way  to  salvation  other  than 
Christ  Jesus. 

It  is  too  plain,  and  indiscreet  blindness 
to  think  that  we  could  be  saved  and  at  the 
same  time  be  avaricious,  spiteful,  envious, 
proud,  adulterous  and  idolatrous,  as  all 
the  Scriptures  too  plainly  show  and  teach 
that  such  shall  not  inherit  the  kingdom  of 
God.  Did  you  ever  find  falsehood  with 
God?  I  think  not.  Holy  Paul  says  that 
God  is  one  "that  can  not  lie,"  Tit.  1:2. 
Christ  Jesus  says,  "  Thy  word  is  truth,"  Jn. 
17:  17.  If  he  be,  then,  a  God  that  can  not 
lie;  and  if  his  holy  word  be  truth;  O,  ye 
miserable,  then  all  is  lost  with  you.  For 
his  doctrine  and  truth  is,  that  the  unbeliev- 
ing, refractory,  disobedient,  avaricious, 
vain,  lying,  whoring,  greedy,  obdurate, 
idolatrous,  adulterous,  ambitious,  blood- 
thirsty and  carnal  man  shall  not  enter  into 


MEKNO'S  REASONS  FOR  TEACHING  AND  WRITING. 


251 


the  kingdom  of  heaven;  but  his  portion 
shall  be  "everlasting  destruction,"  1  Thess. 
1 :  9,  eternal  darkness  and  eternal  death. 

As  you  are  such  ungodly,  obdurate  and 
willful  sinners,  therefore  you  are,  according 
to  the  word  of  Christ  which  can  not  lie,  and 
according  to  the  doctrine  of  the  apostles 
who  spoke  in  like  Spirit,  deprived  of  the 
glorious  revelation  of  the  children  of  God, 
and  of  the  future  life;  and  must  remain  for- 
ever, by  the  wrath  of  God,  in  the  lake  which 
burns  with  fire  and  brimstone,  Rev.  21 :  8. 

And  if  you,  notwithstanding  this,  trust 
to  be  saved  while  you  do  not  sincerely  re- 
pent of  your  old  life,  then,  verily,  your 
trust  is  vain.  For  by  such  trust  you  make 
God  a  liar,  because  you  trust  to  acquire 
life  contrary  to  his  holy  word. 

\Vhat !  Do  ye  think,  O  ye  perverse,  that 
we  shall  surprise,  blind  and  bribe  the  Al- 
mighty, wise  and  just  God  ?  Do  you  think 
that  the  eternal  truth  shall  become  false- 
hood for  your  sake?  No,  beloved  reader, 
no.  Beware.  The  irrepressible  sentence  of 
God  was  passed,  irrepealably  more  than 
fifteen  hundred  years  ago,  namely:  "If  ye 
live  after  the  flesh,  ye  shall  die,"  Rom. 
8:  13.    This  word  is  sure  and  firm. 

O  world,  world,  that  you  thus  despise  as 
vain  and  useless,  the  calling  and  inviting 
voice  of  your  God  who  is  as  faithful  to  you 
as  a  faithful  Father  to  his  beloved  children  ! 
And  that  you  speak  in  your  hearts,  with 
beautiful  Tyrus,  "I  am  of  perfect  beauty," 
Ezek.  27:  3;  and  with  proud  Babel,  "I  am, 
and  none  else  besides  me;  I  shall  not  sit  as 
a  widow,  neither  shall  I  know  the  loss  of 
children,"  Isa.  47:  8.  Yea,  although  you 
now  say,  as  do  the  ignorant,  It  is  peace 
and  freedom;  yet  I  tell  you,  as  Ezekiel  said 
unto  Tyrus,  Thou  art  nothing;  nothing 
wilt  thou  be  forever;  and  as  Isaiah  said 
unto  Babel,  Thou  shalt  fall  and  not  rise 
again;  and  with  Paul,  "That  the  day  of 
the  Lord  so  cometh  as  a  thief  in  the  night," 
and,  "  as  travail  upon  a  woman  with  child; 
and  they  shall  not  escape,"  1  Thess.  5:  2,  3; 
and  although  you  may  now,  with  Caper- 
naum, be  exalted  unto  heaven  yet  you  will 
be  brought  down  to  hell,  unlocked  for. 
Matt.  11 :  23.  You  eat,  drink,  dress,  grab, 
hoard,  and  you  act  in  all  your  transactions 
as  if  you  would  ever  remain  in  this  taber- 


nacle of  clay;  and  you  never  reflect  that 
soon  the  word  will  be  heard  by  all  of  us, 
"Give  an  account  of  thy  stewardship;  for 
thou  mayest  be  no  longer  steward." 

The  precious  word  of  grace  and  of  eternal 
peace,  which  is  the  most  holy  gospel  of 
Jesus  Christ,  you  account  for  nothing  more 
than  a  fable,  nay,  as  accursed  heresy;  for 
you  drown,  burn,  persecute,  and  murder 
those  who  teach,  admonish  and  reprove 
you  by  this  word,  and  who  by  a  strong 
power  of  the  Spirit  are  sent  to  you  of  God, 
by  grace;  just  as  the  mad  synagogue  of  the 
Jews  did ;  so  that  they  did  not  only  perse- 
cute and  destroy  the  chosen  children  of  God, 
the  holy  prophets,  but  also  the  only  begot- 
ten Son  of  God  himself;  who  by  the  inefla- 
ble  love  of  the  merciful  Father  was  sent  to 
them  for  their  own,  eternal  salvation.  What 
did  they  say?  "This  is  the  heir;  come,  let 
us  kill  him,  and  let  us  seize  on  his  inherit- 
ance," Matt.  21:  38. 

IIow  long  will  you  continue  in  your  dam- 
nable blindness,  your  refractory  obduracy 
and  your  pernicious  madness  ?  Reflect  upon 
the  abundant,  ineflable  works  of  grace 
which  Christ  Jesus  has  shown  you,  and  if 
his  great  love  cannot  move  you  to  withdraw 
from  your  idolatry,  disobedience  and  ac- 
cursed life,  then  remember  his  rigid  judg- 
ments which,  from  the  beginning  of  the  cre- 
ation, came  upon  all  those  who  did  not 
abide  in  his  blessed  word  and  obedience, 
that  you  may  by  such  fear,  since  you  are 
not  moved  by  his  love,  be  drawn  away  from 
all  evil. 

Behold  the  weeping  eyes,  O,  miserable 
world,  and  hear  the  tender  voice  of  our  be- 
loved Lord  Jesus  Christ,  how  he  wept  for 
obdurate  Jerusalem,  and  said  unto  them, 
"  If  thou  hadst  known,  even  thou,  at  least 
in  this  thy  day,  the  things  which  belong 
unto  thy  peace !  But  now  they  are  hid  from 
thine  eyes,"  Luke  19 :  42.  At  another  place, 
"Behold,  I  send  unto  you  prophets  and 
wise  men  and  scribes ;  and  some  of  them  ye 
shall  kill  and  crucify ;  and  some  of  them  ye 
shall  scourge  in  your  synagogues,  and  per- 
secute them  from  city  to  city:  That  upon 
you  may  come  all  the  righteous  blood  shed 
upon  the  earth;  from  the  blood  of  righteous 
Abel  unto  the  blood  of  Zacharias,  son  of 
Barachias,  whom  ye  slew  between  the  tern- 


253 


MENNO'S  KEASONS  FOR  TEACHING  AND  WRITING. 


pie  and  the  altar.  Veril}^  I  say  unto  yon, 
All  these  things  shall  come  npon  this  gener- 
ation. O,  Jernsalem,  Jerusalem,  thou  that 
killest  the  prophets,  and  stonest  them  which 
are  sent  unto  thee,  how  often  would  I  have 
gathered  thy  children  together,  even  as  a 
hen  gathereth  her  chickens  under  her  wings, 
and  ye  would  not !  Behold,  your  house  is 
left  unto  you  desolate,"  Matt.  23:  34—38. 

O,  sincerely  beloved  readers,  in  case  you 
would  rightly  take  to  heart  these  words  of 
Christ,  your  bones  would  become  dry  by 
fear;  they  would  shake  and  tremble;  for  it 
is  with  you,  even,  as  it  was  with  Jerusalem 
and  Judah.  You  willfully  deny  that  Christ 
Jesus  is  your  Lord.  You  do  not  desire  the 
true  knowledge  of  his  ways.  But  you  de- 
sire to  do  as  all  gentiles  have  done  from 
the  beginning,  namely,  worship  wood, 
stone,  gold,  silver,  bread,  wine  and  the 
works  of  your  own  hands.  Besides  your 
earthly,  carnal  and  corrupt  life,  which, 
so  to  speak,  does  not  conform  in  the  least 
to  the  word  and  will  of  him  who,  by  grace, 
created  you,  to  his  honor. 

Indeed,  you  have  so  entirely  rejected 
Christ  Jesus  and  cast  him  from  you  in 
mockery,  that  there  is  no  doctrine,  sacra- 
ments or  any  thing  left  you  which  conforms 
to  his  word;  but  you  have  instituted  self- 
begotten  doctrines,  sacraments,  ceremonies 
and  commandments,  as  if  Christ  Jesus,  the 
only  begotten  Son  and  Wisdom  of  the  Al- 
mighty Father,  were  not  the  true  Messen- 
ger. And  all  those  who,  about  this  damna- 
ble, deadly  error,  fraternally  admonish  and 
mildly  reprove  j^ou  and  seek  to  return  you 
to  Christ  Jesus  and  to  his  blessed  word, 
must  be  taken  and  suffer  as  rebellious  her- 
etics, in  all  cities  and  countries. 

Behold,  kind  reader,  as  you  have  ever 
been  and  j'et  are  so  unthankful  for  his  pa- 
ternal grace,  God  has  shut  out  from  j'ou 
his  mercy,  and  has  brought  his  just  judg- 
ment upon  you  so  that  there  is  neither 
right,  godfearing  truth,  nor  true  teachers, 
nor  deacons,  nor  gospel,  nor  faith,  nor 
christian  baptism,  nor  christian  Supper, 
nor  christian  life,  nor  knowledge,  nor  truth, 
nor  spiritual  wisdom,  nor  judgment,  nor 
ban,  nor  love,  nor  piety  left  upon  earth. 
Thus  the  house  of  which  Christ  Jesus  has 
spoken,  ia  entirely  destroyed  and  the  well 


prepared  vineyard  of  the  Lord  is  without 
fruit,  and  is  become  useless,  as  the  prophet 
says,  '"Now  will  I  sing  to  my  well  beloved  a 
song  of  my  beloved  touching  his  vineyard. 
My  well  beloved  hath  a  vineyard  in  a  very 
fruitful  hill;  and  he  fenced  it  and  gathered 
out  the  stones  thereOi^,  and  planted  it  with 
the  choicest  vine,  and  built  a  tower  in  the 
midst  of  it,  and  also  made  a  wine-press 
therein;  and  he  looked  that  it  should  bring 
forth  grapes,  and  it  brought  forth  wild 
grapes.  And  now,  O  inhabitants  of  Jeru- 
salem, and  men  of  Judah,  judge,  I  pray 
you,  betwixt  me  and  my  vineyard.  What 
could  have  been  done  more  to  my  vineyard, 
that  I  have  not  done  in  it  ?  wherefore,  when 
I  looked  that  it  should  bring  forth  grapes, 
brought  it  forth  wild  grapes  ?  And  now,  go 
to;  I  will  tell  you  what  I  will  do  to  my 
vineyard.  I  will  take  away  the  hedge 
thereof,  and  it  shall  be  eaten  up;  and  break 
down  the  wall  thereof,  and  it  shall  be  trod- 
den down;  and  I  will  lay  it  waste;  it  shall 
not  be  pruned  nor  digged;  but  there  shall 
come  up  briers  and  thorns:  I  will  also  com- 
mand the  clouds  that  they  rain  no  rain  upon 
it.  For  the  vineyard  of  the  Lord  of  hosts 
is  the  house  of  Israel,  and  the  men  of  Ju- 
dah his  pleasant  plant;  and  he  looked  for 
judgment,  but  behold  oppression;  for  right- 
eousness, but  behold  a  cry,"  Isa.  5:  1 — 7. 

Behold,  dear  brethren,  as  this  judgment 
came  first  upon  Israel,  so  it  also  has  come 
upon  us.  For  all  flesh  has  corrupted  his 
way,  from  the  lowest  to  the  highest.  The 
heavens  are  iron,  and  earth  is  metal.  There 
are  found  in  the  vineyard  of  the  Lord  no 
dew,  no  moisture  nor  ripe  fruits;  there  is 
no  digger,  no  pruner  nor  tender.  Every 
where  it  is  accursed ;  the  walls  and  hedges 
are  trampled  down;  it  is  laid  waste  to  be 
trampled  upon  by  all  men;  sh-angers  have 
dominion  thereof.  The  Gentiles  have  en- 
tered into  the  sanctuary,  and  have  soiled 
the  temple  of  the  Lord.  Our  princes  are  to 
us  devouring  lions;  our  fathers  are  our  be- 
trayers; our  pastors  are  our  deceivers ;  oui- 
shepherds  are  our  wolves;  our  watchmen 
are  the  thieves  and  murderers  of  our  souls. 
We  find  nothing  but  thistles  and  thorns:  it 
is  all  plundered  and  robbed;  it  is  all  torn 
up  and  broken    down   wherever  we  turn. 


MENNO'S  KEASONS  FOR  TEACHING  AND  WRITING. 


258 


And  all  this  on  account  of  onr  sinfulness; 
this  we  must  confess  before  our  God. 

Yea,  dearest  reader,  compare  our  trans- 
gressions with  those  of  Sodom  and  Gomor- 
rah and  the  other  cities  which  God  has  de- 
stroyed on  account  of  their  sinfulness,  and 
see  how  far  they  stand  above  ns  yet.  For 
if  we  will  rightly  look  into  the  matter  we 
can  conceive  of  no  sinfulness  greater  than 
that  of  our  time;  no  matter  how  great  a  sin 
it  is,  as  pride,  avarice,  fornication,  adul- 
tery, idolatry,  backbiting,  hatred,  envy, 
greediness,  treason,  murder,  disobedience 
to  God,  refractoriness,  lying,  stealing,  hy- 
pocrisy or  any  other  ungodliness,  as  may 
be  plainly  seen. 

Besides,  flesh  is  accounted  Spirit;  false- 
hood, truth;  sinfulness,  righteousness;  and 
Satan  is  accounted  as  Christ,  by  this  miser- 
able, blind,  erring  world.  Anti-christ  is 
seated  in  the  temple  of  God.  Pharaoh 
arms  himself  against  Israel.  The  powerful 
miracles  and  the  beseeching  voice  of  the 
Lord  are  neither  seen  nor  heeded.  Thus 
has  this  abominable  darkness  covered  the 
whole  land  of  Egypt.  I  repeat,  thus  the 
fearful  judgment  of  God  is  come  upon  us 
because  of  our  sinfulness,  as  the  prophet 
says,  "Your  iniquities  have  separatedbe- 
tween  you  and  your  God,  and  yoiir  sins 
have  hid  his  face  from  you,  that  he  will  not 
hear.  For  your  hands  are  defiled  with 
blood,  and  your  fingers  with  iniquity;  your 
lips  have  spoken  lies,  your  tongue  hath 
muttered  perverseness.  None  calleth  for 
justice,  nor  any  pleadeth  for  truth;  they 
trust  in  vanity  and  speak  lies;  they  con- 
ceive mischief,  and  bring  forth  iniquity. 
They  hatch  cockatrice'  eggs,  and  weave  the 
spider's  web:  he  that  eateth  of  their  eggs 
dieth,  and  that  which  is  crushed  breaketh 
out  into  a  viper.  Their  webs  shall  not  be- 
come garments,  neither  shall  they  cover 
themselves  with  their  works;  their  works 
are  works  of  iniquity,  and  the  act  of  vio- 
lence is  in  their  hands.  Their  feet  run  to 
evil,  and  they  make  haste  to  shed  innocent 
blood;  their  thoughts  are  thoughts  of  iniq- 
uity; wasting  and  destruction  are  in  their 
paths.  The  way  of  peace  they  know  not; 
and  there  is  no  judgment  in  their  goings; 
they  have  made  them  crooked  paths :  who- 
soever goeth  therein  shall  not  know  peace. 


Therefore  is  judgment  far  from  us,  neither 
doth  justice  overtake  us.  We  wait  for 
light,  but  behold  obscurity;  for  brightness, 
but  we  walk  in  darkness.  We  grope  for 
the  wall  like  the  blind,  and  we  grope  as  if 
we  had  no  eyes:  we  stumble  at  noon-day 
as  in  the  night;  we  are  in  desolate  places 
as  dead  men.  We  roar  all  like  bears,  and 
mourn  sore  like  doves;  we  look  for  judg- 
ment bxit  there  is  none;  for  salvation,  but 
it  is  far  otf  from  us.  For  our  transgressions 
are  multiplied  before  thee,  and  our  sins 
testify  against  us;  for  oirr  transgressions 
are  with  us;  and  as  for  our  iniquities,  we 
know  them:  In  transgressing  and  lying 
against  the  Lord,  and  departing  away  from 
our  God,  speaking  oppression  and  revolt, 
conceiving  and  uttering  from  the  heart 
words  of  falsehood.  And  judgment  is 
turned  away  backward,  and  justice  stand- 
eth  afar  off:  for  truth  is  fallen  in  the  street, 
and  equity  can  not  enter.  Yea,  truth  fail- 
eth ;  and  he  that  departeth  from  evil,  maketh 
himself  a  prey:  and  the  Lord  saw  it,  and 
it  displeased  him  that  there  was  no  judg- 
ment. And  he  saw  that  there  was  no  man, 
and  wondered  that  there  was  no  interces- 
sor," Isa.  59:2—16. 

j      Most  beloved,   thus  has   God,   the  just 
judge,  sent  his  fearful  judgment  into  this 
;  wicked  world,  although  you  do  not  feel  it. 
For  inasmuch  as  you  trample  upon  the  Son 
of  God,  deem  the  blood  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment as  unclean,  grieve  the  Holy  Sj^irit  of 
grace — therefore  you  are  under  the  terrible 
judgment  and  have  fallen  into  the  hands  of 
the  living  God,  so  that  you  prefer  falsehood 
to  truth,  obscurity  to  light,  death  to  life; 
and  therefore  God  has  sent  you  error,  and 
deprived  you  of  his  holy  word,  faith,  knowl- 
edge and  truth,  so  that  you  have,  in  this 
world,  neither  light  nor  way,  nor  spiritual 
wisdom,  nor  prayer,  nor  God,  nor  Christ, 
nor  promise,  nor  righteousness,  nor  peace, 
nor  conscientious  freedom,  nor  inward  joy 
nor  hope;  notwithstanding  you  so  highly 
i  boast  of  the  name,  mercy,  merits,   death 
,  and  blood  of  the  Lord.     For  since  j'ou  say 
I  that  you  acknowledge  God,  and  yet  do  not 
I  honor  and  thank  him  as  God,  therefore  he 
has  suffered  you  to  bedeceivedby  your  sen- 
sual thoughts,   and  ycur  foolish  heart  is 
I  become  obscured,  l^q,  ;i:  6;  Jn.  1;  10;  Rev. 


254 


^lENNO'S  REASONS  FOR  TEACHING  AND  WRITING. 


22:  15;  Jn.  9:  31;  Eph.  4:  18;  Rom.  1:  18, 
22.  Besides,  you  deem  it  but  mockery  to 
acknowledge  God,  therefore  God  lias  deliv- 
ered you  to  a  perverse  mind,  to  do  the  things 
you  should  not  do;  "Being  filled  with  all 
unrighteousness,  fornication,  wickedness, 
covetousness,  maliciousness;  full  of  envy,  j 
murder,  debate,  deceit,  malignity;  whisper- 
ers; backbiters,  haters  of  God,  despiteful, 
proud,  boasters,  inventers  of  evil  things, 
disobedient  to  parents,  without  understand- 
ing, covenant-breakers,  witliout  natural  af- 
fection, implacable,  unmerciful,"  Rom.  1 :  29 
—31. 

Behold,  beloved  reader,  thus  mysterious- 
ly God  punishes  by  his  righteous  judgment. 
For  God,  the  Mighty  Lord  visits  this  world 
in  many  different  ways,  on  account  of  the 
sinfulness  thereof.  As  with  bondage,  war, 
bloodshed,  drought,  famine,  pestilence  and 
many  other  diseases;  at  which  plagues  and 
chastisements  the  world  is  horror-stricken. 
But  above  all,  the  most  terrible  wrath  of 
God  is  his  depriving  us  of  his  divine  word. 
For  the  first  mentioned  plagues,  such  as 
pestilence,  famine,  sword,  &c.,  only  punish 
us  according  to  the  flesh,  and  are  chastise- 
ments for  our  correction,  as  the  prophet 
says,  which  he  inflicts  that  his  children  may 
learn  wisdom ;  but  when  he  deprives  us  of 
his  word,  then  all  is  lost.  For  if  we  have 
not  the  word,  we  verily,  have  nothing  but 
unbelief,  blindness,  error,  disobedience, 
conceit,  aciimony,  an  unclean,  foolish  and 
adulterous  spirit,  and  eternal  death.  But 
how  few,  yea,  how  xery  few  are  horror- 
stricken  at  these  plagues,  however  abun- 
dantly they  have  come  upon  them. 

If  we  should  desire  to  put  out  a  man's 
eyes,  cut  off  his  ears,  take  his  life  or  take 
from  him  the  inheritance  of  his  natural  fa- 
ther, would  not  such  an  one  use  all  his  rea- 
son, wit  and  wisdom  to  prevent  such  pain, 
shame,  danger,  and  damage?  And  to-day 
the  whole  world  have  eyes  and  see  not,  ears 
and  hear  not,  life  and  yet  are  dead;  and, 
above  all,  bereft  of  the  eternal  inheritance 
of  the  merciful  Father,  but  do  not  mind  it. 
O,  if  they  acknowledged  their  own  misfor- 
tune how  diligently  they  would  seek  him 
who  gives  sight  to  the  blind,  hearing  to  the 
deaf,  and  true  wisdom  to  the  unlearned, 
which  is  Christ  Jesus,  Ps.  94:  9. 


But  the  finely  attired  woman  has  so  en- 
chanted you,  and  the  whoring  spirit  of  the 
spiritual  whoredom  has  so  kept  you  under 
its  wings,  that  I  fear,  indeed,  that  your 
abominable  unbelief,  obscurity,  blindness, 
falsehood  and  madness  will  never  more  be 
taken  from  your  hearts,  but  that  the  wrath 
of  God  will  remain  upon  you  to  the  end; 
so  that  in  this  earthly  life  you  will  eri', 
without  any  piety,  from  one  unclean  thing 
to  another  until  the  time  that  we  shall  be 
placed  before  the  just  judge,  where  every 
one  shall  receive  his  reward  according  to 
his  works.  Then,  when  too  late,  your  blind 
eyes  will  be  opened  amidst  sighs  and  una- 
vailing remorse,  acknowledging  that  you 
have  not  walked  in  the  ways  of  righteous- 
ness to  life  eternal,  but  in  the  dark  ways  to 
death  eternal.  O  misery,  where  will  you 
then  hide  yourselves  from  the  wrath  of 
God?  Then  you  will  cry  in  terror:  Ye 
mountains  fall  upon  us  and  ye  hills  cover 
us.  Rev.  6:  16.  For  then  there  can  not  be 
found  a  place  of  prayer,  of  mercy,  nor  of 
repentance  for  the  sinner.  But  the  awful 
sentence  of  the  just  God  against  all  the 
wicked,  unbelieving,  willful  and  disobedi- 
ent sinners  will  then  be  pronounced,  "De- 
part from  me,  ye  cursed,  into  everlasting 
fire,  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels," 
Matt.  25:  41.  O,  how  well  it  would  be  for 
such  if  they  had  never  been  born. 

Therefore  I  will  not  cease,  while  I  live,  to 
teach  and  admonish  both  verbally  and  by 
writing,  so  far  as  God,  the  merciful  Father, 
by  his  ineffable  kindness,  is  giving  me 
knowledge,  spirit,  grace  and  wisdom,  to  all 
those  that  seek  the  truth;,  that  they  may 
awaken  while  it  is  yet  time  and  seek  the 
Lord  while  he  may  yet  be  found,  and  call 
upon  him  while  he  is  near,  that  their  right- 
eousness may  go  forth  as  a  light  and  their 
salvation  burn  like  a  torch;  which  consists 
in  nothing  but  casting  oft'  the  works  of 
darkness  and  pntting  on  the  armor  of  light, 
which  is  to  renounce  all  false  doctrine,  sac- 
raments, false  religion  and  the  lanbecoming, 
dishonest,  carnal  life,  and  again  to  enter 
into  the  divine  doctrine,  the  evangelical 
sacraments,  the  services  and  works  of  love 
and  the  sincere,  christian  life,  as  it  was 
taught,  instituted  and  practiced  by  Christ 
Jesus,  our  only  Deliverer  and   Shepherd 


MENNO'S  REASONS  FOR  TEACHING  AND  WRITING. 


255 


himself,  according  to  the  will  of  his  Father, 
Isa.  55:  6;  62:  2;  Rom.  13:  12. 

Thus  I  labor  and  strive,  according  to  the 
small  talent  given  me  of  God,  of  which  God 
is  my  witness,  after  nothing  else  than  that 
the  Day-star,  the  blessed  Christ  Jesns,  the 
ever  shining  Light  may  arise  in  your  hearts 
and  enlighten  you  in  all  divine  truth, 
knowledge,  spiritual  understanding  and 
wisdom,  unto  life  eternal.  Amen,  2  Pet. 
1:  19. 

Most  beloved  reader,  herewith  I  beseech 
you  all,  whether  you  be  lord,  prince,  learned 
or  unlearned,  to  peruse  these  and  all  my 
vsritings,  with  the  fear  of  God  in  your 
hearts,  and  I  have  no  doubt  but  you  will 
clearly  find  that  our  doctrine,  which  is  the 
doctrine  of  Jesus  Christ  and  his  holy  apos- 
tles, does  not  tend  to  mutiny,  discord,  trea- 
son and  rebellion;  but  rather,  yea  surely, 
to  true,  christian  love,  unity  and  peace. 
For  Christ  Jesus  whom  we  preach,  is  the 
true  Prince  of  eternal  peace,  and  not  of  dis- 
cord, Isa.  9.  Say,  whom  have  we  curtailed? 
Whom  have  we  injured?  We  sincerely  seek 
nothing  but  that  we  may  save  all  mankind. 
Not  only  at  the  cost  of  our  chattels,  shelter, 
gold,  silver,  and  labor,  but  also  (understand 
it  in  an  spiritual  sense)  at  the  cost  of  our 
life-blood. 

Verily,  verily,  I  say.  If  all  lords  and 
princes  and  their  subjects  who  boast  of  the 
name  of  Christ,  would  acknowledge  the  be- 
foremen+ioned  doctrine  of  Jesus  Christ  as 
right  and  true,  and  were  minded  as  the  doc- 
trine, life  and  Spirit  of  Christ  require,  then 
it  would  not  be  necessary  to  fortify  cities 


and  towns;  to  keep  cavalry  and  infantry, 
nor  to  manufacture  deadly  weapons  such 
as  guns,  swords  and  spears.  I  do  not  here 
speak  of  the  sword  of  justice  which  is  given 
as  a  punishment  to  the  wicked  and  protec- 
tion of  the  good.  But  it  would  be  as  the 
prophet  says,  "They  shall  beat  their  swords 
into  plowshares  and  their  spears  into  prun- 
ing-hooks;  nation  shall  not  lift  up  sword 
against  nation,  neither  shall  they  learn  war 
any  more."  "  But  they  shall  sit  every  man 
under  his  vine  and  under  his  fig  tree,"  Isa. 
2:4;  Micah  4:  3,  4.  For  it  is  impossible 
that  those  who  have  committed  themselves 
to  the  doctrine,  life,  body  and  church  of 
Jesus  Christ  and  remain  therein,  should 
seek  or  desire  any  thing  but  divine  love, 
peace  and  unity;  to  suppress  all  evil,  and 
protect  all  good,  as  becomes  us  in  Christ 
Jesus.  But  we  do  not  abet  the  false  proph- 
ets of  the  corrupted  sects  which  in  many 
actions  transgress  the  doctrine,  rule  and 
measure  of  Christ. 

Herewith  we  commend  you  to  the  Lord. 
O,  faithful  readers.  And  now  judge  for 
yourselves  according  to  the  word  of  the 
Lord,  whether  or  not  I  have,  by  his  grace 
pointed  out  to  you  the  truth  of  our  beloved 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Grace,  peace,  mercy, 
true  knowledge  and  life  eternal  be  to  all 
who,  in  truth,  love  Christ  Jesus,  Amen.  Do 
not  hide  the  praise  of  God.  But  let  it 
be  read,  and  heard  by  all  who  diligently 
seek  and  desire  it. 

Beloved  brethren,  do  not  deviate  from  the 
doctrine  and  life  of  Christ. 


A  FUNDAMENTAL 


AND 


CLEAE  CONFESSION 


OF   THE 


POOR  AND  DISTRESSED  CHRISTIANS 


CONCEENING 


JUSTIFICATION,  THE  PREACHERS,  BAPTISM,  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER.  AND 

THE  SWEARING  OF  OATHS;   ON  ACCOUNT  OF  WHICH  AVE  ARE 

SO  MUCH  HATED,  SLANDERED,  AND  BELIED,  FOUNDED 

UPON  THE  WORD  OF  GOD. 


BY 


MENNO   SIMON. 

A..   3D.,   15  5  2. 


"  Whosoever  therefore  shall  confess  me  before  men,  him  will  I  confess  also  before  my 
Father  which  is  in  heaven  ;  but  whosoever  shall  deny  me  before  men,  him  will  I 
also  deny  before  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven,"  Matt.  10  :  33,  33. 

"For  other  foundation  can  no  man  lay  tlian  that  is  laid,  which  is  Jesus  Christ," 
1  Cor.  3:  11. 


69 


ELKHART,  SNDIASMA: 

PUBLISHED  BY  JOHN  F.  FUNK  AND  BROTHER. 

18  7  1. 


A  TRUE  knowledge  of  the  diving  word,  a  fruitful  faith  iu  Christ  Jesus,  unfeigned  love, 
and  a  pious,  penitent,  unblamable  life  I  sincerely  wish  to  all  those  who  shall  see,  read 
or  hear  this  our  confession,  of  God  our  heavenly  Father  through  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord, 
who  has  loved  us  and  cleansed  us  of  our  sins  with  his  blood.  To  him  be  the  honor, 
praise,  kingdom,  power  and  glory,  forever  and  ever,  Amen. 

Christ  says,  "Whosoever  heareth  these  sayings  of  mine,  and  doeth  them,  I  will  liken 
him  unto  a  wise  man,  which  built  his  house  upon  a  rock;  and  the  rain  descended,  and 
the  floods  came,  and  the  winds  blew,  and  beat  upon  that  house;  and  it  fell  not,  for  it 
was  founded  upon  a  rock.  And  every  one  that  heareth  these  sayings  of  mine,  and  doeth 
them  not,  shall  be  likened  unto  a  foolish  man,  which  built  his  house  upon  the  sand; 
and  the  rain  descended,  and  the  floods  came,  and  the  winds  blew,  and  beat  upon  that 
house;  and  it  fell;  and  great  was  the  fall  of  it,"  Matt.  7:  24 — 27. 


r  R  E  F  A  C  E. 


Honored  reader,  the  reason  why  we  write 
is  this:  Because  we  and  our  ancestors,  for 
many  centuries,  have  sought  the  light  in 
obscurity,  the  truth  in  falsehood,  life  in 
death,  and  the  way  among  the  deceivers ;  and 
have  wandered  about  like  a  flock  of  sheep 
without  a  shepherd;  and,  alas,  there  was 
none  who  pointed  us  to  the  way  of  life  and 
led  us  into  the  pasture  of  the  Lord.  The 
accursed  doctrine  of  anti-christ  had  so 
drawn  the  shameful  smoke  of  deceit  from 
the  bottomless  pit;  had  so  obscured  the 
glorious  dazzling  of  the  divine  word,  nay, 
the  just  judgment  of  God  was  come  upon 
this  reckless  world,  on  account  of  its  sinful- 
ness, so  that,  alas,  there  was  neither  true 
doctrine  nor  true  knowledge  of  God  and 
Christ,  nor  faith,  baptism.  Supper,  ban  in 
accordance  with  God's  word,  nor  love,  nor 
righteousness  found  among  men,  and  of 
which  very  little  is  found  as  yet;  for  all 
over  the  world  we  tind  false  teachers,  hypo- 
critical deceivers,  and  enemies  of  the  cross, 
who  diligently  serve  their  own  bellies,  who 
by  their  tickling,  erring  doctrine  proclaim 
peace  to  those  who  know  of  no  peace,  and 
thus  strengthen  the  hands  of  the  wicked  so 
that  none  converts  himself  from  his  wicked- 
ness, as  the  prophet  says. 

Yea,  they  have  carried  on  their  wran- 
gling, writing  and  preaching  so  far  that 
they  adjudge  the  Lord's  express  ordinances 
of  baptism.  Supper  and  ban,  as  commanded 
by  him,  and  as  taught,  practiced  and  testi- 
fied to  by  his  holy  apostles,  not  only  as 
heretical,  but  also  fiend-like,  they  upbraid 
and  persecute  those  who  keep  them,  as  may 
be  plainly  seen;  and  have  instituted  a  new 
baptism,  which  the  Scrij)ture  knows  not, 
which  is  more  pleasing  to  the  flesh  than  the 
baptism  of  Christ;  anew  Supper  which  is 
a  false  consolation  to  the  ungodly;  also  a 
ban  wliich  sei-ves  for  nothing  but  the  de- 


struction of  the  pious,  and  which  is  not 
founded  on  anything  reasonable ;  for  if  they 
are  not  banished  from  city  and  country, 
they  are  sentenced  to  the  stake  or  water; 
nor  is  it  practiced  sparingly  upon  the  pious 
in  many  places. 

In  short,  they  have  so  led  the  common 
world  from  God,  and  so  estranged  them  by 
their  carnal  doctrine  and  false  sacraments, 
and  led  them  into  such  unbelief  and  hea- 
thenish life,  that  all  heaven  must  be  af- 
flicted and  ashamed  thereat.  Say  reasona- 
ble reader,  who  can  enumerate  the  accursed, 
ungodly  pride,  pomp,  adultery,  fornication, 
idolatr}^,  Roman  and  Spanish  abomina- 
tions, unfaithfulness,  fraud,  avarice,  usury, 
unrighteousness,  debauchery,  luxury,  ha- 
tred, envy,  murder,  thefts,  robbery,  incendia- 
rism, treason,  blood-shed,  unmannerly,  ob- 
scene words,  the  terrible  lying,  shameful  dis- 
eases, lameness,  sufi"ering  ancl  wounds,which 
are  found  with  this  wicked,  reckless  world. 
Yet  they  claim  to  be  the  church  of  Christ. 
Yea,  every  thing  is  in  such  a  condition  that 
we  may  well  say  with  the  prophet  Hosea, 
"There  is  no  truth,  nor  mercy,  nor  knoAvl- 
edge  of  God  in  the  land;  but  swearing,  and 
lying,  and  killing,  and  stealing,  and  com- 
mitting adultery;  they  break  out,  and  blood 
touch eth  blood,"  Hosea  4:1,  2;  with  Jere- 
emiah,  that  "A  wonderful  and  horrible 
thing  is  committed  in  the  land,"  Jer.  5:  30; 
with  John,  that  "The  whole  world  lieth  in 
wickedness,"  Jn.  5:  19;  and  with  John  the 
divine  that  their  "sins  have  reached  unto 
heaven,"  Rev.  18:  5.  O,  faithful  reader,  it 
is  worse  than  I  can  express.  Whosoever  is 
reasonably  disposed  may  realize  the  tnith. 

Inasmuch  as  the  brightness  of  the  sun 
has  not  shone  for  so  many  years ;  as  heaven 
and  earth  have  been  as  copper  and  iron; 
as  the  brooks  and  springs  have  not  run, 
nor  the  dew  dropped  from  heaven;  as  the 


260 


P  R  E  F  A  C  F. 


beautiful  trees  and  verdant  fields  liave  been 
dry  and  barren  (I  mean  spiritually);  but, 
inasmuch  as,  in  these  latter  days,  the  gra- 
cious, great  Lord,  by  the  rich  treasures  of 
his  love,  ha?  again  opened  the  windows  of 
heaven,  and  let  drop  the  dew  of  his  divine 
word,  so  that  the  earth  once  more  produces 
its  green  branches  and  plants  of  righteous- 
ness, as  before,  which  bear  fruit  unto  the 
Lord  and  glorify  his  adorable  name;  and 
inasmuch  as  the  holy  word  and  sacraments 
of  the  Lord  again  lift  up  their  heads  from 
the  ashes,  by  means  of  which  the  blasphe- 
moiis  deceit  and  abominations  of  the  learned 
are  made  manifest — therefore  all  the  infer- 
nal gates  are  opened  in  opposition;  foam 
and  rave,  and  that  witli  such  subtle  deceit, 
blasphemous  falsehood  and  tyranny  that 
if  the  strong  God  did  not  interpose  with  his 
gracious  power,  no  man  could  be  saved. 
But  they  will  never  wrest  from  him  his  cho- 
sen ones. 

Inasmuch  as  they  so  fearfully  teach  and 
strive  against  the  truth,  weigh  out  dross  for 


silver,  and,  besides,  accuse  ns  of  all  man- 
ner of  shame,  blasphemy,  roguery  and  pro- 
fanity, as  they  did  from  the  beginning  to 
all  those  who  fear  the  Lord — therefore  we 
are  forced,  and  constrained  by  the  true  love 
of  the  divine  word  and  the  salvation  of 
your  souls,  to  explain  briefly  to  you  ac- 
cording to  the  word  of  the  Lord,  the  sure, 
divine  foundation,  and  the  pure,  immutable 
truth  of  Justification,  of  the  Preachers, 
of  Baptism,  of  the  Supper,  and  of  the 
swearing  of  oaths,  on  account  of  which  we 
are  so  much  hated  and  slanderously  belied 
by  every  person,  and  especially  of  the 
learned,  that  you  may  thereby  acknowledge 
what  the  Holy  Scriptures  clearly  teach  us 
in  regard  to  these  articles;  and  to  show 
whether  we  are  such  useless,  ungodly  peo- 
ple, as  the  learned  incessantly  cry  against 
us  and  tell  the  people.  If  you  have  ears  to 
hear,  then  hear  the  word  of  the  Lord;  and 
if  you  have  understanding  hearts,  take  heed, 
and  follow  the  truth. 


A  FUIDAMEITAL  AND  CLEAR 


CONFESSION  OF  THE  POOR,  AFFLICTED  CHRISTIANS. 


H(»MciREi)  reader,  it  is  plain  and  manifest 
tliat  Adam  and  Eve,  the  father  and  mother 
of  ns  all,  were,  in  the  beginning,  created 
after  the  image  of  God  by  Christ,  pure, 
good,  without  sin,  righteous  and  incorrupt, 
as  the  Scripture  teaches,  Gen.  1:  27;  5:1; 
3:7;  Acts  17 :  24 ;  Eccl.  17 :  9.  And  that  tliey 
remained  pure  and  righteous  until  they 
sinned  against  their  Creator's  word  and 
commandment.  For  God  had  said  unto 
them,  "  Of  the  tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good 
and  evil  thou  shalt  not  eat  of  it;  for  in  the 
day  that  thou  eatest  thereof  thou  shalt  siu'e- 
ly  die;"  as  also  it  happened.  For  as  soon 
as  Adam  and  Eve,  deceived  by  the  serpent, 
ate  of  the  forbidden  fruit  they  became  im- 
pure, unrighteous,  corrupt,  of  sinful  nature, 
children  of  death  and  of  the  devil ;  and  thus, 
by  their  disobedience  they  lost  their  being 
children  of  God,  and  the  puiity  in  which 
they  were  created;  and  must  have  forever 
remained,  with  all  their  descendants,  in  sin, 
under  the  curse  and  servitude  of  death  and 
devil,  if  God,  the  merciful  Father  whose  love 
endures  forever,  had  not  again  comforted 
and  raised  them  up  by  the  promise  of  Christ 
w^hom  he  promised  to  send  in  the  future  to 
bruise  the  Serpent's  head;  for  whose  sake 
he  would  be  gracious  unto  them,  would  for- 
give their  transgression,  would  show  them 
mercy  and  favor,  so  far  as  they  sliould  be- 
lieve. 

When  Adam  and  Eve  heard  these  glad 
tidings  of  grace,  the  gospel  of  peace,  from 
the  mouth  of  the  Lord,  they  joj^fully  ac- 
cepted and  believed  it  as  the  immutable 
truth  of  God,  anxiously  cleaved  to  it,  and 
consoled  themselves  therewith  as  a  sure 
foundation  of  salvation.  And  thus  Adam 
and  Eve  were  again  accepted  of  God  through 
Christ  Jesus,  justified  and  delivered  from 


the  eternal  death  and  curse;  for  they,  ac- 
cording to  the  jn'omise  of  God,  believed  and 
trusted  in  him  and  loolced  for  him  in  latter 
days  as  the  Conquerer,  Savior  and  means 
of  grace  to  eternal  reconciliation. 

But  had  fhey  despised  this  means  and 
not  accepted  it  by  faith,  they  would  have 
suffered  eternal  death;  this  is  incontroverti- 
ble, as  Christ  himself  says,  "He  that  be- 
lieveth  not,  is  condemned  already;"  again, 
John  the  Baptist  says,  "He  that  believeth 
on  the  Son,  hath  everlasting  life;  and  he 
that  believeth  not  the  Son,  shall  not  see 
life;  but  the  wrath  of  God  abideth  on  him," 
Jn.  3:  18,  36. 

As  Adam  and  Eve,  then,  were  bitten  and 
poisoned  by  the  infernal  serpent,  and  be- 
came of  sinful  nature,  and  would  have  been 
subject  to  eternal  death  if  God  had  not 
again  accepted  them  in  grace  through  Christ 
Jesus,  so  we,  their  descendants,  are  also 
born  of  sinful  nature  of  them,  poisoned 
by  the  serpent,  inclined  to  evil,  and  by  in- 
herent sin,  children  of  hell,  of  the  devil  and 
everlasting  death;  and  cannot  be  delivered 
therefrom  (we  speak  of  those  who  have 
come  to  years  of  understanding,  and  hence  to 
sinful  works)  unless  we  accept  Christ  Jesus 
the  only  and  eternal  means  of  grace,  by 
true  and  imfeigned  faith,  and  thus  consci- 
entiously look  upon  the  brazen  serpent 
which  is  erected  by  God,  our  heavenly  Fa- 
ther, as  a  sign  of  salvation;  for  without 
him  there  is  no  help  for  our  souls,  no  rec- 
onciliation nor  peace;  but  disgrace,  wrath 
and  eternal  death  can  only  be  expected,  as 
was  said  before.  But  those  who  accept  this 
Christ  by  a  true  faith  which,  according  to 
the  doctrine  of  Paul,  was  given  us  of  the 
Father  for  the  purpose  of  wisdom,  right- 
eousness, sanctification  and  deliverance,  are 


262 


JUSTIFICATION. 


in  grace  for  Christ's  sake,  and  God  is  their 
Father ;  for  by  faith  they  are  born  of  him ; 
he  forgives  them  all  their  sins;  has  com- 
passion on  all  their  human  failings  and 
weaknesses;  turns  them  from  the  curse, 
wrath  and  eternal  death;  accepts  them  as 
Ills  beloved  children,  and  gives  them  Christ 
Jesus,  together  with  all  his  merits,  fastings, 
prayers,  tears,  sufferings,  tribulation,  cross, 
blood  and  death;  besides,  also,  his  Spirit, 
inheritance,  kingdom,  glory,  joy  and  life; 
not,  we  say,  by  our  own  merits  and  works, 
but  b}^  grace  through  Christ  Jesus,  as  Paul 
saj's,  ''God,  who  is  rich  in  merc}^,  j^jr  his 
great  love  wherewith  he  loves  us,  even  when 
we  were  dead  in  sins,  hath  quickened  us  to- 
gether Avith  Christ  (hy  grace  ye  are  saved); 
and  hath  raised  us  up  together,  and  made 
us  sit  together  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ 
Jesus;  that  in  the  ages  to  come  he  might 
show  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  giace,  in 
his  kindness  toward  us  through  Christ 
Jesus.  For  by  grace  are  ye  saved  through 
faith;  and  that  not  of  j' ourselves;  it  is  the 
gift  of  God;  not  of  works,  lest  any  man 
should  boast.  For  we  are  bis  workman- 
ship, created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good 
w^orks  which  God  hath  before  orda,ined  that 
we  should  walk  in  them,"  Eph.  2:  4 — 10. 

Behold,  kind  reader,  thus  we  do  not  seek 
our  salvation  in  works,  words  or  sacra- 
ments, as  do  the  learned,  although  they 
blame  us  therefor,  but  we  seek  them  alone 
in  Christ  Jesus  and  in  no  other  means  in 
heaven  or  earth.  In  this  only  means  we 
rejoice  and  in  no  other.  We  trust,  by  the 
grace  of  God,  to  abide  therein  unto  death. 

But  that  we  abhor  the  carnal  works  and 
desire  to  suit  ourselves  to  his  word  and 
commandment,  according  to  our  weakness, 
we  do  because  he  has  so  taught  and  com- 
manded us.  For,  whosoever  does  not  walk 
according  to  his  doctrine,  proves  in  fact, 
that  he  does  not  believe  on  him  nor  knows 
him,  and  that  he  is  not  in  the  communion 
of  the  saints,  1  Jn.  3:  10;  5:  10;  2  Jn.  1:  6. 

All  those,  now,  who  accept  this  means  of 
divine  grace,  Jesus  Christ,  with  believing 
hearts,  and  enclose  him  in  their  consciences, 
believe  and  confess  that  their  sins  are  for- 
given through  his  sacrifice,  death,  andblood; 
that  his  wrath  and  damnation  will  not  be 
upon  them  forever;  that  he  accepts  them  as 


j  his  beloved  sons  and  daughters,  and  gives 
I  them  life  etertial.  All  such  become  of  peace- 
able and  joyous  spirit,  and  give  thanks  to 
I  God,  with  renewed  hearts;  for  the  power  of 
j  faith  quickens  and  changes  them  into  new- 
ness of  life,  and  they  walk  thus,  by  the  gift 
and  grace  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  power 
of  tlieir  new  birth,  according  to  the  measures 
of  their  faith,  in  obedience  to  their  God 
who  has  shown  them  such  great  love;  they 
diligently  watch  lest  they  fall  from  the  grace 
and  favor  of  God  by  licentiousness  and  un- 
godliness. They  acknowledge  by  the  Script- 
ures that  Adam  aud  Eve,  the  antediluvian 
world,  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  and  the  pa- 
triarchs in  the  wilderness  were  severely 
punished  of  God  on  account  of  their  sins; 
that  the  wages  of  sin  is  death;  and  that, 
also,  Christ  Jesus,  the  innocent  Lamb  of 
God  who  knew  no  sin,  was  so  deeply  hu- 
miliated and  tortured  on  account  of  our  sin- 
fulness, Gen.  3:  7;  19:  9,  10;  Lev.  10:  1—4; 
Kom.  6:  23;  1  Pet.  1:19. 

Inasmuch  as  they  believe  the  word  of  the 
Lord  Vi'hich  says,  that  to  be  carnally  mind- 
ed is  death — if  thou  livest  according  to  the 
tlesh  thou  shalt  die — adulterers,  fornicators, 
drunkards,  the  avaricious,  proud,  liars,  &c., 
shall  not  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God — and 
besides,  believe  that  God  is  truth;  that  none 
can  be  saved  contrary  to  his  word;  that  he 
will  judge  in  accordance  with  his  word,  be- 
cause he  is  truth  and  cannot  lie,  as  the 
Scriptures  testify,  Kom.  8:6,  13;  1  Cor. 
5:10;  6:10;  Gal.  5:21;  Eph.  5:5;  Rev. 
22:  15;  therefore  it  is  that  they  sincerely 
fear  the  Lord,  and  by  fear  die  unto  their 
flesh,  crucify  their  lusts  and  desires,  and 
shun  and  abhor  the  unclean,  ungodly 
works  which  are  contrary  to  the  word  of  tlie 
Lord. 

Besides  this  they  acknowledge  the  abun- 
dant grace,  favor  and  love  of  God  towards 
us,  as  shown  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  therefore, 
in  return  they  love  their  God,  for  he  first 
loved  ITS,  and  stand  prepared  by  this  love 
to  obey,  in  their  weakness,  his  holy  word, 
will,  commandments,  advice,  doctrine  and 
ordinances,  according  to  the  talent  received; 
and  thus  they  show,  in  fact,  that  they  be- 
lieve, they  are  born  of  God,  and  are  spirit- 
ually minded;  they  lead  a  pious,  unblama- 
ble life  before  all  men ;  sutfer  themselves  to 


JUSTIFICATION. 


263 


be  baptized  according  to  tlie  commandment 
of  the  Lord,  as  proof  that  they  bury  their  sins 
in  the  death  of  Christ,  and  are*  prepared  to 
walk  with  him  in  newness  of  life ;  they  break 
the  bread  of  peace  with  their  beloved  brethren 
as  proof  and  testimony  that  they  are  one 
in  Christ  and  his  holy  church  and  that  they 
have,  or  know  no  other  means  of  grace  and 
remission  of  their  sins,  neither  in  heaven 
nor  in  earth,  than  the  innocent  flesh  and 
blood  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  alone,  which 
he  once,  by  his  eternal  Spirit  in  obedience 
to  the  Father,  sacrificed  and  shed  upon  the 
cross  for  us  poor  sinners;  they  walk  in  all 
love  and  mercy,  and  serve  their  neighbors. 
In  short,  they  suit  themselves,  in  their  weak- 
ness, to  all  words,  commandments,  ordi 
nances,  Spirit,  rule,  example  and  measure 
of  Chi"ist,  as  the  Scripture  teaches ;  for  they 
are  in  Christ  and  Christ  is  in  them;  and 
therefore  they  live  no  longer  in  the  old  life 
of  sin  after  the  first  earthly  Adam  (weak- 
ness excepted),  biit  in  the  new  life  of  right- 
eousness which  comes  by  faith,  after  the 
second  and  heavenly  Adam,  Christ;  Paul 
says,  I  do  not  now  live,  "But  Christ  liveth 
in  me;  and  the  life  which  I  now  live  in  the 
flesh,  I  live  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God, 
who  loved  me,  and  gave  himself  for  me,"  | 
Gal.  2:  20.  Christ  says,  "If  ye  love  me,  ] 
keep  my  commandments,"  Jn.  14:  15. 

Think  not  beloved  reader,  that  we  boast 
of  being  perfect  and  without  sins.  Not  at , 
all.  I  for  myself  confess  that  often  my 
prayer  is  mixed  with  sin  and  my  righteous- 
ness with  unrighteousness ;  for  by  the  grace 
of  God  I  feel,  by  the  unction  which  is  in  me, 
when  I  compare  my  weak  natrare  to  Christ 
and  his  commandments,  what  kind  of  a  flesh 
I  inherited  from  Adam.  Yea,  if  God  should 
judge  us  according  to  our  worthiness,  right- 
eousness, works  and  merits,  and  not  ac- 
cording to  his  great  goodness  and  mercy, 
then  I  confess  with  holy  David  that  no  man 
could  stand  before  his  judgment,  Ps.  143:  2; 
130:  3.  Therefore  it  should  be  far  from  us 
that  we  should  console  ourselves  with  any 
thing  but  the  grace  of  God  through  Christ 
Jesus;  for  it  is  he,  alone,  and  none  other, 
who  has  perfectly  fulfilled  the  righteousness 
required  by  God.  We  are  also  aware,  by 
the  grace  of  God,  that  all  saints,  from  the 
beginning,  have  lamented  the  corruption  of 


their  flesh,  as  may  be  seen  by  the  writings 
of  Moses,  David,  Job,  Isaiah,  Paul,  James 
and  John. 

But  for  Christ's  sake  we  are  in  grace;  for 
his  sake  we  are  heard;  and  for  his  sake 
our  failings  and  transgressions,  which  are 
committed  involuntarily,  are  remitted.  For 
it  is  he  who  stands  between  his  Father  and 
his  imperfect  children,  with  his  j)erfect  right- 
eousness, and  with  his  innocent  blood  and 
death  ;and  intercedes  for  all  those  who  believe 
on  him  and  who  strive  by  faith  in  the  divine 
word,  to  turn  from  evil,  follow  that  which 
is  good  and  who  sincerely  desire,  with 
Paul,  that  they  may  attain  the  perfection 
which  is  in  Christ,  Phil.  3:  12. 

Mark,  beloved  reader,  that  we  do  not  be- 
lieve nor  teach  that  we  are  to  be  saved  by 
our  merits  and  works,  as  the  envious  accuse 
us  of  without  truth;  but  that  we  are  to  be 
saved  solely  by  grace,  through  Christ  Jesus, 
as  has  been  said  before.  By  grace  man 
was  created,  tlirough  Christ  Jesus,  Gen. 
1:27. 

By  grace  he  was  again  accepted  through 
Christ  when  he  was  lost.  By  grace  Christ 
was  sent  to  us  of  the  Father,  Jn.  3:  34.  By 
grace  he  has  sought  the  lost  sheep,  Luke 
15:  4,  taught  them  repentance  and  remission 
of  sins.  Died  for  us  when  we  were  yet  un- 
godly, and  enemies,  Rom.  5:6;  by  grace 
we  receive  faith.  By  grace  the  Holy  Ghost 
was  given  lis,  in  the  name  of  Jesus,  Jn.  14:10. 
In  short,  by  grace  we  receive  eternal  life 
through  Christ  Jesus,  Rom.  6:  8. 

Behold,  kind  reader,  this  is,  concerning 
thisarticleofourfaith  and  confession,  name- 
ly:  That  we  can  not  obtain  salvation,  grace, 
reconciliation  nor  peace  of  the  Father,  oth- 
erwise than  through  Christ  Jesus,  as  he 
himself  says,  "No  man  cometli  unto  the 
Father  but  by  me,"  Jn.  14:  0.  Peter  also 
says,  "There  is  none  other  name  under 
heaven  given  among  men,  where])y  we  must 
be  saved"  than  the  name  of  Jesus ;  and  that 
all  those  who  accept  this  grace  in  Christ, 
preached  by  the  gospel  and  accepted  by  a 
firm  faith,  and  cordially  adhered  to  hy  the 
power  of  the  Holy  Ghost  through  faith,  and 
become  new  men,  born  of  God;  changed  in 
their  hearts,  renewed  and  of  a  ditferent  mind ; 
yea,  transferred  from  Adam  unto  Christ;  and 
thus  walk  in  newness  of  life,  as  obedient 


264 


HEARING  THE  PREACHERS. 


children,  in  the  grace  which  is  manifested 
unto  them;  for  they  are  renewed;  have  be- 
come humble  minded,  meek,  merciful, 
compassionate,  peacealile,  jjatient,  hungry 
and  thirsty  after  righteousness;  they  strive 
firmly  by  good  works  after  eternal  life,  for 
they  are  believing,  born  of  God,  are  in 
Christ  and  Christ  in  them;  they  are  par- 
takers of  his  Spirit  and  nature,  and  thus 
live  according  to  the  word  of  the  Lord  by 
the  power  of  Christ  which  is  in  them.  And 
this  is,  according  to  Scripture,  to  be  believ- 
ing; to  be  a  christian;  and  to  be  in  Christ 
and  Christ  in  us. 

Again,  that  all  those  who  disregard  this 
preached  grace  and  do  not  accept  Christ 
Jesus  by  faith;  who  reject  his  holy  word, 
will,  commandments  and  ordinances,  and 
hate  and  persecute  them;  who  live  accord- 
ing to  their  lusts  and  licentiously,  are  lost, 
and  that  it  will  avail  them  nothing  before 
the  Lord  to  boast  of  their  faith,  new  creat- 
ure, Christ's  grace,  death  and  blood;  for 
they  do  not  believe;  they  remain  in  their 
first  birth,  namely,  unchanged  in  their  earth- 
ly, corrupted  nature,  impenitent,  carnally 
minded,  nay,  utterly  without  Spirit,  Word 
and  Christ;  and  therefore  are  children  of 
death,  as  Scripture  teaches;  for  they  know 
not  Christ  in  whom  is  life,  as  John  says, 
"This  is  the  record  that  God  hath  given  to 
us  eternal  life,  and  that  this  life  is  in  his 
Son.  He  that  hath  the  Son  hath  life;  and 
he  that  hath  not  the  Son  of  God  hath  not 
life,"l  Jn.  5:11,  12. 

Behold,  worthy  reader,  this  now  is  our 


foundation  and  confession  of  justifica- 
tion, as  you  have  here  read.  Judge  for 
yourself  whether  the  preachers  act  rightly 
in  so  slanderously  belying  us,  saying  tliat 
we  expect  to  be  saved  by  our  merits  and 
works;  and  that  we  boast  to  be  without  sin. 

ISIay  tlie  Lord  forgive  them  that  they  so 
fiendishly  belie  us  with  such  shameful  lies. 
O,  that  these  miserable  men  would  once 
take  to  heart  that  the  backbiters,  slander- 
ers and  liars  are  of  the  devil  and  worthy  of 
death;  that  God  abhors  all  liars;  that  they 
shall  have  no  part  in  his  kingdom;  and 
that  a  lying  mouth  killeth  the  soul,  Jn.  8: 44; 
Rom.  1:  32;  Ps.  5:7;  Rev.  21:  27;  22:  15. 

This,  I  say,  is  our  foundation,  and,  by  the 
grace  of  God,  it  will  ever  remain  our  foun- 
dation, for  we  truly  know  and  confess  that 
it  is  the  invincible  word  and  truth  of  the 
Lord;  therefore  we  testify  before  you  and 
before  all  the  world  that  we  do  not  agree 
with  those  who  teach  and  institute  a  dead 
faith,  which  they  gather  from  profane  his- 
tory :  First,  that  without  change,  tliere  can 
be  Spirit,  power  and  traits.  Secondly,  that 
w-e  can  be  saved  by  our  own  merits  and 
works,  for  reasons  above  stated. 

May  the  merciful,  gracious  Father,  through 
his  beloved  Son  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord, 
grant  us  all  the  gift  of  his  Holy  Spirit,  that 
we  may  sincerely  believe  and  confess  this 
beforementioned  grace  in  and  through 
Christ;  and  that  we  may  walk  and  abicle 
therein  firmly  and  faithfully  unto  the  end, 
to  the  eternal  praise  and  glory  of  God, 
Amen. 


HEARING  THE  PREACHERS. 


It  is  a  well  known  fact,  kind  reader,  that, 
on  account  of  this  article,  principally,  we 
are  so  hated  and  persecuted  by  the  learned, 
and  that  all  the  world  cries  against  us  and 
complains.  That  we  will  not  hear  God's 
word.  Therefore  we  are  necessarily  im- 
pelled, inasmuch  as  it  concerns  the  praise 
of  God  and  the  salvation  of  our  soiils,  to 
assign  the  reason  according  to  the  word  of 
God  (which  we  would  gladly   omit  if  we 


were  not  required  by  Scripture),  to  assign 
the  reason  why  we  do  not  hear  them,  and 
conscientiously  dare  not  listen  to  them ;  on 
account  of  which  we  have  to  suffer  so  much 
pain  and  tribulation.  Jesus  said  to  Mco- 
demus,  "Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  thee,  ex- 
cept a  man  be  born  again,  he  can  not  see 
the  kingdom  of  God."  Paul  also  says,  "If 
any  man  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  he  is 
none  of  his,"  and  John  says,  "Whosoever 


HEAEING  THE  PREACHERS. 


265 


transgresseth,  and  abidetli  not  in  the  doc- 
trine'of  Christ,  hatli  not  God,"  Jn.  3:3; 
Rom.  8:  9;  IJn.  1:  9. 

Honored  reader,  consider  the  word  of  the 
Lord.  That  tlie  preachers  of  tlie  world  are 
not  born  again  and  liave  not  the  Spirit  of 
Christ,  and  do  not  abide  in  his  word,  their 
frnits  abnndantlj''  prove;  for  it  is  manifest 
tliat  they  pitiably  adnlterate  the  word  of 
the  Lord  and  walk  according  to  the  tiesli, 
as  will  be  clearly  shown  in  the  following: 

First,  I  am  convinced  that  you  never 
saw  that  tlie  preachers,  who  are  one  with 
their  church,  have  ever  converted  an  ava- 
ricious person  from  his  avarice;  a  drunltard 
from  liis  inebriety  or  a  proud  person  frop", 
his  pride  and  luxury,  which  are  plainly 
works  of  the  flesh,  and,  according  to  Script- 
ure pirnishable  with  eternal  death,  if  not 
repented  of.  Inasmuch  as  they  convert 
none  as  it  appears,  therefore  it  is  plain  that 
their  doctrine  is  nothing  but  vain  prattle 
without  power  and  fruit;  which,  alas,  is 
clearly  shown  and  proven  by  all  the  world 
by  their  unbecoming  life. 

Secondly,  the  reckless  people  are  chained 
to  and  consoled  in  their  unbelief  and  licen- 
tious, carnal  life  by  their  light  minded  doc- 
trine, sacraments  and  easy  life;  for  they 
preach  and  teach  you,  "There  are  none 
that  can  truly  believe;  we  are  all  sinners — • 
therefore  none  can  rightly  keep  the  com- 
mandments of  God.  In  your  baptism  (they 
say)  you  became  a  regenerated  christian 
and  received  the  Holy  Ghost.  Although 
you  could  not  understand  the  word;  al- 
though j^ou  have  no  faith  in  Christ  Jesus 
nor  knowledge  of  good  or  evil,  nor  any 
change  or  renewing  of  heart,  because  you 
were  an  unconscious  child,  and  like  false 
consolations."  You  hear  their  absolutions, 
and  receive  their  bread,  as  if  that  were  suf- 
ficient; and  never  mind  that  you  are  yet  an 
impenitent,  avaricious,  proud,  drunken,  un- 
clean, envious  and  idolatrous  man.  We 
will  leave  you  to  judge  whether  these  can 
be  called  preachers  of  peace  who  make 
arm  cushions  and  pillows  for  the  people 
and  preach  such  things  as  are  pleasing  to 
them,  Deut.  1:  39;  Ezra  13:  18. 

Inasmuch  as  none  are  made  better  by 
their  doctrine  and  sacraments  but  are  more 
and  more  comforted  in  unrighteousness — 
70 


therefore  it  must  be  acknowledged  that  they 
strengthen  you  in  your  evil  doing,  shut  unto 
you  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  lead  you  into 
the  ditch,  and  rob  and  murder  your  souls, 
Jer.  23;14;  Matt.  15:14. 

O,  kind  reader,  they  have  so  enchanted 
the  ignorant  people  who  so  gladly  walk 
upon  the  broad  road,  with  their  light  mind- 
ed doctrine  that  we  may  well  exclaim  with 
Jeremiah,  that  "No  man  repented  him  of 
his  wickedness,  saying,  What  have  I  done?" 
Jer.  8:0;  or  who  enquires  after  a  pious, 
penitent  or  godly  life  ?  What  is  worse, 
they  have  carried  it  so  far,  that  alas,  those 
must  be  called  icor7i--samts  and  liemen- 
stormers  who,  with  faithful  hearts  hear,  be- 
lieve, fear,  love,  and,  according  to  the  meas- 
ure of  their  faith,  obey  the  word  of  the 
Lord.  Behold,  thus  entirely  has  the  smoke 
of  the  pit  darkened  the  sun  and  sky.  Rev. 
9:2. 

As  to  their  sacraments,  it  is  manifest  that 
they  do  not  have  the  sacraments  of  Christ; 
but  self-begotten  abominations  and  idols, 
only  a  semblance  of  the  Lord's  sacraments. 
For  they  baptize  infants;  of  which  Christ 
has  not  taught  nor  commanded  a  single 
word  in  the  whole  New  Testament,  and  are 
therefore  called  christians,  notwithstanding 
that  such  baptized  persons  generally,  walk 
in  perverse  ways  all  their  lives,  and  not 
only  not  confess  Christ  Jesus  together  with 
his  holy  word,  but  also  hate  him  and  op- 
pose the  word. 

Again,  tlieir  supper  must  be  called  the 
Lord's  flesh  and  blood;  while  the  Scripture, 
at  many  places  testifies  that  he  ascended 
up  to  heaven,  Mark  10:  19;  Luke  24:  51; 
Acts  1:9;  Eph.  4:  8;  and  is  seated  at  the 
right  hand  of  his  Father,  while  com- 
mon sense,  besides  the  Scripture,  teaches 
us  that  he  cannot  be  chewed  with  teeth  nor 
consumed  by  the  stomach.  Besides,  it  is 
administered  by  some  as  for  the  remission 
of  sins.  Behold  they  have  so  entirely  for- 
saken the  Lord  who  has  purchased  them 
with  his  blood,  that  they  have  changed  his 
praise  and  honor  into  such  a  weak  creature. 
If  this  cannot  be  called  serving  Baal  and 
moulding  calves  you  may  judge  according  to 
Scripture. 

Lastly,  How  they  conform  their  lives  ac- 
cording to  the  doctrine  of  Paul  you  may 


266 


HEARING  THE  PREACHERS. 


best  deduce  from  their  fniits  and  life.  That 
they  do  not  \Yalk  in  humility  of  heart  be- 
fore the  Lord,  their  looks  and  names  prove. 
They  suifer  themselves  to  be  greeted  as 
lords  and  masters;  notwithstanding  it  is 
forbidden  by  the  month  of  the  Lord.  Say 
kind  reader,  did  you  ever  hear  or  read  that 
the  holy  apostles  and  prophets  were  covet- 
ous of  such  high,  vain  names  as  are  the 
learned  and  the  preachers  of  the  world.  It 
is  true  the  word  Rabbi  or  Master  was  ap- 
plied to  the  ambitious  Scribes  and  Phari- 
sees, but  not  to  the  apostles  and  prophets. 
For  we  do  not  read  of  Doctor  Isaiah,  of 
Master  Ezekiel  and  of  Lords  Paul  and  Peter. 
No,  no.  All  those  who  have  rightly  taught 
the  word  of  the  Lord,  were  in  their  time  not 
honored  with  such  high-sounding  names. 
This  I  write  that  you  may  know  that  such 
ambitious,  proud  spirits  can  never  rightly 
teach  yoiT  the  humble  word  of  the  cross. 

Besides,  also,  consider  their  avarice,  and 
solicitude  for  their  appetite;  for  they  do 
not  preach  nor  render  services  without  pay, 
as  if  the  office  of  a  preacher  and  shepherd 
were  a  profession  or  trade.  Jude  says, 
They  honor  the  persons  for  the  sake  of  prof- 
its. AVhere  there  are  no  liens  and  rents 
there  we  find  no  preachers ;  but  where  liens 
and  rents  are  abundant  there  is  no  want  of 
preachers. 

Again,  they  are  in  part  usurers,  in  part 
fornicators  or  adulterers,  greedy,  liars,  iras- 
cible, proud,  hateful,  lustful,  vain,  and 
lazy,  envious,  cruel,  treacherous  and  rebell- 
ious toward  all  those  who  sincerely  seek 
and  fear  God.  In  short,  if  you  rightly  con- 
fess the  Lord  and  his  word,  then  you  must 
acknowledge  that  the  best  and  most  pious 
of  them  are  yet  far  outside  of  Christ  and  his 
word  in  regard  to  doctrine,  sacraments  and 
also  to  their  walk. 

Inasmuch  as  all  of  them,  in  doctrine,  sac- 
raments and  walk  are  so  diametrically  op- 
posed to  the  Spirit,  word  and  walk  of  the 
Lord,  as  appears,  and  inasmuch  as  Christ 
says,  "Every  tree  is  known  by  his  own 
fruit,"  Luke  0:  44;  tlierefore  it  is  plainly 
proven  that  they  see  not  the  kingdom  and 
glory  of  God;  are  not  of  the  Lord,  and  have 
not  God,  as  was  said  before. 

If  they  see  not  the  kingdom  of  God  as 


Christ  speaks,  how,  then,  can  they  rightly 
preach  it  and  teach  it  to  others  ? 

If  they  have  not  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  and 
are  not  of  him  (as  appears),  how  then,  can 
they  be  true  ministers  and  servants  of  the 
spiritual  office? 

And  if  they  have  not  God,  how  can  they, 
then,  rightly  teach  and  point  out  his  precious 
word  unto  righteousness?  Inasmuch  as  it 
is  well  known  to  all  theologians  that  they 
do  not  understand  the  kingdom  of  God  and 
his  glory;  are  not  of  the  Lord,  and  have  no 
God,  as  was  said,  therefore  we  conclude 
therefrom,  and  that  truly,  that  their  send- 
ing, calling,  office  and  service  is  not  of  God 
and  his  word;  but  they  are  of  the  bottom- 
less pit,  and  of  the  dragon  and  beast.  Rev. 
9 :  2.  By  this  we  do  not  mean  this  one,  or 
that  one;  but  all  preachers  in  general  who 
do  not  act  according  to  the  word  of  God; 
no  matter  of  which  denomination  or  sect. 
AVe  do  not  judge  according  to  their  boast- 
ing and  appearance,  but  truthfully,  accord- 
ing to  doctrine,  sacraments,  fruits  and  life; 
for  we  are  sure  that  the  high  and  holy  office, 
which  should  be  filled  in  the  power  of  the 
Spirit,  can  never  be  filled  by  the  avaricious; 
neither  by  the  proud  and  uniighteous,  the 
carnal  and  earthly  minded,  nor  by  drunk- 
ards and  the  lustful  who  serve  their  appe- 
tites before  their  God,  as  Paul  says;  nor  by 
slanderers  nor  by  vain  prattlers,  nor  liars, 
nor  soothsayers,  nor  hirelings,  nor  by  those 
who  adulterate,  hate  and  oppose  the  Spirit, 
will,  word,  ordinances  and  commandments 
of  the  Lord,  and  who  are  ignorant  and 
blind  in  all  spiritual  and  evangelical  mat- 
ters; for  the  Spirit  and  woj-d  of  God  do  not 
know  such  shepherds  and  teachers,  but  the 
Scripture  portrays  them  with  many  terrible 
names  and  calls  them  lu'ofane,  blind  watch- 
men and  greedy  dogs,  blind  leaders,  con- 
sumers of  souls,  false  daubers,  fools  who 
seek  not  the  Lord,  preachers  of  peace,  of 
whom  it  is  written,  "The  prophets  prophe- 
sy lies  in  my  name ;  I  sent  them  not,  neither 
have  I  commanded  them,  neither  spake  unto 
them ;  they  prophesy  unto  you  false  vision 
and  divination,  and  a  thing  of  nought,  and 
the  deceit  of  their  heart,"  Jer.  23:  11;  Matt. 
15:  14;  Ezek.  13:  10;  Jer.  10:  8;  14:  14.  In 
short,  they  are  the  teachers  against  whom 
the  word  of  the  Lord  has  faithfully  warned 


HEARING  THE  PREACHERS. 


267 


us.  Read  here  and  there  in  the  prophets, 
particularly  Jer.  23:13;  Matt.  7:15;  15:14; 
16  :  12;  24  :  11;  Mark  12  :  38;  Luke  12  :  1; 
20:  45. 

Say,  kind  reader,  did  you  ever  read  in 
the  Scriptures  of  any  proud,  avaricious, 
unclean,  lying,  inebriated  and  idolatrous 
prophets,  apostles  and  shepherds  who  were 
pleasing-  unto  the  Lord?  Or  of  such  who,  to 
please  the  world,  liave  adulterated,  changed 
and  abused  the  word,  ordinances  and  com- 
mandments of  the  Lord?  Or,  of  such  who 
said  to  cities,  districts  or  towns.  If  you  will 
care  for  our  necessaries  of  life;  or,  if  you 
will  give  us  so  much  money  or  income,  we 
will  teach  you  the  word  of  the  Lord  ?  O  no, 
reader,  no.  It  never  was  nor  never  will  be 
the  way  of  the  holy  prophets,  apostles  or 
servants  of  Christ.     Of  this  we  are  sure. 

The  teacheis  and  preachers  who  are  sent 
of  God  are  born  of  God,  are  of  godly  nat- 
rue,  and  are  prompted  by  the  Spirit  of  the 
Lord;  they  acknowledge  the  kingdom  of 
heaven;  are  forced  into  the  vineyard  of  the 
Lord  by  puie,  unfeigned  love  of  God  and 
of  their  neighbors;  seek  not  the  gifts  of 
Balak,  nor  the  tables  of  Jezebel ;  but  they 
seek  the  praise  of  God  and  the  salvation  of 
your  souls  and  commend  their  carnal  cares 
to  him,  who,  according  to  the  word  of  his 
promise,  furnishes  the  necessaries  of  life  to 
all  creatures  upon  earth.  Matt.  13 :  25 ;  Num. 
22:28;  2  Pet.  2:16. 

They  teach  the  word  of  the  law  in  the 
power  of  the  Sx^irit,  to  the  remission  of  sins 
and  the  denial  of  all  flesh  by  the  gospel  of 
grace  to  the  consolation,  peace  and  joy  of 
all  the  godfearing,  pious  hearts,  who  before 
disregarded  the  law  and  so  greatly  feared 
the  wrath  and  judgment  of  the  Lord. 

They  reprove  and  shun  all  false  doctrine, 
deceit,  abuse,  idolatry  and  licentious  reck 
less  life,  which  is  of  the  flesh  and  contrary 
to  the  word  of  the  Lord;  they  use.baptism. 
Supper,  ban  and  all  the  ordinances  of  God 
as  is  commanded  them  by  the  word  of  the 
Lord,  be  it  unto  life  or  death;  they  admon- 
ish lords  and  princes,  learned,  unlearned, 
male  and  female,  so  far  as  they  possibly 
can,  if  they  are  favored  with  a  hearing;  for 
the  word  of  God  excuses  neither  emperor 
nor  king,  doctor  nor  master,  rich  nor  poor ; 
all  must  follow  the  word  of  the  Lord  who 


wish  to  be  saved.  Matt.  28:  19;  Acts  2:  38; 
9:6. 

They  lead  their  lives  in  the  fear  of  the 
Lord;  they  daily  die,  with  holy  Paul,  for 
the  sake  of  their  brethren;  they  are  pointed 
at  by  all  the  world;  are  slandered,  perse- 
cuted and  deemed  the  sap  and  substance  of 
all  knaves  and  rogues,  notwithstanding 
they  are  ever  ready  to  show  their  love  and 
faithfulness  to  all,  as  was  formerly  the  case 
with  Jeremiah,  Ezekiel,  Zechariah  the  son 
of  Berechiah,  John  the  Baptist,  the  apos- 
tles and  Christ  himself;  and  how  the  pious 
are  thanked  and  rewarded  at  the  present 
time,  for  their  love  and  services,  the  burn- 
ing, the  sword,  the  stake  and  the  wheel 
show,  1  Cor.  15:  32.  Carefully  observe  and 
rmderstand  me,  kind  reader.  Since  the  send- 
ing, calling,  doctrine",  sacraments  and  life 
of  the  preachers  do  not  conform  to  this  be- 
forementioned  rule,  and  are  therefore  not  of 
God,  as  was  said;  for  they,  generally,  do 
not  enter  but  to  destroy,  steal  and  murder, 
as  the  Lord  says;  to  adulterate  and  garble 
the  precious  word  and  the  holy  sacraments, 
to  gratify  their  appetites;  to  exclude  the 
word  of  God  and  institute  their  own;  to 
kill  the  souls  which  would  have  eternal  life; 
and  promise  life  to  those  that  will  die  the 
eternal  death;  and  for  the  sake  of  a  hand- 
ful of  barley  and  a  mouthful  of  bread,  as 
the  prophet  says;  rule  but  do  not  serve;  de- 
ceive but  do  not  lead;  corrupt  but  do  not 
teach;  weaken  but  do  not  cure;  scatter  but 
do  not  gather;  shut  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
against  man  and  freely  lead  all  poor  souls 
to  hell.  Behold,  therefore  it  is  that  we  do 
not  hear  them,  neither  can  we  conscientious- 
ly hear  them;  for  the  w-ord  of  the  Lord  eve- 
ry where  admonishes  and  commands  ns 
that  we  should  be  aware  of  them,  flee  and 
shun  them,  and  not  hear  them,  as  was  said 
before, Ezek.  13:  14;  34:  1;  Jer.  5:26;  Phil. 
3:  17;  1  Tim.  6:4;  Tit.  3:8;  2  Jn.  1:  8. 

Judge  now,  kind  reader,  whether  these 
reasons  are  not  sufficient  to  shun  the  preach- 
ers. We  have  not  here  presented  to  you 
philosophical  words,  garbled  flatterings, 
nor  falsehood;  but  we  have  pointed  you  to 
such  facts  as  yon  may  daily  observe  and 
hear  of  among  yoiu-  preachers.  This  is 
what  our  much  beloved  brethren  and  sis- 
ters in  Christ  Jesus — feUow-partakers  of  the 


268 


B  A  P  T  I  S  M. 


tribiilation,  kingdom  and  obedience  of 
Christ,  the  faithful  children  of  God,  have 
for  many  long  j^ears,  so  frankly  confessed, 
and  so  heroically  asserted  before  this  idol- 
atrous, bloody  world,  in  excessive  measure 
of  poverty,  by  preaching  and  writing,  at 
the  ijeril  of  life,  propert}^  blood,  prison, 
banishment,  water,  fire,  chains,  gallows, 
wheels  and  the  stake;  bnt  preachers  remain 
preachers  and  the  world  remains  the  world. 
They,  as  appears,  will  never  be  converted. 
They,  so  lirmly  adhere  to  their  idolatry, 
that  they  do  not  suffer  tliemselves  to  be  con- 
verted, Jer.  8. 

Honored  reader,  we  pray  you  for  Christ's 
sake  that  you  will  rightly  understand  this 
our  confession;  do  not  think  that  we  have 
written  this  out  of  bitter  feelings  or  hatred, 
inasmuch  as  it  so  openly  reproves,  discov- 
ers and  points  out  the  shame  of  the  preach- 


ers. O,  no.  "We  testify  before  you  and  be- 
fore the  Lord  who  has  created  us,  that  there 
is  no  hatred  or  bitterness  in  our  hearts;  for 
we  know  and  confess  that  they  are  works 
of  the  flesh  and  will  be  rewarded  by  death. 
But  we  have  written  in  purity  of  heart,  as 
before  him,  Avho  tries  the  hearts  and  reins, 
to  the  service  of  you  and  all  mankind,  no 
matter  whether  they  be  our  opponents  or 
not,  learned  or  unlearned;  to  the  service  of 
all  those  who  seek  the  truth;  that  we  may 
so  discover  the  judgment  of  the  Babylonian 
whore,  the  covert  wiles  of  the  learned,  by 
such  expositions,  that  you  and  all  godfear- 
ing hearts,  by  such  exposition,  may  tire  of 
the  inhximan  abominations,  and  so  under- 
stand the  word  and  truth  of  the  Lord,  and 
with  all  your  hearts  seek  and  obey  the 
same,  that  you  may  be  saved,  Rom.  1:  32; 
Gal.  5  :  21;  1  Cor.  G  :  10;  Eph.  5:5;  Rev. 
17:1. 


OF    BAPTISM. 


CoNCKJiNiNG  baptism  we  believe  and  con- 
fess that  it  is  the  institution,  word,  ordi- 
nance and  command  of  the  Lord ;  and  there- 
fore a  holy,  divine  sacrament  or  sign  by 
which  faith  and  its  powers,  fruits  and  mys- 
teries are  gloriously  represented  and  por- 
trayed when  rightly  administered  according 
to  the  ordinance  of  God  and  not  after  our 
own  choice,  namely :  To  the  believing,  and 
not  to  infants. 

AVe  teacli  and  administer  baptism  upon 
the  confession  of  faith,  for  these  reasons: 
First,  because  Christhimself  has  command- 
ed so,  for  he  says,  "Go  ye  into  all  the  world 
and  preach  the  gospe]  to  every  creature ;  he 
that  believeth  and  is  baptized,  shall  be 
saved,"  Mark  IG:  15;  Matt.  28:  19. 

Secondly,  because  the  holy  apostles  have 
taught  and  administered  it  upon  the  con- 
fession of  faith,  according  to  the  command- 
ment of  God,  and  not  to  infants.  Acts  2:  38; 
8:  37;  10:  47;  1G:15;  18:8;  19:5.  Thirdly, 
because  the  effect,  or  the  signification,  that 
is,  that  which  is  represented  by  baptism,  is 
found  with  the  believing  and  not  with  in- 
fants, Rom.  6:4;  Col.  2:  12;  1  Cor.  12:  13; 
Eph.  4:  4;  1  Pet.  3:  21:  Gal.  3:  27. 


Inasmuch  as  the  AVisdom  and  Truth  him- 
self has  commanded  that  we  should  baptize 
the  believing;  and  as  his  faithful  witnesses, 
the  holy  apostles,  have  not  otherwise  taught 
and  administered  it  than  according  to  the 
commandment  of  their  Lord;  and  as  the 
signification  is  only  applicable  to  the  be- 
lieving and  not  to  infants  as  remarked;  and 
as,  by  the  grace  of  the  Lord,  we  acknowl- 
edge from  the  Scriptures  that  Moses  and  the 
l)rophets,  yea,  the  Father  himself,  point  us 
to  Christ,  that  we  shall  h>ear  him;  and  as, 
according  to  the  doctrine  of  Paul,  there  can 
be  laid  no  other  foundation,  nor  other  gos- 
pel preached  but  that  preached  to  us  by  the 
apostles — behold — therefore  it  is  that  we 
teach,  receive,  assert  and  maintain  baptism 
upon  the  confession  of  faith,  at  tlie  cost  of 
so  much  misery,  even  at  tlie  peril  of  prop- 
erty and  life;  for  we  truly  confess,  and  that 
in  accordance  with  the  Scripture,  which  is 
the  true  light  of  our  feet,  that  it  is  the  in- 
stitution, word,  ordinance  and  command  of 
the  Lord,  Jer.  23:33;  Matt.  17:5;  Mark 
9:  6;  Luke  9:  30;  1  Cor.  3:  11;  Ps.  119:105. 


INFANT  BAPTISM. 


269 


INFANT  BArilSM. 


In  regard  to  infant  baptism  we  liold  and 
confess,  first,  that  it  is  a  self-begotten  rite 
and  human  righteousness;  for  in  all  the 
New  Testament  there  is  not  a  word  said  or 
commanded  about  baptizing  infants,  by 
Christ  nor  by  the  apostles. 

Secondly,  that  it  is  a  breaking  and  tear- 
ing to  pieces  of  the  ordinance  of  Christ ;  for 
he  has  commanded  that  the  gospel  should 
be  preached  and  that  those  should  be  bap- 
tized who  believe,  Matt.  28: 19;  Mark  16: 15. 
But  here  they  baptize  without  divine  com- 
mand, without  the  preaching  of  the  word, 
without  knowledge,  faith,  repentance,  new 
life,  and  without  all  consciousness  and 
knowledge,  yet  it  is  called  by  the  learned  a 
lioly ,  glorious  work  and  a  christian  baptism 
and  sacrament. 

Thirdly,  that  it  is  a  vain  consolation  and 
boasting  of  all  the  unrighteous;  for,  al- 
though they  do  not  understand  the  word  of 
God,  do  not  know  the  truth  and  lead  a  li- 
centious, carnal  life,  yet  they  boast  them- 
selves to  be  baptized  christians. 

Since  infant  baptism  is  such  a  pernicious 
superstition  Hiat  it  entirely  destroys  the 
Lord's  baptism,  and  as  the  poor,  blind 
v.'orld  suffer  themselves  to  be  misled  and 
cousoled  therewith,  and  as,  besides,  there  is 
connected  with  it  such  fearful  blasphemy, 
hypocrisy,  adjuration,  witchcraft  and  abuse 
of  the  glorious  name  of  God  that  a  godfear- 
ing heart  may  well  be  astounded  thereat, 
therefore  it  is  that  we  so  strenuously  op- 
pose infant  baptism,  and  openly  confess 
that  it  is  not  of  God  or  of  his  word  but  of 
anti-christ  and  of  the  bottomless  pit. 

Lxither  writes  in  a  book  on  "Human  doc- 
trine" that  that  which  is  not  commanded  of 
God  in  religious  matters  of  faith,  is  forbid- 
den."   Again,  concerning  the  12th  chapter 


of  Genesis  he  says,  "That  we  should  not 
accept  any  doctrines  withoiit  certain  reasons 
from  the  divine  word." 

Daniel  writes,  "Worship,  without  the 
word  of  God,  is  idolatry." 

Philip  Melancthon,  in  a  book  on  the  Ju- 
risdiction and  autJwrity  of  the  churcli,  says, 
"That  all  worship  which  is  not  instituted 
of  God  by  his  express  word,  is  false  and 
wrong,  let  it  be  glozed  over  ever  so  much." 

Here  Luther  and  Melancthon  have  rightly 
expressed  themselves  according  to  the  Script- 
ure, although  alas,  they  did  not  practice 
upon  it.  For  if  we  read  and  well  consider 
the  Scriptures  then  we  clearly  find  how 
jjointedly  God  has  commanded  us  that  we 
shall  not  institute  a  religion  of  our  own 
choice,  but  that  we  should  do  as  he  has 
commanded.  On  account  of  self-righteous- 
ness and  self-chosen  religion,  Israel  was  se- 
verely visited  and  punished  of  the  Lord. 

Say  not,  beloved  reader,  as  the  ignorant 
do,  that  we  thereby  condemn  our  children 
because  we  do  not  suffer  them  to  be  bap- 
tized. O,  no.  For  the  Scripture  does  not 
connect  the  kingdom  to  words  and  water, 
but  to  the  election  and  grace  of  the  Father, 
in  the  merits  of  the  death  and  blood  of 
Christ. 

Christ  has  promised  the  kingdom  to  small 
children,  without  baptism.  Matt.  19:14; 
Mark  10:  1-1;  Luke  18:  IG.  On  account  of 
this  promise  we  are  exceedingly  rejoiced, 
and  give  thanks  unto  the  Lord  for  the  grace 
shown  our  children.  Therfore,  take  heed, 
and  mistake  not;  for  to  connect  the  elec- 
tion, grace,  favor  and  kingdom  of  God  to 
words,  works,  signs  and  the  elements,  is 
quite  contrary  to  the  merits,  death,  blood 
and  word  of  the  Lord;  j'ea,  open  deceit, 
abomination  and  idolatry. 


270 


THE  LORD'S  HOLY  SUPPER. 


THE  LOliU'S  HOLY  SUrrEK. 


L\  the  same  manner  we  believe  and  con- 1 
fess  concerning  tlie  Lord's   Holy   Snpper, 
that  it  is  a  holy  sacramental  sign,  insti-  ' 
tnted  of  the  Lord  himself,  in  the  shape  of  | 
bread  and  wine;  and  left  to  his  ov,-n  in  re-  \ 
membrance  of  him,  Matt.  2(3;  Mark  14;  Luke 
22;  1  Cor.  11;  which  was  also  thus  taught  j 
and  administered  by  the  apostles  among 
the  brethren,  according  to  the  command- 
ment of  the  Lord,  by  which,  first,  the  Lord's 
death  is  proclaimed,  1  Cor.  11 ;  and  also  to  ' 
remember  how  he  oli'ered  his  holy  tieshand 
shed  his  precious  blood  for  the  remission  of 
our  sins.  Matt.  2G:  27;  Mark  14:  24;  Luke  [ 
22:  19. 

Secondly,  it  is  an  emblem  of  christian 
love,  of  unity  and  of  peace  in  the  church  j 
of  Christ.  Paul  says,  "For  we,  being  many, 
are  one  bread,  and  one  body;  for  we  are! 
all  partakers  of  that  one  bread,"  1  Cor. 
10:  17.  For  as  a  loaf  being  composed  of 
many  grains,  is  but  one  bread,  so  we,  also, 
being  composed  of  man}'^  members,  are  but 
one  body  in  Christ;  ancl  as  the  members  of 
a  natural  body  are  not  disunited  but  are  in 
every  respect  united  and  peaceable  among 
themselves,  so  it  is  with  all  those  who  in 
Spirit  and  faith  are  true  members  of  the 
body  of  Christ;  and  for  this  reason  this 
same  supper  was  called  by  Tertullian  a 
brotherly  meal,  or  supper  of  love. 

Thirdly  it  is  a  communion  of  the  llesh 
and  blood  of  Christ,  as  Paul  says,  "The 
cup  of  blessing  which  we  bless,  is  it  not  the 
communion  of  the  blood  of  Christ?  The 
bread  which  we  break,  is  it  not  the  com- 
munion of  the  body  of  Christ  T  1  Cor.  10 :  16 ; 
which  communion  is,  that  Christ  has  accept- 
ed us  in  his  great  love  and  we  are  become 
partakers  of  him,  as  Paul  says,  "We  are 
made  partakers  of  Christ,  if  we  hold  the 


beginning  of  our  contidence  steadfast  unto 
theend,"Heb.  3:14. 

Inasmuch  as  it  is  a  sign,  which  is  left  us 
of  Christ,  in  such  power  that  it  is  to  repre- 
sent and  admonish  us  of  his  death,  the  love, 
peace  and  unity  of  the  lirethren  and  also 
the  communion  of  his  tiesh  and  blood,  as 
was  said,  therefore  none  can  rightly  par- 
take of  this  Supper,  according  to  Scripture, 
but  he  that  is  a  disciple  of  Christ,  flesh  of 
his  flesh,  and  bone  of  his  bone,  who  seeks 
the  reconciliation  and  remission  of  sins  in 
no  other  means  than,  alone,  in  the  merits, 
sacrifice,  death  and  blood  of  Christ,  who 
walks  in  unity,  love  and  peace  with  his 
brethren,  and  who  leads  a  pious  unblama- 
ble life  in  Christ  Jesus,  according  to  the 
Scrii^tures. 

Here  you  have  the  true  Supjjcr  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  together  v>ith  what  it  rep- 
resents, briefly  stated,  which  the  mouth  of 
the  Lord  has  left  and  taught  you  by  his 
holy  word.  If  3"ou  would  be  a  becoming- 
guest  at  the  Lord's  table,  and  would  rightly 
enjoy  his  bread  and  wine  then  you  must 
also  be  his  true  disciple,  that  is,  you  must 
be  an  upright,  pious  and  godly  christian. 
Therefore,  prove  j^onrself  according  to  ,tlie 
doctrine  of  Paul,  1  Cor.  11:  27,  before  yoxi 
eat  of  this  bread  and  drink  of  this  cup ;  for 
before  God  no  feigning  avails.  He  did  not 
institute  this  ceremony  with  the  intention 
that  God  would  be  pleased  in  the  mere  eat- 
ing of  the  bread  or  drinking  of  the  wine. 
O,  no.  But  he  instituted  it  that  thereby 
you  should  observe  and  faithfully  conform 
yourself  to  that  which  is  represented  and 
admonished  by  this  sacrament.  For  not 
the  ceremony  itself,  but  the  meaning  repre- 
sented by  it,  rightly  understood  and  fulfllled 
in  actions,  constitutes  a  sincere  christian. 


THE  SUPPER  OP  THE  PREACHERS. 


271 


THE  SUPPER  OF  THE  PREACHERS. 


In  regard  to  the  supper  of  the  preachers 
we  hold  and  confess,  first,  that  it  is  a  false 
and  idolatrous  consolation  and  sign  of 
peace  to  all  those  who  delight  in  walking 
upon  the  broad  way,  such  as,  greedy,  cov- 
etous, avaricious,  usurious,  adulterous,  ly- 
ing, deceiving,  proud,  unrighteous  persons. 
For,  as  it  is  represented  to  them,  by  their 
preachers,  as  being  a  means  of  the  remis- 
sion of  their  sins,  they  console  themselves 
and  think  that  if  they  partake  of  it  they  are 
the  people  of  the  Lord.  O  no.  The  cere- 
mony makes  no  christian;  for,  so  long  as 
they  do  not  convert  themselves,  and  become 
new  men,  born  of  God,  of  spiritual  mind,  it 
is  a  vain  baptism  and  a  vain  supper,  even, 
if  it  were  administered  by  either  Peter  or 
Paul.  Paul  saj^s,  "For  in  Jesus  Christ  nei- 
ther circumcision  availeth  any  thing,  nor  j 
uncircumcision ;  but  faith  which  worketh  ' 
by  love,"  Gal.  5:  6,  the  new  creature;  and 
the  keeping  of  the  commandments  of  God, 
1  Cor.  7:  19;  Matt.  IS  :  4;  Jn.  3  :  3—5;  2 
Pet.  1:3. 

Secondly,  we  assert  that  it  is  openly  a 
feigned  work,  althoiigh  it  is  acknowledged 
by  few.  For  Christ  instituted  it  in  remem- 
brance of  his  death,  as  a  sign  of  christian  ! 
peace,  and  as  a  communion  of  his  flesh  and 
blood;  while  the  common  world  partake  of 
the  supi^er  in  semblance,  as  if  they  believed 
thus  and  were  thus  minded;  and,  yet,  they 
seek  the  remission  of  their  sins  and  their 
salvation  in  infant  baptism,  absolutions, 
and  in  bread  and  wine,  as  is  manifest. 

Besides,  their  fruits  openly  show  that 
they  are  not  the  hody  of  peace;  for  they 
make  use  of  such  tricks  and  perfidy  amongst 
each  other  in  buying  and  selling;  some, 
also,  commit  adultery,  lie  and  cheat;  the 
one  slanders,  defames  and  robs  the  other, 
that  it  may  l^e  truly  said  of  them  that  they 
do  not  acknowledge  christian  peace  which 
is  of  God,  and  that  they  are  not  in  the  com- 
munion of  Christ,  but  that  they  are  in  the 
communion  of  him,  of  whom  John  says, 
"Little  children,let  no  man  deceive  you," ' '  He 
that  committeth  sin,  is  of  the  devil ;  for  the 


devil  sinneth  from   the  beginning,"  1  Jn. 
3:  7,  8. 

Thirdly,  we  say,  that  it  is  a  horrible  blas- 
phemy, abomination  and  adultery,  nay  a 
new  calf  and  Moaz ;  for  the  blind,  reckless 
world  sees  plainly  that  it  is  a  perishable 
fruit  of  earth  which  they  have  planted,  cut, 
pressed  and  baked  with  their  own  hands, 
and  which  again  returns  to  earth;  that  it 
must  be  taken  care  of  by  man  lest  the  worms 
and  age  consume  it — and  yet  it  is  called  hy 
many  the  imperishable  precious' flesh  and 
blood  of  Christ,  and  worshipped  and  hon- 
ored as  the  true  Son  of  the  living  God, 
which  we  also  with  our  ancestors  have  done 
these  five  hundred  years,  and  which  is  yet 
done  in  many  large  kingdoms,  principali- 
ties, cities  and  districts,  as  was  in  bygone 
times  the  case  with  Israel  in  the  worship  of 
the  brazen  serpent,  which  was  afterwards 
broken  in  pieces  by  Hezekiah,  king  of  Ju- 
dah,  2Kin.  18:4. 

Behold,  to  such  rude  idolaters  and  de- 
ceivers has  the  apocalyptic  Apollyon  ren- 
dered the  scribes  of  this  world,  that  they 
have,  by  their  own  wisdom,  doctrine  and 
council,  erected  such  a  powerless,  earthly 
cereal  and  fruit  as  being,  or  filling  the 
place  of  the  true  Son  of  the  Almighty  and 
eternal  God;  behold,  thus  entirely  has  the 
noble  Sun  of  righteousness  lost  its  bright- 
ness and  the  Egyptian  darkness  covered  the 
entire  land.  Rev.  9:  2;  Exod.  10:  22. 

Faithful  reader,  by  this  our  exposition 
and  confession  of  the  preachers  and  their 
baptism,  supper  and  envious  hearts  toward 
all  the  pious,  learn  the  judgment  of  the 
finely  attired  woman,  seated  upon  the  scar- 
let colored  beast.  Rev.  17:3.  Mark:  The 
beast  upon  which  the  woman  was  seated,  is 
full  of  names  of  blaspheni}^ ;  understand  the 
spiritual  sense.  The  woman  was  arrayed 
in  purple  and  scarlet  color — in  celel^rations, 
churches,  bells,  choirs,  organs,  baptism  and 
supper.  The  cup  in  her  hand  was  of  gold. 
They  boast  of  the  word  of  God — but  are 
filled  with  abominations  and  filthiness  of 
their  fornication  and  have  made  all  the 
world  drunk  therewith;  and  the  name  was 


272 


THE  SWEAKIKG  OF  OATHS. 


written  upon  lier  forehead  and  may  be  read 
b}^  all  who  have  spiritual  eyes,  and  is 
called,  "Mystery,  Babylon  the  Great, 

TIIE  MOTIIER  OF  HaKLOTS  AiSD  ABOMINA- 
TIONS OF  TIIF  EaP>TU." 

And  although  she  is  so  finel}^  arrayed 
that  all  kings  commit  fornication  therewith, 
yet  she  is  called  a  whore  by  the  angel, 
and  of  such  an  inhuman  and  wolfish  nature 
that  she  is  "drunken  with  the  blood  of  the 
saints,  and  with  the  blood  of  the  martyrs 
of  Jesus.'' 


John,  the  holy  man  of  God,  saw  this  in 
the  Spirit,  and  was  astounded  thereat. 
Yea,  kind  reader,  whosoever  rightly  under- 
stands the  abominable  power,  idolatrous 
array,  spiritual  enchantment  and  fornica- 
tion, inhuman  abominableness  and  fearful 
bloodthirstiness  and  tj'ranny  of  the  woman 
may  well  be  astounded  thereat.  Therefore, 
fear  God  and  learn  wisdom.  We  have,  by 
the  grace  of  God,  thoroughly  shown  her, 
exposed  her  shame  and  diligently  and  in 
faithful  love  warned  jon  against  her. 


TIIE  SWEARING  OF  OATHS. 


\ 


David  says,  who  shall  ascend  into  the 
hill  of  the  Lord?  or  who  shall  stand  in  his 
hol3='  place?  he  that  hath  clean  hands,  and 
a  pure  heart;  who  hath  not  lifted  up  his 
soul  unto  vanity,  nor  sworn  deceitfully. 
He  shall  receive  the  blessing  from  the  Lord, 
and  righteousness  from  the  God  of  his  sal- 
vation,"' Ps.  24. 

These  words  of  David  are  full  of  spirit 
and  wisdom,  yet  not  regarded  bj^  the  world. 
For  every  where  we  find  guilty  hands,  un- 
clean hearts,  false  doctrine,  faithlessness 
and  but  little  truth.  Yea,  it  has  come  to 
this,  among  the  children  of  men  that  the 
precious  -//ea  and  ria?/  which  was  command- 
ed of  the  Lord  himself  can  no  longer  be 
trusted.  But  nearly  everything  which  is 
transacted  before  the  magistracy,  must  be 
affirmed  by  an  oath,  although  the  Lord  has 
so  plainly  forbidden  the  swearing  of  oaths 
to  all  christians,  Matt.  5;  34. 

The  Scripture  teaches  that  we  should  hear 
Christ,  for  he  is  the  king  in  Jacob,  Isa.  9:  7, 
the  king  of  righteousness,  the  Teacher  and 
Prophet  promised  of  God,  who  hath  taught 
us  the  word  of  the  Father,  and  his  word  is 
truth,  his  commandment  eternal  life.  Dent. 
18:15-,  Matt.  17:5;  Mark  9:7;  Isa.  9:7; 
Jer.  23:  6;  33:  IG;  Dent.  IS:  15;  Acts  8:  26; 
Jn.  3:17;  5:46;  17:  17;  12:  50. 

Inasmuch  as  we  thus  confess  and  cordial- 
ly believe,  and  besides,  confess  that  no 
emperor  or  king  may  rule  or  command  con- 
trary to  his  word,  since  he  is  the  Head  of 
all  princes,  Eph.  1:  21;   Col.  2:  10;  and  is 


the  King  of  all  kings.  Rev.  1:5;  19:16; 
and  that  unto  him  every  knee  shall  bow 
which  is  in  heaven,  in  earth  or  under  the 
earth,  Phil.  2;  and  as  he  has  plainly  for- 
bidden us  to  swear,  and  pointed  us  to  ^ea 
and  na?/,  alone,  therefore  it  is  that  we  swear 
not,  by  the  fear  of  God,  nor  dare  swear, 
though  we  must  hear  and  suifer  so  much  on 
that  account  from  the  world. 

Since  throughout  the  world  they  act  so 
fearlessly  contrary  to  the  word  of  God,  in 
regard  to  this  article;  and  as  sometimes 
some  of  the  godfearing  are  therebj^  put  into 
difficulty,  therefore  I  will,  by  the  grace  of 
God,  show  the  kind  hearted  reader,  from 
the  word  of  God  what  the  Holy  Scriptures 
at  different  times  teach  and  imply  concern- 
ing the  swearing  of  oaths. 

First,  the  reader  should  observe  that 
swearing  was  not  always  practiced  uniform- 
ly among  the  people  of  the  Lord.  Before 
the  law  the  holy  fathers  had  a  custom  to 
lay  their  hands  under  the  thighs,  and  thus 
swore  to  others,  as  may  be  read  in  the  case 
of  Abraham  and  his  servant.  Gen.  24:  3; 
and  in  the  case  of  Jacob  and  his  son  Joseph, 
Gen.  47:  29 — 31.  Joseph  also  swore  by  the 
life  of  Pharaoh,  Gen.  42;  and  it  seems  that 
such  swearing  was  customary  among  the 
Egyptians. 

Secondly,  the  reader  should  observe,  that 
Israel  was  bound  by  the  law  to  swear  hy 
the  name  of  the  Lord  and  to  keep  their 
oath,  as  Moses  says,  "And  ye  shall  not 
swear  liy  my  name  falsely,  neither  slialt 


; 


THE  SWEARING  OP  OATHS. 


273 


thou  profane  the  name  of  thy  God.  I  am 
the  Lord,  Lev.  19:  12;  and  this  oath  settled 
all  dispute  among  Israel,  Ex.  22: 11;"  Ileb. 
6:  16.  Thirdl}^,  It  should  be  observed,  that 
Christ  Jesus  does  not  in  the  New  Testament, 
point  his  disciples,  in  regard  to  swearing, 
to  the  law,  as  in  the  imperfect,  which  al- 
lowed swearing — bnt  he  points  us  now  from 
the  law  to  yea  and  nay,  as  in  the  perfect, 
and  speaks  thus,  "Ye  have  heard  that  it 
hath  been  said  by  them  of  old  time  (that  is, 
to  the  fathers  under  the  law,  by  Moses), 
Thou  shalt  not  foreswear  thyself,  bi;t  shalt 
perform  unto  the  Lord  thine  oatlis  (that  is, 
thou  shalt  swear  truly  and  fuUill  thine 
oath):  but  I  (Christ)  say  unto  you  (my  dis- 
ciples). Swear  not  at  all  (that  is,  neither 
•  truly  nor  falsely) ;  neither  by  heaven ;  for  it 
is  God's  throne;  nor  by  the  earth;  for  it  is 
his  footstool;  neither  by  Jerusalem;  for  it 
is  the  city  of  the  great  King.  Neither  shalt 
thou  swear  by  thy  head,  because  thou  canst 
not  make  one  hair  white  or  black.  But  let 
yoiu'  communication  be,  yea,  yea;  nay, 
nay:  for  whatsoever  is  more  than  these, 
cometh  of  evil."  Here  you  have  Christ's 
own  doctrine  and  ordinance  concerning 
swearing.  Matt.  5:  35 — 37;  Jas.  5:  12;  Ex. 
20:7. 

Behold,  beloved  reader,  before  these  words 
of  Christ  all  human  laws  and  regulations 
concerning  swearing  must  stand  back  and 
be  abolished;  such  as  Juramentum  Ca- 
himniae.  Jernmentum  de  veritate  dicenda, 
or  Fede\  no  matter  how  they  be  performed; 
be  it  by  words,  or  by  raising  your  hand,  or 
holding  your  hands  upon  your  breast,  or 
Tipon  a  cross,  or  upon  the  New  Testament, 
&c.  And  the  truthful  yea  and  nay,  ordained 
of  the  Lord  himself  must  be  restituted,  if 
the  magistrates  and  subjects  do  not  want 
licentiously  to  transgress  the  word  of  the 
Lord  and  reject  it  as  vain;  for,  whatsoever 
is  more  than  yea  and  nay  (says  Christ) 
cometh  of  evil.  This  same  the  holy  James 
also  teaches,  "Above  all  things,  my  breth- 
ren, swear  not,  neither  by  heaven,  neither 
by  the  earth,  neither  by  any  other  oath: 
(understand,  such  as,  By  Ood\s  word — By 
the  Lord's  cross — By  the  salvation  of  your 
soul);  but  let  your  yea  be  yea,  and  your 
nay,  nay  (and  not  So  help  me  God,  So  help 
me  God  and  all  the  saints,  as  is  alas,  the 
71 


custom  in  many  places);  lest  ye  fall  into 
condemnation,"  Jas.  5:  12. 

We  are  aware  that  the  magistracy  claim 
and  say.  We  are  allowed  to  swear  when  Jus- 
tice is  on  our  side.  This  we  simply  answer 
with  the  word  of  the  Lord.  To  swear  ti'uly 
was  allowed  to  the  Jews  under  the  law;  but 
the  gospel  forbids  this  to  christians.  As 
Christ  does  not  allow  us  to  swear,  and  as 
the  magistracy,  notwithstanding,  proceed 
according  to  their  rule,  although  contrary 
to  the  Scriptures,  and  as  the  Scriptures  may 
not  be  set  aside  by  man,  what  shall  now 
the  conscientious  christian  do  ?  If  he  swear, 
he  falls  into  the  hands  of  the  Lord;  but  if 
he  does  not  swear  he  will  have  to  bear  the 
disfavor  and  pimishnient  of  the  magistrac}^. 

0,  ye  beloved  lords !  if  we,  now,  had 
christian  eyes  and  could  see  and  sincerely 
acknowledge  what  it  is,  according  to  the 
justice  of  God,  licentiously  to  despise  and 
transgress  the  word  of  God,  we  would  rath- 
er die  than  weaken  or  break  the  precious 
gospel  of  oiu"  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  ordi- 
nance of  the  eternal  God,  by  temporal  stat- 
utes and  policies. 

Nor  would  we,  even,  think  of  asking  more 
than  yea  and  nay,  particularly  of  the  pious, 
godfearing  hearts,  who,  by  the  fear  of  their 
God,  dare  not  speak  anything  but  the  truth; 
who  esteem  every  word  which  comes  from 
their  mouths  as  an  oath,  and  keep  their  yea 
and  nay  unto  death;  while,  now,  alas,  they 
dare  force  them  to  swear  to  a  trifle,  as  con- 
cerning some  temporal  goods  or  something 
of  the  kind,  even  with  their  fingers  raised 
to  heaven  or  with  their  hands  upon  the 
New  Testament,  by  the  God  of  heaven  and 
by  his  living  wdrd. 

O,  ye  beloved  lords  !  how  pitiably  your 
teachers  and  leaders  lead  you  upon  the 
way  which  tends  to  damnation,  who  ever 
console  you  by  saying  that  we  should  obey 
the  magistracy  (as  is,  also,  becoming  so 
far  as  is  not  contrary  to  God's  word);  as  if 
the  magistracy  may  act  and  rule  against 
the  Lord,  at  pleasure. 

O,  no,  beloved  lords,  no !  We  warn  yoir 
in  faithful  love.  Repent,  wake  up  and  take 
heed.  Your  preachers  deceive  you.  With 
God  there  is  no  respect  of  person.  If  you 
do  not  repent,  are  not  born  of  God,  become 
like  unto  children  in    malice,   do  not  in 


374 


THE  SWEARING  OF  OATHS. 


love  execute  your  office  and  sendee  agreea- 
bly to  the  will  of  God,  do  not  act  justly  to 
tlie  poor  and  miserable,  and  do  not  walk 
obediently  to  the  word  of  the  Lord  with 
godly,  humble  hearts,  you  will  find  your 
judge  at  the  judgment  day.  Beloved  lords, 
take  to  heart  this  saying,  "Mighty  men 
shall  be  mightily  tormented,"  Wis.  6:  6. 

Again,  ye  learned,  you  who  by  your  flat- 
terings  and  errors  assert  and  maintain  it, 
how  dare  you  so  flatly  contradict  the  eter- 
nal wisdom  and  truth  of  God  and  say. 
Thou  saj^est:  thou  shalt  not  swear;  but  we 
say;  Tlioii  mayed  swear  wJien  the  love, 
profit  and  need  of  thy  neighhor  require  it. 
AVe  will  leave  it  to  your  judgment  whether 
that  is  not  teaching  contrary  to  Christ;  as 
it  is  so  plain  that  it  was  allowed  to  the 
Jews  under  the  law,  to  swear  sincerely;  but 
to  us,  christians,  it  is  forbidden  and  as  it  is 
very  plain  that,  according  to  the  New  Test- 
ament, no  love  of  neighbors  nor  kinsmen 
nor  peril  of  life  is  any  excuse  to  strain  or 
break  the  Avord  of  the  Lord,  Matt.  10:  37; 
Mark  8:  38. 

Therefore,  worthy  reader,  if  you  fear  the 
Lord  and  if  it  should  happen  that  you  are 
asked  to  swear,  then  pray  the  Most  High 
for  wisdom,  courage  and  strength;  do  not 
listen  to  tlie  flatterings  of  the  learned,  for 
they  deceive  you;  do  not  look  to  numbers 
lest  you  follow  in  their  evil  ways,  as  Moses 
says,  Respect  no  flesh  in  this  matter,  no 
ditference  who,  what  or  where  they  be,  but 
admonisli  them  in  a  becoming  manner  and 
in  love  when  they  ask  of  you  more  than  the 
Scriptures  command;  abide  in  the  Lord's 
word  which  so  plainly  has  forbidden  you 
to  swear;  and  let  your  yea'  and  nay,  be 
your  oath,  as  was  commanded,  whether  life 
or  death  be  your  lot,  that  you,  by  your 
courage  and  lu-m  truthfulness,  may  admon- 
ish and  reprove  unto  righteousness  the  use- 
less, fruitless,  vain  world  (who,  in  their 
faithlessness  respect  nothing  less  than  the 
word  of  the  Lord)  by  your  truthful  yea  and 
nay;  that  some  might  yet  be  converted 
from  their  unrighteousness  and  thereby 
more  deei:)ly  study  the  truth,  and  be  saved, 
Matt.  5:  37;  Phil.  2:  12. 

It  is  better  to  incur  the  disfavor,  scorn 
and  slander  of  man  and  remain  in  the  truth, 
than  to  be  the  favorite  of  man  and  sin 


against  God.  The  good  John  Huss*  con- 
fessed when  he  was  asked  to  swear  and 
said,  I  am  pressed  on  all  sides.  Iflsioear, 
I  have  eternal  death;  and  if  I  do  not  swear, 
I  will  fall  into  your  Jiands.  But  I  would 
ratlier  fall  into  your  hands,  without  swear- 
ing than  to  sin  in  the  face  of  God.  Thus 
considerately  this  worthy  man  weighed  the 
oath. 

Also  read  Hieronymus,  Theophilact, 
Chrysostom,  Erasmus  of  Rotterdam  in  their 
annotations;  Philip  Melancthon's  Treatise 
on  the  fifth  Chapter  of  Matthew.  Heymon's 
Treatise  on  the  Tenth  Chapter  of  Revelations 
and  also  Origen,  and  you  will  find  that  in 
this  article  they  agree  with  our  foundation, 
faith,  doctrine  and  confession.  This  is  our 
foundation  and  understanding  in  regard  to 
this  article.  Inasmuch  as  the  Lord  has  for- 
bidden us  to  swear  at  all  (understand  in 
temporal  matters)  neither  sincerely  nor 
falsely,  as  was  said;  and  has  commanded 
that  our  yea  shall  be  yea  and  our  nay,  nay, 
Matt.  5:  37;  as  Paul  and  James,  also,  testi- 
fy to  this,  2  Cor.  1:  IS;  Jas.  5:  12;  and  as 
we  know  that  no  man,  nor  command- 
ment of  man  may  supersede  God  and  liis 
commandment,  therefore  it  is  that  we,  in 
temjDoral  matters,  dare  not  affirm  to  truth 
with  more  than  yea  or  nay,  as  the  case  may 
be;  for  thus  the  word  of  the  Lord  teaches 
us. 

Reader,  mark.  AVe  say.  In  temporal  mat- 
ters, and  for  this  reason:  Because  Christ 
sometimes  in  his  teachings  makes  use  of 
the  word,  verily.  Matt.  18:  18;  Jn.  3:  3,  5; 
8:  34;  10:  1;  and  because  Paul  called  lapon 
the  Lord  as  a  witness  of  his. soul.  For  this 
reason  some  think  that  swearing  is  allowa- 
ble; not  observing  that  Christ  and  Paul 
did  not  do  this  in  speaking  of  temporal 
matters,  as  in  a  matter  of  flesh  or  blood,  or 
money  or  property;  but  as  an  affirmation 
of  the  eternal  truth,  to  the  praise  of  God 
and  to  the  salvation  and  edification  of  tlieir 
brethren. 

AVe  hereby  pray  all  lords  and  magis- 
trates, for  Jesus'  sake,  to  fear  the  Lord  sin- 
cerely, and  to  conform  their  policy,  in  tliis 
matter  of  swearing,  to  the  word  of  tlie  Lord, 


*Joliu  IIuss  was  condcmucd  t>y  tlie  Papists,  ;it  tlieir 
council,  at  Constance,  to  be  burned,  in  1415. 


CONCLUSION. 


275 


and  to  consider  why  they  require  the  oath, 
namely:  That  that  sliall  be  fultilled  to 
which  one  swears.  Inasmuch  as  we  deem 
our  3^ea  and  nay  to  be  no  less  than  an  oath, 
why  recjuire  any  further  affirmation  at  our 
hands  than  the  Avord  of  the  Lord  teaches 
and  allows;  for,  by  the  grace  of  God,  we 
trust,  inasmuch  as  we  are  partakers  of  the 
Lord,  and  adhere  to  the  word  in  which  3^ea 
is  amen — that  it  will  be  found  with  us  that 
it  is  yea  where  it  should  be  yea,  and  nay 
where  it  should  be  nay,  much  more  so  than 
with  the  world  under  strong  oaths.  But  in 
case  that  a  man's  yea  and  nay  is  not  kept, 


let  him  be  punished  as  a  perjurer.  That  it 
is  3^ea  and  amen  with  all  true  christians,  is 
sufficiently  proven  by  those  who,  in  our 
Netherlands,  are  so  tyrannically  visited 
with  imprisonment,  conliscation  and  torture; 
besides,  with  tire,  the  stake  and  the  sword; 
while  with  one  word  they  could  escape  all 
these  if  they  would  but  break  their  yea  and 
nay;  but  as  they  are  born  of  the  truth, 
therefore  they  walk  in  tlie  truth  and  testify 
to  the  truth  unto  death,  as  may  be  abun- 
dantly seen  in  Flanders,  Braband,  Holland, 
West  Vriesland,  and  other  places. 


CONCLUSION. 


It  is  manifest,  honored  reader,  that  the 
world  is  so  degenerated  that  it  esteems  eve- 
ry thing  wrong  which  God  teaches,  com- 
mands and  desires,  and  hates  it  with  en- 
vious hearts  persecutes  and  destroys  it. 
On  the  contrary,  all  that  which  God  hates, 
accurses  and  esteems  as  an  abomina- 
tion, it  looks  upon  as  good,  and  diligently 
asserts  and  maintains;  and  yet  they  want 
to  be  the  holy,  christian  church  and  the  peo- 
ple of  God,  as  if  we  could  be  such  by  the 
mere  name;  by  baptizing  children  &c. ;  with- 
out faith,  the  new  birth,  and  the  Spirit  and 
obedience  of  God.  O,  no,  reader,  no.  Take 
heed.  Your  consolers  deceive  you  and  cor- 
rupt the  way  you  should  go,  Isa.  3:  11. 

Inasmuch  as  the  world  is  so  entirely  de- 
generated, as  was  said,  and  as  our  oppo- 
nents so  shamefully  lie  and  war  against 
us,  that  we  cannot  answer  for  ourselves,  as 
is  manifest,  therefore  we  have  written  this 
our  confession,  that  every  one  who  may 
read,  hear  or  see  it,  may  know  why  and 
whereby  we  seek  to  be  saved — why  we  do 
not  hear  the  preachers,  and  why  we  so 
strictly  administer  baptism  to  the  believing 
and  oppose  infant  baptism;  what  is  repre- 
sented by  the  Lord's  Holy  Supper  and  what 
abominations  are  implied  in  the  baptism 
of  the  learned;  and  that  it  is  not  allowed 
to  a  true  christian  to  swear  in  temporal 
matters,  but  only  affirm  by  yea  and  nay. 
And  by  so  doing  we  have  compared  truth 


with  falsehood,  light  with  darkness  and 
white  with  black,  as  you  will  perceive.  If 
you  do  not  want  to  be  willfully  blind,  you 
have  here  a  good  eye-salve.  Yea,  we  have 
presented  it  so  plainly  and  clearly  that  you 
must  acknowledge  it  to  be  the  truth;  or  else 
reject  it  in  perverseness,  and  say,  No,  I  do 
not  want  to  believe  it  thus.  AVhat  kind  of 
a  christian  3^011  are  you  may  consider  for 
yourself. 

Kind  reader,  do  not  associate  with  those 
who  say  unto  God,  "Depart  from  us;  for 
we  desire  not  the  knowledge  of  thy  wa3^s," 
Job  21 :  14.  Nor  with  those  who  are  intent 
upon  blood,  for  their  reward  will  be  death, 
Rom.  1:33;  Rev.  21:27.  Behold,  this  is 
our  foundation,  as  you  here  have  read.  If, 
now,  you  are  of  a  pious  mind  and  not  led 
by  the  blind  spirit  of  the  spiritual  whore- 
dom, then  judge  our  cause  according  to  the 
word  and  truth  of  the  Lord.  If  j^ou  do  not 
imderstand  it  then  fear  God  and  pray.  All 
those  who  are  born  of  God  and  inclined  to 
the  Avord  of  the  Lord,  must  acknowledge 
that  onr  doctrine  is  of  God  and  that  truth 
is  on  our  side;  whosoever  accei)tsthem  and 
abides  in  them  unto  the  end,  has  eternal 
life;  but  whosoever  rejects  them  does  not 
reject  US,  biit  Christ  Jesus  himself  who  has 
thus  taught  from  the  mouth  of  his  Father 
and  sealed  it  with  his  blood.  Rev.  1:  5;  1 
Pet.  1:  19;  Acts  20:  28.  The  gracious  Fa- 
ther, through  his  beloved  Son,  Jesus  Christ 


-216 


QUESTIONS  AND  ANSWERS. 


our  Lord,  enlighten  you  and  all  hungry 
hearts  by  the  gift  of  his  Holy  Spirit,  and 
lead  you  by  his  strength  into  his  eternal, 
saving  truth,  Amen. 


To  the  praise  of  God  and  the  seiTice  of 
all  mankind. 

JNIENNO  SIMON. 
A.  D.  1552. 


QUESTIONS  AND  ANSWERS. 


Question  1.  Is  scpural ion  ;i  cominaml  or  is  it  :i  ccjuii- 
sel  of  God? 

Ansicer.  Let  every  one  weigh  the  words 
of  Christ  and  of  Paul,  referred  to  above, 
and  he  vrill  discover  whether  it  is  a  divine 
commandment  or  whether  it  is  a  counsel. 
Every  thing  which  Paul  says  in  regard  to 
separation  he  generally  speaks  in  the  im- 
perative mode;  that  is,  in  a  commanding 
manner.  Expurgo,  that  is.  Purge,  1  Cor. 
5:7.  Profligo,  that  is,  drive  out.  Sejun- 
gere,  that  is,  withdraw  from,  1  Tim.  6:5; 
Fitge,  that  is,  flee,  Tit.  3:  9.  Again,  "We 
command  you,  brethren,  in  the  name  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,"  2  Thess.  3:  6.  I  think, 
brethren,  these  Scriptures  show  that  it  is  a 
command;  and  if  it  even  were  not  a  com- 
mand but  an  advice  of  God,  Should  we  not 
diligently  follow  such  advice  ?  If  my  spirit 
despise  the  counsel  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  then 
I  truly  acknowledge  that  my  spirit  is  not 
of  God.  And  to  what  end  many  have  come 
who  did  not  follow  God's  Spirit,  but  their 
own,  maj'-  be  read  in  many  passages  of  sa- 
cred history  and  may  be  seen  in  many  in- 
stances, at  the  present  time. 

Question  3.  If  any  person  sliould  not  maintain  this 
ban  and  yet  be  jiious  otherwise,  should  such  an  one  be 
banned  on  that  account  ? 

Answer.  Whoever  is  pious  will  show  liis 
piety  in  obedience,  and  not  knowingly  or 
willfully  despise  and  disregard  the  word, 
commandment,  will,  counsel,  admonition 
and  doctrine  of  God.  For  if  any  one  will- 
fully keeps  commercium  (intercourse,  com- 
pany) with  such  whose  company  is  forbid- 
den in  Scripture,  to  be  kept,  then  we  must 
come  to  the  conclusion  that  he  despises  the 
word  of  God,  yea,  is  in  open  rebellion  and 
refractoriness  (I  speak  of  those  who  well 
know  and  acknowledge,  and  yet  do  so). 
"For  rebellion  is  as  the  sin  of  witchcraft 
and  stubbornness  is  as  iniquity  and  idola- 
try," 1  Sam.  15:23. 


Since  the  Scriptures  admonishes  and  com- 
mands. That  we  shall  not  associate  with 
such,  nor  eat  with  them,  nor  greet  them,  nor 
receive  them  into  our  houses,  &c. ;  and  yet 
if  some  body  should  say,  I  will  associate 
with  them,  I  will  eat  with  them,  I  will  greet 
them  in  the  Lord  and  receive  them  into  my 
house — he  would  plainly  prove  that  he  did 
not  fear  the  commandment  and  admonition 
of  the  Lord,  but  that  he  despised  it,  reject- 
ed the  Holy  Spirit  and  that  he  trusted, 
honored  and  followed  his  own  opinion 
rather  than  the  word  of  God.  Now  judge 
for  yourself  what  kind  of  a  sin  it  is  not  to 
be  willing  to  hear  and  obey  God's  word. 
Paul  says,  "Now  we  command  you,  breth- 
ren, in  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
that  ye  withdraw  yourselves  from  every 
brother  that  walketh  disorderly,  and  not 
after  the  tradition  which  ye  received  of  us;" 
again,  "  And  if  any  man  obey  not  our  Avord 
by  this  epistle,  note  that  man,  and  have  no 
company  with  him,  that  he  may  be  ashamed," 
2  Thess.  3:  6, 14.  Inasmuch  as  the  ban  was 
so  strictly  commanded  by  the  Lord,  and 
practiced  by  the  apostles.  Matt.  IS:  17; 
therefore  we  must  also  use  it  and  obey  it, 
since  we  are  thus  taught  and  enlight- 
ened by  God,  or  else  we  should  be  shunned 
bjr  the  chrirch  of  God.  This  must  be  ac- 
knowledged. 

Question  3.  Shouhl  husljaud  and  wife  slum  each 
other  on  account  of  the  ban — as  also  parents  and  chil- 
dren ? 

Answer.  First,  that  the  rule  of  the  ban 
is  a  general  rule,  and  excepts  none;  neither 
husband  nor  wife,  nor  parent  nor  child. 
For  God's  judgment  judges  all  flesh  with 
the  same  judgment  and  knows  no  respect 
of  persons.  Inasmuch  as  the  rule  of  the 
ban  is  general,  excepts  none,  and  is  no  re- 
specter of  persons — therefore  it  is  reasona- 
ble and  necessary  to  hear  and  obey  the 
word  of  the  Lord  in  this  respect;  no  mat- 


QUESTIONS  AND  ANSWERS. 


277 


ter  whether  it  be  luisband  or  wife,  parents 
or  children,  Eom.  2:11;  Gal.  6:1;  Eph. 
6:  9;  Col.  3:  25;  Jas.  2:  4;  1  Pet.  1:  17. 

Secondly  we  say.  That  separation  must 
be  made  by  the  church;  and  therefore  the 
husband  must  consent  and  vote  with  the 
chnrch,  in  the  separation  of  his  wife;  and 
the  wife  in  the  separation  of  her  hnsband. 
If  the  pious  consort  must  give  his  consent, 
then  it  is  also  becoming  that  he  also  shnn 
her,  with  the  chnrch;  for  what  use  is  there 
in  the  ban  when  the  shunning  and  avoid- 
ing are  not  connected  with  it,  1  Cor.  5:  3. 

Thirdly  we  say,  That  the  ban  was  insti- 
tuted to  make  ashamed  unto  reformation. 
Do  not  understand  this  shame  as  the  world 
is  ashamed;  but  understand  as  in  the  con- 
science, and  therefore  let  it  be  done  in  all 
discretion,  reasonableness  and  love.  If, 
then  the  husband  or  wife,  parent  or  child  is 
judged  in  the  church,  in  the  name  of  Christ 
and  by  virtue  of  Christ,  to  be  banned,  it 
becomes  us  (inasmuch  as  the  evangelica] 
ban  is  xmto  reformation)  according  to  the 
counsel  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  to  seek  the  ref- 
ormation of  our  own  body,  namely,  of  our 
consort,  and  also  of  our  nearest  kinsfolk  as 
parent  or  child;  for  spiritual  love  must  be 
preferred  to  any  thing  else;  aside  from  this 
I  would  care  for  them  and  i)rovide  the  tem- 
poral necessaries  of  life,  so  far  as  it  would 
be  in  my  power. 

Fourthly  we  say,  That  the  ban  was  given, 
that  we  should  not  be  leavened  by  the  leaven 
of  false  doctrine  or  of  unclean  flesh,  by  the 
degenerated.  And  as  it  is  plain  that  none 
can  corrupt  and  leaven  us  more  than  our 
own  consorts,  parent,  &c.,  therefore  the 
Holy  Spirit  counsels  us  to  shun  them,  lest 
they  leaven  our  faith  and  thus  make  us 
ashamed  before  God.  If  we  love  husband 
or  wife,  parent  or  child  more  than  Christ 
Jesus,  we  cannot  possibly  be  the  disciples 
of  Christ,  Matt.  10:  37;  Luke  14:  26. 

Some  object  to  this,  saying,  that  there  is 
no  divorce  but  by  reason  of  adultery.  This 
is  just  what  we  say;  and  therefore  we  do 
not  speak  of  divorce;  but  of  shunning,  and 
that  for  the  beforementioned  reasons.  To 
shunning  Paul  has  decidedly  consented,  1 
Cor.  7  :  10;  although  this  is  not  always 
coupled  with  adultery;  but  not  to  divorce. 
For  divorce  is  not  allowed  by  the  Scripture 


only  by  reason  of  adultery,  Matt.  5:  33; 
Luke  6;  18;  therefore  we  shall  never  con- 
sent to  it  for  other  reasons. 

Therefore  we  understand  it  that  the  hus- 
band should  shun  his  wife,  the  wife  her 
husband,  parents  their  children  and  the 
cliildren  their  parents  when  they  apostatize. 
For  the  rule  of  the  ban  is  general.  They 
must  consent,  with  the  church,  to  their  sen- 
tence, they  must  seektheir  scriptural  shame 
unto  reformation  and  diligently  watch,  lest 
they  be  leavened  by  them,  as  said  above. 

Beloved  in  the  Lord,  I  would  here  sin- 
cerely pray  you  that  you  would  make  a 
difterence  between  commandment  and  com- 
mandment and  not  consider  all  command- 
ments as  equally  hard.  For  adultery,  idol- 
atry, shedding  blood,  and  the  like  shame- 
ful and  abominable  works  of  the  tlesh  will 
be  punished  more  severely  than  a  misun- 
derstanding in  regard  to  the  ban,  and  par- 
ticularly when  not  committed  willfully  and 
perversely.  Therefore  beware,  that  in  this 
matter  of  matrimony,  you  press  none  far- 
ther than  he  is  taught  of  God,  and  that  he  in 
his  conscience  can  bear,  and  thus  seethe  the 
kid  in  his  mother's  milk,  Ex.  23: 19;  34: 26; 
Deut.  14:  21.  On  every  hand  the  Script- 
ures teach  that  we  should  bear  with  the 
weak.  Brethren,  it  is  a  delicate  matter.  I 
know  too  well  what  has  been  the  result  of 
pressing  this  matter  too  far  by  some  in  my 
time,  Rom.  15:1;  Gal.  6:4.  Therefore  "l 
advise  you  to  point  all  to  the  siu-e  and  cer- 
tain ground.  And  those  consciences  that 
are  through  the  Scripture,  and  the  Holy 
SiJirit,  free  and  unencumbered,  will  freely, 
without  the  interference  of  any  one,  by 
the  unction  of  the  Hol}^  Spirit  and  not  by 
human  encouragement,  do  that  which  he  ad- 
vises, teaches  and  commands  in  the  Holy 
Scripture,"*  if  it  should  be  that  either  con- 
sort should  be  banned.  For  verily  I  know 
that  whoever  obeys  the  Holy  Spirit,  with 
faithful  heart  will  never  be  made  ashamed. 

QuESTiox  4.  Should  we  greet  one  that  is  banned, 
with  the  common,  every  day  greeting,  or  return  our  re- 
spects at  his  greeting  V  Since  .John  says,  "  If  tliere  come 
any  unto  you,  and  bring  not  this  doctrine,  receive  him 
not  into  your  house,  neither  bid  him  God  speed ;  for  lie 
that  biddeth  him  God  speed  is  partaker  of  his  evil 
deeds,"  3  Jn.  10,  11. 

Answer.  Mildness,  politeness,  respectful- 
ness and  friendliness  to  all  mankind  be- 


278 


QUESTIONS  AND  ANSWERS. 


comes  all  cliristijins.  If,  tlieu,  an  apostate 
should  greet  me  with  the,  common  greeting 
of  Good  J]for)i/nff,  or  Good  Day  and  I  should 
be  silent;  if  he  should  be  respectful  to  me 
and  I  should  turn  m}^  face  from  him,  and 
bear  myself  austerely  and  unfriendly  to- 
ward him,  I  nught  well  be  ashamed  of  my- 
self, as  Syrach  says.  For  how  can  such  an 
one  be  convinced,  led  to  repentance,  and  be 
moved  to  do  better,  by  such  austerity  'I  The 
l)an  is  not  given  to  destroy  but  to  buildup. 
If  it  shoidd  be  said.  That  John  has  forbidden 
such  greeting,  I  for  myself  would  say.  That, 
before  my  God,  I  can  not  understand  that 
John  said  this  in  regard  to  the  every  day 
greeting.  But  that  he  says,  That  if  some 
deceiver  should  come  to  us  who  has  left 
the  doctrine  of  Christ  that  we  should  not 
receive  such  an  one  into  our  houses,  lest  he 
deceive  us;  and  that  we  should  not  greet 
him  as  a  brother  lest  we  have  communion 
with  him.  But  not  so  with  the  worldly 
greeting  For  if  the  worldly  greeting  have 
such  power  in  itself  that  it  causes  the  com- 
munion of  the  vain  works  of  tliose  whom  I 
greet,  then  it  must  follow  that  I  would  have 
communion  with  the  adultery,  fornication, 
drunkenness,  avarice,  idolatry  and  blood 
shed  of  the  world,  whenever  I  should  greet 
a  worldly  man  with  the  common  greeting 
or  return  his  compliment.  O  no.  But  the 
greeting  or  kiss  of  peace  signifies  the  com- 
munion. Yet  if  one  should  have  conscien- 
tious scruples  in  this  matter,  with  such  an 
one  I  do  not  dispute  about  it.  For  it  is  not 
worth  contending  about.  But  I  would  much 
rather  see  all  scruples  in  regard  to  this  mat- 
ter, removed,  and  have  christian  discretion, 
love,  politeness  and  respectfulness  prac- 
ticed, to  the  building  up,  and  not  unbecom- 
ing stubbornness,  unfriendliness, malice  and 
uumercifulness  to  the  destruction  of  our  fel- 
low man.  Brethren,  beware  of  discord. 
The  Lord  grant  every  godfearing  person  a 
wholesome  understanding  of  his  holy  word, 
Amen. 

Question  5.  Are  we  allowed  to  show  the  banned 
any  charity,  love  and  mercy? 

Ansider.  Every  one  should  consider,  tu-st, 
the  exact  meaning  of  the  word  commerdum 
(intercourse,  communion). 

Secondly,  for  what  reason  and  purpose 


the  ban  was  ordained  by  the  Holy  S])irit, 
in  the  Scriptures. 

Thirdly,  how  a  true,  regenerated  christian 
is  minded. 

Fourthly,  how  the  merciful  Father  him- 
self acts  with  tliose  who  are  already  worthy 
of  his  judgment  and  wrath. 

All  those  who  can  rightly  see  into  these 
will  doubtlessly  not  deny  charity,  love  and 
mercy  to  the  baiuied.  For  the  word  com- 
merclvm  does  not  forbid  these,  but  it  for- 
bids dailj^  company,  conversation,  society 
and  business  as  was  explained  above.  The 
ban  is  also  a  work  of  divine  love  and  not 
of  perverse,  unmerciful,  heathenish  cruelt3^ 
A  true  christian  will  serve,  aid  and  com- 
miserate with  every  body;  yea,  even  with 
his  most  bitter  enemies.  Austerity,  cruel- 
ty, and  unmercifulness  he  sincerely  hates. 
He  has  a  nature  like  his  Father  of  whom 
he  is  born,  "For  he  maketh  his  sun  to  rise 
on  the  evil  and  on  the  good,  and  sendeth 
rain  on  the  just  and  on  the  unjust.''  If  I, 
then,  be  of  a  different  nature,  I  show  that  I 
am  not  his  child. 

Therefore  I  say  with  our  faithfid  brother 
Dietrich  Philip  that  we  should  wot  practice 
the  ban  to  the  destruction  of  mankind  (as 
the  Pharisees  did  their  Sabbath)  but  to  their 
improvement;  and  thus  Ave  desire  to  serve 
the  bodies  of  the  fallen,  in  love,  reasonable- 
ness and  humility,  with  our  temporal  goods 
when  necessary,  and  their  souls  with  the 
spiritual  goods  of  the  Holy  AVord;  and 
should  rather  show  mercy  to  the  wounded, 
with  the  Samaritan,  than  to  pass  by  him 
with  the  priest  and  Levite.  James  says, 
"For  he  shall  have  judgment  without  mer- 
cy, that  hath  showed  no  mercy,  and  mercy 
rejoiceth  against  judgment."  "  Be  ye  there- 
fore merciful  as  your  Father  also  is  merciful." 
"  Blessed  are  the  merciful;  for  they  shall  ob- 
tain mercy,"  Jas.  2:  13;  Luke  IG:  36;  Matt. 
5:  7.  In  short,  if  we  understand  the  true 
meaning  of  the  word  commercimii;  under- 
stand for  what  reason  and  purpose  the  ban 
was  instituted;  how  a  true  christian  is  and 
should  be  minded;  and  conform  ourselves 
to  the  example  of  Christ  and  of  God,  then 
the  matter  is  clear.  And  if  we  have  not  this 
grace  we  will  shamefully  err  in  this  ban  and 
be  cruel,  unmerciful  christians;  from  which 
error  and  abomination  may  the  gracious 


QUESTIONS  AND  ANSWERS. 


279 


Father  eternally  save  all  his  beloved  chil- 
dren. 

Brethren,  I  tell  the  truth  and  lie  not  when 
I  say  that  I  sincerely  hate  such  unmerciful 
and  cruel  mindedness.  Nor  do  I  wish  to 
be  considered  a  brother  of  such  unmerciful, 
cruel  brethren,  if  there  should  be  such,  un- 
less they  desist  from  such  abomination, 
and  discreetly  follow,  in  love  and  mercy, 
the  example  of  God  and  Christ.  For  my 
heart  cannot  consent  to  such  unmerciful  ac- 
tion which  exceeds  the  cruelty  of  the  hea- 
then and  Turks;  and  by  the  grace  of  God 
I  will  light  against  it  with  the  sword  of  the 
Lord  unto  death.  For  it  is  against  the  doc- 
trine of  the  New  Testament,  and  contrary 
to  the  Si^irit,  mind  and  nature  of  God  and 
Christ,  according  to  which  all  the  Scriptures 
of  the  New  Testament  should  be  judged 
and  understood.  All  those  who  do  not  un- 
derstand it  thus  are  already  in  great  error. 

But  in  case  my  necessary  service,  charity, 
love  and  mercy  should  become  a  couimcrel- 
um,  or  that  my  soul  should  thereby  be  led 
into  corruption,  then  we  confess  (the  Lord 
must  be  glorified),  that  our  daily  intercourse 
is  forbidden  in  the  Scripture,  and  that  it  is 
better  to  leave  off  our  cliarity,  loveandmercy, 
tlian  to  ensnare  our  souls  thereby  and  lead 
them  into  error.  The  unction  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  will  teach  us  what  we  should  best  do 
in  these  premises. 

Qdestion  0.  Are  we  allowed  to  sell  to,  ami  buy  of 
the  apostates,  inasmuch  as  Paul  says  that  we  should  not 
have  intercourse  with  thein;  and  yet  the  disciples 
bought  victuals  in  Sychar,  and  the  Jews  dealt  with  the 
Gentiles?  Jn.  4:5. 

Answer.  That  the  apostles  bought  victuals 
in  Sychar  proves  nothing  at  all ;  for  many  of 
the  Samaritans  were  a  remnant  of  the  ten 
tril)es,  as  we  have  sufficiently  shown  above, 
from  the  Holy  Scri]3ture.  But  we  do  not 
deny  tliat  the  Jews  dealt  with  the  Gentiles, 
yet  they  shunned  their  comniercium,  that  is, 
their  daily  association,  company  and  con- 
versation, and  did  not  eat  nor  drink  with 
them,  as  the  writings  of  the  evangelist  suffi- 
ciently and  plainly  show  in  many  scriptur- 
al passages. 

And  inasmuch  as  Christ  points  us  to  the 
Jewisli  ban  or  shunning,  namely,  That  as 
they  shunned  the  gentiles  and  sinners,  so 
we  shoiild  likewise  shun  an  apostate  chris- 


tian; and  as  the  Jews  had  dealings  with 
them,  although  they  shunned  their  daily 
intercourse  in  company,  association  and 
conversation;  therefore  we  say  that  we  can 
not  maintain,  either  by  the  Jewish  example 
to  which  Christ  points  or  by  any  explicit 
Scripture,  that  we  should  not  in  any  man- 
ner deal  with  the  apostate,  if  no  such  daily 
intercourse  arises  therefrom.  For  such  in- 
tercourse with  the  apostate  is  strictly  pro- 
hibited by  Scripture;  and  since  it  is  pro- 
hibited, it  is  manifest  that  a  pious,  godfear- 
ing christian  could  have  no  apostate  as  a 
regular  buyer  or  seller.  For  as  I  have 
daily  to  get  my  cloth,  bread,  corn,  salt,  &c., 
and  exchange  for  it  my  grain,  butter,  &c., 
it  can  not  fail  but  that  intercourse  will  arise 
therefrom.  But  with  a  trading  which  is 
conducted  without  such  intercourse  this  is 
not  the  case. 

And  because  such  merchandizing,  which 
is  carried  on  without  intercourse  can  not  be 
avoided  by  virtue  of  the  Scripture,  as  was 
said,  therefore  we  would  praj^  all  godfear- 
ing brethren  and  sisters  in  the  Lord,  for 
the  sake  of  God  and  of  love,  to  act  in  this 
matter,  as  in  all  others,  as  reasonable, 
good,  discreet,  wise  and  prudent  christians, 
and  not  as  vain,  reckless,  self-conceited, 
proud,  obdm-ate  and  offensive  boasters ;  for 
a  true  christian  should  always  st«ve  after 
that  which  is  the  best  and  the  surest,  and 
follow  the  pure,  unfeigned  love,  lest  he  abuse 
the  freedom  which  he  seems  to  have,  to  tlie 
injury  and  hindrance  of  his  own  soul,  to 
the  affliction  and  destruction  of  his  beloved 
brethren,  to  the  scornful  boasting  of  tlip 
perverse,  and  to  the  shameful  blemishing 
of  the  Holy  word  and  the  afflicted  church  of 
Christ.  Besides,  I  pray  and  desire  in  like 
manner,  that  none  will  thus  in  the  least  be 
offended  at  his  brother  and  mistake  and 
judge  him  by  an  unscriptural  judgment;  as 
he  has  in  this  case  no  reproving  (\\:ample 
among  the  Jews  nor  forbidding  word  [in  the 
Scriptures.] 

O  my  sincerely  bcdoved  brethren  !  let  us 
sincerely  pray  for  understanding  and  wis- 
dom, that  all  misunderstanding,  error,  jeal- 
ousy, offense,  division  and  undue  reports 
may  once  be  exterminated,  root  and  branch ; 
that  a  wholesome  understanding,  doctrine, 
friendship,  love,   edification  and    opinion 


280 


CONCLUSION. 


may  be  restituted  and  prevail.  Let  every 
one  look  vrith  pure  eyes  and  impartial 
hearts  to  the  example  to  which  Christ 
points,  and  to  the  wholesome,  natural  mean- 
ing of  the  holy  apostles,  and  let  true,  chris- 
tian love  ever  prevail,  and  he  will  know, 
by  the  grace  of  God,  how  he  should  act 
in  this  matter. 

Question  7.  Are  we  allowed  to  be  seated  with  an 
apostate  in  a  ship  or  wagon,  or  to  eat  with  them  at  the 
table  of  a  tavern  ? 

Ansioer.  The  first  part  of  this  question, 
namely,  to  be  seated  with  an  apostate  in  a 
ship  or  vehicle,  when  the  captain  or  driver 
is  no  apostate,  we  deem  chiklish  and  use- 
less, since  this  so  often  happens  without 
intercourse,  and  must  needs  happen.  As 
to  the  second  pait,  namely,  to  eat  at  the 
table  with  an  apostate,  while  traveling,  we 
can  point  the  questioner  to  no  surer  ground 
and  answer  than  this,  namel}^.  We  advise, 
pray  and  admonish  every  pious  christian, 
as  he  loves  Christ  and  his  word,  to  fear 
God  sincerely,  and  follow  the  most  certain 
way,  that  is,  not  to  eat  by  or  with  him;  for 
thereby  none  can  be  deceived;  and  if  per- 
chance some  godfearing  brother  might  do 
so,  then  let  every  one  beware,  lest  he  sin 
against  his  brother  by  an  unscriptural  judg- 
ment; for  none  may  judge  unless  he  have 
the  judging  word  on  his  side. 

Whosoever  fears  God,  whosoever  desii'es 
to  follow  after  his  holy  word,  with  all  his 
strength;  loves  his  brother;  seeks  to  avoid 
all  offense  and  desires  to  walk  in  the  house 
of  God  in  all  peace  and  unity,  will  act  just- 
ly in  all  things  and  will  not  offend  or  afflict 
his  brethren. 

Question  8.  "Who,  according  to  Scri2)turc,  should  be 
banned  or  excommunicated  ? 

Ansioer.    Christ  says,  Matt.  18  :  15 — 17, 


If  thy  brother  trespass  against  thee,  &c., 
and  will  not  hear  thee  nor  the  witnesses, 
nor  the  chiu-ch,  let  him  be  unto  thee  as  a 
heathen  man'and  a  publican.  And  Paul,  "  If 
any  man  that  is  called  a  brother,  be  a  forni- 
cator, or  covetous,  or  an  idolater,  or  a  rail- 
er,  or  a  drunkard,  or  an  extortioner;  with 
such  an  one  no  not  to  eat,"  1  Cor.  5:  11; 
Jer.  10:  8.  To  this  class  also  belong  perju- 
rers, thieves,  violent  persons,  haters,  liglit- 
ers  and  all  those  who  walk  in  open,  well 
known,  damnable  works  of  the  llesli,  of 
which  Paul  enumerates  a  great  many,  Rom. 
1:  29;  Gal.  5:  19;  1  Cor!  6:9;  Eph.  5:  5. 
Again,  disorderly  persons,  working  not  at 
all,  but  which  are  busy  bodies;  such  as  do 
not  abide  in  the  doctrine  of  Christ  and  his 
apostles  and  do  not  walk  therein,  but  are 
disobedient,  2  Thess.  3  :  11,  14.  Again, 
masters  of  sects.  Again,  those  who  give 
offense,  cause  dispute  and  discord  concern- 
ing the  doctrine  of  Christ  and  of  liis  apos- 
tles. 

In  short,  all  those  who  openly  lead  a 
shameful,  carnal  life,  and  those  who  are  cor- 
rupted by  a  heretical,  unclean  doctrine.  Tit. 
3:  10,  and  who  will  not  be  overcome  by  the 
wine  and  oil  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  but  remain, 
after  they  have  been  admonished  and  sought 
to  be  regained  iu  all  love  and  reasonable- 
ness, obdurate  in  their  corrupted  walk  and 
opinion.  They  should,  at  last,  in  the  name 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  the  power  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  that  is,  by  the  binding 
word  of  God,  be  reluctantly  but  unanimous- 
ly separated  from  the  church  of  Christ,  and 
afterward,  according  to  the  Scriptures,  be 
shunned  in  all  divine  obedience,  until  they 
repent,  Rom.  16:16;  Gal.  5:10;  1  Tim. 
5:24;  6:3. 


CONCLUSION. 


Most  beloved  brethren  and  sisters  in  the 
Lord,  as  we  have  hinted  in  the  beginning 
of  this  admonition,  and  as  you  are  all  aware 
that  for  some  years  there  have  been  much 
division  and  discord  concerning  the  ban  by 
which  christian  love  has  been  and  is  yet 
much  retarded;  therefore  I  have  endeavored 


(while  I  see  that  this  is  carried  on  without 
the  foundation  of  the  word,  without  reason 
and  discretion,  and  witliout  the  nature  of 
Christ  Jesus  and  his  holy  gospel,  both  as 
to  stringency  or  leniency,  to  the  ensnare- 
ment  of  many  consciences ;  as  every  one  as- 
serts and  follows  his  own  view  as  the  best, 


CONCLUSION. 


281 


to  advise  all  my  beloved  brethren  and  sis- 
ters in  the  Lord  who  seek  the  amiable  peace 
and  unity,  not  to  seek  more  nor  less  than 
the  Scriptures  teach,  show  and  require),  to 
write  this  explanation  of  the  ban  or  sepa- 
ration, compiled  with  the  greatest  care  from 
the  Holy  Scriptures  and  to  the  promotion 
of  the  peace  of  all  the  pious  children  of 
God;  and  trust,  before  God,  that  this  will 
satisfy  all  humble,  peaceable  consciences; 
for,  behold,  I  seek  nothing,  before  God 
through  Christ  Jesus,  but  that  these  un- 
scriptural  proceedings  and  mournful  dis- 
putations concerning  the  ban,  both  as  to 
stringency  and  leniency,  may  be  thereby 
ended,  and  that  the  noble,  glorious  peace 
and  unity  in  Christ  Jesus  may  remain  un- 
broken and  undamaged. 

Although  I  have  written  this  out  of  pure 
love  and  upheld  the  peace  according  to  the 
true  nature  and  direction  of  the  Holy  Word, 
as  before  my  God  who  shall  judge  me  at 
the  last  day;  yet  I  know  that  by  some  I 
will  not  be  thanked;  for  to  some  it  will  be 
too  stringent,  and  too  lenient  to  others ;  but 
I  must  bear  with  this,  as  I  have  done  these 
fifteen  years.  Still,  I  would  pray  you,  for 
the  sake  of  the  merits  of  the  precious  blood 
of  my  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  if  any  one 
should  tind  fault  with  this  my  treatise,  be 
it  on  accoi;nt  of  mildness  or  stringency,  not 
to  do  so  otherwise  than  by  authority  of  the 
Word,  Spirit  and  life  of  the  Lord,  and  not 
recklessly  and  without  thought,  lest  he  mis- 
take. Whatsoever  any  person  can  advance 
and  prove  thereby  I  will  gladly  hear  and 
be  obedient  thereunto;  but  I  dare  not  go 
higher  nor  lower,  more  stringent  nor  lenient 
than  the  Scriptures  and  the  Holy  Spirit 
teach  me;  and  that  out  of  great  fear  and 
anxiety  of  my  conscience,  lest  I  again  bur- 
den the  godfearing  hearts  who  now  have 
renounced  the  commandments  of  men,  with 
those  commandments.  Self-conceit  and  hu- 
man opinions  I  hate,  nor  do  I  desire  them; 
for  I  know  what  tribulation  and  affliction 
they  have  caused  me  for  many  years. 

Sincerely  beloved  brethren  and  sisters  in 
Christ  Jesus !  Understand  my  writings 
rightly,  and  faithfully  follow  this  my  ad- 


vice, explanation,  understanding  and  ad- 
monition, and  you  will  doiibtlessly  find 
great  peace  and  joy  (so  far  as  regards  sep- 
aration) among  all  the  brethren;  but  who- 
soever rejects  them,  let  him  take  heed,  for 
he  will  one  day  meet  his  Judge. 

In  short,  it  is  my  inward  and  outward 
faith,  foundation  and  confession  of  the  sep- 
aration which  I  never  before  wrote  and  pub- 
lished with  such  clearness  and  minuteness. 
But  now  necessity  urges  me;  and  with  this 
my  faith,  foundation  and  confession,  which 
I  thus  had  from  the  beginning,  I  desire  to 
die  in  Christ  Jesus  and  to  appear  before 
the  throne  of  God;  for  I  am  aware  that  it 
is  the  most  important  showing  of  the  sepa- 
ration which  can  be  explained  and  taught 
to  the  godfearing  consciences,  from  the 
Holy  Scriptures.  Therefore  I  ask  of  all  my 
brethren  and  sisters  in  the  Lord  to  leave  me 
at  peace  about  this  matter  and  not  to  trouble 
me  further;  for,  by  the  grace  of  God,  there 
will  be  nothing  heard  from  my  lips  but 
j  that  which  my  writings  teach  and  imply. 

Let  every  brother  seek  the  wholesome 
understanding  of  the  word  of  Christ  and  of 
his  apostles,  Avith  a  humble  spirit,  in  broth- 
erly love  and  in  christian  peace,  and  he 
will,  doubtlessly,  drive  back  all  unscript- 
ural  dispute  and  discord  and  sincerely  fol- 
low the  true  god-pleasing  unity. 

May  the  Almighty,  merciful  Father, 
through  his  blessd  Son  Christ  Jesus,  grant 
all  brethren  and  sisters  the  heavenly  gift  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  that  there  may  become  an 
end  to  this  sad  dispute  and  discord,  and 
thus  become  a  sound  body  with  the  perfect 
bond  of  unfeigned,  christian  love,  bound 
together  in  becoming,  steady  peace  in  Christ 
Jesus,  Amen. 

Beloved  brethren  and  sisters  in  the  Lord, 
I  pray  you  by  the  bloody  wounds  of  my 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  to  beware  of  dispute  and 
discord,  and  that  you  may  receive  this  my 
labor  with  affectionate  hearts,  for  in  true 
christian  love  I  have  wi-itten  it  to  your 
service,  as  before  God  in  Christ  Jesus. 

MENNO  SIMON. 
A.  D.  1550. 


72 


A  THOROUGH    ANSWER 


TO  THE 


SLANDER,  DEFAMATION,  BACKBITING, 


UNSEASONED  AND  BITTER  WORDS   OF 


Zylis  and  Lemmekes, 


CONCERNING 


OUR  FOUNDATION  AND  DOCTRINE,  FULL  OF  INSTRUCTION  AND  ADMONI- 
TION, WHICH  DOCTRINE  IS  (IN  OUR  OPINION)  THE  UNADULTERA- 
TED FOUNDATION  AND  DOCTRINE  OF  THE  HOLY 
APOSTLES,  CONCERNING  THE 

BAI,  SEPARATION  OR  SHUNNING. 


BY 


MENNO   SIMON. 


"  The  man  that  is  accustomed  to  opprobrious  words  wll  never  be  reformed  all  the 
days  of  his  life,"  Eccl.  23  :  15. 

"  The  dispostiou  of  a  liar  is  dishonorable,  and  his  shame  is  ever  with  him,"  Eccl.  30  :  20. 

"  For  other  foundation  can  no  man  lay  than  that  is  laid,  which  is  Jesus  Chnst," 
1  Cor.  3:  11. 


ELKHART,  INDIANA: 

PUBLISHED  BY  JOHN  F.  FUNK  AND  BROTHER. 

1871. 


If  thy  brother,  the  son  of  thy  mother,  or  thy  son,  or  thy  daughter,  or  the  wife  of  thy 
bosom,  or  thy  friend,  which  is  as  tliine  own  soul,  entice  thee  secretly,  saying,  Let  us  go 
and  serve  other  gods.,  which  thou  hast  not  known,  thou,  nor  thy  fathers;  Namely,  of  the 
gods  of  the  people  which  are  round  about  you,  nigh  unto  thee,  or  far  from  thee,  from  the 
one  end  of  the  earth,  even  unto  the  other  end  of  the  earth,  thou  shalt  not  consent  unto 
him,  nor  hearken  unto  him;  neither  shall  thine  eye  pity  him,  neither  shalt  thou  spare 
him,  neither  shalt  thou  conceal  him;  but  thou  shalt  surely  kill  him;  thine  hand  shall  be 
first  upon  him  to  put  him  to  death,  and  afterwards  the  hand  of  all  the  people.  *  *  Be- 
cause he  hath  sought  to  thrust  thee  away  from  the  Lord  thy  God,  which  brought  thee 
out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  from  the  house  of  bondage.  And  all  Israel  shall  hear,  and  fear, 
and  shall  do  no  more  any  such  wickedness  as  this  is  among  you."  "Then  his  father  and 
his  mother  that  begat  him,  shall  say  unto  him,  Thou  shalt  not  live;  for  thou  speakest 
lies  in  the  name  of  the  Lord:  And  his  father  and  his  mother  that  begat  him,  shall  thrust 
him  through  when  he  prophesieth,"  Deut.  13:  C— 11;  Zech.  13:  3. 


THOROUGH  ANSWER, 


REPLETE  AVITII 


Instruction  and  Admonition. 


A  true, -pure  and  pious  mind,  unfeigned  Toce  of  God  and  nelghhor,  a  true  and  iceU 
seasoned  tongue  wJdcJt  spealis  notldng  else  hut  the  trntJi,  and  a  resigned,  Impartial  and 
pious  heart  wherein  the  Holy  Spirit  dtoells,  together  with  the  sure  knotcledge  of  Jesus 
Christ  and  of  his  holy  word,  I  wish  to  Zylls  and  LemmeJces,  to  all  righteousness,  now  and 
forever,  from  my  inmost  heart.  Amen. 


I  lEEAK  and  understand,  dear  friends,  that 
yon,  alas,  mistake  yourselves  against  God 
and  against  myself,  both  by  writing  and 
speaking;  using  untrue,  slanderous  words 
and  abominable,  bitter  backbiting,  which 
are  not  becoming  a  christian;  which  I  had 
not  in  the  least  expected  from  you;  for  I 
thought  that  you  were  so  taught  of  the  Lord 
that  you  would  not  thus  enviously  smite 
your  poor  brother  who  cannot  now  answer 
for  himself;  nor  that  you  would,  as  is  the 
case,  defame  your  faithful  friend,  who,  ac- 
cording to  his  small  talent,  has  ever  sincere- 
ly served  yon  and  all  the  pious  in  Christ, 
and  thus  thank  him  for  his  faithful  service 
and  love.    But  my  good  opinion  of  you, 
alas,  has  been  a  mistake  in  this  case.     For 
my  case  in  regard  to  you  is  the  same  as 
that  of  the  good  Jeremiah,  when  his  enviers 
counseled  about  him,   and   said,  "Come, 
and  let  us  smite  him  with  the  tongue,  and 
let  us  not  give  heed  to  any  of  his  words," 
Jer.  18 :  18.    Yet  the  innocence  of  my  hands, 
the  true  intention  of  my  labors,   the  un- 
feigned love  of  my  unction,  together  with 
the  incontrovertible,  sure  foundation  of  the 
truth  shall  be  my  refuge,  yea,  my  invinci- 


ble shield  and  surety  against  all  unreason- 
able iipbraiders  and  defamers,  now  and  at 
all  times.  By  the  grace  of  God  I  am  sure 
of  this. 

Inasmuch  as  you  prove  yourselves  quite 
unreasonable  and  devoid  of  love  (as  I  am 
at  such  a  great  distance  from  you,  yea,  as 
if  you  never  had  heard  a  syllable  of  the 
word  of  the  Lord),  by  which  you  do  not 
only  make  me  an  abomination  and  stench 
(which  I  deem  very  little  in  you)  in  the  sight 
of  many  of  those  who  are  not  versed  in  this 
matter,  but  also  make  the  holy  word  such, 
which,  in  my  weakness,  has  been  preached 
by  me  for  some  time,  not  altogether  without 
fruit,  and  thus  deter  those  of  little  under- 
standing from  the  right  way,  and  strengthen 
them  in  their  blindness,  and  rob  them  of  the 
true  light  and  understanding  of  the  true 
ban;  therefore  I  am  forced  by  a  sense  of 
duty  to  send  you  and  your  brethren  (whom 
you  deprive  of  the  light,  by  your  cunning), 
my  humble,  but  true  reply,  as  brieily  and 
clearly  as  possible,  in  writing,  as  I  can  not 
attend  personally,  hoping  that  you   may 
thereby  take  the  matter  to  heart  and  hence- 
forth sin  no  more,  but  truly  repent  of  your 


286 


REPLY  TO  ZYLIS  AJSD  LEMMEKES. 


great  mistake,  and  yet  find  gi'ace  in  that 
day  before  the  Lord  and  his  righteous  judg- 
ment. Therefore  I  pray  yon  earnestly  to 
consider  that  to  which  I  shall  point  you. 

Understand,  then,  first,  that  I  am  blamed 
by  Zylis  of  being  a  trifler.  The  reason  is 
that  (as  he  says)  I  should  have  published 
two  small  books  which  contradict  each  oth- 
er. To  which  I  thus  answer,  in  my  humili- 
ty: It  is  well  known  to  a  gi-eat  many  that  I 
have  been  combatted  on  all  sides  by  many 
sharp  spirits,  for  more  than  twenty-three 
years;  and  that  I  have  liad  to  withstand 
many  a  hard  assault.  Yet  (glory  to  him 
who  has  saved  me)  I  did  not  go,  unsteadi- 
ly, from  one  church  to  the  other  as  both  of 
3'ou  have  done  (do  not  think  hard  of  my 
thus  writing;  for  you  urge  me  to  it);  but  I 
remained  firm  and  peaceable  in  the  faith 
and  doctrine  with  my  beloved  brethren  un- 
til this  day.  And  as  I  have  borne  testimo- 
ny in  the  name  of  the  Lord  in  such  dark 
days,  I  trust,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  re- 
main firm  and  peaceable,  so  long  as  I  re- 
main in  this  tabernacle.  To  which  of  us 
this  name  of  tritier  (if  so  it  must  be  called) 
is  now  applicable,  I  will  leave  to  the  judg- 
ment of  every  intelligent  reader.  But  as  to 
the  two  publications  of  which  you  seem  to 
think  hard,  this  is  my  plain  reply:  Eigh- 
teen or  nineteen  years  ago,  when  I  wrote 
the  first  book,  I  was  not  well  enough  en- 
lightened to  understand  all  things  thor- 
oughly; and  I  freely  and  frankly  admit, 
that  until  that  time  I  included  all  sin  in 
three  admonitions.  This  I  acknowledge 
verbally  and  in  writing  and  do  not  deny  it. 
But,  as  all  well  minded  servants  of  God, 
who  seek  the  crucified  Christ  and  not  their 
own  honor  or  flesh,  are  ever  ready  to  inves- 
tigate the  sure  foundation  of  truth  still  fur- 
ther, thiis  I,  the  least  of  all  servants  (on  ac- 
count of  many  abominations  which  were, 
from  time  to  time  discovered  in  the  chru'ch, 
and  also  on  account  of  the  miserable  dis- 
putation and  discord  which  crept  in  with- 
out my  fault)  came  to  a  serious  reflection 
concerning  this  matter  and,  at  last,  plainly 
saw  that  we  men  may  not  retain  those 
whom  God  himself,  b}^  his  Spirit  and  word 
excludes,  or  else  the  church  of  Christ  must 
be  divided.    This  is  as  clear  as  day. 

Therefore  it  would  be  advisable  for  you 


to  season  your  words  a  little  better.  For 
you  do  not  tliereby  slander  and  despise 
me,  but  the  Holy  Spirit,  which,  according 
to  the  word  of  promise,  has  led  me,  his 
poor,  weak  servant  and  instrument  into  his 
truth  and  discovered  unto  me  the  true  foun- 
dation in  this  matter. 

Y^ea,  dear  men,  if  I,  on  that  account,  am 
to  be  called  by  j^ou,  a  trifler  because  I  was 
not  perfectly  enlightened  from  the  begin- 
ning, nor  claim  to  be  perfectly  enlightened 
at  this  hour,  O  Lord !  what  a  trifler  you 
would  call  the  beloved  Peter  and  others,  if 
they  were  alive  to-day,  and  if  you  loved 
him  no  more  than  you  love  me,  as  he,  al- 
though taught  by  the  Lord's  mouth  and  en- 
lightened by  the  Holy  Spirit,  was  yet  so 
unintelligent  that  he  dared  not  preach  the 
gospel  to  the  heathen  until  he  was  admon- 
ished and  told  to  do  so  by  a  heavenly  vis- 
ion or  revelation  from  God,  and  thus  first 
took  the  liberty  to  teach  them. 

Oh !  oh !  Terrible  is  the  word,  that  slan- 
derers, defamers  and  liars  shall  have  no 
part  in  the  kingdom  of  God.  Behold,  cho- 
sen Zylis  and  Lemmekes,  let  it  be  told  you. 

Secondlj^,  I  understand  besides,  that  Zylis 
said  I  published  a  book  from  which  nothing 
but  hatred,  murder  and  blasphemy  could 
emanate. 

To  which  I  reply  with  Christ" s  own  words, 
thus.  "Think  not  that  I  am  come  to  send 
peace  on  earth;  I  came  not  to  send  peace, 
but  a  sword,"  Matt.  10  :  34.  At  another 
place,  "I  am  come  to  send  fire  on  the  earth; 
and  what  will  I,  if  it  be  already  kindled  ?" 
Luke  12:  49.  From  which  words  and  also 
from  experience  it  is  plain  that  the  pure 
doctrine  of  Christ  and  of  his  holy  apostles, 
truly  taught  and  practiced  upon,  is  of  such 
a  nature  that  it  engenders,  among  the  ob- 
durate  and  unbelieving,  hatred,  envy,  false- 
hood, slander,  upbraiding,  persecution,  re- 
bellion, murder,  misery  and  tribulation. 
But  should  we  not  on  this  account  teach 
and  practice  upon  the  pure  doctrine  and 
truth?  If  you  answer  in  the  affii-ma- 
tive,  you  judge  that  we  should  not  sup- 
press the  truth  on  account  of  danger,  if  that 
should  be  the  result,  but  that  notwithstand- 
ing it  should  be  taught  and  practiced  upon. 
And  what  kind  of  a  spirit  it  is  that  teaches 
you  this  pretense  of  h£(,tred,  murder,  bias- 


REPLY  TO  ZYLIS  AND  LEMMEKES. 


287 


phemy,  &c.,  by  wliich  you  frigMen  the  poor 
people  from  the  truth,  I  will  leave  you  to 
reflect  upon  in  the  fear  of  God.  But  if  you 
answer  in  the  negative  you  make  yoiirselves 
merely  men  of  blood,  as  you  still  continue 
in  teaching,  baptizing  and  the  like,  while 
you  daily  hear  that  many  a  pious  child  is, 
on  that  account,  robbed,  and  even  mur- 
dered. O,  I  pray  you,  learn  to  know  the 
spirit  of  upbraiding.  Say,  beloved,  is  not 
the  word  of  Christ  called  the  word  of  the 
cross  ?  You  must  answer  in  the  affirmative. 
For  here,  in  the  kingdom  and  reign  of  Christ 
upon  earth,  the  command  to  the  believ- 
ing, is  nothing  but  to  deny  yourselves  and 
take  up  the  cross  and  follow  him.  Matt.  16 :  24. 
If  we  love  father,  mother,  husband,  wife, 
children,  property  or  ourselves  better  than 
Christ,  we  are  not  worthy  of  him.  Yea,  he 
says,  if  we  do  not  hate  all  these  we  cannot 
be  his  disciples,  Matt.  10:  37.  Inasmuch  as 
this  is  the  case  with  the  gospel  of  Christ,  as 
has  been  heard;  therefore  your  trifling  darts 
and  powerless  thunderbolts  of  hatred,  mur- 
der and  blasphemy,  cannot  nor  should  not 
deter  me  in  the  least,  so  long  as  you  do  not 
convince  me  by  the  binding  truth  and  power 
of  the  divine,  Holy  Scriptures,  that  I,  in 
this  matter  of  the  ban  or  separation,  have 
mistaken  the  word  of  the  Lord,  or  in  any 
manner  not  fulfilled  the  requirements  there- 
of; but  I  am  the  more  assured,  by  your 
slander,  inasmuch  as  it  is  done  altogether 
without  truth  or  the  Scripture,  that  the  in- 
vincible foundation  of  truth  and  of  the  im- 
mutable word  of  the  Lord  is  on  our  side. 
But  as  for  the  word  slander  or  blasphemy, 
I  would  make  this  my  brotherly  reply: 
Learn  to  know  with  more  fear  of  God 
what,  according  to  the  Scripture,  is  blas- 
phemy or  sinning  against  the  Holy  Spirit. 
For  in  my  opinion  it  is  this,  that  when  the 
truth  of  God  is  imprinted  and  conceived 
into  the  heart  of  man,  with  such  a  power  of 
the  divine.  Holy  Scripture,  by  the  Spirit 
and  finger  of  his  power,  that  we,  convinced 
in  spirit,  must  confess  that  it  is  the  true  foun- 
dation of  truth,  and  can  not  be  contro- 
verted by  the  Scriptures,  yet,  by  reason  of 
self-conceit  or  choice  we  are  so  audacious 
and  stubborn  as  to  persist  in  hating,  up- 
braiding and  slandering  this  inspired  and 
tmly  known  tnith,  or  ascribing  it  to  the 


devil,  by  our  ambitious,  partial,  proud  and 
obdurate  flesh,  as  the  obdurate  Pharisees 
and  Scribes  ascribed  the  glorious  miracles 
and  power  of  Christ  to  Beelzebub.  This 
the  mouth  of  the  Lord  (if  we  persevere,  as  I 
understand  it)  calls  blasphemy  and  sinning 
against  the  Holy  Spirit.  Of  which  they 
will  not  be  forgiven  in  this  world  nor  in  the 
world  to  come.  O,  dear,  take  heed,  Luke 
12:  10. 

Inasmuch  as  such  slander  and  sin,  is  the 
true  blasphemy  and  sin  in  the  Holy  Spirit, 
as  was  heard,  and  as  God  before  whom  we 
stand  exposed  with  all  our  teachings  and 
doings,  knows  that  I  have  written  the  book 
which  you  slander,  with  a  good,  sealed  and 
assured  conscience  and  as  all  theologians 
must  acknowledge  that  it  is  the  truth  and 
word  of  the  Lord;  and  as  you  cannot  dis- 
prove it  by  virtue  of  the  Scriptures,  and  as 
you,  notwithstanding  all  this  are  so  obdu- 
rate and  lost  as  to  call  this  undisproven 
writing  of  mine,  a  book  of  fables,  and  heret- 
ical doctrine;  therefore  I  will  leave  the  im- 
partial reader  to  judge  with  which  of  us 
this  slander  is  to  be  found.  O,  that  you 
would  see ! 

Thirdly,  I  understand  that  you  call  our 
doctrine  concerning  the  ban  between  hus- 
band and  wife  as  heretical.  To  which  I 
would  reply:  First,  Paul  says,  "Knowing 
that  he  that  is  such  (a  heretic)  is  sebverted, 
and  sinneth,  being  condemned  of  himself," 
Tit.  3:  11.  Inasmuch  as  such  a  one  is  sub- 
verted and  condemned  of  himself,  as  was 
shown,  therefore  I  know  by  the  grace  of 
God,  that  I  am  not  worthy  of  such  heretical 
name;  for  he  that  knows  and  tries  all  hearts, 
also  knows  me.  He  knows  that  I  never 
knew,  and  much  less  fostered  any  obduracy, 
licentiousness,  partiality  or  perverseness  in 
my  heart  contrary  to  his  word  and  will.  I 
am  sure  that  the  merciful  Father  (who 
alone  is  the  true  Father  of  my  soul),  will 
not  thus  condemn  to  hell  his  despised, 
weak  servant,  nor  look  at  him  as  such  an 
heretic,  although  I  must  hear  the  despica- 
ble slander,  not  from  the  world  alone,  but 
also  from  you.  O,  no,  no.  His  name  is, 
Our  faithful  God,  Merciful  Father,  Deliver- 
er, Emmanuel,  &c.  Therefore  let  all  un- 
der heaven  judge,  upbraid  and  slander;  his 
paternal  word,  conceived  in  my  open  and 


288 


REPLY  TO  ZYLIS  AND  LEMMEKES. 


willing  heart,  together  Avith  the  Holy  Spirit 
of  his  love  which  leads  all  souls,  hungering 
and  thirsting  after  righteousness,  to  the 
bread  of  life  and  to  the  true  fountain  of  his 
living  waters,  will  doubtlessly  refresh  me 
in  the  ardor  of  such,  and  of  all  ray  tribula- 
tions, and  extend  unto  me  his  hand  of  con- 
solation. For  where  is  he  who  thus  sought 
him  that  did  not  find  grace  ?  and  where  is 
he  who  trusted  in  him  that  was  not  aided 
and  protected?  O,  that  you  would  once  see 
the  abomination  of  your  perverse  and  un- 
seasonable judgment  I 

Secondly,!  answer:  That  according  to  the 
Scripture,  heretics  are  self-conceited,  dis- 
quiet, licentious  and  perverse  sectarians, 
who  choose,  collect  and  establish  for  them 
selves  a  peculiar  foundation,  doctrine  and 
church,  contrary  to  the  true  foundation  of 
truth  in  which  the  true  church  which  avails 
before  God,  should  be  founded;  by  means  of 
which  they  disturb  the  unity  of  the  pious, 
extinguish  love,  destroy  peace,  and  cause 
much  disturbance,  trouble,  sorrow  and  trib- 
ulation among  those  who  would  gladly 
walk  in  the  truth.  O,  I  pray  you,  learn  to 
know  the  heretic. 

As  such  are  really  heretics,  as  has  been 
heard,  so  necessity  requires  to  show  the  di- 
vision between  us,  and  to  explain  it;  that 
the  intelligent  reader  and  auditor  may 
thereby  understand  and  compTehend  with 
which  of  us  such  perverseness  and  heretical 
foundation  is  to  be  found.  Take  heed. 
Judge  not  by  words  and  semblance,  but  by 
God's  Word. 

So  this,  our  first  foundation  and  doctrine, 
is  that  all  obedient  children  of  God,  with- 
out any  respect  of  person,  must  withdraw 
from  all  brethren  and  sisters  who  walk  dis- 
orderly and  who  are  disobedient  to  the  in- 
stitution, ordinance  and  doctrine  received 
from  the  apostles;  because  it  is  so  com- 
manded of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  name  of 
Christ.  But  your  foundation  and  doctrine 
is  that  this  does  not  apply  to  husband  and 
wife  in  case  one  or  the  other  deviates  from 
the  truth.  You  have  respect  of  person,  of 
which  the  Holy  Spirit  of  wisdom  does  not 
command  nor  imply  a  single  word  in  all 
the  Holy  Writ.  Mark  our  first  difference, 
2  Thess.  3:  14;  Jas.  2:9;  Dent.  3:6;  Zech. 
13:  3. 


Our  second  foundation  and  doctrine  is 
that  the  true  apostolic  ban  and  shunning 
has  not  reference  alone  to  the  spiritual 
communion,  as  Supper,  hand  and  kiss  and 
greeting  of  peace  (as  you  think),  but  also  to 
the  carnal  communion,  as  eating,  dealing, 
to  receive  into  one's  house,  &c.,  and  that  it 
is  plainly  forbidden.  But  your  foundation 
and  doctrine  is  (for  your  deeds  show  it, 
which  in  my  opinion  proves  more  than 
words  and  confession  would  do)  that  the 
shunning  apjjlies  alone  to  the  spiritual 
communion,  and  that  it  does  not  apply  to 
!  nati;ral  association.  For  it  is  a  well  known 
fact  that  3^ou  allow  the  natural  association 
between  husband  and  wife;  and  that  you 
eat  with  the  separated,  and  deal  with  them, 
if  you  have  not  changed.  Mark  our  second 
diiference. 

Our  third  foundation  and  doctrine  is, 
that  the  second  table,  namelj',  the  com- 
mandment concerning  our  neighbor,  must 
give  way  to  the  first,  which  is,  the  com- 
mandment concerning  God.  But  your  foun- 
dation and  doctrine  is  (for  your  action  in 
regard  to  husband  and  wife  testify  it),  that 
not  the  second  table  must  give  way  to  the 
first,  but  the  first  to  the  second.  As  if  the 
Creator  must  do  the  will  of  the  creature,  and 
the  creature  not  the  will  of  the  Creator.  O  ! 
O  !  !     Mark  our  third  difference. 

Our  fourth  foundation  and  doctrine  is, 
that  the  Holy  Spirit  ever  cares  for  his,  and 
has  therefore  commanded  us  to  shun  the  sec- 
tarian and  offensive  sinners,  lest  they  leav- 
en with  the  leaven  of  their  unrighteousness, 
or  by  their  intercourse  or  conversation  (as 
is  generally  the  case),  the  pious  and  draw 
them  into  their  wicked  works;  and  also, 
that  the  apostates  may  thereby  be  made 
ashamed  before  the  Lord  and  his  church, 
repent,  and  be  converted.  But  your  foun- 
dation and  doctrine  combats  and  disputes 
this  so  cruelly  that  you  quite  bitterly  call 
us  divorcers  and  heretics;  becausewe,inthi3 
regard,  through  the  zealous  fear  of  God,  fol- 
low the  command  of  the  holy  apostles,  and 
point  every  one,  whose  lot  it  becomes,  to  the 
surest  way,  according  to  Scripture.  You  pre- 
tend to  the  poor  people  that  it  is  an  abomin- 
ation that,  on  account  of  the  ban,  a  husband 
should  shun  his  wife,  or  a  wife  her  husband. 
The  same  as  it  is  also  an  abomination  to 


REPLY  TO  ZYLIS  A^^D  LEMMEKES. 


289 


the  world  that  we  should  baptize  the  be- 
lieving and  not  hear  the  false  preachers; 
and  thus  reprove  the  Holy  Spirit  of  the  love 
of  Christ;  accuse  and  abuse  his  holy  apos- 
tles of  a  false  doctrine,  as  if  the  leaven  of 
corruption  (against  which  they  have  faith- 
fully warned  us)  could  not  leaven  husband 
or  wife;  also,  as  if  we  were  at  liberty,  ac- 
cording to  the  rule  of  the  holj^  word,  not  to 
seek  the  reformation  of  our  consorts,  2 
Thess.  3:  14;  Tit.  3:  10;  1  Cor.  5:  5;  Gal. 
5:  9;  1  Cor.  5:  3;  2  Tim.  2:  18,  21. 

Our  fifth  foundation  and  doctrine  is  that 
the  ban  without  the  shunning  is  quite  use- 
less and  dead,  yea,  as  a  mill  without  a  mill- 
stone, and  as  a  knife  without  a  blade;  for  it 
is  very  clear  that  the  apostolic  ban,  prop- 
erly, has  its  power  and  effect  in  the  oirtward 
shunning.  For  else  the  danger  of  corrupt- 
ing others  would  not  be  in  the  least  avoid- 
ed, which,  properly,  is  the  first  and  main 
reason  of  the  ban,  as  has  been  heard.  Your 
actions  openly  show  that  you  have  and 
teach  a  ban  without  the  shunning,  and  that 
the  same  is  therefore  without  ellect,  since 
you  first  except  husband  and  wife  from  the 
shunning,  and  second,  eat,  deal,  &c.,  with 
those  who  are  banned,  while  the  Holy  Script- 
ures plainly  aud  pointedly  forbid  it,  say- 
ing. With  such  ye  shall  not  eat;  with  such 
do  not  keep  company;  but  shun  them. 
Have  no  dealings  with  them;  do  not  greet 
them,  nor  take  them  into  your  houses. 
Mark  our  fifth  division,  1  Cor.  0:  10;  Rom. 
16:16;  2  Tim.  3:5;  Tit.  3:  10. 

But  if  you  should  say,  T7iat  -if  tlie  pious 
can  abide  in  hisfaitli,  living  with  tJie  impi- 
ous, that  in  such  case  there  is  no  necessity 
of  shunning,  I  would  then  answer:  First, 
that  by  such  acceptation  of  the  matter  you, 
in  fact  annul  all  the  plain  commandments 
of  the  Scriptures  concerning  the  outward, 
bodily  shunning;  as  not  to  eat,  deal  or 
take  them  into  your  houses.  Yea,  if  some 
liberty  should  be  taken,  it  would  be  more 
reasonable  to  give  the  whole  church  liberty 
to  eat  and  deal  .with  apostates  than  to  al- 
low it  between  husband  and  wife.  For 
there  would  be  less  danger  accompanied 
with  it  to  the  church  than  to  husband  aud 
wife  who  are  of  necessity  in  continual  in- 
tercourse; something  which  the  church  could 
73 


easily  avoid.    This  is  too  clear  to  be  de- 
nied.    O,  men,  take  heed. 

My  second  reply  is,  that  none  under 
heaven  can  abide  in  his  faith,  living  with 
his  degenerate  consort.  For,  first,  he  would 
transgress  all  tlie  explicit  commandments 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  concerning  the  ban  and 
shunning.  Secondly,  he  would  not  seek 
the  repentance  of  his  consort  in  such  a  man- 
ner as  the  Scripture  teaches.  And,  thirdly, 
he  keeps  company  with  one  who  should, 
according  to  the  command  of  the  word,  be 
shunned  by  all  pious  persons.  I  will  leave 
it  to  the  consideration  of  all  of  you,  if  this 
can  be  called  abiding  in  the  faith.  Tliere- 
fore,  I  piay  you  again,  take  heed. 

Behold,  beloved,  if  you  compare  this  di- 
vision with  the  doctrine  of  the  Scripture, 
and  in  the  fear  of  God  impartially  weigh  it 
in  the  balance  of  the  holy  word^  yoix  will 
clearly  see  that  I  and  my  beloved  brethren 
have  the  immutalde,  incontrovertible  word 
to  sustain  us;  and  that  jow  only  have  a 
vain  presumption  and  a  self-conceived  opin- 
ion; that  we  have  a  restoring  ban,  while 
you  have  one  that  is  fruitless,  vain  and 
dead;  that  we  have  obedience,  you,  disobe- 
dience; that  we  cordially  seek  to  save  all 
afflicted  souls  from  the  inherent  disease  of 
corruption,  according  to  the  doctrine  and 
command  of  the  holy  apostles,  while  you, 
contrary  to  all  admonition,  doctrine  and 
the  explicit  commandment  of  the  holy  apos- 
tles leave  them  to  corruption,  without  all 
aid,  succor,  consolation,  assistance  and 
earnest  trial;  not  looking  at  what  is  pleas- 
ing to  the  spirit,  but  only  at  what  is  pleas- 
ing to  the  flesh.  Therefore  it  shows  that 
you  are,  alas,  those  who  are  covered  with 
the  abominable  shame  of  heresy  of  which 
you  irndeservedly  blame  me.  If  you  are 
intelligent,  mark  what  is  the  meaning. 

Fourthly,  I  understand  that  you  call  us 
divorcers,  telling  your  followers  that  of  such 
shunning  of  husband  and  wife  there  can 
not  be  found  a  single  example  in  all  the 
Scriptures.  To  which  I  answer,  first,  that 
Moses  taught  the  Israelites  that  they  should 
not  excuse  their  own  wives,  sons,  daughters 
and  friends  who  were  as  precioixs  to  them 
as  their  own  hearts,  if  they  should  want  to 
lead  them  to  strange  gods;  but  that  they 
should,  without  mercy,  slay  or  stone  them, 


290 


REPLY  TO  ZYLIS  AND  LEMMEKES. 


Deut.  13:  6 — 10.  Say,  beloved,  who  was  the 
cause  of  this?  Moses  or  God?  Not  Moses; 
but  God  who  had  thus  commanded  him. 
Thus  it  is  with  us  also.  AVe  teach  that  the 
apostates  and  sectarians  should  be  shunned, 
without  respect  of  person.  Yet  not  we,  but 
God,  who  has  thus  commanded  xis  to  do,  in 
his  word,  as  has  been  sufficiently  shown. 
O,  mark  this. 

Again  I  reply  by  asking  this  question: 
If  one  of  your  number  had  a  dishonest, 
wicked,  thievish,  sodomitic,  murderous,  in- 
cendiarj'  wife  or  one  that  shoiild  try  to  take 
his  life,  and  were  aware  of  it,  would  he 
yet  continue  to  live  with  her  ?  If  you  answer 
in  the  affirmative,  jon  must  acknowledge 
and  own  that  he  is  an  abominable,  fearful, 
murderous  rogue,  to  be  one  flesh  with  her; 
something  which  would  not  well  become  a 
servant  of  Christ.  But  if  you  answer  in  the 
negative,  j^ou  judge  yourself  that  you,  in 
this  matter,  without  previous  adultery  or 
fornication,  are  no  less  divorcers  than  we 
are.    I  repeat,  mai'k  this  also. 

Again,  I  ask,  If  one  of  your  number  had 
such  a  consort  that  he  would  have  to  re- 
nounce his  faith  or  could  not  abide  therein, 
would  he,  or  should  he  continue  to  live  with 
such  consort?  Jer.  17:  5.  If  you  answer  in 
the  affirmative  you  thereby  plainly  testify 
that  such  perverse  and  ungodly  flesh  avails 
you  more  than  Christ  Jesus  himself,  togeth- 
er with  his  kingdom,  truth,  word,  promise, 
blood,  and  death,  besides  your  faith,  unc- 
tion, love,  and  the  salvation  of  your  souls. 
If  you  answer  in  the  negative,  I  again  say, 
that  you,  in  this  matter,  without  previous 
adultery  or  fornication,  are  no  less  divorcers 
than  we  are.    Mark  this. 

Thirdly,  I  answer.  If  this  our  doctrine 
must  be  called  a  divorce  by  you,  then  it  is 
evident  that  holy  Paul  was  no  less  a  di- 
vorcer than  we  are,  for  he  says  "But  and 
if  she  depart,  let  her  remain  unmarried 
(observe  he  openly  admits  separation),  or 
be  reconciled  to  her  husband,"  1  Cor.  7:  11. 
Paul  also  allows  such  separation  when  it 
is  for  their  betterment  if  they  remain  un- 
married, as  is  also  our  doctrine,  and  so  you 
yourselves  (if  the  above  is  your  answer), 
are  no  less  divorcers  than  we  are,  as  shown 
in  the  above  two  articles;  therefore  I  would 
have  you  to  consider  in  the  fear  of  God 


what  kind  of  a  spirit  it  is  that  prompts  you 
to  make  use  of  such  slanderous,  cunning- 
words  as  divorcers,  book  of  fables,  heresy, 
&c.  Venom  is  deadly,  and  gall  is  bitter, 
but  much  more  poisonous  and  bitter  is  the 
tongue  which  is  charged  and  laden  with 
partiality  and  hatred.  O,  mind  this,  Jas. 
3:  5—10. 

But  as  to  the  beforementioned  example 
this  is  our  answer,  first:  That  all  those  who 
make  such  pretensions  manifest  thereby 
that  they  do  not  believe  the  Scriptiu-es  of 
the  apostles  concerning  the  ban  and  shun- 
ning, nor  understand  the  reasons,  iitility 
and  efi'ects  of  the  ban,  and  alas,  have  but 
little  regard  for  the  explicit  commandments 
concerning  the  outward,  bodily  shunning. 

Again  we  say,  concerning  the  opinion 
that  a  doctrine  without  example  cannot 
stand  in  the  church  of  Christ,  as  seems  to 
be  your  ground;  that  in  such  case  we  are 
all  badly  mistaken,  both  you  and  we;  be- 
cause we  allow  our  women  to  approach  the 
Lord's  Supper,  of  which  there  is  not  a  syl- 
lable to  be  found  in  the  Scrij)tures.  But  if 
you  should  say,  T?tat  onr  women  are.  he- 
liemng;  ilierefor%  tliey slionldhe admitted  to 
the  Supioer,  alonrj  witli  the  heliemng  men,  I 
would  answer  in  like  manner:  As  the  pious 
consort  is  believing,  he  should  shun  his 
apostate  wife,  according  to  the  coinmon 
rule  of  Scripture,  together  with  all  other  be- 
lieving ones  without  exception.  "Whosoever 
is  intelligent  will  judge  and  consider  the 
inference. 

In  the  fifth  place,  I  understand  that  Lem- 
mekes  has  boasted  that  he  is  going  to  rebut 
more  than  half  of  the  books.  To  which  I 
briefly  reply:  To  promise  mountains  of 
gold  and  not  to  have  sandhills  to  give,  is 
called  boasting  by  the  world;  therefore,  it 
would  be  well  not  to  boast  of  more  than  we 
have  Scripture  and  talent  for.  But  whoso- 
ever will  rebut  it  must  fii"st  establish  the  fol- 
lowing ten  articles,  by  virtue  of  the  AVord. 

First,  that  the  first  table  of  the  com- 
mandments in  Christ's  Kingdom  and  reign 
must  give  way  to  the  second.    Mark. 

Secondly,  that  the  Scripture  teaches  two 
bans  or  shunnings.    Mark. 

Thirdly,  that  there  can  be  a  scriptural 
ban  without  the  shunning.    Mark. 

Fourthly,    that   the    deadly    disease  of 


REPLY  TO  7.YLIS  AND  LEMMEKES. 


291 


corruption  cannot  leaven  or  make  unclean 
the  husband  and  wife  when  they  do  not 
shun  each  other.    Mark. 

Fifthly,  that  it  is  not  required  at  the  hands 
of  the  pious  spouse  earnestly  to  seek  the 
reformation  and  repentance  of  the  impious 
spouse,  according  to  the  counsel,  doctrine 
and  commandments  of  the  Holy  Scripture. 
Mark. 

Sixthly,  that  the  pious  spouse  is  not 
bound  to  agree  to  the  separation  of  his  im- 
pious consort.     Mark. 

Seventhly,  that  the  carnal  ban  and  love 
must  be  preferred  to  the  spiritual  ban  and 
love.    Mark. 

Eighthly,  that  the  marriage  with  Christ, 
in  the  Spirit,  must  give  way  to  the  marriage 
consTimmated  in  the  human  tlesh.     Mark. 

Ninthly,  that  the  Holy  Spirit  has  taught 
exceptions  or  respect  of  persons  concerning 
the  ban  or  shunning,  in  the  Scripture. 
Mark. 

Tenthly,  that  the  spouse  is  not  subject  to 
the  explicit  commandments  concerning  the 
outward  or  bodily  shunning.     Mark. 

Behold,  dear  Lemmekes,  whenever  j'ou 
or  any  of  your  followers  dissolve  or  untie 
this  knot  by  virtue  of  the  Scriptures,  then 
we  will  further  consider  the  matter. 

But  as  we  know  that  no  man,  no  matter 
who  he  be,  can  ever  do  so  by  virtue  of  the 
truth,  of  which,  before  the  Lord,  we  are  cer- 
tain; therefore  we  let  men  slander  and 
boast  as  much  as  they  please.  Firm  and 
immutable  the  doctrine  remains,  namely, 
that  all  pious  husbands  and  wives  as  also 
the  church  are  bound  to  shun  their  impious 
spouses,  according  to  the  common  rule, 
doctrine  and  command  of  the  Holy  Script- 
ures, as  has  been  frequently  shown,  hy  vir- 
tue of  the  holy  Word.  Whosoever  seeks 
and  loves  the  truth,  may  ponder  upon  that 
which  we  say  and  consider  the  meaning  of 
the  Scriptures. 

In  the  sixth  place  I  understand  that  Lem- 
mekes should  have  said,  that  if  we  were  of 
one  mind  in  regard  to  the  article  concerning 
husband  and  wife,  that  there  would  yet  be 
three  or  four  articles  about  which  we  could 
not  agree.  To  which  I  would  say  this,  that 
I  would  like  to  have  him  put  in  writing 
these  articles  and  points  of  diiference,  ancl 
send  them  to  me.    If  you  have  truth  on 


your  side,  and  we  have  not,  then,  by  the 
grace  of  God,  I  for  myself  will  say,  yea 
with  you.  But  still  I  would  warn  you  not 
to  call  that  which  is  right  and  pure,  wrong 
and  impure;  nor  that  which  is  wrong  and 
impure,  right  and  pure;  not  to  dissolve  that 
which  the  Scripture  binds,  nor  to  bind  that 
which  it  makes  free,  as  some,  alas,  are  in 
the  habit  of  doing;  so  that  not  our  self- 
chosen  righteousness  nor  human  proposi- 
tions and  holiness,  but  the  word  of  God 
alone,  be  our  guide  and  way.  In  love,  take 
heed. 

In  the  seventh  place,  I  understand  that 
Lemmekes  also  said,  that  I  first  came  to  the 
Franekers  and  their  followers  and  agreed 
with  them;  but  was  afterward  instructed  by 
the  brethren,  and  remained  with  them.  To 
which  I  reply  to  you  and  all  who  believe 
your  untrue  story,  with  truth,  thus:  I  fra- 
ternally asked  the  Franekers  when  I  was 
in  conversation  with  them,  If  they  had  any 
further  doings  with  carnal  transgressors 
after  the  third  admonition  ?  To  this  they 
answered,  no.  Then  I  said  (after  passing 
a  few  words  concerning  secret  sins).  If  that 
is  your  doctrine  we  will  not  remain  divided. 
Then  they  thanked  the  Lord,  as  if  we  were 
quite  of  one  mind  in  regard  to  the  matter. 
Observing  this,  I  said.  Not  so,  brethren, 
but  I  will  also  talk  to  the  others,  and  see 
what  grace  the  Lord  will  give.  That  this  is 
true  I  can  prove  b}''  our  beloved  brother, 
Nette  Lippes,  and  is  also  known  to  the  om- 
niscient Lord  whose  hand  and  judgment  I 
cannot  escape  if  I  lie  and  do  not  speak  the 
truth. 

Afterwards  I  came  to  them  and  conversed 
with  them  and  got  my  full  satisfaction 
(praise  the  Lord  for  his  grace)  concerning 
secret  sinning,  at  which  my  heart  was  re- 
joiced more  than  I  am  able  to  write,  not, 
now,  doubting  in  the  least  but  that  the  mat- 
ter would  come  to  a  good  result,  until  the 
time  that  the  Franekers  came  and  showed 
that  they  did  not  abide  by  their  under- 
standing concerning  carnal  works,  as  they 
had  confessed  to  me.  This  caused  in  me 
sorrow,  as  bitter  as  death.  In  my  affliction 
I  knew  not  what  to  do;  for  there  is  nothing 
upon  earth  I  love  more  than  the  Lord's 
churcb .  But  as  it  is,  I  see  that  the  leaven- 
ing spirit  of  the  false  parties  has  leavened 


292 


REPLY  TO  ZYLIS  AND  LEMJVIEKES. 


man)'.  Yea,  had  not  the  gracious  breatli 
of  the  Omnipotent  saved  me  I  would  prob- 
ably have  had  my  mind  wrecked.  In  short, 
the  Franekers  would  not  unite  before  they 
had  first  consulted  Henry  Naeldeman.  In 
the  coui'se  of  time,  Henry  came  to  us,  and  in 
love,  we  informed  him  that  we  were  not  those 
who  thus  judge  the  offensive  transgressors; 
but  that,  according  to  the  Avord,  we  could 
not  do  the  will  of  God  by  retaining  those 
whom  his  Spirit  and  Word  exclude.  He 
was  so  startled  that  he  openly  said  before 
us  all,  that  he  had  never  so  taken  the  mat- 
ter to  heart,  in  his  life,  hoping  to  place  the 
Franekers  on  a  better  footing.  I  then  left 
the  country.  Not  long  afterward  he  again 
sent  for  me.  He  had  stiidied  the  matter 
over;  and  all  we  had  built  before,  with  the 
Lord's  word,  was  again  broken,  in  the  poor 
man.  Yea,  it  is  known  to  me  and  to  the 
Lord  how  unstable  aud  childish  he  proved 
himself  once  or  twice,  in  a  short  time,  con- 
cerning the  matter  of  husband  and  wife. 
His  own  handwriting  shall  be  my  testimony 
of  this  assertion. 

Behold,  dear  men,  here  you  have  the  out- 
line of  our  action  in  this  matter  of  which 
you  so  quite  partially  dare  to  i\pbraid  me, 
which  I  assert  with  a  good  conscience,  be- 
fore the  eyes  of  the  Lord.  If  you  had  acted 
the  part  of  wisdom  in  this  matter  and  had 
not  inclined  your  ears  to  the  backbiting  of 
the  unpeaceable  of  the  sectarian  parties, 
you  would  never  have  offended  against  me 
by  such  gross  falsehood  and  slander.  Just- 
ly did  Paul  say  "That  a  little  leaven  leav- 
eneth  the  whole  lump,"  1  Cor.  5:  6. 

In  the  eighth  place  I  understand  that 
Lemmekes  ])ublishes  that  I  should  have  said 
to  him,  the  people  build  upon,  and  look  to 
me  so  much  that  I  am  afraid  tliat  the  Lord 
will  yet  cause  me  to  stumble,  so  that  they 
shall  no  more  look  to  me  orany  other  man. 
To  which  I  reply  first:  If  I  should  now  or 
at  any  time  say  to  Lemmekes  or  any  one 
else — the  people  build  upon  and  look  to 
me;  then  my  own  mouth  would  convince 
me  that  I  would  be  like  unto  a  fool  who  is 
quick  to  praise  himself.  I  trust  that  not 
only  the  word  of  the  Lord  but  also  common 
sense  will  teach  me  better.  And  as  I  have 
experienced  more  than  once  in  my  time 
that  the  spirit  of  Diotrephes  is  not  yet  dead, 


3  Jn.  9,  which  generally  clothes  itself  in  a 
sheep  skin,  sighing  and  complaining — say- 
ing: Oh,  oh!  The  people  brrild  upon  and 
look  too  much  to  Menno,  whereby  the  hearts 
are  turned  from  love;  therefore  I  have  not 
said  once,  but  perhaps  ten  times:  If  the 
unversed  should  thus  build  upon  and  look 
to  me,  then  my  desire  is  that  the  Lord 
would  cause  me  to  stumble,  but  not  take  his 
grace  altogether  from  me,  that  they  might 
learn  to  know  not  to  build  their  foundation, 
hope  and  consolation  upon  me,  but  solely 
upon  the  living  corner  stone,  Christ  Jesus. 
Whosoever  hath  the  bride,  says  John,  is 
the  bridegroom,  and  that  is  Christ  Jesus, 
who,  according  to  the  will  of  his  Father  (to 
his  honor),  has  called  us  in  his  eternal  love, 
and  married  us  hy  faith  in  his  death  and 
blood;  and  not  Menno  or  Lemmekes.  Oh, 
that  they  would  not  garble  my  words,  and 
not  tell  any  thing  but  the  truth  which 
stands  before  God. 

Secondly  I  answer.  If  you  thus  turn  to 
shame  the  word  of  my  piety,  whereb}^  I 
only  seek  the  praise  and  honor  of  my  Re- 
deemer, which  I  had  not  thus  expected, 
then  I  desire  that  in  love,  you  point  out  my 
error  according  to  the  truth ;  for  although  I 
am  a  poor  sinner  who,  at  times,  is  mastered 
by  his  flesh,  I  yet  thank  God  for  his  grace 
that  he  has  to  this  day  saved  his  poor, 
weak  servant,  without  any  considerable  of- 
fense, both  in  doctrine  and  in  life.  But  if 
your  sight  is  so  weak  and  dim  that  you 
call  it  stumbling,  namely,  that  I  teach  ac- 
cording to  the  Holy  Scriptures  that  we 
should  shun  the  ott'ensive  transgressors  un- 
til they  repent;  or  that  the  ban  should  be 
used  without  respect  of  person;  or  that  I 
am  ever  prepared  to  accept  a  better  instruc- 
tion of  God  or  admonition  and  doctrine  of 
his  Holy  Spirit,  as  I  have  done  in  regard  to 
the  doctrine  of  carnal  abominations — then 
I  may  well  console  myself  that  the  holy 
apostles  are,  in  this  matter,  no  less  stum- 
blers  than  I  am.  For  before  God,  I  do  not 
know  but  that  I  teach  the  essence  of  their 
word  imadulterated  and  walk  in  the  foot- 
steps of  their  spirit,  so  far  as  I  have  received 
grace  and  strength  from  my  God.  0,  how 
quite  carnal,  unintelligent,  blind  and  per- 
verse is  the  judgment  of  a  person  who,  be- 
fore his  God,  is  led  away  by  partiality  and 


REPLY  TO  ZYLIS  AND  LEMMEKES. 


293 


envy.    If  you  fear  God  then  lieed  what  I 
tell  you,  Jas.  3:  2,  17;  1  Cor.  2:  4. 

In  the  ninth  place,  I  understand  that  you 
slander  and  upbraid  our  brethren  in  Fries- 
land,  not  a  little.  To  which  I  briefly  reply : 
It  is  not  necessary  that  I  should  be  the 
brethren's  advocate,  since  the  merciful  Lord 
has  not  denied  them  his  grace.  Spirit  and 
gifts.  Yet  for  myself  I  would  say  that  the 
worldly  privileges  are,  or  imply  that  we 
should  give  both  sides  a  hearing.  We  also 
read  of  Alexander  the  Great,  that  when  one 
party  or  one  side  laid  in  a  complaint  to 
him  without  the  presence  of  the  other  side 
or  party,  that  he  would  shut  up  one  ear  to 
give  the  other  side  a  hearing  therewith. 
Since  there  was  found  such  great  decency 
among  the  gentiles ;  and  as  it  is  the  com- 
mon usage,  in  all  matters  and  policies,  not 
to  judge  until  after  a  hearing  has  been 
granted;  therefore  you  have  acted  very  un- 
scripturally  and  unreasonably  not  only  to 
give  the  one  party  (and  that  the  party  which 
are  separated  from  the  church  on  account 
of  their  contention)  a  hearing,  but  besides, 
accept  them  as  your  beloved  brethren, 
while  the  other  party  you  reject,  to  the  great 
shame  of  you  and  your  counselors;  and 
because  you  would  not  give  them  a  verbal 
explanation  and  hearing,  although  they  so 
frequently  and  brotherly  desired  it.  At 
which  unreasonableness,  unwillingness  and 
childish  ignorance  we  can  not  sufficiently 
satisfy  our  astonishment.  AVe  are  of  the 
opinion  that  it  was  never  heard  of  people 
who  seemingly  feared  God.  Yet  you  pro- 
ceed on  the  strength  of  the  sayings  of  the 
partizans  with  intolerable  lying  and  mis- 
givings, without  any  certainty  about  the 
matter,  and  by  this  violence  and  wrong  do- 
ing you  take  from  us  that  which,  I  fear, 
you  can  never  restore  to  us.  But  if  you 
had  given  both  parties  a  reasonable  and 
christian  hearing  you  might  have  (if  you 
had  the  gift)  passed  a  just  sentence  between 
them,  and  thus  have  sought  unity  and  peace 
between  them,  according  to  the  intent  of  the 
holy  word.  But  now  you  have  manifested 
yourselves  to  all  mankind,  while  you  see 
that  with  your  unscriptural  ban,  now  used 
by  you  and  your  followers  these  many 
years,  you  cannot  stand  before  the  sharp- 
ness of  the  Holy  Spirit  of  Chiist  and  of  his 


strong  word;  that  you  seek  to  assert  and 
maintain  as  much  as  you  can;  not  the  de- 
sirable unity  and  peace,  nor  the  unfaltering, 
abiding  truth  which  is  of  God,  but  your 
own  ignorant  opinion  and  carnal  intentions 
by  wrong  and  violence,  dissention,  partial- 
ity, slander  and  defamation.  You  should, 
however,  know  that  not  such  wrong  and 
violence  as  you  commit,  is  to  be  the  judg- 
ment and  decision  in  this  matter  but  that 
the  Holy  Spirit  and  word  of  Christ  Jesus 
are  to  decide  it.    In  love,  take  heed. 

In  the  tenth  place,  I  understand  that  Lem- 
mekes  said, "  That  he  would  rather  be  banned 
by  our  elders  than  to  agree  with  them." 
To  which  I  answer :  That  one  of  two  things 
is  made  true  by  his  words;  that  he  either 
does  not  know  what  the  ban  is  in  fact;  or 
else  that  the  elders  are  such  abominable 
people  that  they  are  not  worthy  of  the 
chui'ch.  For  all  the  world  I  would  not  pass 
such  a  sentence.  If  these  elders  were  such 
evil  people,  even,  as  his  words  impl}^,  why 
be  so  unreasonable  (since  it  is  his  office)  as 
not  to  show  his  brotherly  love  by  pointing 
out  to  them,  in  accordance  with  the  Script- 
lu-es  their  errors  and  abominations  of  which 
he  shows  such  abhorrence,  since  it  becomes 
him  before  God  and  his  church  to  seek  their 
salvation,  in  love.  But  I  presume  that  you 
feared  the  sharpness  of  truth  and  that  you, 
therefore,  were  afraid  to  face  them.  O, 
that  you  would  hear  the  voice  of  the  Lord 
and  not  harden  your  liearts  while  it  is  yet 
to-day. 

I  must  also,  lastly,  remind  you  that  you 
came  to  us  in  A.  D.  1556,  just  before  May, 
and  that  we  had  a  conference  of  two  days, 
in  the  fear  of  our  God.  Y"ea,  such  a  con- 
ference that  Lemmekes,  the  morning  of  his 
departure  openly  confessed  before  me,  that 
he  quite  agreed  with  vis  although  not  quite 
satisfied  in  the  matter  of  liusband  and  wife, 
but  as  he  had  not  confessed  this  before  the 
brethren,  he  had  come  hither  that  he  and 
they  would  come  to  us,  and  as  he  had  now 
opened  his  heart  before  all,  his  word 
would  thereafter  avail  but  little.  And  he 
wished  to  further  treat  with  you,  on  the 
way,  Exod.  17:  2;  Gal.  0:2;  Ju.  3:  29.  Be- 
hold, such  were  his  pretenses.  Besides  he 
said,  If  the  Upperlanders  will  not  agree, 
and  Zylis  and  Henry  will  remain  with  them. 


294 


KEFLY  TO  ZYLIS  AND  LEMMEKES. 


I  will  (he  said)  go  over  to  the  Netherland- 
er s. 

Again  he  said,  There  are  some  strangers 
at  Weert  who  would  gladly  come  under  the 
Word  of  the  Lord;  and  asked:  To  whom 
shall  I  take  these?  to  Zylis  or  to  the  Neth- 
erlanders  ?  Besides  this  he  desired  of  me 
that  when  we  would  have  the  consent  or 
dissent  of  Zylis,  to  send  one  or  two  faithful 
brethren  to  his  assistance,  that  the  ban  and 
shunning  might  be  thus  introduced  into  his 
church.  Dear  friends,  that  he  thus  agreed 
with  us  he  did  not  only  confess  before  me, 
but  also  before  our  beloved  brethren  Her- 
man of  T.  and  John  S.  And  what  is  be- 
come of  all  these  words  and  promises? 
Were  they  not  all  vain  wind  and  falsehood  ? 
You  must  answer  in  the  afTirmative.  And 
yet  you  do  not  want  it  said  at  Cologne  and 
thereabout  that  you  had  thus  agreed  with 
us.  The  most  lamentable  of  all  is  that  that 
which  he  then  confessed  to  be  good  and 
right  is  now  called  by  him  heresy  and  deceit. 
Whether  such  an  inconsistent  person  can 
not  be  justly  called  an  apostate  I  will  here- 
with leave  to  the  judgment  of  all  reasonable 
and  intelligent  readers.  Zylis  and  Henry 
wanted  to  consider  the  matter  and  propose 
it  to  the  Upperlanders;  they  sent  a  ^\a•itten 
message,  but  whether  or  not  you  showed  it  to 
the  elders  of  your  church,  I  do  not  know. 
But  Lemmekes  has  written.  Yes.  And  the 
brethren  write,  No;  and  it  is  said  that 
Zylis  said,  No.  Their  answers  are  contra- 
dictory. 

In  short,  at  last  we,  after  long  delay  and 
waiting,  received  an  answer  from  you  and 
the  Upperlanders :  That  we  should  not  push 
the  ban  to  its  utmost,  for  it  would  have  to 
be  broken,  and  that  there  were  as  many 
Scriptures  concerning  marriage  as  for  the 
ban  and  shunning.  Behold  this  was  the 
instruction  of  scriptural  argument,  by  which 
he  puts  aside  all  apostolic  Scriptures  con- 
cerning this  matter,  and  rejects  them  as 
useless. 

If  I  do  not  write  the  truth,  I  am  willing 
to  bear  my  punishment.  In  my  opinion  it 
is  come  so  far  with  you  that,  before  God,  I 
do  not  know  who  could  ever  agree  with 
you.  For  first  you  agreed  with  us;  after- 
ward dissented  without  our  knowledge  and 
joined  the  Upperlanders.     Obsei-ve,  Lem- 


mekes agreed  with  us,  but  the  same  summer 
yet  turned  his  back  upon  us  and  again 
agreed  with  them.  Observe  again:  Those 
that  were  separated  on  account  of  their  dis- 
sension and  shamefulness  you  again  ac- 
cepted as  your  brethren. 

Observe,  thirdly :  Our  elders  and  church 
you  despised,  answered  their  prayer  quite 
unfriendly  and  sneeringly,  and  said  that 
you  did  not  come  on  their  account. 

Fourthly,  observe:  The  spirit  of  the  dis- 
quiet partizans  you  believed  behind  our 
backs. 

Fifthly,  observe:  You  belie,  upbraid, 
backbite,  slander,  and  accuse  me  and  my 
beloved  brethren  without  any  truth;  while  I 
for  myself  never  said  an  unfriendly  word 
about  3^ou,  of  which  God  is  my  witness,  but 
have  ever  shown  regard  for  your  well  being 
until  this  hour  of  j^our  imbearable  action. 

Sixthly,  mark:  The  plain  word  of  the 
holy  apostles  as  regards  the  ban  and  shun- 
ning, you  reject.  Seventhly,  mark:  You 
uphold  many  liglitminded,  carnal  babblers. 
Eighthly,  mark:  You  encourage  many  dis- 
quiet, unpeaceable  dissenters  and  quarrel- 
ers. 

Ninthljr,  mark:  Many,  yea,  thousands  of 
faithful  hearts  who  sincerely  seek  God  and 
his  sure  truth,  you  afflict.  Tenthly,  mark: 
Many  pious  children  who  would  gladly 
obey  the  word  of  the  Lord  in  this  regard, 
and  thus  save  their  souls,  you  hinder. 

Eleventhly,  observe:  You  beget  many  de- 
famers,  liars,  profaners  and  upbraiders. 
In  short,  you  have  brewed  siich  beer  that, 
if  the  Lord  does  not  save  you  by  his  mercy, 
I  fear  you  will  yet  stumble^  over  the  heaped 
pot.  For  beware,  if  you  again  renounce 
the  Upperlanders  and  also  those  whom  yon, 
alas,  have  now  given  the  hand  of  brother- 
hood they  will  not  depict  you  in  very  pleas- 
ing colors. 

And  if  you,  even,  remain  with  them, 
all  intelligent  persons  must  confess  that 
you  build  your  faith,  in  this  matter,  with  a 
sectarian  spirit,  upon  vain  self-conceit,  opin- 
ion, flesh  and  man,  and  not  upon  the  tirm 
rock  and  foundation  of  the  divine  word.  If 
you  change  your  doctrine  which  you  have 
so  long  wrongly  practiced  and  taught  in 
your  church,  then  you  will  have  to  hear  that 
you  are  miserable  teachers,  that  you  have 


REPLY  TO  ZYLIS  AND  LEMMEKES. 


295 


deceived  many  sonis  and  that  yon  do  not 
know  the  light  of  trnth. 

But  if  yon  do  not,  you  make  it  manifest 
that  you  do  not  seek  and  uphold  the  souls 
or  the  salvation  of  the  church,  nor  the  word 
of  God,  but  3"our  own  honor  and  flesh,  only. 

If,  too,  you  acknowledge  that  you  have, 
through  partizanism,  wrongfully  defamed 
me,  a  cry  from  the  pious  will  issue  against 
you,  that  you  have  defamed  the  reputation 
of  your  brethren,  without  cause,  not  as 
faithful  servants  of  Christ,  but  rather  as 
envious  defamers. 

If  yon  do  not  acknowledge  it,  nor  do  such 
penance  as  can  avail  before  God,  then  the 
just  sentence  of  his  immutable  word  will  be 
upon  you,  that  is,  the  defamers,  backbiters, 
slanderers  and.  liars  have  no  portion  in  the 
kingdom  of  God  and  Christ.  O,  awful  is 
the  sentence.  Woe  unto  those  on  whom  it 
is  inflicted  !  With  fear,  trembling  and  shak- 
ing reflect,  I  pray  you,  2  Pet.  2:  IS;  Jude 
1:10-,  Rom.  1:30. 

Behold,  dear,  chosen  men,  how  perilously 
j^ou  are  sailing !  Like  a  ship  that  is  cast 
about  between  two  rocks.  If  she  avoid  the 
one  she  will  sail  upon  the  other.  There- 
fore, take  heed.  Take  heed,  that  you  may 
prevent  the  eternal  shipwreck  of  your  poor 
souls,  and  yet  arrive  in  the  haven  of  eternal 
peace  with  the  Most  High,  Amen.     Amen. 


This,  now,  is  the  proper  content,  conclu- 
sion, intent  and  meaning  of  my  writing  to 
you,  and  yours,  First,  that  you  may  be- 
hold the  abomination  of  your  actions  in 
this  clear  mirror,  turn  from  evil,  come  be- 
fore the  Lord  witli  a  contrite  heart  and  sin- 
cerely pray  for  his  grace.  Secondly,  that 
also,  the  simple,  and  those  of  little  under- 
standing who  are,  in  this  respect,  impris- 
oned by  you,  may  taste  and  see  therefrom 
that  you  have  fed  and  satiated  them  not 
with  the  bread  of  their  heavenly  Father, 
but  with  mere  swill  and  chafl",  and  human 
self-conceit. 

Thirdly,  tliat  you  may  know  that  I  and 
the  pious  who  are  with  me,  dare  not,  hy 
the  fear  of  our  God,  be  your  brethren,  so 
long  as  there  are  not  foiind  with  you  such 
doctrine,  obedience,  confession,  reconcilia- 
tion and  repentance  as  to  pacify  the  church 
of  the  Lord  and  to  be  pleasing  unto  him. 

This  is  written  in  sorrow.  If  you  fear 
God,  then  take  heed,  and  reflect.  The  God 
of  all  grace  and  the  Holy  Spirit  of  peace 
and  of  the  love  of  Christ  grant  you  grace 
that  you  maj^  read  with  impartial  hearts, 
and  that  it  may  be  to  your  service,  Amen. 
Amen.    Amen. 

By  Menno  Simon,  who  loves  .you  souls 
according  to  the  trutli. 

January/  23rd,  1559. 


hS^ 


A 


HUMBLE  AWD  CHRISTIAN 


JUSTIFICATION^  km  REPLICATION 


CONCERNING   THE 


BITTER,  ENVIOUS  LIES  AND  FALSE  ACCUSATIONS  OF  OUR  ENVIERS,  ON 
WHOSE  ACCOUNT  WE  ARE,  WITHOUT  ANY  COMPASSION  AND  MER- 
CY, SO  LAMENTABLY  HATED,  BELIED,  SLANDERED,  UP- 
BRAIDED AND  PERSECUTED  UNTO  DEATH,  AS 
MAY,  ALAS,  BE  WITNESSED  DAILY'  IN 
MANY  CITIES  AND  COUNTRIES. 


BY 


MENNO   SIMON. 


"Blessed  are  ye,  when  men  shall  revile  j'nn,  ami  persecute  you,  and  shall  say  all  man- 
ner of  evil  against  you  falsely,  for  my  sake. 

Rejoice  .and  be  exceeding  glad  ;  for  great  is  your  reward  in  heaven  ;  for  so  persecuted 
they  the  prophets  which  were  before  you,"  Matt.  5  :  11,  12. 

"For  other  foundation  can  no  man  lay  tlian  that  is  laid,  which  is  .Tesus  Christ," 
1  Cor.  ,^:  11. 


74 


ELKHART,  INDIANA: 

PUBLISHED  BY  JOHN  F.  FUNK  AND  BROTHER. 

187  1. 


TO  THE  READER. 


May  iJie  blessing  and  Salvation  he  wiih  tlie  Christian  Header  : 

Inasmudi,  duistian  reader,  a8  we  poor,  despised  strangers  and  pilgrims  are  reject- 
ed and  despised  by  all  tlie  world;  are  accounted  the  olf-sconrings,  and  that  because  we 
diligently  seek  our  salvation,  so  that  the  pious  and  godfearing  heart  must  tremble  and 
be  astounded  at  the  defamation  which  they  unjustly  heap  upon  the  righteous,  so  that 
some  who  strive  after  the  truth  dare  hardly  join  this  ardent  people;  therefore,  christian 
reader,  this  book,  the  band  with  which  we  shall  tie  the  arrant  liars  and  their  slan- 
der, is  translated,  out  of  pure  love,  and  to  the  proiit  and  xise  of  the  reader  from  the 
eastern  tongue,  which  is  not  used  in  this  country,  into  the  Holland  language,  that  every 
godfearing  person  may  stop  the  mouth  of  the  slanderer.  For  it  is  said,  Jacnla  fretisa 
minus  feriunt.  Wherefore  we  pray  you  to  accept  in  love  this  our  labor,  which  we  per- 
formed to  your  service.  For  our  sincere  desire,  wish,  striving  and  laboring  is,  that  many 
may  come  to  the  true  knowledge  of  the  truth,  and  be  saved.    Fare  ye  well. 


PREFACE. 


All  that  we  sincerely  desire,  reasonable 
reader  (behold,  before  God  we  lie  not),  is, 
that  by  our  writing,  teaching,  living,  mise- 
r}''  and  confiscation  of  our  goods  we  may 
once  acquire  so  much  mercy  from  the  chil- 
dren of  men  that  we  shall  be  allowed  a  pri- 
vate discussion  with  our  adversaries,  before 
any  number  of  pious,  intelligent,  and  reas- 
onable men  who  love  and  fear  the  Lord 
and  who  can  distinguish  between  good  and 
evil,  if  it  cannot  be  allowed  us  in  public; 
and  that  their  lies  and  accusations  shall 
not  be  believed,  until  teacher  is  confronted 
with  teacher,  and  the  accuser  before  the  ac- 
cused with  equal  rights  and  liberty,  as  the 
word  of  God,  christian  love  and  natural 
reason  teach  and  imply,  that  thus  the  un- 
godly may  no  longer  be  protected  in  their 
ungodliness,  the  wicked  in  their  evil  doing 
and  that  the  pious  and  righteous  be  no 
longer  condemned  and  suppressed,  that 
God's  holy  word,  by  which  oiir  souls  must 
live,  may  be  made  manifest,  the  fearful  ly- 
ing cease  and  the  unmerciful  and  cruel 
])lood-shedding  be  stopped,  which  in  itself 
is  nothing  but  the  manifest  works  of  the 
infernal  serpent,  as  Christ  himself  says; 


and  which  are,  in  appearance  of  true  zeal 
and  love  of  God,  made  use  of  without  fear, 
reflection  or  mercy,  by  those  who  boast  of 
the  name.  Spirit,  word,  death  and  blood  of 
Christ,  against  those  who  with  Asaph 
wash  their  hands  in  innocence.  But  we 
apprehend  that  it  will  not  be  allowed  us. 
For  in  both  sacred  and  profane  history  we 
read  and  find  that  the  pure,  wholesome 
truth,  from  the  beginning  of  the  world  has 
generally  been  hated,  belied  and  persecuted 
and  that  it  has,  as  a  general  thing,  only 
found  shelter  with  a  few  in  obscure  nooks 
and  corners,  as  a  hateful,  ungodly  abomi- 
nation. And  that  it  can  not  be  made  man- 
ifest without  tribulation  and  peril  of  life. 

Because  the  good,  pious  Jeremiah  re- 
proved the  Scribes  for  their  false  doctrine 
and  wickedness;  admonished  the  ignorant, 
confused  and  evil  populace  to  repent,  and 
threatened  them  with  future  plagues,  he 
was  called  by  them  a  heretic  and  deceiver, 
and  by  the  princes  a  rebel  and  mutineer. 
He  had  to  experience  much  misery  although 
he  was  chosen  of  God,  a  prophet  from  his 
mother's  womb,  and  spake  from  the  mouth 
of  the  Lord ;  he  had  to  hear,  that  on  his  ac- 


PREFACE. 


299 


count,  tliey  bad  to  bear  sucli  sore  plagues. 
Ahab,  the  blood-thirsty  and  idolatrous 
king,  blamed  the  pious  and  spiritual  man 
that  it  was  he  who  seduced  all  Israel,  1 
Kings  18:  18. 

Again  King  Joram  thought  that  Elislia 
had  entailed  the  great  famine  in  Samaria, 
2  Kings  6. 

John,  a  man  sent  from  God,  blessed  in 
his  mother's  womb,  the  greatest  born  of 
woman,  a  burning,  shining  light,  the  mes- 
senger of  the  Lord,  a  voice  crying  in  the 
wilderness,  the  second  and  spiritual  Elias, 
was  accused  that  he  was  possessed  of  devils, 
and  was  at  last  beheaded  because  of  his 
reproving  a  shameful  case  of  fornication, 
Luke  1  :'l5-,  Matt.  11  :  11;  Jn.  5  :  35;  Mai. 
3:  1;  Mk.  1:  3;  Matt.  11:  14. 

Again,  Jesus  Christ,  the  eternal  Light 
and  Life  himself,  was  called  Beelzebub,  a 
iSamaritan,  and  possessed  of  a  devil,  a 
mover  of  insurrection,  a  transgressor  of  the 
law,  a  blasphemer,  a  glutton  and  wine-bib- 
ber, a  friend  of  publicans  and  sinners ;  he 
was  deemed  worse  than  a  murderer;  and, 
at  last,  he  was  rewarded  for  all  his  glorious 
miracles,  kindness  and  love  shown  to  them, 
by  putting  on  him  a  mock  robe,  a  crown  of 
thorns,  scourging,  cross  and  death,  after 
they  had  derided  and  blasphemed  him  to 
their  satisfaction. 

How  they  treated  Stephen,  Peter,  Paul, 
James  and  others,  the  Scriptures  abundant- 
ly show,  Acts  5,  6,  7,  12,  17,  18,  I'J,  21. 

At  the  time  or  commencement  of  the  prim- 
itive church,  the  christians  were  called  swine 
by  some;  others  called  them  robbers  of 
God's  glory,  murderers,  infanticides,  abom- 
inable, unchaste  persons,  who  committed 
all  manner  of  abominations  with  their  moth- 
ers and  sisters;  and  that  they  in  their  wor- 
ship, shed  human  blood  and  also  oflered 
their  children  to  idols ;  that  they  were  reb- 
els, and  that  because  of  their  separation 
from  the  priesthood  of  Balaam,  and  their 
occasional  night-meetings  to  partake  of  the 
Lord's  Supper. 

Again,  enemies  of  the  human  race;  un- 
fruitful, corrupted  people,  because  they 
would  not  keep  company  with  the  wine- 
bibbers,  liars,  &c.,  but  led  a  sober,  godly, 
humble  and  circumcised  life,  in  the  love 
and  fear  of  God. 


I  Again,  enemies  of  God,  accursed  melefac- 
tors,  and  rogues,  because  they  kept  aloof 
from  the  shameful  idolatry,  and  suffered 
themselves  to  be  exiled  and  freely  gave 
their  goods  and  life  blood  for  the  sake  of 

j  the  testimony  of  the  Lord  and  true  religion 

\  and  honor  of  God. 

Behold,  thus  the  blind,  ungrateful  world 
has  ever  rewarded  and  treated  those  who 
sought  and  feared  God,  with  all  their  hearts, 
with  all  their  souls,  and  with  all  their  pow- 
er, as  Cyprian,  TertuUian  and  other  histo- 
rians testify.  Darkness  can  not  bear  the 
light;  nor  falsehood,  truth.  God's  word  is 
an  abomination  to  the  ungodl}^,  for  it  is  a 
treasure  of  wisdom  hidden  from  them. 
Christ  says,  "That  light  is  come  into  the 
world,  and  men  loved  darkness  rather  than 
light,  because  their  deeds  were  evil,"  Jn. 
3:  19.  The  pious  and  godfearing  are  ever 
an  oflense  and  sting  in  their  hearts  and  are 
a  hurt  in  their  sight.  And  this  is  the  cause 
that  the  world,  which  in  all  its  doings  will 
ever  live  unrebuked  and  unhindered  in  idol- 
atry, pride,  pomp,  licentiousness  and  lust, 
from  the  beginning,  has  so  enviously  hated, 
miserablj^  belied  and  so  tyrannically  per- 
secuted the  pious  and  godfearing. 

O  kind  reader,  thus  it  is  to-day  as  you 
can  see  on  every  hand.  The  whole  world  is 
saturated  with  all  manner  of  wickedness. 
False  doctrine,  idolatry,  unbelief,  licentious- 
ness, shame  and  blasphemy  are  in  the  as- 
cendency; it  will  not  be  reproved  nor  ad- 
monished. It  hates  all  who  would,  in  pure 
love,  at  the  cost  of  their  goods  and  life, 
gladly  deliver  them  from  their  wicked  and 
inordinate  life,  point  and  lead  them  in  the 
way  of  peace  and  save  their  souls,  if  pos- 
sibl  e. 

The  wise  and  learned,  who  ever  have 
plagued  and  pestered  the  pious  and  right- 
eous the  most,  as  was  said  in  our  Covfes- 
sions,  heap  one  abominable  lie  upon  an- 
other, lest  their  unreasonable  and  shameful 
gain  and  false  boasting  be  destro3^ed.  They 
pretend  and  cry  that  we  are  Munsterites; 
that  we  do  not  want  to  be  subject  to  and 
obey  the  magistracy ;  that  we  mean  to  take 
cities  and  countries  by  force;  that  like  the 
irrational  creatures,  we  have  our  goods  and 
women  in  common;  that  we  say  to  each, 
other,  Sister,  my  spirit  desires  thee.   Again, 


300 


PREFACE. 


that  we  claim  to  be  without  sin,  and  that 
we  mean  to  be  saved  by  onr  own  merits  and 
works,  and  the  like  unfounded  lies,  that 
they  may  thus  lead  from  truth,  all  mankind 
and  particularly  the  lords,  princes  and  mag- 
istrates which  they  have  inebriated  by 
their  golden  cup,  that  they  may  embitter 
and  turn  them  against  all  the  pious  chil- 
dren of  God.  He  is  called  and  considered 
a  fine,  evangelical  preacher  and  a  compe- 
tent teacher  well  lettered,  who  can  only 
quarrel,  upbraid,  slander  and  lie  sufficient- 
ly to  move  the  magistracy,  who  perhaps, 
would  be  reasonable,  kind  and  favorable 
enough  if  they  were  not  spiirred  on  and 
vexed  by  this  unreasonable  generation  of 
vipers,  to  persecution,  so  that  the  innocent, 
belied  sheep  that  would  not  injure  a  hair 
on  any  one,  are,  without  a  hearing,  led 
(;aptive,  and  mercilessly  exiled  from  conn-  ; 
try,  city  and  town,  into  misery  and  priva- 
tion, and  chased  by  the  ravening  wolves 
until  they  are  consumed  by  over-exertion, 
heat,  cold  or  rain.  In  this,  I  think,  they 
fill  the  measure  of  their  ancestors  of  whom 
Christ  said.  Oh  Lord !  oh,  beloved  Lord ! 
how  long  will  these  inhuman  tyrannies  and 
fearful  abominations  continue '( 

Inasmuch  as  they  have  so  embittered  all 
lords,  princes,  regents,  potentates  and 
common  people  against  us  by  their  fearful 
cry  of  murder,  and  by  their  slanderous  ly- 
ing that  we  can  not  acquire  sufficient  mercy 
by  all  our  prayers,  beseechings  and  sup- 
plications, by  all  our  innocence,  tears,  pa- 
tience, misery,  cross,  goods  and  blood  that 
we  might  be  allowed  a  j)ublic  conference 
and  discussion  with  our  enviers;  and  as  ac- 
cording to  justice  and  Christianity  it  be- 
comes the  magistracy  to  allow  us  a  fair 
hearing  and  trial,  and  that  they  do  not 
usurp  to  themselves,  in  the  judgment  seat  of 
the  Most  High  God,  to  shed  innocent  blood; 
and  as  we  are  ever  slandered  by  their  un- 
founded lies,  and  as  truth  is  thus  smoth- 
ered; therefore  we  are  impelled  by  the 
urging  of  the  word  of  God  and  the  love  of 
our  neighbors,  to  publish  in  writing  our 
excuse  and  answer  with  pure,  christian 
truth,  that  by  our  defense  in  writing,  since 
they  are  so  enraged  that  we  can  not  ajjpear 
publicly  to  defend  ourselves,  the  godfearing 
conscience  which  would  not  knowingly  act 


contrary  to  the  will  of  God,  no  matter 
whether  he  be  a  magistrate  or  citizen, 
learned  or  unlearned,  may  know  that  by 
the  beforementioned  abominations  we  are 
innocently  slandered  and  belied  by  our  op- 
ponents; or  that  God  would  grant  that  thus 
the  word  and  truth  of  the  Lord  might  be- 
come more  known  and  manifest  thereby, 
and  that  the  deceit  and  feigned  holiness  of 
the  learned  and  priests,  must  become  dis- 
covered and  manifest  to  all  the  world. 

Honorable  reader,  we  humbly  beseech 
yoi;  for  the  Lord's  sake,  to  consider  impar- 
tially why  we  so  often  refer  to  the  preach- 
ers, admonish  and  reprove  them  of  many 
things  which,  alas,  are  not  to  their  honor 
and  reputation.  For,  as  we  clearly  see  that 
they  are  those  who,  for  the  sake  of  shame- 
ful gain  and  avarice,  so  falsely  console,  re- 
tain and  bind  the  whole  world  in  their  un- 
belief, idolatry  and  impenitent,  carnal  life; 
so  miserably  break  the  truth  and  trample 
it  under  foot ;  so  miserably  murder  the  poor 
souls  which  are  so  dearly  bought,  not  with 
perishable  gold  and  silver,  but  with  the 
precious  blood  of  Christ;  so  enviously  and 
scornfully  hate,  slander  and  belie  the  pious 
and  godfearing  and  take  their  goods  and 
even  their  lives,  which  is  quite  different  from 
the  Spirit  of  the  Lord,  that  they  may  hold 
to  their  shameful  gain,  lustful,  vain  and 
fruitless  life. without  reproof;  and  as  they 
do  not  sufler  themselves  to  be  admonished, 
taught  and  warned  by  the  word  of  God,  by 
love,  longsuffering,  piety  and  the  blood  of 
the  saints;  therefore  the  glory  of  God  and 
the  salvation  of  your  souls  require  us  to  do 
so.  The  Almighty  Lord  is  our  testimony, 
that  we  aim  at  nothing  but  that  those  who 
are  reasonably  minded  and  yet  do  not  know 
the  mystery  of  unrighteousness,  as  Paul 
calls  it,  2  Thess.  2:  9  (as  they  are  yet  car- 
nally minded,  not  born  of  God  and  kept 
back  by  the  preachers),  may  learn  to  know 
the  preachers  and  teachers  by  such  clear 
and  jjlain  discoverings ;  further  reflect  upon 
it  and  thus  become  tired  of  their  shameful 
deceit  and  seduction;  and  that  all  lords 
and  magistrates  who  dare  boast  of  the  name 
of  Christ  may  know  what  kind  of  people 
and  teachers  those  are  who  slander  us  and 
to  whom  they  give  ear  and  faithfully  protect 
by  their  arms. 


A  HUMBLE  AND  CHRISTIAN  DEFENSE. 


In  the  first  phieo,  tlioy  complain  and  accuse  us  of  be- 
ing Munsterites  ;  and  warn  all  jjeople  to  beware  of  us 
and  take  an  example  from  those  of  Munster. 

Answer.    We  do  not  like  to  reprove  and 
judge  those  who  are  already  reproved  and 
judged  of  God  and  man;  yet,  as  we  are  ' 
wrongfully  attacked  and  accused  by  our 
opponents,  and  that  without  truthfulness, 
therefore  we  would  say  in  defense  of  us  all 
that  we  consider  the  Munsterian  doctrine 
and  life,  in  regard  to  king,  sword,  rebell- 
ion,  retaliation,   revenge,   polygamy   and  \ 
the    temporal    kingdom    of  Christ,    as   a 
new  Jewism,  and  a  misleading  error,  doc-  j 
trine  and  abomination  which  is  not  at  all  ! 
in  keeping  with  the  Spirit,  word  and  exam- ! 
pie  of  Christ.     Behold,  in  Clirist,  we  lie  not.  ' 

Besides,  I  can  fearlessly  challenge  any 
body,  that  none  under  the  broad  canopy  of 
heaven  can  show  and  prove  that  I  ever 
agreed  with  the  Munsterites  in  regard  to  [ 
the  beforementioned  articles;  for  from  the 
beginning  until  the  present  moment  I  have 
opposed  them  with  diligence  and  earnest- 
ness, both  privately  and  publiclj^,  verbally 
and  in  writing,  for  over  seventeen  j'ears, 
and  ever  since  I  confessed  tlie  word  of  the 
Lord  and  knew  and  souglit  his  holy  name 
according  to  my  weakness. 

I  also,  according  to  my  small  talent,  have 
faithfully  warned  every  body  against  their 
error  and  abomination,  as  I  would  that  it 
should  be  done  xmto  me.  And.  in  the  mean 
time  I  have  pointed  and  returned  several  of 
them  to  the  true  way,  by  tlie  grace,  assist- 
ance and  power  of  the  Lord. 

I  have  never  seen  Munster  nor  have  I  ever 
been  in  their  communion.  And  I  trust  that 
by  the  grace  of  the  Lord,  I  shall  never  eat 
nor  drink  with  such  if  there  should  yet  be 
any,  as  the  Scripture  teaches  me  not  to  do; 
unless  they  sincerely  acknowledge  their 
abomination  and  truly  repent,  and  follow 
the  truth  and  the  gosj^el  in  a  becoming 
manner. 

Behold,  kind  reader,  this  is  my  under- 


standing and  opinion  of  the  Munsterites,  as 
is  also  the  opinion  of  all  those  who  are 
known  and  accepted  of  us  as  brethren  and 
sisters,  that  is,  those  of  us  who,  on  account 
of  the  false  doctrine,  unclean  pedo-baptism 
and  supper  of  the  preachers,  are  visited 
with  superabundance  of  misery,  tribulation 
and  anxiety,  and  who  assert  and  testify 
unto  death  their  pure  doctrine  of  baptism 
and  Supper,  with  an  humble  confession  and 
a  pious,  unblamable  life. 

But  all  those  who  reject  the  cross  of 
Christ,  as  did  the  Munsterites;  turn  their 
backs  upon  the  Word  of  the  Lord;  again 
revert  to  carnality,  idolatry  and  its  com- 
munion; walk  in  all  pomp,  pride  and 
inebriety;  in  short,  all  those  who  are  on 
the  broad  road,  although  they  may  be  bap- 
tized, we  do  not  know  nor  accept  as  breth- 
ren and  fellows,  inasmuch  as  they  do  not 
abide  in  the  word  of  the  Lord.  Behold, 
kind  reader,  this  is  tlie  truth  and  it  will  ever 
be  found  so.  The  learned  may  upbraid 
and  garble  to  their  satisfaction,  yet  they 
should  know  that  although  they  are  now 
honored  and  respected  on  ea,rth,  as  the 
Psalmist  testities,  wo  shall  at  last  appear 
before  a  Judge  who  has  no  respect  of  per- 
son and  who  will  not  judge  according  to 
the  complaint,  nor  favor  and  partiality,  but 
according  to  the  truth. 

But  if  they  should  say  we  are  one  church 
with  the  Munsterites,  because  they  and  we 
are  baptized  with  one  baptism,  then  we 
would  reply  that  if  outward  baptism  has 
the  power  to  make  all  those  who  are  thus 
baptized  with  one  baptism,  one  church,  and 
that  it  causes  all  those  who  are  thus  bap- 
tized to  share  in  the  unrighteousness,  wick- 
edness and  corruption  of  ever3^  individual, 
then  our  adversaries  may  well  consider 
what  kind  of  a  church  or  body  theirs  is,  as 
it  is  evident  and  vrell  known  to  every  body 
that  perjurers,  murderers,  liighwaj^-men, 
thieves,  &c.,  have  received  the  same  bap- 
tism which  they  have.    If  we,  then   are 


302 


A  HUMBLE  AND  CHRISTIAN  DEFENSE. 


Mnnsterites  hecanse  of  <inr  haptisni,  tliey 
must  be  perjurevs,  murderers,  highway- 
men, thieves,  &c.,  on  account  of  their  bap- 
tism.    This  is  incontrovertible. 

O,  no.  The  Scripture  does  not  teach  that  we 
are  baptized  into  one  body  by  any  mere 
sign,  as  water,  but  that  we  are  baptized 
into  one  body  by  one  Spirit,  1  Cor.  12:  IB. 
The  prophet  says,  "The  Son  shall  not  bear 
tlie  iniquity  of  the  father,"  but  "The  soul 
that  sinnetii,  it  shall  die,"  Ezek.  18:  20.  Paul 
says,  "Every  one  shall  bear  his  own  bur- 
den." And  if  they,  now,  should  say  that 
the  transgressors  are  punished  by  the  mag- 
istracy according  to  the  sentence  of  justice, 
Ave  would  reply,  that  we  also  thus  judge 
and  punish  them  with  the  sword  of  the 
Spirit,  according  to  the  ordinance  and  com- 
mandment of  God,  namely,  according  to 
the  word  of  the  Lord,  that  is,  we  separate 
from  us  all  those  who  turn  away  from  the 
truth  by  any  unclean  or  false  doctrine  or 
by  any  licentious,  carnal  walk,  as  was  said. 

In  short,  we  herewith,  testify  and  confess 
before  God,  before  j^ou,  and  before  the 
Avhole  world,  that  we,  from  our  inmost 
hearts  detest  the  errors  and  abominations 
of  the  Mnnsterites,  as  also  all  evil  sectari- 
anism which  are  contrary  to  the  Spirit, 
word  and  ordinance  of  the  Lord;  and  that 
before  God,  in  Christ  Jesus,  we  neither  seek 
nor  desire  anything  more  than  that  we  may 
tvu'u  the  whole  w'orld  from  its  wickedness, 
to  the  right  way,  and  that  we  may,  by  the 
word,  grace  and  assistance  of  the  Lord,  de- 
liver many  souls  from  the  kingdom  of  the 
devil,  and  gain  them  to  the  Kingdom  of 
Christ;  that  we  may  lead  a  pious,  humble 
and  godly  life  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  that  we 
may  glorify  his  great  and  adorable  name, 
forever.  For  we  lirmly  believe  and  confess 
that  all  false  doctrine,  idolatry,  ungodli- 
ness and  sin  are  of  the  devil;  and  that  the 
reward  of  sin  is  everlasting  death.  There- 
fore we  labor  so  diligently  and  earnestly ; 
and  would,  the  Lord  knows,  be  pious  and 
fear  God,  notwithstanding  we  miserable 
men  are  so  shamefully  belied,  hated  and 
scandalized  and  often  slain,  on  that  account, 
Horn.  1:26;  1  Cor.  6;  Gal.  3;  Eph.  5;  1 
Pet.  3. 

In  the  second  place  they  say  that  we  will  not  obey 
the  magistracy. 


Aiisioer.  The  writings  which  we  have 
published  during  several  years  jiast  abun- 
dantly prove  that  this  accusation  against 
us  is  wrong  and  untrue.  We  now  publicly 
confess  that  the  office  of  a  magistrate  is  or- 
dained of  God,  as  we  ever  have  confessed 
since  we  serve,  according  to  our  small  tal- 
ent, the  word  of  the  Lord.  And,  in  the 
meantime,  we  have  ever  obeyed  them  when 
not  contrary  to  the  word  of  God,  and  we 
intend  to  do  so  all  our  lives;  for  we  are  not 
so  stupid  as  not  to  know  what  the  Lord's 
word  commands  in  this  respect.  "NVe  render 
unto  Ceasar  the  things  which  are  Ceasar's 
as  Christ  teaches.  Matt.  17:  22;  we  pray  for 
the  imperial  majesty,  kings,  lords,  princes 
and  all  in  authority,  honor  and  obey  them, 
1  Tim.  2:  2;  Rom.  13:  1.  And  yet  they  cry 
that  we  will  not  be  subject  to  and  obey  the 
powers  that  be,  that  they  may  disturb  the 
hearts  of  those  that  have  authority  and  ex- 
cite them  to  all  unmercifiilness,  wrath  and 
bitterness  against  us,  and  that,  thus,  by 
their  continual  cries  the  bloody  sword  may 
be  unmercifully  used  against  us  and  never 
be  sheathed,  as  may  be  seen,  Rom.  13:  7; 
Tit.  3:  2;  IPet.  2:  13. 

Inasmuch  as  they  ever  excite  the  magis- 
tracy by  such  gross  falsehood;  besides, 
will  say  yea  and  amen  to  every  thing  the 
magistracy  do,  whether  agreeable  to  the 
Scripture  or  not;  and  as  they  thus  by  their 
tickling  doctrine  lead  these  souls  into  con- 
demnation, because  they  seek  not  their  sal- 
vation, but  their  own  enjoyment  and  gain; 
therefore  love  compels  us  respectfully  and 
humbly  to  show  all  high  in  authority  who 
would  do  right  if  they  knew  it,  and  had  one 
to  point  it  out  to  them  (since  it  was  con- 
cealed from  the  preachers),  how,  according 
to  the  word  of  the  Lord,  they  should  be 
minded;  also,  how  they  should  rightfully 
execute  their  ofhce  to  tlie  i^raise  and  glory 
of  the  Lord. 

Moses  speaks  thus,  "And  it  shall  be, 
when  he  (the  king)  setteth  upon  the  throne 
of  his  kingdom,  that  he  shall  write  him  a 
copy  of  this  law  in  a  book  out  of  that  which 
is  before  the  priests,  the  Levites.  And  it 
shall  be  with  him  and  he  shall  read  therein 
all  the  days  of  his  life ;  that  he  may  learn 
to  fear  the  Lord  his  God,  to  keep  all  the 
words  of  this  law  and  these  statutes,  to  do 


A  HUMBLE  AND  CHRISTIAN  DEFENSE. 


303 


them  (dear  lords,  mark,  it  reads :  to  do  tlicnri). 
That  his  heart  be  not  lifted  np  above  bis 
brethren,  and  that  he  tnrn  not  aside  from 
the  commandments,  to  the  right  liand,  or 
to  the  left."  "He  shall  not  multiply  horses 
to  himself-,"  "Neither  shall  he  multiply 
wives  to  himself,  nor  silver  and  gold,"  Dent. 
17:  16—20.  Concerning  rulers  Jethro  thus 
speaks  to  Moses,  "Provide  out  of  all  the 
people  able  men,  such  as  fear  God,  men  of 
truth,  hating  covetousness,  and  place  such 
over  them,  to  be  rulers,"  Ex.  18:  21. 

Moses  says,  "And  I  charged  your  judges 
at  that  time,  saying,  Hear  the  causes  be- 
tween j'our  brethren,  and  judge  righteously 
between  every  man  and  his  brother,  and 
the  stranger  that  is  with  him .  Ye  shall  not 
respect  persons  in  judgment;  but  ye  shall 
hear  the  small  as  well  as  the  great;  ye  shall 
not  be  afraid  of  the  face  of  man;  for  the 
judgment  is  God's,"  Dent.  1:  IG,  17. 

Jehoshaphat,  the  king  of  Judah,  said  to 
the  judges,  "  Take  heed  what  ye  do ;  for  ye 
judge  not  for  man,  but  for  the  Lord,  who  is 
with  you  in  judgment."  O,  an  important 
and  heroic  word.  "Wherefore  now  let  the 
fear  of  the  Lord  be  iipon  you;  take  heed 
and  do  it;  for  there  is  no  iniquity  with  the 
Lord  our  God,  nor  respect  of  person,  nor 
taking  of  gifts,"  2  Chron.  19:  6,  7. 

Paul  says,  "Rulers  are  not  a  terrror  to 
good  works,  but  to  evil  (mark  ye  rulers). 
Wilt  thou,  then,  not  be  afraid  of  the  power  % 
Do  that  which  is  good,  and  thou  shalthave 
praise  of  the  same.  For  he  is  the  minister 
of  God  to  thee  for  good.  But  if  thou  do 
that  which  is  evil,  be  afraid:  for  he  beareth 
not  the  sword  in  vain;  for  he  is  the  minister 
of  God,  a  revenger  to  execute  wrath  upon 
him  that  doeth  evil,"  Rom.  13:  3,  4. 

Behold,  beloved  rulers  and  judges,  if  you 
take  to  heart  these  cited  Scriptures  and  dil- 
igently reflect  upon  them,  you  will  observe, 
first,  that  your  office  is  not  your  own  but 
God's  office  and  service,  that  you  may  bend 
your  knees  before  his  Majesty;  fear  his 
great  and  adorable  Name  and  rightly  and 
reasonably  execute  your  ordained  office; 
and  that  you  may  not  thus  freely  usurp  the 
kingdom,  dominion  and  jurisdiction  of 
Christ,  and  judge  and  punish  by  your  iron 
swords  that  which  belongs  solely  to  the 
eternal  Judgment  of  the  Most  High  God,  as 


in  matters  of  faith,  which  also,  Luther  and 
others  wrote  in  the  beginning.  But  after 
they  became  more  exalted  tliey  seem  to 
have  forgotten  it  all.  Dear  rulers,  observe 
how  very  much  Moses,  Joshua,  David, 
Ezekiel,  Josiah,  Zorobabel  and  others  are 
praised  in  the  Scriptures,  because  the}^ 
feared  the  Lord  and  faithfully  and  diligent- 
ly kept  his  commandments,  counsel  and 
word. 

If  you  lift  your  hearts  above  all  the 
mountains,  and  will  not  hear  what  the  mouth 
of  the  Lord  commands  you,  but  only  listen 
to  the  whisperings  of  your  flesh;  if  you 
will  not  confess  that  you  are  the  officers  and 
servants  of  the  Lord  and  that  jow  have  re- 
ceived of  him  country  and  people  to  rule, 
you  cannot  possibly  avoid  the  punishment 
of  him  who  has  called  you  to  be  such  ex- 
alted potentates,  commanders,  heads  and 
regents. 

Beloved,  observe,  and  beware.  Before 
him  Croesus  and  Irus  are  alike  respected. 
Therefore  sincerely  fear  and  love  your  God ; 
examine  the  Scriptures  and  take  into  con- 
sideration how  the  great  Lord  in  his  wrath 
has,  on  account  of  their  tyranny,  cruelty, 
pride,  blasphemy,  disobedience,  and  idola- 
try, mercilessly  upset  and  destroyed  the 
thrones  of  potentates;  as  of  Pharaoh,  Neb- 
uchadnezzar, Sanherib,  Antiochus,  Saul, 
Jeroboam,  Ahab  and  others,  as  may  be 
clearly  and  plainly  read  in  the  Scriptures. 

Secondly,  you  may  understand  from  these 
Scriptures  that  you  are  called  and  ordained 
to  your  offices  to  punish  the  transgressors 
and  protect  the  good;  to  judge  rightly  be- 
tween man  and  his  fellow;  to  do  justice  to 
the  widows  and  orphans;  to  the  poor,  de- 
spised stranger  and  pilgrim;  to  protect 
'  them  against  violence  and  tj^ranny,  rule 
I  cities  and  countries  justly  by  a  good  policy 
and  administration  not  coutrar}^  to  God's 
word,  to  the  peaceable  and  quiet  enjoyment 
ofthelifeof  all,andthatyoushouldauxious- 
ly  seek  and  love  the  holy  word  (by  which 
the  soul  lives),  name  and  glory  of  God,  and 
promote,  protect  and  maintain  the  same  as 
much  as  possible,  without  bloodshed  and 
uproar. 

Behold,  beloved  lords  and  judges,  this  is 
the  proper  office  to  which  you  are  called. 
Whether  you  fulfill  these  reqiairements  pi- 


304 


A  HUMBLE  AjSD  CHRISTIAN  DEFENSE. 


ously  and  faithfully,  I  will  leave  to  your 
own  consideration.  I  tliink  with  holy  Jer- 
emiah that  you  have  all  broken  the  yoke 
and  rent  it  in  pieces;  for  you  reject  and 
detest,  as  a  venomous  serpent,  tlie  dear 
word  which  yoii  should  reasonably  protect; 
the  false  teachers  and  prophets  who  deceive 
the  whole  world  and  whom,  according  to 
the  word  of  God,  we  should  shun,  are  by 
you  kejit  in  high  esteem;  and  the  poor,  mis- 
erable sheejD  who,  in  their  weakness,  sin- 
cerely fear  and  obey  the  Lord  and  who 
speak  not  a  harmful  word  of  any  one,  be- 
cause they  dare  not  do  aught  against  his 
word;  who  lead  a  penitent,  pious  life;  make 
the  right  use  of  liis  sacraments  according  to 
the  Scriptures;  abhor  all  false  doctrine, 
sectarianism  and  ungodliness;  are  exiled 
from  city  and  country  and  are  often  ad- 
judged to  fire,  water  or  the  sword;  their 
goods  are  confiscated;  their  children,  who 
according  to  the  words  of  the  prophet,  are 
not  responsible  for  the  transgressions  of 
their  fathers,  if  the  fathers  were,  even,  guilty, 
are  sent  to  wander  about  naked;  and  thus 
the  labor  and  sweat  of  their  parents  they 
must  leave  in  the  hands  of  these  avaricious, 
greedy,  unmerciful  and  bloodthirsty  rob- 
bers. 

O,  ye  beloved  lords  and  judges,  we  will 
leave  it  to  your  own  judgment  whether  this 
is  to  protect  the  good  and  punish  the  evil, 
to  judge  justl}''  between  man  and  man;  to 
do  justice  to  the  widow,  orphan  and  stran- 
ger, as  the  Scriptures  teach  and  yoru-  office 
Implies.  O  no,  beloved  rulers,  no.  Take 
heed,  the  matter  is  changed.  The  good  are 
punished  and  the  evil  encouraged  and  pro- 
tected. For  the  events  of  every  day  prove 
that  it  is  as  the  prophets  complained  of. 
Perjurers,  usurers,  blasphemers,  liars,  de- 
ceivers, fornicators  and  adulterers  are  in  no 
danger  of  death,  but  those  that  fear  and 
love  the  Lord  are  the  prey  of  all  the  world. 
The  prophet  says,  "Behold,  the  princes  of 
Israel,  every  one  were  in  thee  to  their  power 
to  shed  blood.  In  thee  have  they  set  light 
by  father  and  mother;  in  the  midst  of  thee 
have  they  dealt  by  oppression  with  the 
stranger:  in  thee  have  they  vexed  the  fa- 
therless and  the  widow,"  Ezek.  22  :  6,  7. 
Read  and  diligently  ponder  upon  the  pro- 
phetic Scriptures,  and  you  will  find  what 


terrible  threats  the  holy  and  faithful  men 
of  God  have  ever  propliesied  of  such  evils 
and  abuses.  And  if  you  do  despise  these 
our  admonitions,  they,  nevertheless,  are  the 
firm  truth;  this  you  must  acknowledge. 
For  it  is  manifest  and  undeniable  that  in 
our  Netherlands  the  lascivious,  unchaste, 
and  vain  men  whom  the}^  call  pastors,  min- 
isters, masters  and  teachers,  some  of  whom 
defile  one  maiden  and  woman  after  another, 
who  openly  live  in  allmanner  of  licentious- 
ness, ungodliness,  idolatry,  and  drunken- 
ness, and  who  do  not  rightly  live  in  obedi- 
ence to  the  word  of  God  in  any  particular, 
rob,  by  their  shameful  treason,  many  god- 
fearing people  who,  before  God  and  his 
angels,  seek  nothing  but  to  lead  a  right- 
eous, unl)lamable  life,  according  to  the  di- 
rection of  the  word  of  God,  of  their  coun- 
try, honor,  possessions  and,  even,  life; 
while  they  (the  traitors)  live  at  liberty  and 
ease. 

Inasmuch  as  the  scale  of  justice  is  so  very 
much  out  of  balance;  and  as  you  are  chosen 
and  ordained  of  God  to  judge  without  re- 
spect of  person  and  to  deliver  from  the 
hands  of  the  oppressor  all  the  afiiicted  and 
oppressed  strangers ;  therefore  we  pray  you 
humbly,  most  beloved  rulers  and  judges, 
for  the  sake  of  him  who  has  called  and  cho- 
sen you  to  your  offices,  that  you  do  not  be- 
lieve these  cruel  and  envious  men,  who,  ac- 
cording to  Peter  are  born  to  corruption  and 
torture;  and  who,  ever  publicly  and  pri- 
vately, make  us  so  obnoxious,  by  their 
cries,  that  we  are  not  allowed  a  hearing 
and  facing — so  long  as  they,  in  our  ]n-es- 
ence,  do  not  prove  (which,  we  are  sure,  they 
cannot  do)  against  us  that  which  they  every 
day  from  their  throne  of  pestilencies  and 
mockery,  so  shamefully  proclaim  to  the 
world,  to  the  shame  and  injury  of  great 
numbers  of  pious  and  godfearing  children. 
Beloved  rulers,  we  beseech  you  for  Christ's 
sake,  to  fear  and  love  God  sincerely.  Be- 
lieve his  true  word  and  act  accordingly, 
Isa.  1:23;  Ps.  73:6. 

In  the  third  place,  you  will  also  observe 
from  the  Scriptures,  that,  although  you  are 
chosen  authority  on  earth,  yet  you  dare 
not  act  according  to  your  own  option  and 
opinion.  But  you  are  to  love  your  Lord 
and  God  sincerely  as  your  Creator,  Deliv- 


A  HUMBLE  AND  CHRISTIAN  DEFENSE. 


305 


erer  and  Savior,  and  to  fear  and  obey  him 
as  your  Head,  King,  Prince  and  Judge; 
ever  diligently  to  follow  the  directions  of 
his  word;  not  to  lift  yourselves  above  your 
subjects  and  brethren;  and,  never  to  devi- 
ate from  the  ways  and  commandments  of 
the  Lord.  Henceforth,  beloved  rulers,  dili- 
gently observe  that  you  be  christians  in  ac- 
tions, works  and  truth,  inasmuch  as  you 
boast  yourselves  such.  AVater,  bread,  wine 
and  name  make  none  a  christian;  but  those 
are  christians  who  are  born  of  God:  are  of 
divine  nature,  are  of  the  same  mind  as 
Christ  Jesus;  led  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  who 
daily  crucify  their  evil  and  corrui^t  flesh; 
walk  not  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the  Spirit ; 
love  nothing  above  God's  word;  love  their 
neighbors  as  themselves;  lead  an  unblam- 
able, humble,  pious  life;  who  meekly  walk 
in  the  footsteps  of  Christ  and  who  are  be- 
come new,  changed  and  converted  men  and 
creatures  in  Christ.  These  the  word  of  God 
calls  christians,  2  Pet.  1:4;  Phil.  2:5;  Rom. 
8:  14;  Gal.  5:  24;  Rom.  8:2;  Matt.  10:  37; 
7:  12;  16:  24. 

Beloved  lords,  observe  that  we  do  not 
read  in  the  biblical  Scriptures  of  proud, 
carnal,  perjurious,  adulterous,  drunken, 
pompous,unrighteous,idolatrous  and  blood- 
thirsty christians.  But  that  the  portion  of 
such  shall  be  eternal  weeping  and  gnash- 
ing of  teeth,  darkness,  fire,  hell,  death  and 
devil.  Their  portion  will  be  in  the  lake 
which  burnetii  with  fire  and  brimstone,  Rev. 
21:  8;  Rom.  1. 

Dear  lords,  take  heed,  and  be  no  longer 
deceived.  For  with  God  thei'e  is  no  respect 
of  persons.  This  all  the  Scriptures  teach. 
It  is  life  everlasting,  with  the  angels  around 
the  heavenly  throne,  or  everlasting  death 
with  the  devils  in  the  bottomless  pit;  for  it 
must  all  be  judged  according  to  the  Spirit, 
•example  and  word  of  God.  "Therefore  if 
any  man  be  in  Christ,  he  is  a  new  creature," 
1  Cor.  5:  17.  "He  that  saith  he  abideth  in 
him  (Christ),  ought  himself  also  so  to  walk, 
even  as  he  walked,"  1  Jn.  2:  6.  It  matters 
not  whether  one  be  emperor  or  king. 

Beloved  lords,  this  is  God's  word.  This 
is  the  price  and  measure  after  which  you 
and  we  should  strive.  Whosoever  does  not 
strive  after  and  conform  himself  to  this 
measure,  cannot  be  a  christian.  Therefore 
75 


I  examine  your  teachers  well ;  earnestly  and 

diligently  consider    whether  or  not    they 

!  point  you  to  this  narrow  way.    I  presume 

j  that  they  preach  peace  to  you;  make  your 

1  pillows  soft  and  agreeable,  and  that  they 

do  not  severely  reprove  your  court-manners 

j  and  practices,  such  as,  dancing,  drinking, 

fornication,  gambling  and  debauchery  in 

general.     In  short,  that  you  build  the  wall, 

and  they  daub  it  with  untempered  mortar, 

Ezek.  13:  10. 

Beloved  rulers,  we  do  not  do  so;  biit  we 
teach  and  direct  you  in  the  right  v;a,y  which 
you  should  walk  if  you  wish  to  be  saved. 
We  do  not  point  you  to  the  pope,  or  Luther, 
or  Augustine,  or  Hieronymus,  but  accord- 
ing to  Scripture,  to  Christ  Jesus,  to  hear 
him,  to  believe  and  faithfully  follow  him. 
For  he  is  the  Prophet  promised  of  God; 
the  Teacher  sent  of  God;  the  Light  of  the 
world;  the  true  Shepherd  of  our  souls. 
Whosoever  shall  hear,  believe,  and  follow 
him  has  eternal  life,  Deut.  IS:  18;  Jn.  3:2; 
8  :  12;  3  :  15.  He  calls  to  emperor,  king 
and  to  every  one,  "Exceptye  be  converted, 
and  become  as  little  children,  ye  shall  not 
enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven ;"  "If  an}^ 
man  will  come  after  me  (or  whosoever  will 
be  a  true  christian),  let  him  deny  himself, 
and  take  up  his  cross,  and  follow  me;" 
whosoever  loves  any  thing  more  than  he 
loves  me  cannot  be  my  disciple;  and  is  not 
worthy  of  me,  and  many  other  passages. 
Matt.  18:  3;  16:  24;  Luke  14;  Matt.  10:  38. 

Rulers,  awake,  and  learn  to  know  him. 
He  is  the  Son  of  the  Moat  High  God,  the 
Lord  of  lords  and  the  King  of  kings;  the 
eternal  power,  word  and  wisdom  of  God. 
What  kind  of  pomp,  ease  and  comfort  he 
enjoyed  on  earth,  the  Scriptures  abundant- 
ly teach  us.  At  his  birth,  there  was  no 
room  for  him  in  the  inn,  Luke  2:  8.  In  his 
preaching,  he  had  not  where  to  lay  his  head, 
Luke  9:  58.  His  entrance  into  Jerusalem 
was  not  accompanied  with  cavalry,  guards 
and  knights,  but  upon  an  ass.  At  his  death 
he  had  neither  water  nor  wine  wherewith  to 
quench  his  thirst.  Why  was  it?  Was  it 
that  we  should  live  a  lustful,  pleasurable 
life  ?  O,  no.  But,  according  to  Peter,  it  was 
that  we  should  die  unto  sin  and  live  in 
righteousness.  Matt.  21  :  7;  1  Pet.  4:3; 
Rom.  6:  7;  2  Tim.  2:  11;  Col.  3:  5. 


306 


A  HUMBLE  Am)  CHRISTIAN  DEFENSE. 


Behold,  beloved  rulers,  behold!  This  is 
the  coiirt-practice  which  the  heavenly  Prince, 
Christ  Jesus,  has  tau,2;lit  all  his  courtiers 
on  earth,  namely,  all  christians.  O,  the 
narrow  way !  The  strait  gate !  How  few 
find,  and  fewer  still  who  walk  therein ! 
Matt.  7:  14;  Lnke  13:  24. 

I  write  this  admonition  that  the  princes, 
regents  and  lords  may  take  heed,  and  ob- 
serve that  they  are  miserably  deceived  by 
the  preachers,  since  they  preach  such  easy 
and  sweet  things,  and  point  out  such  a 
broad  way,  while  the  word  of  God  shows 
us  such  a  strait  waj^.  I  herewith  humbly 
beseech  you,  lords,  princes,  kings  and 
judges,  one  and  all,  for  the  sake  of  the  pre- 
cious blood  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  with 
which  we  are  besprinkled,  not  to  think  hard 
of  me,  poor,  miserable,  and  despised  man, 
that  I  have  thus  faithfully  shown  my  sin- 
cere love  to  you.  For  I  would  joyfully  see 
that  your  poor  souls  were  saved.  My  ad- 
monition is  general,  and  I  do  not  mention 
any  particular  name.  Whosoever  is  guilty, 
let  him.  repent;  and  whosoever  is  not  guilty, 
let  him  take  heed.  God  is  my  witness,  that 
I  desire  nothing  but  that  you  all  may  be 
such  indeed,  that  you  may  be  praised  and 
honored  by  all,  by  noble  lords,  and  a  chris- 
tian magistracy,  that  you  will  stand  impar- 
tially between  us  and  our  opponents,  the 
learned,  as  becomes  your  office,  that  the  en- 
chanting, deceiving  falsehood  may  once  go 
down  and  be  destroj^ed,  and  that  the  una- 
dulterated truth  which  for  centuries  has 
been  kept  back,  may  be  restituted.  Be- 
loved rulers,  the  word  of  God  is  truth. 
Love,  embrace  and  kiss  it;  for  its  riches  are 
immeasurable,  its  beauty  exceeding,  its 
fruits  precious  and  its  power  is  eternal  life, 
Jn.  17. 

In  the  third  place,  they  say,  That  we  are  rebellions ; 
that  we  would  take  cities  and  countries,  if  we  had  the 
power. 

Answer.  This  prophecy  is  false  and  will 
ever  remain  so;  and  by  the  grace  of  God, 
time  and  experience  will  prove  that  those 
who  thus  prophesy,  according  to  the  word 
of  Moses,  are  not  of  God.  Faithful  reader, 
imderstand  wliat  I  write. 

The  Scriptures  teach  that  there  are  two 
opposing  princes  and  two  opposite  king- 
doms.   The  one  is  the  Prince  of  peace;  the 


other  the  prince  of  rebellion.  Each  of  the 
princes  has  his  particular  kingdom  and  as 
the  prince  is,  so  is  also  the  kingdom.  The 
Prince  of  peace  is  Clu'ist  Jesus;  his  king- 
dom is  the  kingdom  of  peace,  which  is  his 
church;  his  messengers  are  the  messengers 
of  peace;  his  word  is  the  word  of  peace; 
and  his  body  is  the  body  of  peace;  his 
children  are  the  seed  of  peace;  and  his  in- 
heritance and  reward  are  the  inheritance 
and  reward  of  peace,  Heb.  7;  Isa.  9;  Dan. 
2:7;  Luke  1;  Isa.  52;  Rom.  10;  Jn.  14; 
Col.  3;  Zech.  S.  In  short,  with  this  King 
and  in  this  kingdom  and  reign  it  is  noth- 
ing but  peace;  every  thing  that  is  seen, 
heard  and  done  is  peace. 

Inasmuch  as  we  have  heard  the  word  of 
peace,  namely,  the  consoling  gospel  of 
peace,  from  the  mouth  of  his  messengers; 
therefore  we,  by  his  grace,  have  thus  be- 
lieved and  accepted  it  in  peace,  and  have 
committed  ourselves  to  the  only,  eternal 
and  true  Prince  of  peace,  Christ  Jesus,  in 
his  kingdom  of  peace  and  under  his  reign, 
and  are  thus,  by  the  gift  of  his  Holy  Spirit, 
by  means  of  faith,  incorporated  into  his 
body,  and  henceforth  we  look  with  all  the 
children  of  his  peace  for  the  promised  in- 
heritance and  reward  of  peace,  Rom.  10: 15; 
Isa.  52:7;  9:  6;  Lnke  2:  7. 

As  such  exceeding  grace  of  God  has  ap- 
peared unto  us  poor,  miserable  siuners, 
that  we,  who  were  formerly  no  people  at 
all,  and  who  knew  of  no  peace,  are  now 
called  to  be  such  a  glorious  peojjle  of  God, 
to  be  a  church,  kingdom,  inheritance,  body 
and  property  of  peace;  therefore  we  desire 
not  to  break  this  peace,  but,  by  his  great 
power  by  which  he  has  called  ns  to  this 
grace  and  portion,  to  walk  in  this  grace 
and  peace,  unchangeably  and  unwaveringly 
unto  death,  1  Pet.  2:  9. 

Peter  was  commanded  to  sheathe  his 
sword.  All  christians  are  commanded  to 
love  their  enemies;  to  do  good  unto  those 
who  abuse  and  persecute  them;  if  any  man 
shall  smite  thee  on  thy  right  cheek,  turn  to 
him  the  other,  and  if  he  take  away  thy 
coat,  let  him  have  thy  cloak  also.  Say, 
beloved,  how  can  a  christian,  scripturally, 
retaliate,  rebel,  war,  murder,  slay,  torture, 
steal,  rob  and  burn  cities    and    conquer 


A  HUMBLE  AND  CHRISTIAN  DEFENSE. 


307 


countries?  Matt.  26:52;  Jn.  18:10;  Matt. 
5:  12,  39,  40. 

The  great  Lord  who  has  created  you  and 
us,  who  has  placed  our  hearts  in  the  midst 
of  our  bodies,  knows,  and  he  only,  knows 
that  our  hearts  and  hands  are  clear  of  all 
rebellion  and  murderoias  mutiny;  and  by 
his  grace,  they  will  ever  remain  clear.  For 
we  truly  confess,  that  all  rebellion  is  of  the 
llesh  and  of  the  devil,  Rom.  1:  30;  1  Jn. 
3:8;  Rev.  21:  8;  22:15. 

O,  beloved  reader,  our  weapons  are  not 
swords  and  spears,  but  patience,  silence 
and  hope,  and  the  word  of  God.  With 
these  we  must  maintain  our  cause  and  de- 
fend it.  Paul  says,  "The  weapons  of  our 
warfare  are  not  carnal ;  but  mighty  tlirough 
God."  With  these  we  intend  and  desire  to 
resist  the  kingdom  of  the  devil;  and  not 
with  swords,  spears,  cannons  and  coats  of 
mail.  For  "he  (God)  esteemeth  iron  as 
straw,  and  brass  as  rotten  wood;"  that  we 
may  thus,  with  our  Prince,  Teacher  and 
Examx^le,  Christ  Jesus,  raise  the  father 
against  the  son  and  the  son  against  the  fa- 
ther, and  that  we  may  cast  down  imagina- 
tions, and  every  high  thing  that  exalteth 
itself  against  the  knowledge  of  God,  and 
bring  into  captivity  every  thought  to  the 
obedience  of  Christ,  Isa.  30:  7;  Eph.  6:  17; 
Heb.  4:  12;  2  Cor.  10:  4;  Job  41:  27;  Matt. 
10:  21;  Luke  12:  53;  2  Cor.  10:  5. 

Behold,  reader,  such  a  rebellion  we  seek 
and  cause;  but  never,  a  rebellion  of  carnal- 
ity. Not  if  we  were  as  numerous  as  the 
spears  of  grass  and  the  sand  upon  the  sea 
shore,  which,  however,  will  never  be  the 
case,  inasmuch  as  all  men  have  not  faith. 
O,  that  the  way  is  so  narrow  and  the  gate 
so  strait,  2  Thess.  3:  8;  Matt.  7:  13;  Luke 
13:24. 

True  christians  know  not  vengeance,  no 
matter  how  they  are  maltreated;  in  patience 
they  possess  their  souls,  Luke  21:  18;  and 
do  not  break  their  peace,  even,  if  they 
should  be  tempted  by  bondage,  tortiu-e, 
poverty,  and,  besides,  by  the  sword  and 
tire.  They  do  not  cry  for  vengeance  as  do 
the  woild;  but,  with  Christ,  they  supplicate 
and  pray:  " Father,  forgive  them;  for  they 
know  not  what  thej^  do,"  Ltike  23:  34;  Acts 
7:60. 

According  to  the  declaration  of  the  proph- 


et, they  have  beaten  their  swords  into  plow- 
shares and  their  spears  into  pruning-hooks. 
They  shall  sit  every  man  under  his  vine, 
and  imder  his  fig-tree,  Christ;  neither  shall 
they  learn  war  any  more,  Isa.  2:4;  Mic. 
4:3. 

They  do  not  seek  your  money,  goods,  in- 
jury nor  blood,  but  they  seek  the  honor 
and  praise  of  God  and  the  salvation  of 
your  souls.  They  are  the  children  of  peace ; 
their  hearts  overflow  with  it;  their  mouths 
speak  it,  and  they  walk  in  the  way  of  peace ; 
they  are  full  of  peace;  they  seek,  desire  and 
know  nothing  but  peace;  and  are  ever  pre- 
pared to  forsake  country,  goods,  life  and 
all,  for  its  sake;  for  they  are  the  kingdom, 
people,  church,  city,  property  and  body  of 
peace,  as  has  been  heard. 

Beloved  reader,  I,  poor,  miserable  man 
(do  not  think  hard  of  it),  in  my  weakness 
have  been  writing  these  seventeen  years; 
have  feared  the  word  of  the  Lord,  and  served 
my  neighbors,  and,  I  have  unwaveringly 
borne  his  scorn  and  cross,  with  much  mis- 
ery, anxiety,  tribulation  and  peril;  and,  I 
trust  by  his  grace  I  will  to  the  end  continue 
to  testify  with  a  good  conscience,  his  holy, 
worthy  word,  will  and  ordinance,  verbally, 
by  wi-iting  and  at  the  peril  of  life,  as  much 
as  is  in  me;  and  should  I  then  j^et  at  heart  be 
a  disquiet,  rebellious,  vengeful  and  bloody 
murderer?  May  the  Most  High  save  his 
poor  servant  from  that ! 

Again,  in  Brabant,  Flanders,  Friesland 
and  Gelderland  the  godfearing,  pious  hearts 
are,  daily  led  to  the  slaughter  as  innocent 
sheep,  and  are  tyrannically  and  inhuman- 
ly martyrized  !  Their  hearts  are  full  of  spir- 
it and  strength;  their  mouths  flow  like  the 
rivulets;  their  fruits  scent  like  holy  spices; 
their  doctrine  is  powerful  and  their  life  is 
unblamable.  Neither  emperor  nor  king, 
fire  nor  sword,  life  nor  death  can  frighten 
or  separate  them  from  the  word  of  the  Lord  ! 
And  should  their  hearts  yet  be  ensnared 
by  bitterness,  rebellion,  vengeance,  robbery, 
hatred  and  bloodshed?  If  so,  what  vain 
suifering  it  would  be  ! 

O,  no,  reader,  no.  Learn  to  know  what 
a  true  christian  is,  of  whom  he  is  born,  how 
he  is  minded,  what  is,  properly,  his  inten- 
tion and  seeking,  and  you  shall  find  that 
they  are  not  rebels,  murderers,  and  rob- 


308 


A  HUMBLE  AND  CHRISTIAN  DEFENSE. 


bers,  as  the  learned  accuse  them  of,  but 
that  they  are  a  godfearing,  pious,  peacea- 
ble people,  as  the  Scriptures  teach. 

The  other  prince  is  the  prince  of  dark- 
ness, anti-christ,  and  Satan.  This  prince  is 
a  prince  of  all  evil,  as  rebellion,  bloodshed, 
uproar  and  murder,  which  agree  with  his 
proper  nature,  arts,  and  doings,  Jn.  8:  44, 
his  commandments  and  teachings  and  his 
kingdom,  body  and  church  are  of  the  same 
nature,  1  Jn.  3.  Here  we  need  not  much 
Scripture.  Seeing,  hearing  and  daily  oc- 
currences and  experience  prove  the  truth. 

Our  opponents  charge  that  we  are  intent 
upon  rebellion;  something  of  which  we 
never  thought.  But  we  say,  and  that  truth- 
fully, that  they  and  their  ancestors  for 
more  than  a  thousand  years  have  been  that 
of  which  they  accuse  lis.  If  we  search  his- 
tory we  will  be  convinced  of  this  assertion. 
All  those  who  placed  themselves  in  oppo- 
sition to  their  shamefulness,  dishonor  and 
evil-doing,  had  to  suffer  for  it.  Even  so  to- 
day. 

For  what  they  have  done  these  last  few 
years  by  their  writings,  teachings  and  cries, 
cities  and  countries  prove.  How  wily  they 
have  placed  potentate  in  antagonism  to  po- 
tentate and  said  to  them,  Since  the  stoord 
is  placed  in  your  hands  you  may  maintain 
the  word  of  the  Lord  thereby,  until  they 
prevailed  on  them,  and  have  shed  human 
blood  like  water,  torn  the  hearts  from  each 
other's  body  and  made  innumerable  forni- 
cators, rogues,  widows  and  orphans;  have 
eaten  up  and  plundered  the  innocent  civil- 
ian, and  destroyed  and  ruined  cities  and 
countries.  In  short,  they  have  done  as  if 
neither  prophet,  nor.  Christ  nor  apostle  nor 
the  word  of  God  had  ever  been  upon  earth. 
Notwithstanding,  they  wish  to  be  called  the 
holy,  christian  church  and  bodj^.  O,  dear 
Lord,  how  lamentably  is  thy  holy,  worthy 
word  mocked,  and  thy  glorious  works  de- 
rided !  as  if  thy  divine  and  powerful  doings 
in  thy  church  were  nothing  but  reading, 
crying,  water,  bread,  wine  and  name;  and 
as  if  all  rebellion,  warring,  robbing,  murder 
and  devilish  works  were  allowable.  Be- 
loved reader,  behold,  and  observe  and 
learn,  once  to  know  this  kingdom  and  body. 
For,  if  they,  with  such  actions  and  doings, 
were  the  kingdom  and  body  of  Christ,  as 


the  learned  pretend,  then  Christ's  holy,  glo- 
rious kingdom,  church  and  body  would  be 
an  inhuman,  cruel,  rebellious,  bloody,  rob- 
bing, crying,  unmerciful  and  unrighteous 
people;  this  is  incontrovertible.  O,  dam- 
nable error  !  O,  dark  blindness  !  ! 

And,  yet,  it  does  not  sutfice  that  they,  by 
their  light  minded,  licentious  doctrine,  lead 
the  whole  world  into  conniption  and  misery, 
and  rob  their  own  members  of  their  prop- 
erty, welfare,  doctrine,  life  and  soul;  but, 
besides,  in  their  madness,  they  must  lay 
hands  upon  the  innocent,  peaceable  and 
humble  kingdom  and.body  of  Christ,  which 
will  do  no  harm  to  the  least  upon  earth. 
They  continually  lie,  blaspheme,  upbraid, 
betray  and  rebel,  that  we  may  well  say 
with  holy  Peter,  that  they  are  born- to  tort- 
ure and  corruption;  for  their  hearts,  mouths 
and  hands  drip  and  reek  with  blood. 

O,  how  exactly  the  Holy  Spirit  has  de- 
picted them,  saying,  "I  saw  the  woman 
drunken  with  the  blood  of  the  saints,  and 
with  the  martyrs  of  Jesus;"  "And  in  her 
was  found  the  blood  of  the  prophets,  and 
of  the  saints,  and  of  all  that  were  slain  upon 
the  earth,"  Rev.  17:  6;  IS:  20. 

Behold,  kind  reader,  thus  you  will  ob- 
serve that  they  fall  by  their  own  sword 
which  they  drew  against  us,  as  the  prophet 
says.  For  we  may  with  clear  consciences 
appear  before  the  world  (eternal  praise  be 
to  the  Lord)  and  truthfully  maintain  that 
we,  from  the  time  of  our  confession  until  the 
present  moment,  have  harmed  no  one,  have 
desired  none  of  the  property  of  others,  much 
less  laid  hands  upon  it;  that  we  have  not 
sought  the  destruction,  or  blood  of  any, 
either  by  word  or  deed;  and  which,  by  the 
grace  of  God,  we  never  shall  do.  But  what 
they  have  done  by  their  rebellioxis  upbraid- 
ing, lying,  slander,  crying,  writing  and 
treason  we  will  commend  to  the  judgment 
of  the  Lord. 

The  merciful  and  gracious  Lord  grant  and 
give  you  and  them  wisdom,  that  you  may 
learn  to  know  of  what  spirit  and  kingdom 
you  are  the  children,  what  you  seek,  what 
prince  you  serve,  what  doctrine  you  main- 
tain, what  sacraments  you  have,  what  fruits 
you  produce,  what  life  you  lead,  and  in  what 
kingdom,  body  and  church  you  are  incor- 
porated.    This  is  our  sincere  wish. 


A  HUMBLE  ANif  CHRISTIAN  DEFENSE. 


309 


Kind  reader,  earnestly  reflect  npon  this 
onr  brief  treatise  on  the  two  princes  and 
tlieir  liingdoms,  and  by  the  grace  of  God, 
it  will  give  yon  no  mean  insight  into  the 
Scriptnres. 

In  the  fourtli  place,  some  of  them  charge  that  wc 
have  our  property  in  common. 

Anstoer.  This  charge  is  false  and  with- 
out truth.  We  do  not  teach  and  practice 
the  doctrine  of  having  goods  in  common. 
But  we  teach  and  maintain  by  the  word  of 
the  Lord,  that  all  truly  believing  christians 
are  members  of  one  body  and  are  baptized 
by  one  Spirit  into  one  body,  1  Cor.  12:  13; 
that  they  are  partakers  of  one  bread,  1  Cor. 
10:  IS;  that  they  have  one  Lord  and  one 
God,  Eph.  4:  5,  G. 

Inasmuch  as  they  are  thus  one,  therefore 
it  is  christian  and  reasonable  that  they 
divinely  love  one  another,  and  that  the  one 
member  be  solicitous  for  the  welfare  of  the 
other,  for  thus  both  the  Scripture  and  nat- 
ure teach.  The  whole  Scriptures  speak  of 
mercifulness  and  love;  and  it  is  the  only 
sign  whereby  a  true  christian  may  be  known, 
as  the  Lord  says,  "By  this  shall  all  men 
know  that  ye  are  my  disciples  (that  is,  that 
ye  are  christians),  if  ye  have  love  one  to 
another,"  Jn.  13:  35. 

Beloved  reader,  it  is  not  customary  that 
an  intelligent  person  clothes  and  cares  for 
one  part  of  his  body  and  leaves  the  rest 
destitute  and  naked.  O,  no.  The  intelli- 
gent person  is  solicitous  for  all  his  mem- 
bers. Thus  it  should  be  with  those  who  are 
the  Lord's  church  and  body.  All  those 
who  are  born  of  God,  who  are  gifted  with 
the  Spirit  of  the  Lord,  and  who,  according 
to  the  Scriptures,  are  called  into  one  body 
of  love  in  Christ  Jesus,  are  prepared  hj 
such  love,  to  serve  their  neighbors,  not  only 
with  money  and  goods,  but  also  after  the 
example  of  their  Lord  and  Head,  Jesus 
Christ,  in  an  evangelical  manner,  with  life 
and  blood.  They  show  mercy  and  love,  as 
much  as  they  can;  suffer  no  beggars  amongst 
them;  take  to  heart  the  need,  of  the  saints; 
receive  the  miserable;  take  the  stranger 
into  their  houses;  console  the  afHicted;  as- 
sist the  needj^;  clothe  the  naked;  feed  the 
hungry;  do  not  turn  their  face  from  the 
poor,  and  do  not  despise  their  own  flesh, 
Isa.  58:7,8;  Rom.  12:13. 


Behold  such  a  community  we  teach.  And 
not,  that  the  one  should  take  and  possess 
the  land  and  property  of  the  other,  as  many 
falsely  charge.  Thus  Moses  says,  "If  there 
be  among  you  a  poor  man,  of  one  of  thy 
brethren,  within  any  of  thy  gates,  in  thy  land 
which  the  Lord  thy  God  giveth  thee,  thou 
shalt  not  harden  thine  heart,  nor  shut  thine 
hand  from  thy  poor  brother."  Tobias  says, 
"Give  of  thy  bread  to  the  hungry,  and  of 
thy  garments  to  them  that  are  naked." 
Christ  says,  "Be  ye  therefore  merciful,  as 
your  Father  also  is  merciful."  "Blessed  are 
the  merciful  for  they  shall  obtain  mercy." 
Paul  says,  "Put  on  therefore,  as  the  elect 
of  God,  holy  and  beloveil,  bowels  of  mer- 
cies," &c.,  "For  he  shall  have  judgment 
without  mercy,  that  hath  shewed  no  mercy; 
and  mercy  rejoiceth  against  judgment," 
Deut.  15:  7;  Tobit  4:  16;  Luke  6:  36;  Matt. 
3:  7;  Col.  3:  12;  Jas.  2:  13;  Matt.  18:  33; 
25:  38. 

Again,  this  mercy,  love  and  community 
we  teach  and  practice  and  have  taught  and 
practiced  them  for  seventeen  years,  so  that, 
glory  be  to  God,  notwithstanding  our  prop- 
erty has  to  a  great  extent  been  taken  from 
us,  and  is  yet  daily  taken;  many  a  pious 
father  and  mother  are  put  to  the  sword  or 
fire  and  we  are  not  allowed  the  free  enjoy- 
ment of  our  homes,  as  is  manifest,  and,  be- 
sides,we  have  dear  times  and  famine,yet  none 
of  the  pious  nor  any  of  their  children  who 
commit  themselves  to  us,  have  been  forced 
to  beg.  If  this  is  not  Christianity,  then  we 
may  well  abandon  the  whole  gospel  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  his  holy  sacraments  and 
christian  name,  and  say  that  the  love-like, 
merciful  life  of  all  saints  is  mere  fantasy 
and  dreams.  0,no.  "God  is  love;  and  he 
that  dwelleth  in  love  dwelleth  in  God  and 
God  in  him,"  1  Jn.  4:  16. 

This  I  write  to  shame  our  backbiters,  be- 
cause of  their  envy;  they  are  so  blinded  that 
they  are  not  ashamed  thus  shamefully  to 
slander  us,  and  wickedly  to  convert  good 
into  evil.  For  although  we,  in  accordance 
with  all  Scripture,  teach  mercy  and  love 
and  serve  the  godfearing  poor  by  the  sweat 
of  our  brow,  and  would  not  let  them  suffer 
for  want,  yet  we  must  hear  That  we  teach 
commnnity  of  goods;  that  every  iJerson 
should  bexoare  of  us;  for  that  we  loould  reach 


;^iu 


A  HUMBLE  AND  CHKIt^TIAN  DEFENSE. 


into  tlie  chests  and  pockets  of  others.  While 
tliey  well  know  that  it  is  written,  "He shall 
have  judgment  without  mercy,  that  has 
shewed  no  mercy,"'  Jas.  2;  and,  "He  that 
loveth  not  his  brother,  abideth  in  death," 
1  Jn.  3:  14;  and  while  they  also  plainly  see 
that  we  daily,  and  freely  sacritice  our  goods 
for  the  testimony  of  Jesus  Christ  and  our 
consciences. 

O  reader,  it  would  be  well  for  your  souls 
that  you  would  once  take  notice  and  learn 
to  know  your  preachers.  For  how  can  they 
teach  you  that  which  is  good,  while  they 
can  hear  no  mercy  ^ 

Is  it  not  terrible  hypocrisy  that  these 
poor  people  boast  of  having  the  word  of 
God,  and  of  being  the  true,  christian  chur-ch, 
never  remembering  that  they  have  entirely 
lost  their  sign  of  true  Christianity?  For,  al- 
though many  of  them  have  plenty  of  every 
thing,  go  about  in  silk  and  velvet,  gold  and 
silver,  and  in  all  manner  of  pomp  and 
splendor,  ornament  their  houses  with  all 
manner  of  costly  ornaments,  have  their  cof- 
fers filled  and  live  in  voluptuousness  —  yet 
they  sutfer  many  of  their  poor,  afflicted 
members  (notwithstanding  they  are  fellow- 
believers,  have  received  one  baptism  and 
partaken  of  the  same  bread  with  them),  to 
ask  alms;  and  poor,  hungry,  suffering,  old, 
lame,  blind  and  sore  people  to  beg  their 
bread  at  their  doors. 

O,    teachers,    teachers !     Yea,    beloved 
teachers,  where  are  the  fruits  of  the  gospel 
you  preach?  Where  is  the  signification  of 
the  supper  you  administer?  AVhere  are  the 
fruits  of  the  spirit  you  have  received?  And 
where  is  the  righteousness  of  your  faith  ! 
which  you  so  beautifully  adorn  before  the  j 
poor,  ignorant  people?  Is  it  not  all  hypoc- ' 
risy  that  you  preach,  maintain  and  assert?  : 
Be  ashamed  at  the  vain  preaching  and  ' 
bread-breaking  of  your  easy  gospel  which 
you  have  these  many  years  practiced  with  i 
your  doctrine  and  sacraments  which  you 
have  preached  to  your  needy,  miserable  \ 
members  of  the    streets,  notwithstanding ' 
the  Scripture  plainly  teaches    and    says,  j 
"Whoso  hath  this  world's  good,  and  seeth 
his  brother  have  need,  and  shutteth  up  his 
bowels  of  compassion  for  him,  how  dwell-  , 
eth  the  love  of  God  in  him?"  Also  Moses,  | 


There  shall  be  no  beggars  among  you,  1  Jn. 
3:  17;  Deut.  15:8. 

Behold,  kind  reader,  thus  his  charge  is 
false  and  wrong  in  fact,  as  are  also  their 
other  charges.  For  although  we  know  that 
the  apostolic  churches,  from  the  beginning 
have  practiced  it,  as  may  be  seen  by  the 
acts  of  the  apostles,  yet  we  may  observe 
from  their  epistles  that  it  went  down,  in 
their  times,  and  (perhaps  not  without  cause) 
was  not  practiced.  Since  we  do  not  find 
that  it  was  continually  practiced  by  the 
apostles  as  we  said,  therefore  we  also 
leave  it  behind  and  have  never  taught  nor 
practiced  community  of  goods.  But  we 
diligently  and  earnestly  teach  and  admon- 
ish assistance,  love  and  mercy,  as  the  apos- 
tolic Scrij^tures  abundantly  teach  us  this. 
Behold,  in  Clirist  we  tell  you  the  truth  and 
lie  not. 

And,  even  if  we  did  teach  and  practice 
community  of  goods,  as  we  are  charged, 
we  would  but  do  that  which  the  \\o\j  apos- 
tles, full  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  did  in  the  prim- 
itive church  at  Jerusalem,  although  after- 
ward abolished,  as  was  said. 

But  the  reason  why  our  opponents  charge 
us  with  it  may  be  easily  immagined.  For 
generally,  their  hearts  are  filled  with  ava- 
rice, as  Peter  saj's,  and  they  know  that  their 
disciples  are  intent  iipon  the  lusts  of  the 
flesh,  money  and  goods.  They  are  all  cov- 
etous, as  tire  prophet  says,  and  therefore 
they  make  the  charge,  that  thus  the  pre- 
cious gospel,  the  limpid  truth  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  which  now  springs  up  in  many 
places,  may  become  a  stench  and  abomina- 
tion to  all.  Behold  the  arts  and  wiles  of 
the  serpent! 

Header,  beware;  let  not  such  liars  deceive 
you.  Adam  and  Eve  believed  the  deceiv- 
er, and  thereby  so  wickedly  sinned  against 
their  God.  Israel  was  miserably  deceived 
by  the  false  prophets.  And  what  good 
things  they  have  done  in  the  gospel  times 
and  yet  do,  their  deeds  and  fruits  openly 
show. 

In  the  fifth  place  some  of  them  falsely  eharge,  That 
we  believe  in  poligamy ;  that  we  have  our  women  in 
common  ;  that  we  say  to  each  other,  Sister,  my  spirit 
desires  your  flesh. 

Ansxoer.  As  to  poligamy  we  would  say. 
The  Scriptures  show  that  before  the  law. 


A  HUMBLE  AND  CHRISTIAN  DEFENSE. 


311 


some  of  the  patriarchs  had  many  wives. 
Yet  they  did  not  take  the  same  liberty  un- 
der the  law  and  before  the  law.  For  Abra- 
ham, who  was  before  the  law,  had  his  own 
sister  for  wife,  as  he  himself  testifies  before 
Abimeleck,  the  king,  saying,  'And  yet  she 
is  my  sister;  she  is  the  daughter  of  my 
father,  but  not  the  daughter  of  my  mother," 
Gen.  20  :  13.  Jacob  had  two  sisters  for 
wives,  Leah  and  Rachel,  the  daughters  of 
Laban,  his  mother's  brother,  Gen.  23.  These 
liberties  to  marry  their  own  sister  and  to 
marry  two  sisters  at  once,  were  afterwards 
strictly  forbidden  Israel  under  the  law. 
Lev.  18. 

As  each  period  has  had  its  particular  lib- 
erty and  usage  according  to  the  Scriptures; 
and  as  we  now,  under  the  New  Testament, 
are  not  pointed  by  the  Lord  to  the  usage 
of  the  patriarchs  before  the  law  nor  under 
the  law,  in  the  matter  of  marriage,  but  to 
the  beginning  of  creation,  to  Adam  and 
Eve  (which  word  we  sincerely  desire  to 
obey) ;  therefore  we  teach,  practice  and  con- 
sent to  no  other  than  the  one  which  was  in 
the  beginning  in  Adam  and  Eve,  namely, 
one  husband  and  one  wife,  as  the  Lord's 
moiitli  has  ordained,  Matt.  19. 

We  say  one  husband  and  one  wife,  and 
not  one  husband  and  two,  three,  or  four 
wives,  and  these  counted  as  one,  as  many, 
alas,  charge  us  without  any  truth.  These 
two,  one  husband  and  one  wife,  are  one 
flesh,  and  cannot  be  separated  from  each 
other,  to  marry  again,  otherwise  than  for 
adultery,  as  the  Lord  says.  Matt.  5:  19; 
MarkKn  Luke  16. 

Behold,  this  is  our  proper  foundation,  doc- 
trine and  practice  concerning  marriage,  as  we 
here  confess  by  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and 
by  the  grace  of  God,  it  will  ever  remain  the 
foundation  of  all  pious  souls,  no  matter 
what  false  charges  and  slander  may  be  pre- 
ferred against  us.  For  we  know  and  con- 
fess truly,  that  it  is  the  express  ordinance, 
command,  intent  and  unchangeable,  plain 
word  of  Christ. 

But  as  to  the  charge  ofthe  shameful  licen- 
tiousness of  having  our  wives  in  common, 
we  reply  with  Solomon:  "Answer  not  a 
fool  according  to  his  folly,  lest  thou  also  be 
like  unto  him.    Answer  a  fool  according  to 


his  folly,  lest  he  be  wise  in  his  own  conceit," 
Prov.  26:  4,  5. 

Kind  reader,  I  am  heartily  ashamed  to 
touch  upon  such  accursed  charges  of  licen- 
tiousness and  roguishness  before  the  ears 
of  blushing,  pious  persons.  For  they 
are  not  only  in  opposition  to  tlie  Scriptures 
but  also  to  all  rationality,  intelligence  and 
virtue.  But  as  they  not  only  charge  us 
hereby  with  shameful  roguery  and  knavery, 
but  also  with  the  worst  of  doggery,  and  as 
the  pious,  virtuous  hearts  who,  if  possible, 
would  rather  die  ten  deaths  than  commit 
such  abominations,  may  see  how  they  are 
spit  upon  by  some  indiscreet  slanderers; 
therefore  it  is  no  more  than  reasonable  to 
do  so  for  the  pui'pose  of  defending  our  rep- 
utation in  a  christian  manner  to  the  praise 
of  the  Lord,  and  to  ward  off  such  slander 
from  us,  to  the  extent  possible. 

We  hereby  testify,  now  and  forever,  in 
this  place,  before  God,  that  we,  with  the 
angel  of  the  church  of  Ephesus,  hate  the 
words  ofthe  Nicolaitans,  which,  also,  God 
hates.  Rev.  3.  We  teach,  as  from  themouth  of 
the  Lord,  "That  whosoever  looketh  on  a  wo- 
man to  lust  after  her,hathcommitted  adultery 
with  her  already  in  his  heart,"  Matt.  .^i:  28. 
And  with  Paul,  That  the  adulterers  and  for- 
nicators cannot  inherit  the  kingdom  of 
God,  1  Cor.  6. 

As  we  are  thus  so  plainly  taught  by  the 
Scrijitures,  and  as,  by  the  grace  of  the  Lord, 
we  not  only  believe  so,  but  also  teach  oth- 
ers so  by  virtue  of  the  divine  word,  and  be- 
sides, as  we  are  in  constant  danger  of  appre- 
hension, prison  and  death;  are  tied  to  the 
stake  by  threes  and  fours,  by  sixes  and  sev- 
ens; are  tortured,  burned  or  drowned,  and 
thus  unmercifully  murdered,  therefore] udge 
whether  we  would  yet  practice  such  terrible 
abominations  and  shame,  at  which  every 
reasonable  person  should  stand  astounded, 
and  which,  according  to  many  Scriptures, 
are  rewarded  by  everlasting  death  and  eter- 
nal, unquenchable,  hell  fire.  O,  whatmiser- 
able  men  we  should  be !  It  is  shameful  slan- 
der! No,  no.  We  trust,  that  in  our  weak- 
ness, by  the  grace  of  the  Lord  we  have  rear- 
ed our  bodies  and  members  for  a  temple 
and  dwelling  place  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  accor- 
ding to  our  received  gift.  We  trust,  by  the 
grace  and  assistance  of  the  Lord,  that  we 


•312 


A  HUMBLE  AND  CHRISTIAN  DEFENSE. 


shall  never  commune  with  adulterers  and 
fornicators,  understand,  if  they  do  not  re- 
pent, Rom.  1;  1  Cor.  6;  Gal.  5;  Eph.  5; 
Heb.  13;  Rev.  21. 

But  how  our  slanderers  and  backbiters  are 
minded;  into  what  body  they  have  incor- 
porated their  bodies  and  members,  and  by 
what  kind  of  spirit  they  are  urged,  their 
intolerable  lies  and  slander  plainly  show. 
Christ  says,  "Out  of  the  abundance  of  the 
heart  the  mouth  speaketh,"  Matt.  2  :  34. 
Every  tree  beareth  fruit  after  its  own  kind. 
Seneca  says,  "As  the  man,  so  is  his  word." 
Yea,  if  these  vain  men  were  christians,  and 
if  they  had  but  a  little  of  the  Lord's  word 
and  a  spark  of  his  Holy  Spirit,  as  they 
boast  of  having,  they  would  never  think 
of  such  abominable  slander  against  their 
neighbors  who,  as  is  plain,  sincerely  seek 
and  fear  the  Lord,  much  less  would  they 
mock  and  deride  them. 

O,  Ye  indiscreet  slanderers  (I  mean  all 
those  who  are  guilty  of  the  shamefulness). 
Do  you  think  that  we  are  irrational  creat- 
ures? and  that  there  is  no  rationality  left  in 
us?  Be  ashamed  of  your  inhuman  lies  and 
slander.  This  disreputable  report  and  bad 
repute  is  saddled  upon  us  who  are  innocent, 
by  many  who  are  guilty  of  this  very  thing. 
If  my  writing  is  wrong,  then  I  am  willing 
to  bear  the  punishment.  It  is  manifest  and 
undeniable  that  many  of  your  fellow-be- 
lievers miserably  detile  their  own  members. 
For,  by  their  deception,  sleekness  of  tongue, 
promises  and  gifts,  they  seduce  many  a 
young  maiden,  who  is,  by  one  baptism, 
faith  and  supper  incorporated  into  one  body  j 
with  them.  In  your  brotherhood,  many  an 
honorable  man's  bed  is  defiled!  many  a 
shameful  adulterer  is  found!  many  an  un- 
suspecting soul  is  deceived!  and  many  an 
illegitimate  child  is  born!  We  will  leave  it 
to  the  judgment  of  all  pious  persons  if  that 
is  not  adultery,  and  a  desire  to  have  the  | 
women  in  common. 

Beloved  reader,  judge  aright  and  know 
the  truth.  Is  not  yoiir  church  full  of  such 
debauchees,  detilers,  perjurers,  and  adulter- ' 
ers?  are  there  not  others  that  are  keepers  of 
houses  of  prostitution?  Can  we  not  hear 
and  see  unchaste  women  sing  and  drink, 
throng  and  act  indecorous  in  allies  and 
streets?  Do  they  not  live  in  city  and  coun- 


try in  open  prostitution?  Your  answer  must 
be,  yes;  for  it  cannot  be  denied.  vVnd  all 
these  are  your  fellows  in  faith,  members  of 
yourliod}'-;  grains  of  your  bread.  O,  vain 
doctrine  and  faith!  O,  fruitless  baptism  and 
supper!  O,  unclean  body  and  church  ! ! 

IJehold,  kind  reader,  if  you  are  reason- 
ably minded  you  must  admit  that  our  slan- 
derers are  guilty  of  the  things  with  which 
they  charge  us.  My  friend,  beware  lest  you 
commit  violence  against  the  godfearing, 
with  these  slanderers.  Syrach  says,  Who- 
soever accustoms  himself  to  evil  saying  and  ' 
whoring  will  never  reform.  For  as  we  hate 
all  abominations  which  are  contrary  to  the 
word  of  God,  and  not  only  reprove  them 
by  our  teaching,  Init  also  at  the  risk  of  life, 
how  much  more,  then,  this  abomination? 
For  it  is  not  alone  contrary  to  God's  word, 
but  also  contrary  to  reasonableness.  O, 
dear  Lord,  thus  are  those  slandered  wlio 
sincerely  glorify  thy  name,  who  walk  in 
thy  ways,  and  sacrifice  property  and  life 
for  tlie  sake  of  thy  holy  word. 

In  the  sixth  place  they  falsely  charge,  That  if  one,  after 
he  has  made  confession  and  received  baptism,  again  falls 
into  his  sins,  we  refuse  such  an  one  all  penance  and 
grace. 

Ansicer.  This  charge,  if  true,  would  be  a 
fine  excuse  for  the  licentious  to  persecute 
the  truth.  But,  happily,  it  is  false  and 
wrong  in  fact,  as  are  their  other  charges, 
and  can  never  be  substantiated. 

Inasmuch  as  the  charge  is  false,  and  as 
there  might  be  some  among  the  pious  who 
are  not  acquainted  in  the  matter,  therefore  I 
will  present  my  foundation  and  confession, 
as  taken  from  the  word  of  the  Lord,  of  the 
nature  of  different  sins;  which  will  be  for- 
given and  which  are  unpardonable.  And 
thus  present  it  to  the  pious  and  godly  read- 
er, to  ponder  diligently  upon  it. 

In  my  opinion  the  Scripture  speaks  of 
diflFerent  kinds  of  sin.  The  first  kind  is  the 
corrupt,  sinful  nature,  namely,  the  lust  or 
desire  of  our  flesh,  contrary  to  God's  law, 
and  contrary  to  the  first  righteousness, 
which  is  inherited  at  birth  by  all  descend- 
ants and  children  of  corrupt,  sinful  Adam; 
and  is  not  inaptly  called  inherent  sin.  Of 
this  sin,  David  says,  "Behold,  I  was  shap- 
en  in  iniquity;  and  in  sin  did  my  mother 
conceive  me."  Again,  the  Lord  said  unto 


A  HUMBLE  AOT)  CHRISTIAN  DEFENSE. 


313 


Noah,  "The  imagination  of  man's  heart  is 
evil  from  his  youth."  Again,  Panl  says, 
"  We  were,  by  nature,  children  of  wrath, 
even  as  others,"  Ps.  51:  5;  Gen.  8:  21;  Eph. 
2:3. 

Yea,  kind  reader,  as  we  are  all  stained 
by  this  evil,  we  would  all  have  abided  in 
death,  if  the  righteousness,  intercession, 
death  and  blood  of  Christ  Jesus  were  not 
given  us  as  a  reconciliation  to  God  our 
heavenly  Father,  Rom.  5:  8.  But  now,  for 
Christ's  sake,  it  is  not  accounted  as  sin, 
Rom.  3:  5,  6,  8. 

The  second  kind  are  the  fruits  of  the  first 
sin,  and  are  not  inaptly  called  actual  sins, 
by  the  learned.  They  are  these:  Adultery, 
fornication,  avarice,  debauchery,  hatred, 
envy,  lying,  theft,  murder  and  idolatry. 
These  are  also  called  works  of  the  flesh,  by 
Paul,  Gal.  5;  and  that,  because  they  have 
their  origin  in  the  flesh  which  is  born  of 
Adam,  corrupt  and  sinful,  Rom.  5;  Eph.  5. 

But  if  inherent  sin  which  is  the  mother, 
and  actual  sin,  which  is  the  fruit,  are  con- 
nected together,  there  is  no  forgiveness  nor 
promise  of  life;  but  there  wrath  and 
death  abide,  unless  they  are  repented  of,  as 
the  Scriptures  teach. 

If  this  inherent  sin  is  to  loose  its  efiect, 
and  actual  sin  be  forgiven,  then  we  must 
believe  the  word  of  the  Lord,  be  regenerated 
by  faith,  and  thus,  by  virtue  of  the  new  birth, 
by  true  repentance,  resist  the  inherent  sin, 
die  unto  actual  sin,  and  be  pious. 

For,  as  the  carnal  birth  which  is  of  Adam, 
is  unclean  and  sinful  and  begets  all  evil  and 
unrighteousness  unto  death,  at  the  instance 
of  thh  devil— thus,  on  the  other  hand  the 
heavenly  birth  which  is  of  God,  is  clean 
and  pure,  and  begets  all  righteousness  and 
piety  unto  life,  according  to  the  will  of  God, 
Rom.  5;  1  Jn.  3:  5. 

The  third  kind  are  human  frailties,  er- 
rors and  stumblings  which  are  yet  daily 
found  among  the  saints  and  regenerated; 
such  as  uutempered  thoughts,  careless  words 
and  rashness  in  our  actions.  These  al- 
though they  spring  from  those  sins  men- 
tioned, as  the  sins  of  the  unbelieving  and 
impenitent,  are  yet  not  of  the  same  kind; 
and  have  this  difference:  the  unbelieving 
which  are  yet  unchanged  in  their  fu'st  bii'th, 
commit  sin  unrestrainedly  and  fearlessly, 
76 


because  of  the  blindness  of  their  corrupt 
nature  they  do  not  realize  the  wickedness 
of  their  sins;  and  besides,  they  do  not  con- 
sider their  actions  sinful.  For  sin  is  not 
made  manifest  unto  them  by  the  law,  be- 
cause of  their  unbelief. 

But  those  who  are  born  from  above  are 
fearful  of  all  sin;  they  know  by  the  law 
that  all  which  is  contrary  to  the  iirst,  right- 
eousness, is  sin,  be  it  inwardly  or  outward- 
ly, important  or  trifling;  and  therefore  they 
daily  fight,  in  spirit  and  faith  with  their 
weak  flesh;  sigh  and  lament  about  their 
errors,  which  they,  with  Paul,  sincerelj^ 
abhor.  For,  they  know  them  to  be  contra- 
ry to  the  first  righteousness  and  God's  law, 
and  are,  therefore,  sins;  they  daily  ap- 
proach the  throne  of  grace,  with  contrite 
hearts,  and  pray:  Holy  Father,  forgive  us 
our  trespasses  as  we  forgive  those  that  tres- 
pass against  us.  And  thus,  they  are  not 
rejected  by  the  Lord  on  account  of  such 
transgressions,  which  are  not  committed 
willfully  and  intentionallj^,  but  contrary  to 
their  will,  out  of  mere  thoughtlessness  and 
frailty.  Yea,  even  as  Peter,  although  he 
thrice  denied  the  Lord;  for  they  are  un- 
der grace,  and  not  under  the  law,  as  Paul 
says.  The  seed  of  God,  faith  in  Christ  Je- 
sus, the  birth  which  is  of  God,  and  the  unc- 
tion of  the  Holy  Spirit  abide  in  them.  They 
exercise  themselves  continually  in  warring 
against  their  flesh;  die  unto  their  lusts;  watch 
and  pray  incessantly  and,  although  they 
are  such  poor,  weak  children,  the  are  re- 
joiced in  the  sure  trust  of  the  merits  of 
Christ,  and  praise  the  Father  for  his  grace, 
Heb.  4;  Matt.  6;  Luke  12;  Rom.  6;  1  Jn.  3: 
5;  Job  7;  Eph.  6;  2  Tim.  2;  Gal.  5;  2  Cor.  6; 
1  Pet.  5. 

Behold  this  deficient  and  weak  nature  all 
the  saints  have  ever  lamented;  and  hence 
John  says,  "If  we  say  that  we  have  no  sin, 
we  deceive  ourselves,  and  the  truth  is  not  in 
us;  if  we  confess  our  sins  he  is  faithful  and 
just  to  forgive  us  our  sins,  and  to  cleanse 
us  from  all  unrighteousness,"  1  John  1:  8,  9. 

The  fourth  kind  is,  that  after  one  is  en- 
lightened in  his  heart  by  the  heavenly  lus- 
tre of  the  everlasting  truth;  has  received 
the  true  knowledge  of  Christ  and  his  holy 
word,  has  tasted  the  heavenly  gifts,  the 
kindness  of  the  Lord,  and  the  enjoyment 


314 


A  HUMBLE  AND  CHRISTIAN  DEFENSE. 


of  the  future  world,  has  partaken  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  and  is  born  of  God;  he  again, 
by  stnbbornness,nialice  and  willfulness,  con- 
trary to  his  heart,  mind  and  spirit  whicli  is 
m  him,  renounces  all  knowledge  and  grace; 
rejects  the  Spirit  and  word  of  God;  ejects 
the  sweet,  new  wine;  hates  and  blasphemes 
all  truth  willfully  with  the  Pharisees  and 
scribes;  ascribes  it  to  the  devil,  notwith- 
standing his  conscience  convinces  him  that 
it  is  the  will,  word,  power  and  work  of  God; 
returns  to  the  broad  way  and  says  at  heart 
with  all  evil  disposed,  I  will  not  submit. 
What  kind  of  sin  this  is,  I  will  leave  to  the 
sentence  of  the  word  of  the  Lord,  Num.  15; 
Matt.  12;  Mark 3;  Luke  12;  1  Jn.  5;  Heb.  (3. 

Kind  reader,  understand  me.  I  do  not 
speak  of  such  persons  as  are  overtaken  in  a 
fault,  even  though  their  transgressions  were 
as  great  as  the  fall  of  David  (from  which 
the  great  Lord  save  all  his),  who  was  so 
miserably  deceived  by  the  lusts  of  the  tlesh, 
but  I  speak  of  those  who,  out  of  mere  petu- 
lance, willfully  trample  upon  the  Son  of 
God,  deem  the  blood  of  the  New  Testament 
unclean,  and  profane  the  Spirit  of  grace. 

O  reader,  kind  reader,  take  heed,  and  re- 
member that  it  is  written,  "It  is  a  fearful 
thing  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  living 
God,"  Heb.  10:  31. 

And  although  such  willful  blasphemy 
and  sin  had  no  offering  in  Israel,  Num.  15, 
and  the  sinning  against  the  Holy  Spirit  has 
no  forgiveness,  as  Christ  says,  Matt.  12; 
Mark  3;  Luke  12;  yet  I  would  advise  all  the 
godfearing,  as  far  as  I  am  able,  that  if  any 
should  revert  to  the  works  of  the  flesh  and 
of  death,  after  his  confession  and  baptism, 
wisely  to  consider  the  matter  and  not  make 
a  mistake  in  such  a  case  by  an  iinseason- 
able  and  undue  sentence;  for  the  Lord,  to 
whom  nothing  is  concealed,  knows  what  sin 
he  has  committed;  whether  he  has  sinned 
against  the  Holy  Ghost  or  not;  but  let  them 
admonish  such  according  to  the  word  of  the 
Lord.  If  hebe  converted,  if  he  show  true  fruits 
of  repentance  according  to  the  Scriptures ;  if 
he  again  receive  a  broken,  contrite  and  pen- 
itent heart,  and  besides,  a  peaceable,  joy- 
ful and  cheerful  mind,  then  it  is  manifest 
that  he  did  not  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost. 
But  if  he  remain  unrepentant,  continue  in 
his  perverseness,  and  this  unto  the  end, 


willfully  despise  Christ  and  his  word,  then 
his  work  shows  what  sin  he  has  committed, 
and  that  his  end  and  reward  will  be  death, 
Rom.  1 :  8;  1  Cor.  C;  Gal.  H;  Eph.  5 ;  1  Jn. 
3:5;  Rev.  21:22. 

Behold,  kind  reader,  thus  we  believe  that 
all  sins,  both  outward  and  inward,  have 
their  reconciliation  in  the  merit  and  power 
of  the  blood  of  the  Lord,  if  truly  repented 
of,  according  to  the  Scriptures. 

Let  every  one  take  heed  that  he  walk  in 
the  fear  of  the  Lord  and  accept  the  grace, 
lest  he  be  given  to  the  wrong  spirit,  fall  in- 
to the  judgment  of  tlie  Lord,  and  the  pen- 
ance, whicli  avails  before  God,  be  refused 
him.  For  Christ  says,  "Whosoever  com- 
mitteth  sin  is  the  servant  of  sin."  Peter  says, 
"Of  whom  a  man  is  overcome,  of  the  same 
is  he  brought  in  bondage."  Let  therefore 
none  be  overcoine  of  sin,  else  he  will  be  the 
servant  of  sin.  This  is  incontrovertible. 
Jn.  8:34;  2  Pet.  2:19. 

I  think  that  this  our  confession  and  also 
the  ban  or  separation,  which  the  Scripture 
teaches  and  which  we  practice,  by  which 
we  seek  the  scriptural  shame  of  the  degen- 
erated to  their  reformation,  fully  prove  that 
we  are  villified  by  our  opponents  in  this 
regard.  Yea  we  testify  before  the  Lord 
and  before  you  that  we  desire  nothing  upon 
earth  more  ardently  than  that  we  may  re- 
turn a  poor,  erring  sinner  to  the  right  way. 

But  this  we  say,  That  the  promises  of 
God  of  eternal  salvation,  as  preached  by 
the  gospel,  are  not  made  to  the  unrepent- 
ant sinners,  hypocrites,  avaricious,  earthly- 
minded,  mockers,  nor  perverse;  but  they 
are  made  to  those  who,  with  all  their  heart, 
hear,  truly  believe  the  lovely  word  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thereby  become  new 
men  born  of  God;  become  dead  unto  this 
fearful  world  of  imgodly  pride,  pomp,  van- 
ity and  lustfulness.  For  the  unrepentant 
would  boast  of  the  Scripture  and  console 
themselves  thereby,  while  their  life  is  con- 
trary thereto,  and  is  open  blasphemy.  Christ 
says,  "If  ye  continue  in  my  word,  then  are 
ye  my  disciples  indeed,"  Jn.  8:  31.  "Ye  are 
my  friends,  if  ye  do  whatsoever  I  command 
you,"  Jn.  15:  14;  for  the  vine  bears  after  its 
own  kind. 

In  the  seventh  place  they  slander  us  and  say,  That  we 
are  vagabonds,  sucak-thicTCs,  deceivers,  new  monks  and 


A  HUMBLE  AND  CHEISTIAN  DEFENSE. 


315 


hypocrites;  tbat  we  claim  to  be  withovit  sin,  beaven- 
stormers  and  work-saints,  who  want  to  be  saved  by  our 
own  merits  and  works  ;  that  we  are  an  ungodly  sect  and 
conspirators,  murderers  of  the  souls  of  infants,  anabap- 
tists, profaners  of  the  sacraments  and  possessed  of  the 
devil. 

Ans^oer.  These  and  like  slanders,  Clarist 
Jesus,  together  with  the  holy  apostles, 
prophets  and  saints  of  the  primitive  church, 
had  to  hear  many  times,  as  was  said  in  the 
preface.  "If  they  have  called  the  master 
of  the  house  Beelzebub,  how  much  more 
they  of  his  household?"  "The  disciple  is 
not  above  his  master,  nor  the  servant  above 
his  lord.''  Yet  we  trust  that  it  is  known  to 
all  honorable,  pious  and  reasonable  men 
that  all  these  slanders  are  spoken  against 
us  by  our  opponents  withoTit  any  truth,  out 
of  mere  hatred  and  envy,  that  they  may 
thus  hinder  and  oppose  the  course  of  the 
word  and  afflict  the  innocent.  Matt.  10: 25,24. 

Reply  to  tlte  cliarge,  Vagabonds.  Vaga- 
bonds are  rogues,  evil-disposed  and  idle 
persons,  and  evil-doers,  who  on  account  of 
their  criminality,  wander  from  place  to 
place  without  a  home.  But  we  are  poor, 
miserable  pilgrims,  and,  according  to  the 
liesh,  strangers,  who,  not  on  account  of  any 
crime,  but  for  the  testimony  of  Jesus  Christ 
and  our  consciences,  must  flee,  vsdtli  our 
wives  and  children  from  before  the  tyranni- 
cal, bloody  sword,  to  save  our  lives,  and 
thus  we  have  to  earn  our  bread  in  foreign 
lands,  in  anxiety  and  tribulation,  hearing 
many  scornful  and  abusive  words,  we  who, 
agreeable  to  Scripture  and  reason,  should 
be  received  in  love,  and  provided  for  and  pro- 
tected, and  not  be  so  unmercifully  rejected 
and  slandered  as  we  are,  at  present,  on  every 
hand,  1  Pet.  1;  1  Cor.  4;  Ex.  22:  24;  Isa. 
58:  C;  Jer.7:5;  Zech.7;  Matt.  25;  Rom.  13; 
1  Pet.  4;  Heb.  13. 

Reply  to  the  charge,  Snealc-thieves.  Sneaks 
are  thieves  and  murderers,  who  secretly  en- 
ter houses  for  the  purpose  of  taking  the 
property  or  lives  of  others.  Also  perjurers, 
adulterers  and  fornicators  who  are  intent 
upon  defiling  the  houses  of  their  neighbors. 
For  such  wait  for  the  darkness,  and  say, 
"  No  eye  shall  see  me;  and  distinguish  his 
face.  In  the  dark  they  dig  through  houses," 
Job  24  :  15,  16.  But  this  is  not  the  case 
with  us.  Yet  it  has  gone  so  far  by  the  ly- 
ing, upbraiding  and  cries  of  the  learned, 


that  alas,  one  cannot  publicly  say  anything 
about  the  word  of  the  Lord,  although  it  is 
the  only  bread  whereby  our  souls  must  live; 
and  as  we  learn  and  understand  from  the 
Scriptures  that  Moses  and  all  Israel  ate  the 
passover  at  night,  Ex.  12;  that  Christ  ad- 
monished Nicodemus  at  night,  Jn.  3:2;  that 
the  church  assembled  at  night  to  pray,  Acts- 
12:  12;  that  Paul  taught  the  word  of  the 
Lord  all  night.  Acts  20;  and  that  the  prim- 
itive church  assembled  at  night  to  break 
the  bread  of  the  Lord,  as  the  Scriptures 
mention;  therefore  we  confess  that  it  is  ad- 
missible to  preach  the  word  of  the  Lord  at 
night  as  well  as  in  day  time,  to  the  praise 
of  the  Lord;  and  thus  we  ofttimes  assemble 
in  the  fear  of  God,  without  injury  to  any 
body  (the  Lord  knows)  at  night  in  a  chris- 
tian manner,  to  teach  the  word  of  the  Lord 
and  to  admonish  and  reprove  in  all  godli- 
ness; also  to  pray  and  administer  the  sac- 
raments in  a  manner  as  the  word  of  the 
Lord  teaches  us. 

Reply  to  the  charge,  Deceicers.  Deceivers 
are  those  Avho  call  impenitent,  carnal  per- 
sons, christians,  and  console  them  in  their 
blindness,  avarice,  pride,  pomp,  splendor, 
debauchery  and  idolatry,  with  water,  abso- 
lutions, bread,  wine  and  ceremonies;  who 
so  shamefully  adulterate  the  word  and  sac- 
raments of  God  and  lead  the  jjoor,  miserable 
souls  into  death  for  the  sake  of  a  meal  of 
bread  or  a  handful  of  barley,  all  of  whicli, 
before  the  Lord,  we  are  innocent,  by  his 
grace.  For  we  teach  the  word  of  the  Lord 
unadulterated  and  with  a  good  conscience, 
without  respect  of  person.  We  seek  the 
salvation  of  every  soul  and  not  their  favor 
and  gifts.  We  administer  the  Lord's  bap- 
tism and  Supper  according  to  the  direction 
of  his  holy  word.  And  although  we  are 
poor,  weak,  miserable,  and  of  evil,  unclean 
Hesh,  and  diseased  sinners,  yet  we  would 
gladly,  in  our  weakness,  act  rightly  and  be 
pious  and  live  unblamably  before  the  world. 

AVe  seek  and  desire,  by  the  grace  and 
assistance  of  the  Lord,  according  to  our 
small  talent,  to  re-establish  that  which  is 
fallen;  make  right  that  which  is  wrong; 
seek  that  which  is  lost;  humble  the  high- 
minded  ;  direct  the  hungry  into  the  right 
pasture ;  lead  the  thirsty  to  the  true  fount- 
ain and  the  blind  in  the  right  way,  that  we 


316 


A  HUMBLE  AND  CHRISTIAN  DEFENSE. 


may  thereby  sow  the  gospel  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  in  many  hearts,  to  the  praise 
of  our  God,  and  publish  his  great  and  ador- 
able name,  Ezek.  84;  2  Cor.  10. 

Reply  to  the  cliarge,  New  Monls.  AVe 
would  consider  those  to  be  new  monks  who 
formerly  established  churches,  cloisters,  hu- 
man statutes,  and  the  easy  epicurean  life, 
in  the  semblance  of  zeal,  which  they  have 
abandoned  and  in  its  place  accepted  a  more 
lustful,  pompous  and  carnal  life,  without 
change  of  heart  and  remained  in  their  sins, 
and  these  placed  the  firmness  of  their  faith, 
hope  and  salvation,  from  the  beginning 
upon  human  choice,  opinion  and  flattery. 
It  is  the  manner  and  custom  of  monks  to 
follow  human  statutes,  commands  and  in- 
stitutions, and  not  the  word  of  God.  They 
have  their  abbots,  priors  and  pursers  or 
procurators,  and  are  called  by  their  found- 
ers and  masters,  Augustinians,  Franciscans, 
Dominicans,  Bernardinians  and  Jacobins. 

Not  so  with  us.  But  we  trust,  by  the 
grace  and  mercy  of  the  Lord,  that  we  are 
children  of  God  and  disciples  of  Christ. We 
know  of  no  other  Abljot  than  him  on  whom 
all  true  christians  call  in  spiritand truth, and 
say,  "Abba  Father,"  Rom.  8:  15;  Gal.  4:  6. 
Our  head  or  Prior  is  Christ  Jesus,  Co).  1; 
Eph.  1. 

Our  procuratoT  or  purser  who  distributes 
his  gifts  to  every  one,  is  the  Holy  Spirit,  1 
Cor.  12:  11. 

Our  profession  is,  the  sincere,  frank  and 
fearless  confession  of  faith.  Matt.  10;  Rom. 
10:  9,  10. 

Our  statutes  and  laws  are  the  express 
commandments  of  the  Lord,  Matt.  19: 17. 

Our  cap  and  cloak  are  the  garments  of 
righteousness,  with  which  we  Avould  gladly 
clothe  ourselves,  Matt.  22:  11. 

Our  cloisters  are  the  assemblage  of  the 
saints,  the  city  of  the  living  God,  the  heaven- 
ly Jerusalem,  Heb.  12:  22;  Rev.  21:  2. 

Our  easy,  monk-life  and  pleasure  are  dai- 
ly expectation  of  prison  and  fetters,  fire  and 
water,  and  to  be  exiled  with  our  wives  and 
children,  to  sufler  hunger,  tribulation,  anx- 
iety and  pain,  for  the  testimony  of  Jesus. 

]3ehold,  kind  reader,  this  is  the  monk- 
hood which  we  confess  and  practice,  and 
none  other.  By  the  grace  and  power  of  the 
Lord,  we  also  hope  to  abide  therein  un- 


changeably, all  our  lives.  O,  indiscreet 
slanderers  and  blasphemers!  Jn.  4  :  23. 

Beply  to  tlie  cTiarge,  Hypocrites.  Accord- 
ing to  the  Scriptures,  hypocrites  are  those 
who,  for  the  outward  world,  put  on  a  holy 
appearance  by  words  and  gestures,  such  as 
the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  Matt.  23,  and 
who  are  inwardly  full  of  all  unrighteous- 
ness, avarice,  hatred  and  deceit,  as  oiu'  op- 
ponents are,  who  pretend  to  be  christians, 
talk  much  about  the  word  of  the  Lord, 
boast  much  of  the  gospel  and  Christianity, 
claim  that  they  practice  the  trae  doctrine 
of  Christ  and  that  they  are  his  holy  church; 
while  at  the  same  time,  they  adulterate  the 
word  of  God,  call  the  wholesome  administer- 
ing of  the  sacraments,  heresy;  hate  all  the 
pious,  and  practice  the  works  of  the  flesh, 
openly,  as  may  be  seen.  We  will  leave  all 
intelligent  persons  to  judge  whether  such 
are  not  the  companions  and  fellows  of  the 
Scribes  and  Pharisees. 

The  reason  why  we  are  accused  as  hypo- 
crites, and  why  we  are  thus  belied  that  we 
claim  to  be  without  sins,  is  because  we  teach 
penitence  according  to  the  Scripture ;  because 
we  testify  with  holy  Paul,  that  perjurers, 
adulterers,  idolaters,  wine-bibbers,  avari- 
cious, liars  and  unrighteous  shall  not  in- 
herit the  kingdom  of  God,  1  Cor.  6: 10;  Gal. 
5:  21;  Eph.  6:5;  that  those  who  are  carnal- 
ly-minded shall  die,  Rom.  8:  13.  And  with 
John,  that  those  who  sin  (understand,  will- 
fully) are  of  the  devil,  1  John  3:  8,  and  that 
we,  therefore,  in  our  weakness,  abhor  such 
works;  although  with  Moses  we  have  often 
confessed,  verbally  and  in  writing,  as  we 
ever  will  confess,  that  none  is  clear  before 
God,  on  account  of  the  inborn  nature,  Gen. 
6:5',  8:  21;  with  Isaiah,  that  we  are  all  as 
the  unclean;  with  David,  that  there  is  no 
living  man  righteous  before  God,  Ps.  14  :  8; 
with  Paul,  that  nothing  good  dwells  in  om- 
flesh,  Rom.  7: 18;  with  John  that  if  we  say, 
we  are  without  sin,  we  deceive  ourselves 
and  no  truth  is  in  us,  1  John  1 :  8,  and  with 
James,  that  in  many  things  we  otfend  all, 
Jas.  3:2. 

Behold,  kind  reader,  this  is  why  the 
preachers  call  us  hypocrites  who  claim  to 
be  without  sin.  Such  abominable  lies  are 
told  by  those  who  pretend  to  preach  the 
word  of  God ! 


A  HUMBLE  AND  CHRISTIAN  DEFENSE. 


317 


Beply  to  the  cliarge,  Hemen-stormers. 
Henceforth,  because  we  teach  from  the 
mouth  of  the  Lord:  That  if  we  would  enter 
into  life  we  must  keep  the  commandments, 
Matt.  19,  17;  Mark  10:  19;  Jn.  15:  10,  that 
in  Christ  neither  circumcision  nor  imcircum- 
cision  avail;  but  the  keeping  of  the  com- 
mandments of  God,  1  Cor.  7:  19,  and  that 
the  love  of  God  is  that  we  keep  his  com- 
mandments; and  his  commandments  are 
not  grievous,  1  Jn.  5:  3,  therefore  we  are 
called  by  the  preachers  lieamn-stormers  and 
work-saints;  and  that  we  want  to  be  saved 
by  our  own  merits;  although  we  always 
have  confessed,  and  by  the  grace  of  God, 
ever  will,  that  we  cannot  be  saved  by  means 
of  anything  in  heaven  nor  in  earth  other 
than  by  the  merits,  intercession,  death  and 
blood  of  Christ,  as  has  been  amply  demon- 
strated above,  Jn.  14:  3;  Acts  4:  12;  Phil. 
2:  10. 

Behold,  thus  the  best  of  these  perverse 
people  have  been  changed  to  the  very  worst, 
and  do  not  observe  that  the  whole  Script- 
ure, condemns,  all  licentious,  obstinate  de- 
spisers  and  transgressors  of  the  command- 
ments of  God,  to  death,  who  plainly  prove 
by  their  deeds  that  they  do  not  confess  the 
saving  grace  of  God;  do  not  believe  in 
Christ  Jesus,  and,  according  to  Scripture, 
abide  in  damnation,  wrath  and  death,  Jn. 
3:  3G.     For    whoso    doeth    unrighteously, 
showeth  by  his  works  whose  disciple  he  is. 
lleiJly  to  the  hitter  slander,  Ungodli/  Sects 
and  Conspirators.     So  far  as  regards  the 
bitter,  envious  slander  and  charge  that  we 
are  a  perverse,  ungodly  sect  and  conspira-. 
tors  we  answer:  If  we  were  allowed  an  im- 
partial hearing  with  our  opponents  before 
a  tribunal  of  persons  who  understand  the 
word  of  God,  we  would  soon  be  cleared  of 
the  infamous  charge  and  they  would  be 
found  guilty.    For  what  kind  of  conspira- 
tors they  are,  this  Scripture  testifies,  "There 
is  a  conspiracy  (mark,  conspiracy)  of  her 
prophets  in  the  midst  thereof,  like  a  roaring 
lion  ravening  the  prey;  they  have  devoured 
souls;   they  have  taken  the  treasure  and 
precious  things;  they  have  made  her  many 
widows  in  the  midst  thereof,"  Ezek.  22:  25. 
All  may  find  a  place  in  their  sect  who 
will  but  keep  their  ceremonies  and  acknowl- 
edge them  to  be  the  true  preachers  and 


messengers  no  matter  what  kind  of  life  they 
lead  if  they  but  steer  clear  of  falling  into 
the  hands  of  the  execu.tioner.  No  drunk- 
ard, no  avaricious  or  pompous  person,  no 
defiler  of  women,  no  cheat  or  liar,  no  thief, 
robber  or  shedder  of  blood  (imderstand,  by 
going  to  war),  no  cui'ser  or  swearer  so 
great  and  ungodly  but  he  must  be  called  a 
christian.  If  he  but  say,  I  am  sorry.  It  is 
all  ascribed  to  his  weakness  and  he  is  admit- 
ted to  their  supper;  for,  say  they,  he  is 
saved  by  grace  and  not  by  merits.  He  re- 
mains a  member  of  their  church  notwith- 
standing he  remains  in  all  his  doings  an 
unrepentant,obdurateandungodly  heathen; 
to-day  as  yesterday;  also,  to-morrow  as  to- 
day notwithstanding  the  Scripture  so  plain- 
ly testifies  that  such  shall  not  inherit  the 
kingdom  of  God,  Rom.  1:  32;  1  Cor.  G:  10; 
for  they  are  of  the  devil,  Jn.  8:  44;  1  Jn. 
2:11. 

O,  preachers,  preachers  !  learn  once  to  ' 
know  your  own  sect  and  conspirators,  we 
pray  you.  for  Christ's  sake.  You  boast 
that  you  are  the  true,  christian  church,  but 
we  fear  you  are  a  new  Sodom,  Egypt  and 
Babylon.  Oh !  oh  !  !  For  many  years  we 
have  drank  from  the  same  goblet  with  you 
and  walked  in  the  same  Spirit;  we  have  re- 
ceived one  crisma  and  anointment  with  you, 
we  know  very  well;  but  we  have  received 
mercy,  and  spewed  out  the  inhaled  abomi- 
nation and  willingly  entered  into  the  love- 
ly communion  of  his  saints,  into  the  house, 
kingdom  and  body  of  Christ;  who  hate  all 
ungodliness  and  sinfulness,  and  with  all 
their  strength,  strive  after  and  desire  right- 
eousness and  godliness.  Although  they  are 
called  by  you  and  all  the  world  an  ungod- 
ly sect  and  conspirators,  yet,  they  are 
peaceable  and  joyoirs  in  spirit,  and  are  as- 
sured in  their  consciences  that  truth  is  on 
their  side;  and  that  they  are  not  an  ungod- 
ly sect  and  conspirators,  but  God's  own  pe- 
culiar people,  church  and  body,  1  Cor. 
12:  13;  Eph.  1:5;  Col.  1:  18;  1  Pet.  2:  10. 
0  Lord,  how  lamentably  thy  small  flock  is 
ever  slandered!  Rom.  12:4;  Eph.  1:23; 
5:  27. 

I  Reply  to  the  slander  and  false  charge. 
Murderers  of  the  souls  of  Infants.  In  the 
same  manner  we  must  often  hear  from  these 
poor,  blind  people  who  seek  the  salvation 


318 


A  HUMBLE  AND  CHKliSTIAN  DEFENSE. 


of  their  children  in  the  baptism  of  their 
preachers,  that  we  murder  the  souls  of  our 
infants,  because  we  believe  the  word  of  the 
Lord  that  the  kingdom  is  promised  them 
by  grace,  by  the  election  of  God  our  heav- 
enly Father  through  the  merits  of  Jesus 
Christ,  as  he  says,  "Suffer  little  children 
and  forbid  them  not,  to  come  unto  me;  for 
of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven,"  Matt. 
19:  14;  Mark  10;  14;  Luke  18:  16;  and  that 
we  therefoi-e  do  not  sutfer  to  have  them  bap- 
tized with  the  baptism  of  anti-christ.  For 
not  the  baptism  of  anti-christ  but  the  prom- 
ise of  Jesus  Christ  assures  us  of  the  salva- 
tion of  our  little  children  if  they  die  and 
depart  from  here.  But  if  the  good  Father 
suffer  them  to  grow  up  and  grant  them  his 
grace,  then  we  Avould  educate  them  in  the 
instruction  and  fear  of  the  Lord  as  much  as 
we  are  able.  "When  they  can  understand 
God's  word  and  believe  it,  the  Scripture 
directs  them  to  be  baptized,  Matt.  28:  19; 
Mark  16:  16.  But  those  who  practice  siich 
manifest  hypocrisy  and  anti-christian 
works,  banish  the  devil  from  the  innocent 
vessels  which  are  cleansed  with  the  blood 
of  the  Lord;  they  conjure,  salt,  anoint,  and 
consecrate  them,  baptize  them  on  the  faith 
of  others,  while  they  find  not  a  single  com- 
mandment to  practice  such  llunmiery  and 
mockery,  in  all  the  Scriptures. 

The  parents  console  themselves  with  the 
thought  that  they  are  now  christians;  and 
thus  they  are,  from  the  cradle  on,  raised  in 
all  manner  of  blindness,  pomp,  splendor 
and  idolatry,  without  the  fear  of  God,  so 
that  when  they  become  of  understanding 
age  they  have  no  information  of  the  word 
of  God,  and  walk  all  their  lives,  trusting 
in  infant  baptism,  upon  a  crooked  and  dark 
way,  without  confession,  faith  and  new 
birth,  without  Spirit,  word  and  Christ. 
"What  such  do  to  the  souls  of  their  little 
children  I  will  leave  to  their  own  consider- 
ation and  to  the  sentence  of  the  word  of  the 
Lord. 

Reply  to  tJie  hase  cliarge  of  heing  Ana- 
Ijaptists.  \^e  must  also  be  callecl  anabap- 
tists by  the  learned,  because  we  baptize  at 
the  confession  of  faith,  as  Christ  command- 
ed his  disciples  to  do,  and  as  the  holy  apos- 
tles taught  and  practiced,  as  did  also  the 
worthy  martyr  Cyprian,  all  of  the  African 


I  bishops;  and  besides,  because  we,  with  the 
\  Nicene  Council,  cannot  accept  the  heretical 
baptism  which  is  of  anti-christ,  as  christian 
■  baptism;  and  because  we  are  also  informed 
'  by  the  Scriptures  that  St.  Paul  rebaptized 
some  of  those  who  were  baptized  with  the 
baptism  of  John  which  was  from  heaven, 
because  they  did  not  acknowledge  the  Holy 
Ghost,  Acts  19:  3.    Inasmuch  as  we  but 
baptize  according  to  the  command  of  Christ 
and  according  to  the  teaching  and  practice 
I  of  the  holy  apostles;  nor  do  any  more  than 
\  Cyprian  did,  together  with  the  council  of 
\  Carthage  and  Nice,  in  this  matter  (although 
!  we  acknowledge  that  we  do  not  believe  in 
all  their  doctrine);   and,  inasmuch  as  we 
j  rebaptize  those  who  are  not  baptized  with 
a  divine  baptism  (as  were  those  who  were 
baptized  of  John),  but  with  the  baptism  of 
anti-christ,  and  had  at  the  time   of  their 
baptism  no  knowledge  of  divine  matters, 
as  both  nature  and  the  Scriptures  teach, 
since  they  were  yet  unconscious   infants, 
and  as  we  are  for  this  reason  called  ana- 
baptists by  the  learned;  therefore,  indeed, 
Christ  and  his  apostles,  Cyprian  and  his 
bishops,  the  Nicene  Council,  the  holy  apos- 
tle Paul  also  must  have  been  an  anabap- 
tist.    This  is  incontrovertible. 

Bephj  to  tlie  Mind  cliarge  that  we  arepro- 
'faneis  of  tJie  Sacraments.  Again,  some  of 
!  the  learned,  also,  call  i;s  profaners  of  the 
j  sacraments,  because  we  do  not  believe  that 
;  the  bread  and  wine  of  their  Supper  is  the 
actual,  real  llesh  and  blood  of  the  Lord;  or, 
as  some  have  it,  because  we  do  not  believe 
that  we,  through  the  wine  and  bread,  actu- 
ally partake  of  the  llesh  and  blood  of  the 
Lord;  notwithstanding  that  we  reverential- 
ly administer  the  supper  to  the  penitent 
(as  far  as  man  can  judge),  as  a  figurative 
or  sacramental  sign,  with  fear  and  trem- 
bling, also  with  thanksgiving  and  joy,  ac- 
cording to  tlie  Scripture  and  according  to 
the  practice  of  the  fathers,  such  as  Gregory, 
Augustin,  Chrisostom,  Tertullian,  Tyrill, 
Eusebius,  &c.,  and,  in  our  weakness,  dili- 
gently strive  rightly  to  commemorate  and 
fulfill  the  holy,  glorious  mystery,  the  Lord's 
death,  love,  peace  and  the  unity  of  his 
church  and  the  communion  of  his  holy  flesh 
and  blood  which  by  this  sign  of  bread  and 
wine  are  symbolized  to  all  true  christians. 


A  HUMBLE  AND  CHRISTIAN  DEFENSE. 


319 


The  poor  slanderers  do  not  observe  how 
fearfully  they  profane  the  sacraments  of 
the  Lord,  if  we  call  those  sacraments,  which 
they  administer.  Although  they  believe 
that  they  distribute  the  actual  flesh  and 
blood  of  the  Lord,  they  yet  esteem  it  so 
trilling  that  they  distribute  it  to  known 
drunkards,  avaricious,  liars,  impenitent, 
&c.,  as  if  the  Lord's  Supper  were  to  be  par- 
taken of  by  the  penitent  and  impenitent 
alike.  Whether  this  is  not  profaning  the 
sacraments  you  may  judge  according  to 
the  Scriptures. 

Reply  to  the  pliarisaic  cliarge  that  we  are 
possessed  of  the  deml.  AVe  consider  those 
of  the  devil  who  speak  his  words,  who  teach 
falsehood  instead  of  truth.  Gen.  3:  4,  steal 
the  glory  from  God  and  miserably  deceive 
souls.  But  we  trust,  l>y  tlie  grace  of  the 
Lord  (eternal  glory  be  to  God),  that  we  hate 
the  word  of  the  devil  from  our  inmost  hearts ; 
and  that  we  are  very  desirous  for  the  words 
of  eternal  truth,  and  of  the  fruits  of  the 
Spirit,  according  to  the  talent  received, 
which  is  a  decided  proof  that  we  are  not  of 
the  spirit  of  the  devil,  but  of  the  Lord.  For 
if  we  were  of  the  devil,  as  we  are  charged, 
we  would  walk  upon  a  broader  road  and 
be  befriended  by  the  world,  and  not  so  re- 
signedly offer  our  property  and  blood  for 
the  cause  of  the  word  of  the  Lord.  Yet  it 
is  but  just  that  the  disciple  be  not  above 
the  master.  Tbe  Father  of  the  house  him- ' 
self  had  to  hear  that  he  was  of  the  devil, 
Jn.  10:  20;  8:  48.  The  Pharisees  and  Scribes 
must  manifest  their  nature  and  Spirit.  For 
if  they  can  not  stand  with  their  foolish  wis- 
dom before  the  power  and  truth  of  the 
Lord  (for  the  spirit  of  Belial  must  ever 
give  way  to  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord),  they 
break  forth  in  madness,  heap  falsehood 
upon  falsehood,  uj)braid  and  lie  with  all 
their  might,  and  ascribe  it  to  the  devil,  al- 
though their  consciences  testify  that  it  is 
the  Spirit  of  the  Lord.  By  what  kind  of  a 
spirit  such  are  urged  their  words  and  works 
sufficiently  testify. 

Behold,  kind  reader,  here  you  have  our 
reply  to  the  principal  slanderous  charges 
with  which  we  are  greeted  by  our  back- 
biters, opponents  and  persecutors.  With 
such  slander  their  writings  are  filled  and 
their  mouths  overflow.    We  are  pictured  in 


such  colors  (the  Lord  forgive  them)  that  we 
Avill  quite  likely  be  considered  a  perverse, 
ungodly  people,  by  the  great  mass  who 
walk  upon  the  broad  waj^,  so  long  as  the 
world  shall  stand.  O,  perverse  nature !  "  O, 
generation  of  vipers  (says  Christ),  how  can 
ye,  being  evil,  speak  good  things,"  Matt. 
12:  34.  I  fear  that  they  are  members  of  the 
awful  beast  which  arose  from  the  sea, 
which  was  like  unto  a  leopard,  whose  feet 
were  as  the  feet  of  a  bear  and  whose  mouth 
as  the  mouth  of  a  lion;  and  which  opened 
his  mouth  to  blaspheme  the  name  of  God 
and  his  tabernacle,  and  them  that  dwell  in 
heaven,  Rev.  13:  2,  6.  For  what  is  there 
which  is  holy  and  right  according  to  the 
Scripture  which  they  do  not  trample  with 
their  feet  and  blaspheme,  witli  their  mouth 
as  an  ungodly,  accursed  abomination  'I  O, 
dear  Lord,  save  all  Vaj  beloved  children 
from  this  Ij'ing,  deceiving  generation,  for- 
ever ! 

Eighthly  and  lastly,  they  say,  "Well,  it'  truth  is  on 
their  side,  let  them  come  before  the  public. 

Answer.  We  would  faithfully  admonish 
the  reader  to  consider  well  from  what  mo- 
tive and  with  what  intention  they  say  so. 
For  most  of  them  say  so  from  motives  of 
mere  envy  and  blood-thirstiness,  we  are 
sure,  thinking  that  if  we  would  do  so  it 
would  soon  be  brought  to  an  end.  Others, 
perhaps,  through  simpleness  and  igno- 
rance; thinking  that  we  cannot  defend  it 
by  virtue  of  the  Scripture,  since  Christ  and 
his  apostles,  as  also  the  prophets,  general- 
ly preached  in  public  before  the  people, 
and  were  also  sent  for  that  purpose.  To 
those  that  do  so  from  motives  of  blood- 
thirstiness,  we  would  say  that  the}',  with 
the  Pharisees  and  Scribes,  have  burdened 
themselves  with  the  blood  of  the  innocent; 
and  are  counted  as  murderers.  Matt.  23:  34; 
Jn.  10:16;  Luke  11:  49. 

But  to  those  who  do  so  through  ignorance 
(if  there  be  such,  which  we  hoj^e  there  maj^ 
be),  we  would  say  in  all  love,  diligently  to 
search  all  the  Scriptures  to  see  if  they  will 
find  any  passages  to  show  that  the  apostles 
and  prophets  went  forth  publicly  to  preach 
when  they  were  sure,  beforehand,  that  it 
would  cost  them  their  lives,  as  we  know  to 
be  the  case  if  we  would  publicly  go  forth. 
No,  no.    If  I  mind  aright,  they  ever  avoided 


320 


A  HUMBLE  AND  CHRlSTI^iN  DEFENSE. 


the  places  and  cities  wliicli  they  were  sure 
would  seek  their  lives;  or  else  they  kept 
themselves  concealed,  as  did  Baruch  and 
Jeremiah,  when  king  Joachim  had  com- 
manded that  they  should  be  taken,  Jer. 
36:  19. 

They  have  all  feared  death  and  fled  from 
it  however  much  they  were  gifted  with  the 
Spirit  of  the  Lord.  "Moses  cried  unto  the 
Lord,  saying,  AVhat  shall  I  do  nnto  this 
people?  they  be  almost  ready  to  stone  me," 
Exod.  17:  4. 

Jeremiah  says,  "  O  my  lord  the  king,  let 
my  supplication.  I  pray  thee,  be  accejited 
before  thee;  that  thou  cause  me  not  to  re- 
turn to  the  house  of  Jonathan  the  scribe, 
lest  I  die  there,"  Jer.  37:  20. 

David  fled  before  Saul  from  one  mount- 
ain to  the  other,  and  from  one  wilderness 
to  another. 

Urijah  of  Kirjath-jearim,  a  prophet  of  the 
Lord,  fled  from  before  the  sword  of  the  king 
of  Judah,  into  the  land  of  Egypt,  Jer. 
26:20,21. 

Elijah,  the  spiritual  man  of  God,  fled  to 
the  wilderness,  before  the  threats  of  Jezebel, 
1  Kin.  19 :  3.  From  fear  of  those  of  Nine- 
veh, Jonah  wanted  to  flee  into  Tarshish, 
Jonah  1. 

AYhen  Paul  knew  that  they  were  laying 
in  wait  for  him  he  was  let  down  by  the 
wall  in  a  basket,  by  night.  Acts  9:  24,  25. 

Behold,  kind  reader,  thus  the  exalted 
men  of  God  have  feared  and  avoided  death, 
and  did  not,  generally,  go  where  they  feared 
violence,  until  they  were  admonished  to  do 
BO  by  an  oracle  or  by  a  revelation  from 
angels. 

So  also  Elijah  appeared  before  king 
Ahab,  after  the  long  drought  and  famine, 
1  Kin.  17.  Thus  the  apostles  freely  spoke 
the  word  of  the  Lord  in  the  temple,  after 
they  were  led  from  prison,  by  an  angel, 
Acts  5:  19;  12:  7;  26;  20. 

Thus  Paul  preached  at  Corinth  one  year 
and  a  half  after  the  Lord,  in  a  vision,  spake 
unto  him,  "Be  not  afraid,  but  speak,  and 
hold  not  thy  peace:  For  I  am  with  thee, 
and  no  man  shall  set  on  thee  to  hurt  thee: 
for  I  have  much  people  in  this  city,"  Acts 
18:  9,  10,  and  other  like  Scriptures.  We 
are  aware,  beloved  reader,  that  God  has  the 
power  to  save  his  own,  if  it  be  his  will.  For 


he  smote  the  Syrians  with  blindness,^who 
wanted  to  take  Elislia.  He  sent  Jonas 
through  the  tuibulent  waves,  in  a  whale,  to 
Nineveh.  He  took  from  the  fire  its  power, 
and  shut  the  lions'  mouths.  He  delivered 
the  apostles  by  the  aid  of  angels.  He  is 
the  Lord  who  lives  unchangeable  in  his 
power  and  glory,  2  Kin.  6:  18;  Jonah  1:17; 
Dan.  3:  27;  6:  22;  Acts  12:  11. 

But  as  these  are  particular  miracles  of 
God  which  are  not  shown  to  everj'  one,  and 
as  no  Scriptures  direct  us  to  go  there  where 
we  surely  know  that  we  shall  die  or  be  im- 
prisoned for  life,  but  as  we  are  admonished 
in  plain  words  to  flee  from  the  tyrants;  and 
as  the  faitliful  men  and  seiTants  of  God, 
filled  with  the  Holy  Spirit,  have  done  the 
same,  as  was  said;  therefore  we  simply 
say  (and  that  with  a  good  conscience)  that  we 
will  not  now,  nor  at  any  future  time,  public- 
ly go  forth  unless  it  is  proven  to  us  in  sin- 
cerity of  heart,  by  Scripture  (which  we 
know,  is  impossible),  that  we  should  do  so 
before  we  are  urged  as  were  the  apostles 
and  prophets  by  the  power  of  the  Lord,  be 
it  by  a  revelation  from  angels  or  by  the 
urging  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  as  was  heard. 
But  in  such  a  case  we  are  at  all  times  pre- 
pared to  do  the  will  of  the  Lord,  and  pub- 
licly to  teach  his  holy  word  and  administer 
his  sacraments,  at  the  peril  of  our  lives, 
Matt.  10:  23;  Jer.  1:  7;  Matt.  2:  13;  4:  12. 

It  is  also  well  known  to  the  honorable 
reader,  and  to  all  who  are  acquainted  with 
us,  that  we  are  called  rebels  and  mutineers 
every  where  by  the  learned,  notwithstand- 
ing that  we  are  ever  quiet  and  act  justly 
with  all  mankind;  and,  if  we  now,  should 
publicly  teach  the  word  of  the  Lord  in  the 
face  of  the  upbraidings  of  the  learned,  of 
the  mandates,  of  the  rulers  and  of  the  mad 
cries  of  the  populace,  some  of  them  would 
cry,  rebels !  rebels !  !  although  we  are, 
thank  the  Lord,  clear  of  all  rebellion  and 
bloodshed,  as  has  been  heard. 

Others  would  say,  and  not  unjustly,  that 
we  killed  ourselves  by  unlimited  zeal,  as 
we  were  well  aware  what  was,  in  places,  re- 
solved against  us,  and  we  yet  in  the  face  of 
it  publicly  taught  oiu'  doctrine. 

We  further  desire  the  reasonable  reader 
to  take  into  consideration  that  a  true  teach- 
er who  preaches  the  word  of  the  Lord  un- 


A  HUMBLE  AND  CHRISTIAN  DEFENSE. 


321 


blamably  cannot,  at  the  present  time,  safe- 
ly dwell  in  any  kingdom,  country  or  city 
under  heaven,  so  far  as  our  knowledge  goes, 
if  he  be  known.  If  he  be  not  allowed  to 
dwell  safely,  how  can  he  saff^ly  preach  and 
teach  ? 

Besides,  we  plainly  see  that  the  innocent 
sheep  must  suffer  and  be  led  to  the  slaugh- 
ter though  they  are  no  teachers,  and  should 
the  teachers  then,  who  are  blamed  for  all, 
and  who  with  Christ  are  hated  above  all 
evil-doers,  yet  go  before  the  public  in  these 
mad,  fearful  times  of  all  evil  and  tyranny  ? 
It  would  be  foolishness;  for  to  do  so  is  not 
taught  by  common  sense  nor  by  the  Script- 
ures. I. 

And  although  we  do  not  teach  at  public 
meetings  where  all  classes  assemble,  yet 
the  truth  is  not  kept  silent  but  is  preached 
here  and  there  both  by  day  and  by  night, 
in  cities  and  country,  verbally  and  in  writ- 
ing, at  the  peril  of  life.  This  is  testified  to 
by  judges,  tormentors,  prisons,  fetters,  wa- 
ter, fire,  sword  and  stake. 

Also  must  Flanders,  Brabant,  Holland, 
Gelderland,  &c.,  confess  at  the  last  judg- 
ment that  the  word  was  preached  to  them, 
for  they,  on  accoiint  of  the  word  being 
preached,  have  shed  innocent  blood  like 
water ;  it  is  so  preached  in  these  coimtries 
that  we  may  well  say  with  holy  Paul,  "If 
our  gospel  be  hid,  it  is  hid  to  them  that  are 
lost;  in  whom  the  god  of  this  world  hath 
blinded  the  minds  of  them  which  believe 
not,"  2  Cor.  4:  3,4. 

Besides,  I  have,  aboiit  the  year  1545  or 
1546,  asked  of  the  preachers  of  Bon  a  pub- 
lic meeting  and  discussion,  under  bishop 
Herman  of  Cologne,  on  condition  of  safe 
conduct. 

I  have  also  twice  asked  this  in  writing 
of  those  of  Emden,  and  once  of  those  of 
Wesel,  on  the  same  condition. 

But,  although  those  of  Bon,  and  also 
those  of  Wesel  had  offered  this  to  some  of 
the  brethren,  still,  when  they  found  that  I 
was  wiUing  to  do  so,  it  was,  under  a  false 
pretense  of  necessity,  refused  by  those  of 
Bon  as  also  by  those  of  Emden. 

Those  of  Wesel  wished  that  the  devil 
might  treat  with  me. 

Again,  I  have  also  offered  to  discuss  with 

77 


them  for  many  years,  in  print;  but  it  was 
not  accepted. 

Behold,  kind  reader,  tims  we  have  from 
the  beginning  of  our  service,  been  prepared 
and  ready  to  give  an  account  of  our  faith 
to  every  person  who  desired  it  in  good 
faith,  no  matter  whether  he  were  ruler  or 
citizen,  learned  or  unlearned,  rich  or  poor, 
man  or  woman.  And  we  are  to-day  ready 
to  do  so  as  far  as  possible;  we  are  not 
ashamed  of  the  gospel  of  the  glory  of  Christ. 
If  one  desire  to  hear  from  us,  we  are  pre- 
pared to  teach;  if  one  desires  to  know  ovir 
foundation,  we  sincerely  desire  to  explain 
it  clearly,  if  our  writings  do  not  suffice.  If 
any  one  desires  to  discuss  with  us,  no  mat- 
ter who  he  be  (except  those  wlio  have  re- 
nounced us  after  scriptural  exhortation 
was  exhausted  in  their  case),  in  siucerity 
of  heart,  the  matter  of  our  faith,  without 
philosophy,  flattery  and  garbling,  and  ac- 
cording to  the  unadulterated,  evangelical 
doctrine  and  truth,  the  commandments, 
prohibitions,  usage,  Spirit  and  example  of 
Christ  and  of  his  disciples,  and  that  with- 
out any  trickery,  deceit  or  roguery,  as  did, 
in  their  time,  Hilarius  and  Augustin  and 
others,  with  some  who  were  suspected  in 
their  doctrine;  we  will  not,  by  the  grace  of 
the  Lord,  refuse  to  do  so,  if  we  possibly  can 
before  a  public  meeting  or  before  twenty  or 
more  impartial,  reasonable  witnesses.  For 
our  most  ardent  desire  is  that  the  truth  may 
be  made  manifest.  But  the  bloody  murder 
of  anti-christ  must  be  omitted;  for  it  is  dev- 
ilish and  unbecoming  in  a  christian,  Rev. 
17:  18;  Jn.  8:44. 

Inasmuch  as  our  adversaries  and  oppo- 
nents make  our  life  and  doctrine  suspicious 
with  many,  by  saying,  that  if  truth  be  on 
our  side  we  should  come  out  in  public  (al- 
though they  say  so  out  of  mere  vindictive- 
ness  for  they  know  very  well  that  we  can 
not  do  so,  as  there  are  tyrants  and  blood- 
shedders  every  where,  as  may  be  seen); 
therefore  we  give  them  this  discreet  answer. 

Further,  I  would  say,  that  if  the  truth  be 
on  the  side  of  our  opponents  and  not  with 
us,  as  they  claim,  and,  as  they  can  freely 
go  abroad  before  the  whole  world  (under- 
stand each  sect  in  its  way)  to  preach  their 
doctrine,  faith  and  life ;  and,  as  we  have  to 
be  subjected  daily  to  suffering   and   tor- 


322 


CONCLUSION. 


ture  tliey  should,  therefore,  show  enough 
of  reason  and  love  toward  us,  poor  creat- 
ures, to  obtain  liberty  for  us  from  the  mag- 
istracy whom  they  have,  by  their  crying 
and  slander  against  us,  caused  to  be  so 
bitterly  opposed  to  us  (something  which  does 
not  become  reasonable  men,  not  to  say 
christians),  that  we  may  thus,  in  their  pres- 
ence, before  a  public  assembly  or  before 
twenty  or  more  impartial,  reasonable  wit- 
nesses, as  was  said  before,  cause  our  foun- 
dation, doctrine  and  faith  to  be  heard  and 
explained  according  to  the  sure  and  true 
testimony  of  the  Holy  Scriptm-es.  If  thej^, 
then,  have  any  thing  to  advance  against 
our  foundation,  doctrine  and  faith,  let  them 
do  so  in  the  name  of  the  Lord.  Truth  shall 
bear  the  crown.  If  not,  let  them  lay  their 
hands  upon  their  mouths  and  keep  silent 
and  never  more  blaspheme  that  which  is 
right  and  just. 

Kind  reader,  if  this  could  be  accomplished 
many  hard  words  would  be  saved;  many 


miserable  souls  which  are  now  kept  by  them 
in  such  accursed  l)lindness,  would  be  deliver- 
edfrom  the  snares  of  hell;  and  the  noble,  glo- 
rious truth,  now  so  very  much  hated  and 
despised  by  the  world,  would  be  made  man- 
ifest in  splendor  and  beauty.  But  so  much 
discretion  has  not  lieen  found  up  to  the 
present  time. 

As  we  are  not  allowed  a  public  discussion, 
in  a  christian  manner,  as  we  have  anxious- 
ly, and  at  different  times  asked  of  them, 
and  as  the  ignorant  and  unversed  yet  cry. 
If  tliey  he  rigid  loliy  do  they  not  come  out 
publicly;  therefore  we  will  leave  it  to  the 
consideration  and  judgment  of  the  intelli- 
gent reader,  from  what  motives  they  thus 
cry;  what  kind  of  faith,  love,  gospel  and 
truth  they  have,  and  by  what  kind  of  a 
spirit  they  are  urged.  For,  whosoever  has 
the  truth  will  never  come  to  shame;  for 
truth  is  great,  stronger  than  wine, 
and  women. 


kings 


COIiCLUSIO^. 


Here,  dear  reader,  you  have  our  defense 
and  discreet  reply  to  the  bitter,  envious 
falsehoods  and  slanders  of  our  enviers  by 
which  we  will  live  or  die,  and  appear  before 
our  God  at  the  judgment  day,  for  which, 
perhaps,  I  shall  not  be  thanked  by  many. 
Yet,  since  they,  on  every  hand,  by  such  in- 
human falsehoods  and  slanders,  rob  us  of 
our  honor  and  reputation;  so  lamentably 
adulterate  and  suppress  the  precious,  wor- 
thy word  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  main- 
tain and  uphold  all  the  earth  in  their  im- 
penitent, ungodly  being  and  cause  so  much 
misery  to  many  a  pious  child;  therefore  we 
have  written  this  in  this  emergency  as  a 
reasonable  defense  and  christian  reply  of 
all  pious  and  godfearing  persons,  that 
thereby  all  intelligent  and  reasonable  read- 
ers, who  cannot  hear  our  verbal  defense, 
may  rightly  judge  between  us  and  our  op- 
ponents, may  see  the  innocence  of  us  all, 
and  may  learn  to  confess  the  poor,  despised 
truth  which  is  so  lamentably  stolen  from 
them  by  theii-  preachers;    and  we  would 


herewith  place  in  the  hands  of  the  Lord, 
this  and  all  other  shameful  charges  and 
accusations  which  are  so  enviously  pub- 
lished against  us,  and  leave  them  to  his 
last  judgment. 

They  may  prove  the  nature  of  their  fa- 
ther and  till  the  measure  of  their  blood- 
thirstiness,  for  they  will  not  do  otherwise. 
We  trust,  by  the  grace  of  the  Lord,  to  pos- 
sess our  souls  in  patience,  and  not  turn  our 
faces  from  the  spies  until  the  coming  of 
him  who  shall  come.  Then  shall  they  see 
him  whom  they  have  pierced,  Rev.  1.  And 
I  would  herewith  sincerely  pray  the  readers 
and  auditors,  be  their  station  high  or  low, 
learned  or  unlearned,  for  Christ's  sake  to 
accept  this  my  labor  in  love  and  to  rightly 
interpret  it;  for  I  have  performed  it  for  no 
other  pvirpose  than  to  the  praise  of  my  God 
and  to  the  service  of  all  well-disposed  per- 
sons; and  with  the  intention  that  the  rulers 
(I  mean  those  who  are  reasonably  minded, 
and  would  not  willfully  act  contrary  to  the 
will  of  God)  may  be  warned  against  pro- 


CONCLUSION. 


323 


tecting  this  ungodly  state  of  affairs  and 
against  heaping  upon  themselves  the  inno- 
cent [blood,  that  the  preachers  who  err  un- 
wittingly may  no  longer  serve  and  protect 
the  kingdom  of  hell  by  their  falsehood, 
slander,  upbraiding,  ungodly  doctrine,  sac- 
raments and  lives ;  that  the  common  people 
may  place  their  trust  in  the  word  of  the 
Lord,  seek  the  right  way,  fear  the  Lord, 
die  unto  their  sins  and  reform  their  sinful 
life. 

Cordially  beloved  reader,  be  not  repulsed 
if  it  should  taste  bitter  to  your  flesh.  Be- 
hold, in  Christ,  it  is  the  truth,  to  which  we 
have  here  testified;  nor  will  there  ever  be 
found  any  other  foundation,  doctrine,  way, 
light  and  truth. 

Therefore  I  desire  that  it  be  not  kept  hid 
from  any  reasonable  persons;  but  that  it 
may  be  read  by  or  to  every  one,  no  matter 
who  or  where  they  be,  if  it  might  be  of  use 
to  them,  and  they  be  not  intent  upon  the 
corruption  or  blood  of  any  one,  that  there- 
by the  saving  truth  of  Jesus  Christ  may  be 


extended  and  the    accursed  falsehood  of 
anti-christ  be  destroyed. 

May  the  Almighty,  eternal  Father,  the 
Creator'of  all  things,  the  God  of  heaven  and 
of  earth,  grant  all  my  hearers  and  readers 
the  heavenly  gift  and  power  of  his  Holy 
Spirit  that  they  may  hear  and  read  this  my 
humble  treatise  in  the  true  fear  of  God,  and 
with  pure,  impartial  hearts,  may  wisely 
examine,  well  understand  and  accept  it 
with  true  faith,  and  humbly  fulfill  it  in  will- 
ing obedience,  to  the  praise  of  their  God 
and  the  salvation  of  theii"  souls,  by  his  be- 
loved Son  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  To  him 
be  the  honor,  praise,  kingdom,  power  and 
glory  for  ever  and  ever.  Amen. 

"Lying  lips  are  abomination  to  the  Lord: 
but  they  that  deal  truly  are  his  delight," 
Prov.  13:22;  6:17. 

"Devise  not  a  lie  against  thy  brother: 
neither  do  the  like  to  thy  friend.  Use  not  to 
make  any  manner  of  lie:  for  the  custom 
thereof  is  not  good,"  Eccl.  7: 12,  13. 

MENNO  SIMON. 


A 


BRIEF  AND  CLEAR  CONFESSION 


AND 


CRIP 


FIRST, 

OF  THE  INCARNATION  OF  OUR  BELOVED  LORD  JESUS  CHRIST. 

SECONDLY, 

HOAV  BOTH  THE  TEACHERS  AND  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST  SHOULD  BE 
MINDED  ACCORDING  TO  THE  SCRIPTURES. 

"WEITTEN   TO 

John  Alasco  and  his  Fellow-laborers  at  Emden. 

J^.  ID.,  1544. 


BY 


MENNO   SIMON. 


"  If  ye  coutiuue  iu  my  word,  then  arc  ye  my  disciples  indeed ;  and  ye  shall  know  the 
truth,  and  the  truth  shall  make  you  free,"  Jn.  8  :  31,  33. 

"For  other  foundation  can  no  man  lay  than  that  is  laid,  which  is  Jesus  Christ," 
1  Cor.  3:  11. 


ELKHART,  BNPIANA: 

PUBLISHED  BY  JOHN  F.  FUNK  AND  BROTHER. 

18  7  1, 


PREFACE. 


Menno  Simon  toislies  the  harncd  John  A'Lasco  and  It  is  fellows,  and  to  all  tJie  peo2)le 
of  East  Frieslaml,  ofwliatever  class  or  condition  in  life  they  he,  true  faith,  true  light  and 
Jinoicledge,  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  lovely  fear  and  pure  love  of  the  Lord,  an  vublamahle  life 
and  tJie  eternal  life  of  God  our  heavenly  Father,  through  Jesus  Christ,  his  beloved  Son, 
our  Lord,  loho  has  loved  us  and  toasJied  its  in  his  Mood.  To  Jdmhe  the  glory,  honor, 
praise,  iciiigdom,  poicer  and  majesty  for  ever  and  ever,  Amen. 


Beloved  Mends  and  brethren,  as  I,  in 
tlie  latter  part  of  the  fii-st  month  of  the  year 
1543,  met  you  at  Emden  to  discnss  with  you 
for  three  or  four  days,  the  disputed  articles  of 
our  faith  and  religion,  for  which  purpose  I 
Avas  invited  to  come,  by  writing;  first,  the 
incarnation  of  our  beloved  Lord  Jesus 
Chi-ist,  to  which,  you  well  know,  you  forced 
me  against  my  will;  secondly,  infant  bap- 
tism. Not  agreeing  in  this,  you  let  me 
depart  in  peace  at  our  separation,  desiring 
however,  that  I  should  send  to  you,  by  U. 
L.,  the  foundation  of  my  faith,  which  I  had 
compiled  in  writing,  inside  of  a  stipulated 
period,  which  was  three  months,  so  that 
you  might  thus  show  to  your  god-called 
rulers,  our  faith,  diligence,  desire,  seeking 
and  life  (which,  however,  is  very  weak); 
upon  what  foundation,  Scriptui'es  and  rea- 
sons our  intended  doctrine,  faith  and  life 
was  founded.  I  hope  and  trust,  by  the 
grace  of  the  Lord,  that  yow  have  desired 
and  required  this  of  me  without  any  malice 
or  bad  intention. 

Therefore  I  have  promised  to  fulfill  your 
kind  bidding  and  desire,  rejoiced  in  spirit; 
because  also  through  U.  L.,  oui"  faith,  doc- 
trine and  life  could  be  best  explained  to 
those  of  high,  social  standing,  to  whose  care 
the  carnal  sword  was  entrusted,  and  thus 
the  suspicion  be  destroyed  which  is  held 
against  us  by  the  pernicious  uproar  and 
shameful  doctrine  and  practice  of  the  false 


prophets,  who,  under  a  holy  semblance, ever 
creep  into  society  to  the  hindrance  of  the  wise 
and  intelligent;  as  before  God,  who  knows 
our  hearts,  we  are  certainly  clear  of  all  their 
abominable  doctrine,  uproar,  mutiny ,blood- 
shed,  polygamy  and  the  like  abominations. 
Yea,  Ave  hate,  and  with  sincere  affection 
fight  against  them  as  acknowledged  heresy; 
as  snares  to  the  conscience;  as  deceit,  se- 
duction and  fraud,  and  as  pestilential  doc- 
trine, accursed  by  all  divine  Scripture.  For 
hoAv  should  the  true  brethren  and  sisters  of 
Jesus  Christ,  the  well-disposed  children  of 
God,  AA'ho,  with  Christ  Jesus,  are  born  of 
God  the  Father,  and  the  powerful  seed  of 
the  divine  word  in  Christ  Jesus;  regenera- 
ted by  Christ,  partake  of  his  Spirit  and  nat- 
ure, conform  unto  him,  are  christian  and 
heavenly  minded,  teach  rfebellion  of  any 
kind?  inasmuch  as  they  are  ever  prepared, 
according  to  the  measure  of  their  faith,  to 
do  the  will  of  the  eternal  Prince  of  peace, 
who  has  taught  his  disciples  nothing  but 
patience  and  eternal  peace,  saying,  "Peace 
I  leave  Avith  you,  my  peace  I  give  unto  you," 
Jn.  14  :  27.  Again,  "Peace  be  with  you." 
For  his  kingdom  is  a  kingdom  of  love,  of 
unity,  of  peace,  and  of  reformation;  and 
not  of  hatred,  rebellion,  blood,  disquiet 
and  destruction.  Again,  In  peace  we  are 
called  of  God;  peace  should  rule  in  our 
hearts  to  him  by  whom  we  are  called.  Again, 
Blessed  are  the  peace-makers.    Paul  saye, 


PREFACE. 


327 


"The  God  of  hope  fill  you  with  all  joy  and 
peace  in  believing,"  Rom.  15  :  13.  I  am 
aware,  kind  reader,  that  the  cited  Script- 
ures have,  for  the  most  part,  reference  to 
the  inward  peace,  which  comes  throngh 
Christ;  yet,  whoever  has  this  inward,  chris- 
tian peace  in  his  heart  will  nevermore  Ije 
,  found  guilty,  before  God  and  the  world,  of 
rebellion,  treason,  mutiny,  murder,  robbery 
or  such  unbecoming  acts.  For  the  Spirit  of 
Christ  whicli  is  in  him  seeks  no  evil,  but 
good;  no  destruction,  but  healing;  no  cor- 
ruption, but  assistance;  seeks  to  live  every- 
where in  peace  with  all  mankind,  as  far  as 
possible.  He  follows  "peace  with  all  men, 
and  holint>ss,  without  which  no  man  can 
see  the  Lord,"  Ileb.  12: 14;  Jn.  14: 17;  21 :  15; 
Rom.  14:  11);  1  Cor.  7:  15;  Col.  3: 15;  Matt. 
5:  9;  Rom.  15:  13. 

Behold,  beloved  friends  and  brethren,  by 
these  and  other  Scriptures  we  are  taught 
and  warned  not  to  take  up  the  literal  sword, 
nor  ever  to  give  our  consent  thereto,  JExcepto 
ordinario  potestatis  gladio,  indeiitwm  usum 
verso;  but  to  take  up  the  two-edged,  power- 
ful, sharp  sword  of  the  Spirit,  which  goes 
forth  from  the  moiith  of  the  Lord,  namely, 
the  word  of  God.  By  this  we  intend  to 
destroy  the  kingdom  of  satan,  constrain 
all  the  world  to  regeneration  and  salvation 
and  bruise,  crush  and  pierce  all  petrified 
and  obdurate  hearts.  Desiring,  I  say,  by 
the  grace,  Spirit  and  power  of  the  Lord, 
therewith  to  circumcise  all  flesh,  high,  low, 
rich,  poor,  learned  or  unlearned,  of  all  pride, 
vain  show,  pomp,  avarice, usury ,  smuggling, 
lies,  deceit,  robbery,  shedding  of  innocent 
blood,  hatred,  envy,  adultery,  fornication, 
unchastity,  unnatural  desires,  gluttony, 
wine  -  bibbing,  drunkenness,  debauchery, 
cursing  and  swearing,  blindness,  vanity, 
and  of  the  fearful,  unliecoming  idolatry; 
that  all  of  them,  no  matter  who  they  be, 
by  the  pure  fear  of  the  Lord,  of  whom  comes 
the  sure  knowledge  of  the  judgment  of  God, 
become  fust  inwai'dly  humble  before  him, 
and  then,  by  the  sure  knowledge  of  his 
blessings,  so  abundantly  shown  to  us,  be 
refreshed  and  consoled  by  Christ  Jesus,  and 
thus  willingly  renounce,  by  the  power  of 
their  faith,  working  by  love,  their  own  wis- 
dom, intelligence,  philosophy,  sophistry, 
unwillingness,   sloth,   evil    lusts,  unbelief, 


disobedience  and  the  very  erroneous,  car- 
nal, mad  life  of  this  world,  and  enter  into 
all  divine  wisdom,  trutli,  love,  zeal  and 
soberness;  the  true  saci'aments  and  true 
religion,  in  full  obedience  to  God  and  Christ 
and  in  all  the  christian  fruits  which  flow 
from  a  ])ure  heart,  good  conscience  and 
unfeigned  faith.  Tit.  2^:  7;  1  Pet.  1 :  23;  Eph. 
6:  7;  Heb.  4:  12;  Rev.  1:  IG;  19:  15. 

Tims  we  do  not  contend  with  carnal,  but 
with  spiritual  weapons,  patience  and  with 
the  word  of  the  Lord,  against  all  flesh, 
world  and  devil,  trusting  in  Christ.  Nor 
shall  there  ever  be  found  other  weapons 
with  us.  Therefore,  be  not  afraid  of  us 
(behold,  in  Christ  Jesus  I  lie  not);  for  we 
do  not  desire  your  destruction,  but  your 
regeneration;  not  your  condemnation,  but 
3'"onr  everlasting  salvation;  not  your  flesh 
and  blood,  but  your  spirit  and  soitI;  oh  ac- 
count of  which  I  have  these  seven  years 
suffered  and  yet  suffer  slander  and  scorU; 
anxiety,  suspension,  persecution,  and  great 
peril  of  being  imprisoned. 

The  more  the  word  of  the  Lord  is  extended, 
by  the  grace  of  God,  to  the  reformation  of 
some  persons,  who,  however,  are  few,  the 
more  hatred  and  bitterness  increases  against 
me;  so  that  up  to  this  hour  I  could  not 
find,  in  all  the  country,  where,  alas,  the 
mere  boasting  of  the  divine  word  is  a  great 
deal  more  plenty  than  the  fear  of  God,  a 
cabin,  or  hut  (blessed  be  the  Lord)  in 
which  my  wife  and  little  children  can  safe- 
ly sojourn  for  a  year  or  two.  O,  crael,  un- 
merciful christians  !  O,  that  all  magistrates 
and  princes,  as  also  all  the  wise  and  learned 
knew  the  seeking,  intention  and  desire  of 
my  heart,  as  also  of  my  beloved  brethren 
who,  by  the  grace.  Spirit  and  word  of  God, 
are  converted  into  a  new  spirit  or  new  birth  ! 
If  they  rightly  understood  our  teaching  how 
soon  their  hearts  and  minds  would  be 
changed  into  a  different  sense !  But  as  all 
of  them,  with  but  few  exceptions,  are  noth- 
ing but  earth  and  flesh  and  not  gifted  with 
the  Spirit  of  Christ;  therefore,  alas,  we  hear 
nothing  from  them  but  upbraiding  and 
slander,  can  expect  nothing  from  them  (I 
mean  the  evil-disposed)  but  the  stake,  wa- 
ter, tire,  wheel  and  sword,  as  a  reward  of 
gratitude,  that  we  have  sought  and  yet  seek 
our  conversion,  salvation  and  eternal  life, 


328 


PREFACE. 


and  that  of  the  whole  world,  with  such  dili- 
gence, solicitude,  pains  and  labor  from  our 
inmost  heart.  For  I  strive  after  nothing, 
of  which  God  is  my  witness,  but  that  the 
God  of  heaven  and  of  earth,  through  his 
blessed  Son,  Jesus  Christ  may  have  the 
glory  and  praise  of  his  blessed  word;  that 
all  men  may  be  saved;  and  that  they  may 
awaken  in  this  convenient  time  of  grace, 
from  their  profound  sleep  of  sinfulness; 
that  they  may  lay  by  all  adhering  sin  and 
the  damnable  works  of  darkness;  that  they 
may  put  on  the  armor  of  light,  that  they 
may  thus  become,  with  us  l)y  true  penance, 
faith,  baptism,  Supper,  ban  or  separation, 
love,  obedience  and  true  life,  one  holy,  chris- 
tian church  and  body  in  Christ  Jesus. 
Something  which  the  whole  world  to-day 
yet  opposes  with  all  its  strength  with  both 
shoulders  and  horns;  not  being  willing  that 
Christ  Jesus,  forever  blessed,  shall  reign 
over  them.  Yea,  they  persecute,  banish, 
burn,  murder,  and  destroy  all  those  who 
willingly  teach  and  uphold  the  glory, 
praise,  honor,  will  and  commandments  of 
the  Lord.  De  his  satis,  Heb.  12:  15;  Rom. 
13:  11;  Heb.  12:  2;  Rom.  13:  12;  Luke  3:  3; 
Matt.  3  :  1;  28  :  19;  Mark  16  :  1.5;  Acts  2; 
Matt.  18:17;  1  Cor.  .5:5;  2  Thess.  3;  1 
Tim.  1:20;  Luke  19:47. 

Inasmuch  as  I  do  youi"  kind  bidding  in 
this  matter  by  brieily  compiling  in  writing 
my  doctrine,  faith  and  seeking,  as  I  did 
before,  verbally,  which  I  am  ever  prepared 
to  do  to  all  mankind,  according  to  the  doc- 
trine of  Peter,  as  was  said  above,  therefore 
I  desire  of  you,  so  dear  as  Christ  is  to  you, 
that  you  do  not  look  upon  this  my  confes- 
sion, which  is  the  word  of  God,  with  carnal, 
blind  eyes,  as  the  mad,  unintelligent  world 
do  who  want  to  have  all  things  taught  ac- 
cording to  their  own  fancy  and  will,  under 
the  name  of  clmstianity;  that  you  will  not 
measure  and  judge  according  to  the  carnal 
way,  as  with  logical  questions  and  other 
like  human  wisdom ;  but  that  you  will  look 
at  and  judge  it  according  to  the  word  and 
truth  of  the  Lord,  as  those  would  who  un- 
derstand spiritual  matters,  as  unblamable, 
regenerated  christians  who  are  full  of  the 
knowledge,  love  and  fear  of  God;  are 
urged  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  do  not  seek 
human  favor,  praise  and  honor,  seK  and 


carnal  welfare,  but  alone  the  honor  and 
glory  of  God,  and  the  eternal  salvation  of 
their  brethren.  For  such,  alone,  can  judge 
of  spiritiaal  matters;  and  not  the  carnal 
minded,  1  Cor.  14:  29.  The  Spirit  of  God 
teaches,  judges  and  understands  all  things. 
Paul  says,  "What  man  knoweth  the  things 
of  a  man,  save  the  spirit  of  man  which  is 
in  him  ?  even  so  the  things  of  God  knoweth 
no  man  but  the  Spirit  of  God,"  1  Cor.  2:  11. 
Therefore  try  your  intention  and  the  inmost 
of  your  hearts,  as  if  before  God  who  seeth 
all  things.  Search  yourselves  thoroughly 
and  open  your  hearts  before  the  Lord.  In 
case  yon  yet  seek  any  carnal  liberty,  lusts, 
honor  and  profit,  then,  doubtlessly,  your 
judgment  in  spiritual  matters  (especially  as 
regards  the  mere  confession)  will  be  quite 
carnal,  selfish,  i)artial,  unjust  and  false; 
you  will  also  garble  and  pervert  the  plain 
testimony  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  by  logic 
and  false  reasoning,  to  free  yourselves  and 
to  please  the  world.  Beware,  lest  you  do 
so,  and  thus  the  terrible  wrath  of  the  Lord 
come  upon  you.  I  know  why  I  write  this. 
I  am  in  doubt  about  your  sincerity.  Re- 
member what  I  mean.  And  if  your  hearts 
be  sincere,  clean  and  pious  before  God,  as 
I  hope;  and  if  you  actually  are  desirous  of 
the  truth,  then  you  will  confess,  by  the 
grace  of  God,  that  our  humble,  plain  doc- 
trine, faith,  sacraments,  and  the  life  of 
nearly  all,  particularly  the  outward,  un- 
blamable, christian,  evangelical  life,  is  con- 
formable to  the  Spirit  and  word  of  God, 

And  if  God,  by  his  loving  kindness, 
should  grant  that  you  sincerely  acknowl- 
edge it  in  your  inmost  soul  as  being  the  un- 
changeable word  and  will  of  God,  even  as 
the  Spirit  and  power  of  God;  then  I  pray 
you  by  the  precious  blood  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  to  receive  it  in  gladness  and 
gratitude  of  heart  and  let  it  be  examined 
by  your  ordained  rulers  and  by  all  men 
and  let  them  know  what  youi'  heart,  spii-it 
or  conscience  testifies  concerning  our  doc- 
trine, faith,  sacraments  and  lives.  Fear 
not  the  exalted  position  of  any  man,  nor 
despise  his  humbleness.  Go  upon  the  Idng- 
ly  highway  speaking  the  truth  to  all  man- 
kind, with  a  clear  conscience,  lest  you  teach, 
judge  or  testify  contrary  to  your  inward 
understanding,  judgment  and  conviction. 


PREFACE. 


329 


to  your  everlasting  condemnation.  For 
you  are  certainly  tauglit  by  the  word  of  the 
Lord  that  whosoever  speaketh  against  the 
Holy  Ghost,  it  shall  not  be  forgiven  him, 
neither  in  this  world,  neither  in  the  world 
to  come,  Matt.  12:  32;  Lnke  10: 12;  Mark 
3 :  28.  Therefore,  most  beloved,  search  your 
spirits.  If  yon  be  spiritual  then  your  judg- 
ment, doubtlessly,  will  be  spiritual,  just 
and  right.  If  you  be  not,  and  judge  spirit- 
ual matters  according  to  your  own  will, 
woe  unto  you !  I  speak  to  you  as  to  one 
whose  soul  I  seek  and  love  with  all  my 
strength.  Although  you  are  more  learned 
than  I  am,  yet  I  teach  and  admonish  you 
to  judge  justly  in  all  things,  without  car- 
nality or  partiality.  For  I  am  afraid  that 
there  were  not  a  few,  part  of  whom  were 
also  famous  men,  excelling  in  learning, 
who,  in  semblance  of  fearing  God,  for  the 
sake  of  shameful  gain,  worldly  honor  and 
carnal  lusts  have  shamefully  written,  judged 
and  taught  the  blessed  word  of  the  Lord 
by  garbling  the  Scriptures,  against  their 
own  consciences,  to  the  despising  of  the 
cross  of  Christ,  in  order  to  please  those  who 
are  in  authority. 

Be  this  as  it  may,  let  eveiy  soul  seek  the 
pure,  christian  truth,  in  purity  of  heart; 
and  strive  after  the  same  with  all  diligence, 


and  he  will  be  successful.  Jesus  says,  "If 
ye  continue  in  my  word,  then  are  ye  my 
disciples  indeed;  and  ye  shall  know  the 
truth,  and  the  truth  shall  make  you  free," 
again,  those  who  trust  in  him,  shall  un- 
derstand the  truth,  and  the  believing  in 
love  shall  be  agreeable  unto  him.  Again, 
"The  secret  of  the  Lord  is  with  them  that 
fear  him;  and  he  will  show  them  his  cove- 
nant," Jn.  8  ;  31,  32;  Ps.  25  :  14. 

May  the  Almighty  Father,  through  his 
blessed  son  Jesus  Christ,  give  you  all,  in 
all  things,  a  true  understanding  and  clear 
vision  to  judge  rightly  in  all  things,  to  dis- 
tinguish rightly  between  that  which  is  holy 
and  that  which  is  unholy;  between  good 
and  evil;  right  and  wrong,  and  between 
the  clean  and  unclean,  according  to  the 
evangelical  truth ;  that  all  those  of  j-ou  who 
have  renounced  gain,  honor  and  fame,  for 
the  sake  of  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  may, 
henceforth,  be  taught  by  the  sure  and  true 
confession  of  Scripture,  be  impelled  by  the 
Holy  Ghost,  and  enter  into  all  divine  wis- 
dom, truth,  righteousness  and  obedience  to 
him  who  has  taught  us  by  his  powerful  word, 
drawn  us  by  his  Spirit  and  bought  and  de- 
livered us  by  his  precious  blood,  that  is, 
Christ  Jesus,  Amen. 

Judge  aright,  and  confess  the  truth. 


-'fJaV. 


78 


A  TRUE  CONFESSION 


AND 


SCRIPTURAL  DEMONSTRATION  OP  THE  MOST  HOLY  INCARNATION  OP  OUR 

BELOVED  LORD  JESUS  CHRIST.    WRITTEN  TO  JOHN  A'LASCO 

AND  HIS  FELLOW- LABORERS  AT  EMDEN. 


Belo\ted  lokps,  friends  and  brethren, 
when  this  matter  of  the  incarnation  of  our 
beloved  Lord  Jesus  Christ  was  first  men- 
tioned bj'  tlie  brethren,  on  hearing  it  I  was 
terrified  at  heart,  lest  I  should  err  in  the 
matter  and  be  found,  before  God,  in  per- 
nicious unbelief.  On  acco;int  of  this  article 
I  was  often  so  troubled  at  heart,  after  re- 
ceiving baptism,  that  for  many  days  I  ab- 
stained from  food  and  drink,  by  the  over- 
anxiety  of  my  soul,  beseeching  and  praying 
God  in  extreme  necessity  that  the  kind  Fa- 
ther by  his  mercy  and  grace  wonld  disclose 
unto  me,  poor  sinner,  who,  although  in  ex- 
treme weakness,  desired  to  do  his  blessed 
will  and  pleasure,  the  mysteiy  of  the  incar- 
nation of  his  blessed  Son,  to  the  extent  nec- 
essary to  the  glorification  of  his  holy  name 
and  to  the  consolation  of  my  afflicted  con- 
science. 

Thus  wandering  about  for  days,  weeks 
and  months,  I  have  frequently  asked  the 
opinion  or  belief  of  some  of  you  in  regard 
to  this  matter  which  bore  so  lieavily  upon 
my  heart.  Yet  none  could  instruct  me  suffi- 
ciently to  quiet  my  conscience.  For  gross 
misunderstanding  of  some  Scriptures  which 
they  alleged  as  proof  of  their  assertion, 
I  found  with  them,  not  only  according 
to  my  opinion,  but  according  to  the  mean- 
ing of  the  Scriptures ;  so  that,  at  last, 
after  much  fasting,  weeping,  praying,  trib- 
ulation and  anxiety,  I  became,  by  the  grace 
of  God,  quiet  and  refreshed  at  heart,  firmly 
acknowledging  and  believing,  assured  by 
the  infallibly  sure  testimony  of  the  Script- 
ures, understood  in  the  Spirit,  that  Christ 
Jesus  forever  blessed,  is  the  Lord  from  heav- 
ien,  1  Cor.  15: 47;  the  promised  spiritual  seed 


of  the  new  and  spiritual  Eve,  Gen.  3:  15, 
namely,  the  eternal  Truth,  Jn.  14:  IG;  the 
powerful  Conqueror  of  the  serpent  and  his 
seed,  Gen.  3  :  15;  Luke  11  :  '21;  Jn.  IG  :  33: 
Heb.  2: 14;  which  promised  seed  is  the  eter- 
nal Truth  and  word  of  God,  and,  in  the  full- 
ness of  time,  was  sent  forth  from  the  Al- 
mighty and  merciful  Father,  Gal.  4:  4,  in  a 
pure  virgin,  Mary,  Isa.  7: 14,  conceived  byi 
the  Holy  Ghost  and  power  of  the  Most  High.' 
She  heard  and  believed  the  heavenly  mes-i 
sage  and  pleasure  of  the  Father,  that  was' 
brought  to  her  by  Gabriel,  Luke  1 :  28;  this  j 
eternal  Word  of  God  is  become  flesh ;  it  was ' 
in  tlie  beginning  with  God  and  was  God,  Jn. 
1 :  2.  Conceived  and  begotten  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  Matt.  1:  IS;  generated  and  nourish- 
ed in  Mary,  as  a  natural  child  is  by  its 
mother;  a  true  Son  of  God  and  a  true  son 
of  man,  born  of  her,  truly  flesh  and  blood, 
suffering,  hungry,  thirsty,  passive,  mortal 
according  to  the  flesh:  immortal  according 
to  the  Spirit,  like  unto  us  in  all  things,  yet 
without  sin,'  Heb.  2:9;  4  :  15.  Truly  God 
and  man,  man  and  God.  "Not  divided  nor 
separated  as  being  half  heavenly  and  half 
earthly,  half  of  the  seed  of  man  and  half  of 
God,  as  some  express  it;  but  an  unmixed, 
whole  Christ,  namely,  spirit,  soul  and  body, 
as  Paul  says,  all  men  are,  "AYho,  being  in 
the  form  of  God,  thought  it  not  robbery  to 
be  equal  with  God.  But  made  himself  of  no 
reputation,  and  took  upon  him  the  form  of 
a  servant,  and  was  made  in  the  likeness  of 
men.  And  being  found  in  fashion  as  a 
man,  he  humbled  himself,"  (mark,  Inimbled 
liiinseJf),  Phil.  2:  6—8.  He  who  was  more  ex- 
alted than  the  angels,  is  made  a  little  lower 
than  they  are.    For  as  he  was  subject  to 


CONFESSION  OP  THE  INCARNATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 


331 


^\  death,  he  became  flesh  and  blood,  Heb.2: 9. 

^^  I  believe  and  confess  without  a  doubt  that 
he  was  thii_s,  according  to  the  flesh,  conceived 
suid  come  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  born  of  the 
seed  or  lineage  of  David  and  of  Abraham, 
and  made  of  a  woman,  imder  the  law.  Gal. 
4  :  4,  circumcised  the  eighth  day,  obedi- 
ent unto  his  parents,  growing  and  wax- 
ing strong  in  Spirit,  flUed  with  wisdom;  and 
the  grace  of  God  w^as  upon  him,  Luke  3: 40. 
This  same  man,  Christ  Jesus,  preached, 
was  crucifled,  died,  was  buried,  arose,  and 
ascended  to  heaven  and  is  there  seated  at 
the  right  hand  of  his  Almighty  Father,  ac- 
cording to  the  testimony  of  all  the  Script- 
ures, and  from  thence  he  will  return  to 
judge  the  sheep  and  the  goats,  the  good 
and  the  evil,  the  quick  and  the  dead,  2  Cor. 
5:  10;  2  Tim.  4:  1. 

Thus  I  believe  and  confess  that  the  pure 
word  of  God,  Christ  Jesus,  the  Creator,  Com- 
mander and  accurser  of  Adam,institutedhim- 
self  in  Adam's  stead,  that  is,  in  his  wrath, 
death  and  curse,  and  has,  by  his  great  com- 
passion, love  and  mercy,  taken  upon  him- 
self the  accursed  burden  of  his  erring  creat- 
ures; that  he  hiuiself  became  like  Adam 
in  the  flesh.  xVnd  thus  he  has,  by  his  deatli, 
again  given  life;  and  by  humbling  himself, 
by  his  righteousness  and  obedience,  he  has 
reunited  and  fulfilled  the  eternal  righteous- 
ness of  the  righteous  God,  as  he  speaks 
through  David,  "I  restored  that  which  I 
^  took  not  away,"  Ps.  69 :  4. 
^/  _  God  has  not  reconciled  the  world  unto 

'^  himself  hy  Adam's  flesh,  for  by  his  right- 
eousness it  was  subject  to  the  wrath  and 
;curse.  And  what  can  be  reconciled  by 
wrath  and  curse?  But  he  has  done  so  by 
himself,  by  mere  grace,  by  his  eternal  Worcl, 
that  is,  by  his  blessed  Son,  who  became  like 
tinto  the  tirst  Adam  in  all  things  except  in 
umighteousness,  disobedience  and  sin,  that 
all  honor  and  praise  should  belong  to  God 
and  not  to  us  or  to  Adam.  Yea,"  Christ  Jesus, 
who  of  God  is  made  unto  us  wisdom  and 
righteousness,  and  sanctification  and  re- 
demption, that,  according  as  it  is  written. 
He  that  glorieth  let  him  glory  in  the  Lord," 
1  Cor.  1:  30,  31. 

"^Behold,  beloved  lords,  friends  and  breth- 
ren, thus  I  believe  that  God  has  sent  ''His 
o^vn  Son  in  the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh,  and 


for  sin  (which  he  conquered,  or  for  which  he 
was  offered),  condemned  sin  in  the  flesh; 
that  the  righteousness  of  the  law  might  be 
fulfilled  in  us,  who  walk  not  after  the  flesh, 
but  after  the  Spirit,"  Rom.  8:  3,  4.  Again, 
"He  hath  made  him  to  be  sin  for  us,  who 
knew  no  sin;  that  we  might  be  made  the 
righteousness  of  God  in  him,"  2  Cor.  5  :  21. 
And  thus  he  is  become  our  only  offer  and 
sacrifice,  fulfillment  and  requisition,  by 
whom  God,  the  Father  is  reconciled,  by 
whom  his  righteousness  is  fulfilled,  the  mal- 
ediction removed,  the  devil,  sin  and  ever- 
lasting death  conquered  and  eternal  life  re- 
stored, yea,  grace,  favor,  merc}^,  peace  and 
eternal  life.  Paul  saj^s,  "He  that  spared 
not  his  own  Son,  but  delivered  him  up  for 
us  all,  how  shall  he  not  with  him  also  freely 
give  us  all  things  P  Rom.  8  :  32. 

Thus  I  believe  and  confess  that "  God  was 
made  manifest  in  the  flesh,"  1  Tim.  3  :  16; 
"That  God  was  in  Christ  reconciling  the 
world  unto  himself,"  2  Cor.  5  :  19;  that  he 
has  blotted  out  our  sins,  and  has  again 
seated  himself  at  tlie  right  hand  of  the  Maj- 
esty on  high;  and  all  the  angels  of  God 
worship  him  there,  Heb.  1 :  6.  And  with  this 
doctrine  of  the  concej)tion  and  incarnation 
of  Christ,  all  scrii)tural  testimony  and  trutli 
agree. 

First,  Paul  sa3's,  "  What  is  it  but  that  he 
also  descended  first  into  the  lower  jjarts  of 
the  earth  ?  He  that  descended  is  the  same 
also  that  ascended  up  far  above  all  heavens, 
that  he  might  fill  all  things,"  Eph.  4  :  9,  10. 
Again,  Christ  himself  sa3^s,  "No  man  hath 
ascended  up  to  heaven,  but  he  that  came 
down  from  heaven,  even  the  Son  of  man 
which  is  in  heaven."  Again,  "He  that  com- 
eth  from  above,  is  above  all;  he  that  is  of 
the  earth,  is  earthly,  and  speaketh  of  the 
earth :  he  that  cometh  from  heaven,  is  above 
all,  and  what  he  hath  seen  and  heard,  that 
he  testifieth;  and  no  man  receiveth  his  tes- 
timony," Jn.  3  :  31,  32.  Again,  "I  am 
the  living  bread  which  came  down  from 
heaven;  if  any  man  eat  of  tliis  Inead,  he 
shall  live  forever;  and  the  bread  that  I  will 
give  is  my  flesh,  which  I  will  give  for  the 
life  of  the  world,"  "Dotli  this  ofiend  you? 
What  and  if  ye  shall  see  the  Son  of  man 
ascend  up  where  he  was  before  f '  Jn.  6  :  51, 
61,  62.    Again,  "I  came  forth  from  the  Fa- 


332 


CONFESSION  OF  THE  INCARNATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 


ther,  and  am  come  unto  the  world;  again,  I 
leave  the  world  and  go  to  the  Father,"  Jn. 
16  :  28.  Again,  "  Father,  I  Mill  that  they 
also,  whom  thou  hast  given  me,  be  with  me 
where  I  am ;  that  tliey  may  behold  my  glory, 
which  thoTi  hast  given  me,  for  thou  lovedst 
me  before  the  foundation  of  the  world,"  Jn. 
17:  24.  Again,  "That  which  was  from  the 
beginning,  which  we  have  heard,  which  we 
have  seen  with  our  eyes,  which  we  have 
looked  upon  and  our  hands  have  handled, 
of  the  word  of  Life  (for  the  life  was  man- 
ifested)," 1  Jn.  1:1;  and  also  many  other 
Scriptures,  particularly  of  John. 

All  those  who,  by  the  grace  of  God,  clear- 
ly and  intelligently  see  into  and  confess 
this  doctrine  of  the  incarnation  of  our  belov- 
ed Lord  Jesus  Christ,  Avill  rightly  confess 
and  comprehend  the  unspeakable  grace,  fa- 
vor, compassion,  mercy,  and  the  inexpress- 
ibly great  love  of  God  the  Father  expressed 
and  manifested  in  Christ  Jesus,  as  he  him- 
self says,  "For  God  so  loved  the  world  that 
he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,that  whosoever 
believeth  in  him  should  not  perish  but  have 
everlasting  life,"  Jn.  3:  16.  Again,  "In  this 
was  manifested  the  love  of  God  towards  us, 
because  that  God  sent  his  only  begotten  Son 
into  the  world,  that  we  might  live  through 
him.  Herein  is  love,  not  that  we  loved  God, 
but  that  he  loved  us,  and  sent  his  Son  to  be 
the  propitiation  for  our  sins,"  1  Jn.  4:  9,  10. 
For  how  could  God  show  greater  paternal 
love  to  us  than  so  to  humble  his  eternal 
Wisdom  and  Truth,  his  pure,  powerful 
AVord,  his  blessed  Son,  by  whom  he  created 
all  things;  who  was  like  unto  him  in  form, 
the  image  of  his  blessed  being,  that  he  be- 
came less  than  the  angels,  a  poor,  despised, 
passive,  mortal  man  or  servant,  who  alone 
had  to  bear  the  trouble,  labor,  transgres- 
sion, ciu'se  and  death  of  the  whole  world. 
He  so  humbled  him  that  he  l)ecame  the 
most  miserable  of  men,  1  Pet.  2 :  24 ;  Isa.  53 : 6, 
"a  worm,  and  no  man;  a  reproach  of  men, 
and  despised  of  the  people,"  Ps.  22:  6;  and 
thus  the  innocent,  the  true,  the  wise,  the 
righteous,  the  obedient  and  the  pure  Christ 
Jesus  had  to  wash  off,  blot  out,  and  satisfy 
the  guilt,  falsehood,  foolishness,  unright- 
eousness, disobedience  and  uncleanness  of 
all  men.  Say,  beloved,  who  ever  heard  of 
greater  love  ? 


Beloved,  holy  father  and  brother,  this  is, 
before  God,  my  doctrine,  faith  and  confes- 
sion of  the  consoling  incarnation  of  our  be- 
loved Lord  Jesus  Christ,  which  is,  in  my 
opinion,  very  strong  and  incontrovertible 
by  the  Holy  Scriptures;  nor  can  I,  there- 
fore, be  convinced  by  any  view  of  the  mat- 
ter, by  any  of  your  reasonings  and  writings 
hitherto  advanced  by  you  against  our 
doctrine,  faith  and  confession;  as  you  turn 
and  exjjlain  them  according  to  a  natural 
and  carnal  sense,  and  not  to  the  true  ex- 
planation and  sense  of  the  Holy  Spirit; 
which,  doubtlessly,  should  not  be  the  case 
in  this  matter,  since  this  glorious  work  of 
the  incarnation  of  Christ  is  wrought  and 
accomplished  by  God  through  his  Holy 
Spirit,  above  all  natural  causes  solely  in 
faith,  as  the  pleasure  of  God  directs. 

I  repeat,  this  is  my  confession  to  those 
who  desired  to  hear  my  belief  and  feeling 
in  regard  to  this  article.  Yet,  I  never  teach 
it  so  profoundly  in  my  common  admoni- 
tions to  the  brethren  and  friends;  nor  have 
I,  heretofore,  ever  taught  it  thus  profound- 
ly, as  I  have  told  you  verbally.  But  I  simply 
teach  that  the  blessed  Christ  Jesus  is  truly 
God  and  man,  a  Son  of  God,  and  a  son  of 
man,  conceived  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  born  of 
the  virgin  Mary,  a  poor,  despised  man,  like 
unto  us  in  all  things,  except  sin;  that  it  is 
he  who  was  promised  in  the  law  by  the 
prophets,  and  is  our  true  Messiah,  Christ, 
King,  David,  Propliet,  Bishop  and  Priest, 
the  Deliverer,  Savior,  Sacrifice,  Reconcilia- 
tion, Fulhller,  Sliepherd,  Teacher,  Example, 
Mediator,  Advocate,  Ruler,  Commander, 
Bridegroom,  Light  of  the  world,  the  true 
Door  to  the  fold,  the  eternal  Wisdom,  the 
image  of  God,  the  Father's  Word,  the 
right  Way,  Truth  and  Life,  &c.  For  I 
know  full  well  that  there  are  few  who  can 
understand  this  particular  matter,  even 
after  it  is  explained  to  them.  Therefore,  I 
say,  I  deem  it  unnecessary  for  me  and  for 
all  teachers  to  teach  this  matter  of  the  in- 
carnation of  Christ  further  than,  simpl}^,  to 
the  teachingoftheregeneration  of  the  church, 
to  love,  to  consolation,  to  the  sanctification 
and  to  live  and  act  according  to  his  holy 
doctrine  and  life.  Would  to  God  that  we 
were  all  of  such  a  mind.  But  in  case  one 
wants  to  search  further  and  inquire  into 


CONFESSION  OP  THE  INCAENATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 


333 


this  matter,  if  meet  to  know  and  his  under- 
standing reaches  far  enongli,  it  will  not  be 
hidden  from  him ;  if  not  it  will  be  said  unto 
him,  A  litora  te  ne  qiiaejieris,  Eccl.  3:  21. 

Well,  as  this  is  our  doctrine  and  under- 
standing, not  otherwise  than  according  to 
the  testimony  of  the  Scriptures,  as  we  can  by 
the  grace  of  God,  best  understand  and  com- 
prehend it,  we  yet  fear  that  our  explana- 
tion from  the  word  of  God  will  not  satisfy 
and  convince  you  to  unite  with  us  in  this 
matter,  but  that  you  will  persevere  in  your 
adopted  reasonings  and  ai-guments  and  try 
to  explain  it  literally,  nati;rally  and  hu- 
manlike; not  observing  that  Isaiah,  Mat- 
thew, Luke  and  John  clearly  testify  that  it 
was  brought  about  by  faith  in  Mary,  liy  the 
power  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  as  was  said 
above. 

O,  let  us  not  humble  the  Almighty  Father 
in  his  mercy  !  Let  us  not  rob  the  blessed 
Son  of  God  of  his  glory.  Beloved  brethren 
the  Scripture  remains  eternal  and  unbroken. 
Take  heed,  lest  you  err.  Thus  speaks 
Isaiah,  "Behold,  a  virgin  shall  conceive, 
and  bear  a  Son,"  Isa.  7:  14.  Again,  the 
angel  of  the  Lord  said  Tinto  Joseph,  "That 
which  is  conceived  in  her  is  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,"  Matt.  1 :  20.  Again,  when  Mary 
asked  the  angel  the  manner  of  the  concep- 
tion, how  it  shall  be,  he  answered:  "The 
Holy  Ghost  shall  come  upon  thee,  and  the 
power  of  the  Highest  shall  overshadow 
thee,"  Luke  1 :  aS.  Again,  this  is  the  sure 
testimony  of  John  the  servant  of  God  and 
of  Christ,  concerning  the  incarnation  of 
Jesus  Christ.  "  Tiie  word  was  made  flesh," 
Jn.  1:  14.  He  does  not  say,  Tlie  toord  took 
unto  itself fesJi. 

Behold,  dear  brethren,  however  incontro- 
vertible these  reasons  and  Scriptures  be  by 
which  we  try  to  establish  our  assertion,  yet 
I  fear  that  we,  on  account  of  this  article, 
will  be  judged  and  considered  as  being  sec- 
tarian, heretical  and  deceitful,  notwithstand- 
ing there  may  be  many  among  us  who  fear 
the  Lord  from  their  inmost  hearts,  who 
never  in  their  lives,  heard  a  word  spoken  in 
regard  to  the  mystery  of  this  matter  as  pre- 
viously expressed  with  great  clearness;  nor 
ever  inquired  into  it,  besides  they  neither 
knew  nor  understood  anything  about  it; 
but  they  are  satisfied  with  the  Father's  fa- 


vor through  Christ;  obey  his  holy  word, 
follow  his  example,  love,  doctrine  and  life, 
and  are  rejoiced,  solely,  at  the  remission  of 
sins,  freedom  of  the  Spirit,  grace,  favor, 
promise,  mercy  and  eternal  life,  which  they 
have  received  through  him.  O,  that  all  the 
wise  and  learned,  even  all  the  men  of  this 
world  would  satisfy  themselves  with  the 
plain,  humble  teaching  of  Jesus  Christ  and 
his  apostles,  not  climbing  higher  nor  re- 
maining lower;  would  seek  God,  with  puri- 
ty of  heart— and  firmly  believe,  fear,  love 
and  obey  his  blessed  word.  O,  what  pre- 
cious talents  and  what  glorious  gain  would 
then,  by  the  grace  of  God,  be  gathered  into 
the  treasury  of  the  Lord.  But,  as  it  is, 
there  are  many,  alas,  whose  faith  and 
knowledge  is  not  iu  their  hearts  but  solely 
upon  their  lips  and  tongues,  non  loquor  ad 
erubescentiam  'prohomm,  who  find  pleasure 
in  foolish  and  useless  questions  and  in  dis- 
putation; who  are  versed  more  in  the  wis- 
dom of  man  than  in  the  wisdom  of  God; 
who  are  of  broken  minds,  who  ever  learn 
and  never  come  to  the  true  knowledge  of 
the  eternal  truth;  and  who  ever  contradict 
and  reprove  them  by  the  plain  word  of  the 
holy  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  out  of  mere 
brotherly  love,  is  from  that  moment  con- 
sidered by  them  as  being  a  shameful  sec- 
tarian or  a  wicked  perverse  heretic;  Ipsi 
judicate,  an  ne  venvm  sit  quod  dice?  not- 
withstanding that  their  own  unbelieving 
hearts  are  quite  earthly,  carnal,  and  devil- 
ish and  their  whole  life  nothing  but  mere 
flesh,  pride,  vanity,  laziness,  unchristianlike 
avarice,  hatred,  crueltj^  blood-thirstiness, 
drunkenness,  flattery,  in  short,  notliing  but 
sin  and  shame.  O,  might  it  be  that  I  lie 
and  do  not  tell  the  truth  ! 

Nevertheless  let  them  slander  and  up- 
braid as  much  as  they  please;  we  will  will- 
ingly bear  it.  We  will  all  be  judged  by 
one  Judge  who  will  scrupulously  try  and 
reward  their  doctrine,  faith ,  zeai ,  seeking  and 
life,  as  well  as  ours.  Then  it  will  ajjpear  who 
have  anxiously  sought  the  everlasting  truth 
of  God,  the  praise  and  honor  of  the  Lord, 
and  the  everlasting  salvation  of  all  man- 
kind. Brethren,  beware,  lest  you  become 
like  these  fruitless  disputers.  Take  heed, 
if  you  would  save  3^our  souls,  that  you  sin- 
cerely seek,  desire,  believe,  receive,  and 
live  according  to  the  saving  tiuth  of  God, 
Amen. 


334 


CONFESSION  OF  THE  INCARNATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 


OBJECTIONS. 


As  I  have  shown  and  confessed  to  jon 
tlie  firm  foundation  of  the  incarnation  of 
the  Lord,  that  he  did  not  become  flesh  of 
Mary,  bnt  that  he  became  flesh  in  Mary; 
and  as  I  have  also,  in  part,  adduced  the 
reasons  and  Scriptures  by  which  we  are 
forced  to  such  belief  therefore  I  will  now 
briefly  reply  to  your  Scriptures  and  argu- 
ments, hitherto  advanced,  by  which  you 
teach  and  undertake  to  prove  that  he  did 
not  simply  become  flesh  in  I^Iary  bnt  of 
Mary. 

First,  you  ask,  "If  he  is  not  the  seed  of 
woman?"  We  answer.  Yes,  Gen.  3:  15. 

From  this  you  conclude  that  if  he  is  the 
seed  of  woman,  he  is  also  man  born  of  wo- 
man. We  answer  by  asking,  had  not  the 
deceiving  serpent  a  body  ?  You  must  an- 
swer, Yes.  For  G-od  said,  "  Upon  thy  belly 
shalt  thou  go  and  dust  shalt  tliou  eat  all 
the  days  of  thy  life."  Again,  Was  not  the 
deceived  woman  corporeal?  Doubtlessly 
so.  If  the  natural  and  corporeal  seed 
of  the  deceived  woman  be  bodily,  then  the 
seed  of  the  serpent  must  also  be  a  natural, 
bodily  seed,  of  which  God  himself  has 
spoken  and  testified  in  Genesis.  Or  else 
you  must  admit  and  confess  that  the  one 
should  be  understood  spiritually  and  the 
other  literally.  Not  at  all,  beloved  breth- 
ren. But  the  bodily  serpent  represents  the 
spiritual  serpent,  namely  Satan,  Rev.  12: 14, 
and  has  his  spiritual  seed,  which  is  false- 
hood, Jn.  8:  44.  Thus  also,  the  woman, 
who  is  the  mother  of  all  mankind,  a  like 
image  of  Adam,  flesh  of  his  flesh,  and  bone 
of  his  bone;  subject  to  her  husband,  after 
she  had  sinned — the  image  of  the  new  spir- 
itual bride,  namely,  of  thecliurch  of  Christ, 
which  is  the  image  of  Christ,  Rom.  8:  29, 
flesh  of  Christ's  flesh  and  bone  of  his  bone, 
subject  to  Christ,  Eph.  5:  30.  If  the  bride 
be  spiritual  then  the  seed  must  be  spiritual, 
namely,  the  eternal  truth,  which  truth  is 
Christ  himself,  Jn.  14:  G.  Behold,  most 
beloved,  thus  the  serpent  is  spiritual  and 
his  seed  is  spiritual  of  which  he  begets  all 
his  children  of  accursed  falsehood.  On  the 
contrary,   the  bride  is  spiritual  and  her 


seed  is  spiritual,  of  which  she  begets  all  her 
children  of  the  saving  truth.  Between  these 
is  constant  opposition,  as  may  be  plainly 
seen.  Yet  truth  triumphs,  and  falsehood 
is  vanquished,  notwithstanding  falsehood 
opposes  with  all  its  power.  O,  brethren, 
do  understand  the  Scriptures  aright,  lest  we, 
through  misunderstanding  or  pernicious 
obduracy,  deceive  ourselves  and  with  us 
many  souls.  If  you  be  not  satisfied 
with  the  clear  explanation  of  these  Script- 
ures, bM  still  maintain  that  both  the  woman 
and  the  seed  must  be  corporeal,  then  we 
know  and  confess  that  this  same  woman 
conceived  in  her  womb  the  beforementioned 
seed,  which  is  God's  word,  Jn.  1:1;  not 
from  her  body  nor  of  her  body,  but  of  God, 
by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  Matt. 
1:  18,  through  faith,  Luke  1:  34. 

Secondly,  You  ask,  If  lie  is  not  called  tlie 
seed  of  AhraJiam?  AVe  answer:  Yes,  Gal. 
3  :  16.  From  this  yon  conclude  that  he 
must,  according  to  the  flesli,  be  descended 
from  the  flesh  and  blood  of  Abraham.  In 
confirmation  you  cite  the  saying  of  Paul, 
"For  verily  he  took  not  on  him  the  nature 
of  angels;  but  he  took  on  him  the  seed  of 
Abraham;  wherefore  in  all  things  it  be- 
hooved him  to  be  named  like  unto  his 
brethren,"  Heb.  3:  16,  17.  To  this  in  the 
first  place  we  reply.  That  your  conclusion 
is  according  to  the  flesh  and  not  with  the 
word  of  God.  John  says,  "The  word  was 
made  flesh,  and  dwelt  among  us;"  and  it  is 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  Matt.  1:  25;  therefore  it 
was  not  Abraham's  natural  tiesh  and  blood. 
But  by  grace  it  was  promised  the  beloved 
father  Abraham,  that  he,  that  is,  the  true 
blessing  of  all  nations,  should  not  come  of 
the  seed  of  his  brethren,  nor  of  the  gentiles 
nor  uncircumcised,  but  of  his  seed,  that  is, 
of  his  generation,  as  it  is  written,  "In  thee 
shall  all  families  of  the  earth  be  blessed," 
Gen.  13:  3.  Thus  is  Christ  Jesus  promised, 
to  Abraham  and  born  of  his  seed,  accord- 
ing to  the  promise,  as  Christ  himself  says, 
that  "salvation  is  of  the  Jews,"  Jn.  4:  22, 
and  thus  he  is  called  the  seed  and  son  of 
Abraham,  Gal.  3: 16;  Matt.  1: 1.    For  he 


CONFESSION  OF  THE  INCARNATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 


335 


is,  doiTbtlessly,  according  to  his  blessed 
flesh  which  is  conceived  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
of  Abraham's  seed,  come  and  born  for  the 
salvation  of  ns  all. 

Again,  the  saying  of  Panl  which  you  al- 
lege to  sustain  your  caiise  was  not  taught 
and  spoken  by  the  Holy  Ghost  in  such  a 
sense  as  you  claim;  but  Paul  says,  "Both 
he  that  sanctifieth  and  they  who  are  sancti- 
fled  are  all  of  one  (that  is,  you  say,  "of 
one  Adam."  Bi\t  we  say  they  are  of  one, 
that  is,  of  one  God),  for  which  cause  he  (the 
Savior)  is  not  ashamed  to  call  them  (the  I 
sanctifled)  brethren,  saying,  I  will  declare  ! 
thy  name  unto  my  brethren-,  in  the  midst  I 
of  the  church  will  I  sing  praise  unto  thee,"  ! 
Heb.  2:  11,  12.  For  as  Christ  Jesus  was 
born  from  above  of  the  Fatlier  and  is  there- 
fore called  God's  cliild  or  Son,  having  God 
as  Father,  thus,  also,  all  who  receive  Christ 
"  to  them  gave  he  power  to  become  the  sons 
of  God,"  Jn.  1 :  12.  Such  also  have  God  as 
their  Father.  As  the  regenerated  areborn, 
together  with  Christ  Jesus,  of  one  God,  and 
have  one  Father,  therefore  he  calls  the 
sanctified  who,  with  him,  are  born  of  God, 
his  brethren,  not  because  of  the  flesh  but 
because  of  tlie  new  birth.  If  it  were  other- 
wise you  would  have  to  consent  and  admit 
that  all  wicked,  unbelieving  and  perverse 
men  and  women  were  brethren  and  sisters 
of  Christ  Jesus  as  well  as  the  believing,  sin- 
cere and  pious  ones.  Not  so,  for  Christ 
Jesus  saj's,  "Whosoever  shall  do  the  will 
of  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven,  the  same 
is  my  brother  and  sister,  and  mother.  Matt. 
12:  50.  Read  and  understand  it  rightly. 
Further,  Paul  says,  "Behold  I  and  the  chil- 
dren which  God  hath  given  me,"  Heb.  2 :  13. 
Forasmuch  then  as  the  children  are  par- 
takers of  flesh  and  blood,  he  also  himself 
partook  of  the  same  (that  is,  mortal,  as  a 
consequence);  that  through  death  he  might 
destroy  him  that  had  the  power  of  death, 
that  is,  the  devil,  and  deliver  them  who 
through  fear  of  death  were  all  their  lifetime 
subject  to  bondage,  which  was  the  seed  and 
generation  of  Abraham,  and,  l^y  the  terri- 
ble threat,  siibject  to  the  heavy  burden 
and  intolerable  yoke  of  the  law  of  Moses. 
For  verily  he  took  not  on  him  the  nature  of 
angels;  if  you  understand  it  as  meaning  the 
good,  then  you  should  know  that  they  did 


not  sin;  but  if  you  take  it  as  meaning  the 
evil  ones,  then  you  should  know  that  he  re- 
jected them  and  keeps  them  in  the  bondage 
of  eternal  darkness  unto  the  great  judgment 
day.  Therefore  Paul  says,  "For  verily  he 
took  not  on  him  the  nature  of  angels ;  birt 
he  took  on  him  the  seed  of  Abraham. 
Wherefore  in  all  things  it  behooved  him  to 
be  made  like  unto  his  brethren  (to  wit: 
weak  and  mortal),  tliat  he  might  be  a  mer- 
ciful and  faithful  High  Priest  in  things  per- 
taining to  God,  to  make  reconciliation  for 
the  sins  of  the  people.  For  in  that  he  him- 
self hath  suffered  being  tempted,  he  is  able 
to  succor  them  that  are  tempted,"  Heb. 
2:  16 — 18.  Now,  judge  for  yourselves  wheth- 
er this  is  not th"  right  meaning  of  this  Script- 
ure of  Paul.  In  the  third  place  you  declare 
and  say  thus:  Paul  plainly  teaches  that 
Christ  Jesus  is  born  of  the  seed  of  David  ac- 
cord! iir/  to  the  flesh,  and  is  proven  to  he  the 
Son  of  God,  with  voioer;  according  to  the 
spirit  of  sanctification.  Therefore  he  is, 
you  conclude,  according  to  the  flesh,  of  the 
seed  or  loins  of  David,  and  according  to 
the  Spirit,  alone,  born  of  God. 

To  which  we  reply:  It  is  true  that  it  would', 
foUoAv  in  the  common  course  of  nature  that 
Christ  was  born  of  the  seed  or  loins  ofl 
David;  but  it  is  not  in  accordance  with  the' 
testimony  of  Scripture.  The  reason  is  this : 
Because  the  Scripture  teaches  that  the 
"AVord  was  made  flesli,''  and  that  it  came 
forth  from  the  Holy  Ghost,  Jn.  1: 14;  Matt. 
1:  20;  Rom.  1:  2.  Therefore,  beloved  breth- 
ren this  is  the  true  meaning  of  Paul  in  re- 
gard to  this  and  like  Scriptures;  the  con- 
soling promise  of  the  future  Savior  was 
given  to  Abraham;  that  he  should  be  born 
of  his  seed  or  generation.  Abraham's  off- 
spring were,  Islimael,  Isaac,  and  the  chil- 
dren of  Keturah.  The  promise  of  the  pa- 
triarch was  again  given  to  Isaac,  and  not 
to  the  others.  Isaac  begat  Esau  and  Jacob. 
Not  Esau,  but  Jacob  again  received  the 
promise  given  to  his  father  Abraham  and 
Isaac.  Jacob  multiplied  into  twelve  tribes; 
and,  that  the  promised  Savior  might  not  be 
looked  for  from  the  tribe  of  Reuben,  Dan, 
Gad,  or  any  of  the  eleven  tribes,  therefore 
the  Holy  Ghost  points  to  Judah  and  not  to 
any  of  the  other  tribes.  Gen.  49 :  10.  Judab, 
multiplying  into  many  branches,  the  prom- 


33C 


CONFESSION  OF  THE  INCARNATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 


ise  is  renewed  in  David,  2  Kin.  7: 12.  Thus 
the  mercifnl  Father  has  ever  testified  and 
shown  beforehand,  from  one  patriarch  to 
another  and  from  one  generation  to  anotlier, 
that  all  men  might  know  from  which  patri- 

^  archs  and  generations  the  promised  Savior 
and  Deliverer  of  all  mankind  should  be 
born,  according  to  the  flesh,  as  the  Jews 
well  knew  by  such  showing  of  Scripture, 
saying,  "Hath  not  the  Scripture  said  that 
Christ  cometh  of  the  seed  of  David,  and  out 
of  the  town  of  Bethlehem,"  Jn.  7 :  42.  "He 
came  unto  his  own  and  his  own  received 
him  not."  He  is  come  of  the  seed  or  gener- 
ation of  David,  according  to  the  promise; 
but  they  did  not  receive  him.  Yea,  the  ap- 
pointed hour  is  come.     Gabriel  was  sent  of 

y  God  to  a  virgin  named  Mary  who  was  ])rom-' 
^  ised  to  a  man.f  Mary  believed  the  word  of 
the  Lord;  the  "Holy  Ghost  overshadowed 
her,  &c.  The  Word,  in  her,  became  flesh, 
Jn.  1:  14.  It  is  conceived  and  brought  forth 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  Matt.  1:20;  and  accord- 
ing to  this  same  flesh,  or  with  this  same 
flesh,  which  was  conceived  of  and  brought 
forth  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  he  is  born  of  Mary, 
the  piire  virgin,  wlio  was  of  the  seed  and 
generation  of  David;  David  was  of  Judali; 
Judah  of  Jacob;  Jacob  of  Isaac;  Isaac  of 
Abraham;  and  thus  the  divine  promise  was 
fulfilled,  which  God  through  grace  alone  had 
promised  and  given  to  the  abovementioned 
patriarchs;  and  thus  was  born,  according 
to  the  flesh,  as  was  said  above,  of  the  seed 
or  generation  of  David;  and  by  his  saving 
Spirit  is  proven  to  be  the  living  Sou  of  God, 
Rom.  1:  4.  For  if  he  were  to  prove  or  de- 
clare himself  to  be  the  Son  of  God,  it  must, 
without  doubt,  be  according  to  his  sanctify- 
ing Spirit,  inasmuch  as  he  could  not  be 
such  according  to  the  flesh,  as  he  had  hum- 
bled himself,  and  was  forsaken  of  the  Fa- 
ther, was  weak,  despised,  hungry,  thirsty, 
passive,  mortal,  and  like  unto  us  in  all 
things,  yet  without  sin.  Beloved  brethren, 
take  heed.  The  alleged  Scripture  of  Paul 
is  very  clear,  and  has  every  where  a  scruple, 
Rom.  1:  13. 

In  the  fourtli  place,  you  say,  Christ  is  called  a  fruit 
of  the  loius  of  David.  Therefore  he  must  be  the  natu- 
ral and  pleasing  seed  of  David. 

Answer.  These  words,  according  to  the 
letter  were  spoken  of  Solomon  and  not  of 


Christ;  which  Solomon  was  naturally  born 
ofthe  loins  of  David.  Thus  Nathan  spoke  un- 
to David,  "And  when  thy  days  be  fulfilled, 
and  thou  shalt  sleep  with  thy  fathers,  I 
will  set  up  thy  seed  after  thee,  which  shall 
proceed  out  of  thy  bowels,  and  I  will  estab- 
lish thy  kingdom.  He  shall  build  a  house 
for  my  name,  and  I  will  stablisli  the  throne 
of  his  kingdom  forever.  I  will  be  his  fa- 
ther, and  he  shall  be  my  son  (now  note  of 
whom  it  is  spoken).  If  he  commit  iniquity, 
I  will  chasten  him  with  the  rod  of  men,  and 
with  the  stripes  of  the  children  of  men,"  2 
Sam.  7:  12 — 14.  Now,  Christ  never  commit- 
ted iniquity ;  for  he  knew  not  sin ;  neither  was 
guile  found  in  his  mouth,  1  Pet.  2 :  22.  Again, 
in  the  Psalms,  "The  Lord  hath  sworn  in 
truth  unto  David;  he  will  not  turn  from  it; 
of  the  fruit  of  thy  body  will  I  set  up  on  thj' 
throne.  If  thy  children  will  keep  my  cove- 
nant, and  my  testimony  tliat  I  shall  teach 
them,  their  children  shall  also  sit  upon  thy 
throne  for  ever  more,"  Ps.  132:  11,  12.  That 
this  is  literally  spoken  of  Solomon,  he  him- 
self testifies  in  plain  words,  1  Kin.  3:  6; 
8:  20;  which  Solomon,  without  doubt,  rep- 
resented in  figure,  Christ  Jesus,  as  in  his 
glory,  wisdom,  building  of  the  temple,  &c. 
Behold,  most  beloved,  thus  we  should  not 
take  the  letter  for  the  spirit  and  the  spirit 
for  the  letter.  But  that  the  promise  accord- 
ing to  the  Spirit  had  reference  to  Christ;  is 
incontrovertible;  for  this  the  holy  prophets 
of  God  plainly  show;  and  particularly ,  Isa. 
9:  (5;  Jer.  23:  5;  33:  15. 

In  the  fifth  place  you  ask.  If  he  is  not  a  fruit  of  the 
womb  of  Mary  ? 

Ansioer.  Yes,  Luke  1 :  38.  From  this 
you  conclude. 

If  ho  be  a  fruit  of  the  womb  of  Mary  then  he  is  also 
brought  forth  of  her  flesh  and  blood  by  the  power  of 
the  Holy  Ghost.  For  if  he  were  not  of  her  flesh  and 
blood  then  he  could  not  bo  called  a  fruit  of  her  womb. 
But  l_iecause  he  is  of  her  flesh  he  is  called  the  fruit  of 
her  body,  as  an  apple  is  called  the  fruit  of  a  tree,  be- 
cause it  grows  upon  the  tree,  and  partakes  of  its  nat- 
ure, through  the  strength  of  the  earth. 

Answer.  According  to  the  course  of  nat- 
ure your  conclusion  is  in  part  right,  but 
according  to  scriptural  testimony  quite 
wrong.  For  the  Scriptures  say,  that  Mary, 
the  pure  virgin,  by  faith,  conceived  the  eter- 
nal word  of  God  which  in  the  beginning 
was  with  God,  and  was  God,  that  it  became 


r^, 


CONFESSION  OF  THE  INCARNATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 


33T 


i  flesh,  Jn.  1:  14;  conceived  and  brought  forth 

of  the  Holy  Spirit,  Matt.  1:  20;  that  it  was 

human  and  natural-like;  nourished  in  her; 

and  was  in  due  time  born  as  a  natural  child 

is  born  of  its  mother.     Thus  Christ  Jesus 

I  remains  the  precious,  blessed  fruit  of  the 

I  womb  of  Mary,  according  to  the  words  of 

Elizabeth,  which  was  conceived  not  of  her 

womb  but  in  her  womb  wrought  by  the 

i  Holy  Spirit  through  faith,  of  God  the  om- 

1  nipotent  Father,  from  high  heaven,  as  we 

(have  frequently  shown. 

You  allege  a  natural  reason  concerning 
the  tree  and  its  fruits  in  proof  of  your  as- 
sertion. Inasmuch  as  you  do  so,  I  will  re- 
ply to  your  reasoning  according  to  nature, 
namely,  I  have  a  well  prepared  field,  well 
pulverized  and  manured,  bearing  abun- 
dance of  wheat,  corn,  or  rye.  I  say,  ah, 
that  is  a  beautiful  crop,  which  fruit  this  field 
coirld  not  produce  of  itself,  however  well- 
tilled  and  rich  the  same  was,  and  however 
much  it  was  induced  to  do  so  by  the  heat 
of  the  sun  and  the  moisture  of  the  atmos- 
phere, until  the  seed  was  sown  in  by  the 
sower.  Being  sown,  and  grown  up  it  is 
called  the  fruit  of  the  field,  notwithstanding 
it  was  first  sown  thereon.  An  apple  is 
called  the  fruit  of  the  tree,  although  it  is 
produced  and  grown  by  the  soil  on  which 
''^  the  tree  is  grown. 

In  the  same  manner  the  heavenly  seed, 
namel}^,  the  word  of  God,  was  sown  in 
Mary,  and  by  her  faith,  being  conceived  in 
her  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  became  flesh;  and 
thus  it  is  called  the  fruit  of  her  womb,  the 
same  as  a  natural  fruit  or  oflspring  is  called 
the  fruit  of  its  natural  mother,  Jn.  1 :  14. 
For  Christ  Jesus,  of  his  origin,  is  no  earthly 
man,  that  is,  a  fruit  of  the  flesh  and  blood 
of  Adam ;  but  he  is  a  heavenly  fruit  or  man. 
For  his  beginning  or  origin  is  of  the  Father,  \ 
Jn.  IG:  28^  like  unto  the  first  Adam,  yet 
without  sin.  Given  to  Adam  and  his  chil- 
dren, in  case  they  hear  and  receive  him  in 
his  holy  word,  to  their  everlasting  salva- 
tion and  deliverance,  of  God  the  merciful 
Father  alone  through  grace  and  mercy; 
without  price  and  without  any  previous 
mention  on  our  part. 

In  the  sixth  place  you  say,  God  could  not  suffer.     If 
Christ's  flesh  were  not  of  earth  or  of  Adam,  Ijut  from 
heaven,  then  he  could  not  liave  been  passive,  and  conse- 
quently he  could  not  have  died. 
79 


* 


Ansioer.  Be  impartial  and  judge  rightly. 
Your  meaning  is,  that  Christ  Jesus  accord- 
ing to  the  Spirit  alone,  is  of  the  Father,  in 
which  Spirit  he  was  impassive  and  immor- 
tal, as  you  say,  but  that  he  was  not  of  the 
Father  according  to  the  flesh.  But  according 
to  the  flesh,  in  which  he  suffered  and  died, 
you  teach  that  he  is  of  earth,  that  thus  the 
law  (wherewith  earthly  man  was  cursed  on 
account  of  his  disobedience)  concerning  the 
earthly  man,  namely  Christ,  might  be  ful- 
filled, that  he  by  obedience  might  save,  and 
we  in  him,  by  the  communion  of  his  human 
nature  and  blood,  whereby  he  has  fulfilled 
the  righteousness  of  the  Father  in  our  flesh. 
This  foundation  is  implied  in  your  Latin 
syllogisms.  We  will  not  controvert  this 
by  subtle  syllogisms  nor  by  acute  human 
cavilings,  for  we  do  not  have  them;  but  we 
controvert  it  by  the  plain  testimony  of  the 
word  alone,  which  cannot  be  turned  by 
flatterings,  nor  broken  by  human  reason. 

First,  we  confess  and  consent  before  all 
the  world  that  God,  the  Almighty,  eternal 
Father  is  quite  impassive  and  immortal; 
for  with  him  there  is  no  cliange,  Jas.  1:  IT. 
Ego  Deus,  inqiiit  Proplieia,  &c.,  non  mutor. 
But  God,  the  Son,  the  eternal  Word 
is  humbled,  has  denied  himself,  became 
less  than  the  angels,  miserable,  mortal  flesh 
or  man,  Jn.  1:  14. 

You  say,  God  cannot  suffer;  but  the 
Scripture  says  otherwise,  that  God,  the  Son, 
has  suffered,  for  he  himself  says,  I  am  the 
flrst  and  the  last,  I  am  he  that  liveth  and 
was  dead,  and  behold  I  am  alive  for  ever- 
more. Rev.  1:  18;  22:13.  Adam'sflesh was 
not  the  first  and  the  last ;  but  he  who  was 
before  every  creature,  by  whom  all  things 
were  created,  Ejph.  3: 9.  Whose  goings  forth 
were  from  the  beginning  and  from  eternity. 
This  is  the  first  and  tlie  last;  this  same  one 
is  become  flesh;  he  has  suffered,  he  died, 
he  again  became  living  and  shall  live  for- 
ever. Take  heed,  lest  you  willfully  oppose 
the  Scriptures.  Christ  can  not  be  divided 
into  two  parts,  as  you  think. 

I  repeat,  the  Father  is  impassive,  immor- 
tal and  unchangeable;  but  for  our  sakes 
the  Son  is  humbled,  became  passive  and 
mortal,  according  to  the  testimony  of  the 
Scriptures,  Phil.  2:7;  Heb.  2: 14;  1  Pet.  1 :  19, 
and  many  other  Scriptures.     Therefore  he 


-^ 


^ 


338 


CONFESSION  OF  THE  INCARNATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 


prayed  his  beloved  Father  that  he  might 
again  acquire  the  glory  that  he  had  with 

I  the  Father,  which  he  had  lost  in  becoming 
man,  Jn.  17:  5.  If  he  remained  unchanged 
in  his  divine  form,  and  if  he  suffered  in  that 
which  he  took  of  earth,  as  jou  say,  then 
tell  nie,  beloved,  wliat  he  had  lost  that  he  de- 
sired again  to  acquire  of  his  Father?  Ex- 

'  amine  the  Scriptures  rightly  and  pra}%  and 
/      by  the  grace  of  God,  j^our  eyes  will  be 
//  V    opened  to  behold  the  truth  of  Christ. 

Again,  in  the  second  place  we  answer, 
that  tlie  whole  Christ  Jesus  went  forth  from 
his  Father,  Jn.  1:14;  3:31;  G:  27;  8:  42; 
14:  24;  16:  28;  17:  8;  that  the  word  of  God 
became  flesh  in  Mary,  the  Lord  himself 
from  heaven,  1  Cor.  15:  47;  and  that  he  was 
afflicted  and  oppressed  in  the  flesh,  soul 
and  Si^irit,  according  to  the  testimony  of 
the  Scriptures.  In  the  flesh,  because  he  was 
crucifled.  In  his  soul,  because  he  himself 
says,  My  soul  is  exceeding  sorrowful,  even 
unto  death.  In  the  Spirit,  as  he  said  Jn. 
13:  2],  Turhatus  est  Jesus  Spirits,  "He  was 
troubled  in  spirit."  AVhich  Christ  Jesus 
(that  he  might  be  an  offering  unto  God),  suf- 
fered the  judgment  of  tlie  unrighteous;  died 
according  to  the  flesh,  but  was  made  alive 
according  to  the  Spirit. 

Again,  in  the  third  place  we  reply  to  your 
syllogisms,  thus:  The  commandment  was 
not  given  to  the  heavenly  Clirist,  but  to  the 
earthly  Adam  and  his  seed,  through  Christ, 
that  is,  through  the  word.  Adam,  trans- 
gressing, was  condemned  to  death  through 
the  Word  Christ,  Gen.  3:  19.  As  the  right- 
eousness of  God  is  unchangeable  and  eter- 
nal, as  you  yourselves  say,  therefore  diso- 
bedient Adam  must  die  according  to  the 
immutable  righteousness  of  God.  As 
Adam  was  earthly  and  of  earth,  and  was 
cursed  by  the  word  on  account  of  his  diso- 
bedience and  had  to  die,  therefore  nothing 
could  be  expected  nor  taken  from  earth  but 
earth,  from  curse  nothing  but  curse,  and 
from  death  notliing  but  death,  as  Paul 
plainly  shows,  Rom.  5:  12.  Adam,  being 
disobedient  to  the  word  which  created  him, 
in  not  giving  heed  to  it,  and  eating  what  it 
had  forbidden,  had  to  die  involuntarily  the 
death,  with  his  seed,  which  the  word  had 
promised  him.  Because  it  was  for  right- 
eousness' sake  that  Adam  and  his  descend- 


ants had  to  die,  he  having  sinned  and  not 
having  wherewith  to  requite;  therefore  it  is 
solely  grace,  mercy  and  love  that  he  should 
live.  But  how  ?  Through  the  righteousness 
of  Adam\s  flesli  ?  Not  at  all;  but  the  word 
which  had  made  Adam  a  living  being, 
which  gave  him  tlie  commandment  and 
promised  him  death,  if  he  should  commit 
iniquity,  as  was  said  above.  This  same 
word  (as  death  had  to  be  the  consequence, 
according  to  righteousness,  as  truth  had 
spoken)  which  God  again  promised  to 
Adam,  was  to  become  flesh;  that,  as  he 
was  deceived  by  the  liar,  and  therefore,  ac- 
cording to  the  justice  of  God,  had  to  die, 
he  might  again  be  delivered  by  the  prom- 
ised truth,  and  thus  by  grace  and  mercy 
alone,  inherit  life  eternal.  Adam  ])elieved 
it  and  was  consoled,  and  as  a  sign  of  the 
truth  of  the  promised  favor  and  love,  God 
made  unto  Adam  and  unto  his  consort, 
coats  of  skins  and  clothed  them.  Gen.  3:  21 

Thus  has  not  the  earthly,  guilt}^,  trans 
gressing,  accursed  and  mortal  llesh  of  Adam 
requited  the  righteousness,  and  appeased 
his  wratli,  as  you  claim,  but  only  the 
heavenly,  innocent,  obedient,  blessed  and 
quickening  flesli  of  Christ,  as  the  Scriptures 
testif}';  that  he  bare  our  sins,  1  Pet.  2:  24; 
Isa.  S3:  8;  by  his  wounds  are  we  healed. 
For  the  promised  Word,  Christ  Jesus,  is 
become  man  and  has  fulflUed  tlie  righteous- 
ness required  by  the  law,  as  Paul  says, 
•'For  what  the  law  could  not  do,  in  that  it 
was  weak  through  the  flesh,  God  sending 
his  own  Son  in  the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh, 
and  for  sin,  condemned  sin  in  the  flesh. 
That  the  righteousness  of  the  law  might  be 
fulfilled  in  us,  who  walk  not  after  the  flesh, 
but  after  the  Spirit,"  Rom.  8:  3,  4. 

Hence  it  follows  that  all  those  who  are 
born  of  Adam,  and  remain  his  in  not  re- 
ceiving by  faith  the  promised  seed  (I  am 
speaking  of  those  of  understanding  age), 
must,  by  the  immutable  righteousness  of 
God,  inherit  the  curse  of  Adam,  that  is, 
death,  as  a  reward  of  sin.  Christ  himself 
says,  "He  that  believeth  not  shall  be 
damned,"  Mark  IG:  16.  Again,  Paul  says, 
"The  wages  of  sin  is  death,"  Rom.  G:  23. 
For  the}'  have  no  communion  of  tlie  most 
holy  flesh  and  blood  of  Christ  Jesus;  nor 
can  they  ever  enjoy  his  deliverance,  kind- 


-^i- 


CONFESSION  OF  THE  INCAENATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 


339 


ness,  merits  and  blessing  unless  tliey  be 
truly  converted  from  the  shameful  darkness 
of  unbelief  and  sin,  to  the  eternal,  clear, 
heavenly  light,  Christ  Jesus,  1  Jn.  1:7. 
But  those  who,  with  Adam,  truly  leceive 
the  promised  seed  and  thus  become  renewed 
and  consoled  in  God,  who  are  born  anew 
by  this  same  seed;  who  are  changed  or  con- 
verted from  the  disobedient  nature  of  Adam, 
into  the  obedient  nature  of  the  Word,  Christ 
Jesus,  these  he  calls  tlesh  of  his  flesh  and 
bone  of  his  bone;  he  gives  these  unto  him- 
self, by  mere  grace,  and  makes  them  par- 
takers of  his  righteousness,  merits,  cross, 
blood  and  bitter  death,  yea,  his  whole  life, 
love  and  Spirit;  for  they  are  one  body  and 
one  Spirit  with  him;  so  tliat  they  willingly 
fulfill,  by  this  spirit  of  love  which  they  have 
received  of  him,  for  God  is  love,  all  that 
which  the  merciful  Father,  by  his  saving 
truth,  Christ  Jesus  has  commanded  as  John 
testifies,  saying,  "And  whatsoever  we  ask, 
we  receive  of  him,  because  we  keep  his  com- 
mandments, and  do  those  things  that  are 
pleasing  in  his  sight,"  1  Jn.  3:  22.  Again, 
Paul  saj's,  "Love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the 
law,"  Rom.  13  :  10.  Again,  Clu-ist  says, 
"He  that  hath  my  commandments,  and 
keepeth  them,  he  it  is  that  loveth  me,"  Jn. 
14:21. 

Besides  yoxi  say,  AVhat  is  born  of  the  spir- 
it is  spirit.  Just  brethren,  we  do  not  say 
Christ  is  born  of  the  Spiiit,  but  we  do  say 
with  the  Scripture  that  he  is  incarnate  and 
conceived  by  the  Spirit.  Now  it  is  different 
as  you  know,  to  be  born  of  the  Spirit  and 
to  be  incarnate  and  conceived  by  the  Spirit. 
Who  doubts,  moreover,  but  that  to  be  born 
of  the  Spirit  is  regeneration  !  I  beseech  you 
therefore,  through  the  Lord  as  not  being  led 
rightly  by  the  Scriptures,  if  you  hold  these 
things,  you  are  ready  to  defend  your  cause. 
Herewith,  beloved  lords,  friends  and  breth- 
ren, I  conclude  this  my  confession  of  the 
incarnation  of  our  beloved  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  I  write  you  this  in  accordance 
to  your  desire,  and  place  it  before  you 
in  all  clearness,  as  one  who  is  not  ashamed 


of  his  faith;  although  I  do  not  thus  deeply 
go  into  the  matter  in  my  admonitions  to 
the  brethren;  but,  alone,  in  an  apostolic 
manner  admonish  them  to  regeneration  and 
love.  I  desire,  by  the  grace  of  the  Lord, 
that  you  will  rightly  see  into  all  things  and 
rightly  observe  who  have  sinned.  On  the 
contrary,  who  has  requited  sin,  that  we 
may  put  on  Adam  and  his  descendants, 
their  unrighteousness,  darkness,  sin  and 
sliame;  and  give  to  Christ  Jesus  his  right- 
eousness, brightness,  praise  and  honor. 
Praying  you,  I  sa}^,  not  to  follow  in  this 
and  other  matters,  human  wisdom,  but  the 
wisdom  of  God;  not  intelligence,  but  Script- 
ure; not  flesh,  but  Spirit;  not  the  writings 
and  opinions  of  the  learned,  but  alone  the 
testimony  of  Christ  and  his  apostles,  fear- 
ing God  in  purity  of  heart  from  j^our  in- 
most souls,  as  I  should,  also  myself,  that 
we  may  not  be  like  unto  them  who  are  ever 
learning  and  never  come  to  the  knowledge 
of  the  truth.  Observe  well  that  you  do  not 
otherwise  ask,  hear  and  answer,  but  by  sin- 
cere zeal.  Before  God,  faith  and  works 
avail.  In  all  things  be  prepared  to  do  the 
will  of  God  and  not  the  will  of  your  idle, 
vain  unwilling  flesh. 

I  know  there  are  many  who  are  disposed 
to  nothing  but  to  search,  inquire  and  dis- 
pute, and  have  never  once  confessed  and 
received  the  most  necessary  things,  without 
which  none  can  be  saved,  namely,  the  pierc- 
ing, regenerating  and  sanctifying  faith,  the 
urging  fear  of  the  Lord,  and  the  burning 
love  of  God  and  their  brethren.  Be  not 
like  unto  them.  But,  beloved  brethren, 
seek  and  strive  after  true  wisdom ;  open  un- 
to her;  she  stands  before  your  door;  behold 
her  beauty;  taste  of  her  fruits;  search  her 
strength,  and  you  will  love,  embrace  and 
gladly  receive  her;  3'our  flesh  will  go  under 
and  the  Spirit  arise,  and  go  before  you  in 
the  word  and  truth  of  the  Lord,  until  Adam 
dieth  in  j'ou  and  Christ  prevail.  May  God 
give  us  all  his  divine  grace,  Amen. 

"Take  ye  heed,  watch  and  pray,"  Mark 
13:  33. 


ADMOMSHING  CONFESSION 

AND   CLEAR   DEMONSTRATION 

TO  THE  LEAKI02D  JOHN  A'LASCO,  AECn-BISIIOP   AT   EMDEN,    EAST   ERIESLAND,    ALSO    TO   HIS 

BRETHKEN.   HOW  THE  PREACHERS  OF  THE  DI^^NE  AVOED  Am)  THE  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST 

SHOULD  BE  SHNDED,  ACCORDING  TO  TILE  TESTIMONY  OF  THE  SCRIPTLTJES. 


Beloved  sirs,  friends  and  brethren,  as  I 
have  disclosed  nnto  yon,  at  your  own  re- 
quest, the  foundation  of  my  faith  and  feel- 
ings concerning  the  very  consoling  incarna- 
tion of  our  beloved  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  al- 
though I  do  not  teach  the  same  so  deeply 
before  the  church,  therefore  I  will  now  brief- 
ly point  out  my  foundation  and  feeling  how 
the  teachers  and  church,  who  can  rightly 
be  called  christians,  should  be  affected  and 
minded  before  God  and  before  all  the  world, 
according  to  the  showing  of  the  Scriptures, 
so  far  as  we  can,  by  the  grace  of  God, 
comprehend  and  understand  it  from  his 
word;  yet  I  will  not  dwell  upon  this  matter 
long,  lest  I  become  tedious. 

First,  I  would  say  in  regard  to  the  preach- 
ers and  adduce  this  Scripture,  "As  my  Fa- 
ther hath  sent  me,  even  so  send  I  you,"  Jn. 
20:  21.  Ever  remain  unchangeable  in  the 
church  of  God,  thus:  As  all  true  teachers 
and  preachers  are  sent  of  Christ  Jesus,  as 
he  is  sent  of  his  Father,  therefore  we  should 
rightly  consider  how  and  who  this  Christ 
Jesus  was,  how  and  what  he  taught  when 
the  Father  sent  him.  He  is  doubtlessly  the 
Son  and  image  of  God,  the  Teacher  of  right- 
eousness who  has  taught  and  testified  noth- 
ing but  the  truth,  namely,  the  word  of  his 
Father.  He  taught  it  in  the  power  of  the 
Spirit  and  was  urged  b}^  tlie  Holy  Ghost 
through  an  unquenchable  fire  of  love  to  the 
service  of  all  mankind.  Besides,  he  was  the 
burning,  shining  light  of  the  world,  the  true 
pattern  of  all  virtue  who  could  truly  say, 
"Learn  of  me,  for  I  am  meek  and  lowly  of 


heart."  Again,  "For  I  have  given  you  an 
example,"  &c.,  and  therefore  he  gloried  by 
the  true  testimony  of  his  Holy  Spirit,  say- 
ing, "I  am  the  good  Shepherd,"  Jn.  IS  :  37; 
7:  16;  1 :  9;  3  :  19;  S  :  12;  12  :  36;  Matt.  11: 
29;  Jn.  13:  15;  10:  11. 

This  Christ  Jesus,  the  Bishop  of  bishops, 
and  the  Shepherd  of  shepherds,  who  was 
faithful  in  all  things  unto  which  he  was 
sent  of  his  heavenly  Father,  never  sends 
any  other  bishops,  teachers,  shepherds  and 
laborers  in  his  vineyard,  to  his  members, 
children  and  sheep  to  care  for  them,  to  pas- 
ture and  protect  them,  than  those  who  are 
of  one  body.  Spirit  and  mind  with  him,  as 
he  is  one  with  his  Father,  who,  by  the  di- 
vine Word,  which  is  Christ,  in  him  and  in 
his  heavenly  nature,  are  so  renewed,  con- 
verted and  changed  that  he  may  truly  say 
of  them,  Behold,  these  are  the  children  which 

j  God  hath  given  me.  Whosoever  shall  hear 
you  shall  hear  me,  as  the  Father  testified 

!  of  Christ,  saying,  "This  is  my  beloved  Son 
in  whom  I  am  well  pleased,  hear  ye  him," 
Matt.  17 :  5.     Again,  those  wdio  are  of  one 

:  spirit  with  Christ  Jesus  are  members  of  his 

'  holy  body,  full  of  the  love  of  God  and  of 
their  brethren,  who  with  Christ  Jesus,  their 

I  Bishop,  seek  nothing  but  the  eternal  gain, 
honor,  glory  and  praise  of  God,  and  the  in- 
ward conversion,  regeneration  and  eternal 
salvation  of  those  whose  brotherly  care  is 

I  entrusted  and  commended  to  them  of  God. 

;  Yea,  he  sends  such  as  are  unblamable  both 
in  doctrine  and  life;  as  are  ru'ged  by  the 
Holy  Spirit;    who  sincerely  lament,  with 


AN  ADMONITION  TO  THE  PREACHERS. 


341 


Christ,  about  those  who  do  not  acknowl- 
edge the  gracions  time  of  their  temptation, 
who  are  rejoiced,  with  all  tlie  angls  of  God, 
at  the  conversion  of  a  sinner,  who  so  tliirst 
after  the  salvation  of  all  mankind  as  a  hun- 
gry person  hungers  after  bread;  who  so  ap- 
ply the  word  and  truth  of  the  Lord  that 
they  dare  not  teach  or  practice  a  word  oth- 
erwise than  Christ  Jesus  himself  has  taiight, 
practiced  and  commanded,  namely,  the 
pure,  unadulterated,  biblical  word  in  the 
true  sense  and  meaning  of  Christ  and  of  his 
holy  apostles;  who  practice  the  sacramental 
signs  conformable  to  the  gospel  of  Christ, 
namely,  the  baptism  of  the  believing  (and 
not  of  infants),  and  the  Supper  under  both 
forms,  in  such  church  as  is  flesh  of  Christ's 
flesh  and  bone  of  his  bone;  such  as  are  out- 
wardly unblamable  and  inwardly  of  one 
heart,  spirit,  soul  and  body  in  Christ  Jesus. 
Yea,  he  sends  such  whose  doctrine  is  a  salt; 
whose  life  is  as  a  shining  light,  long  suffer- 
ing, meek,  lowly,  merciful,  hospitable,  not 
avaricious  or  selfish,  not  desirous  of  shame- 
ful gain,  not  puffed  up,  of  good  report 
among  those  of  the  world,  ruling  well  his 
own  house,  having  a  well-minded  consort, 
if  they  have  the  gift  of  cleanliness  and  obe- 
dient children.  Yea,  in  all  things  chaste, 
sobfT,  unblamable,  having  the  Spirit,  fear 
and  love  of  God.  Again,  so  minded  in  all 
things  that  they  can  truly  say  with  Paul, 
to  their  entrusted  sheep,  "Be  ye  followers 
of  me,  even  as  I  am  of  Christ."  "Be  thou  an 
example  of  the  believers  in  Avord,  in  conver- 
sation, in  charity,  in  Spirit,  in  faith,  in 
purity,"  Heb.  3:  2;  Jn.  17:  11;  Heb.  2:  13; 
Matt.  28: 19;  Mark  16:  15;  Eph.  5:  30;  Matt. 
.'5:  14;  1  Tim.  3:  2;  Tit.  1:  6;  1  Cor.  4:  2; 
11:  1;  1  Tim.  4:  12;  Phil.  2:  17. 

Behold,  most  beloved,  thus  the  teachers 
should  be  minded  who  shall  serve  the  Lord's 
church,  that  they  may  not  hear  from  the 
obdurate  and  refractory : ' '  Why  do  you  teach 
others  and  not  yourselves  ?"  Nor  can  they 
otherwise  teach  to  the  glory  of  God;  for  the 
service  of  the  New  Testament  is  a  service  of 
the  Spirit  and  not  of  the  letter,  2  Cor.  3:6. 
Therefore  Christ  never  chooses  as  laborers 
in  his  vineyard,  as  servants  and  builders, 
such  as  are  avaricioiis,  drunkards  and 
idlers,  that  the  kingdom  of  God,  which  is 
spiritual,  may  be  taught  in  purity  of  heart, 


pasturing  the  sheep  of  Christ,  not  by  force, 
but  willingly,  not  being  intent  on  shameful 
gain  but  on  affection,  not  as  those  who  seek 
dominion  over  others,  but  as  examples  to 
the  flock  of  Christ,  not  serving  for  a  certain 
benefice,  pension,  or  stipulated  salary  as 
do  your  teachers,  but,  solely,  for  the  gain 
of  the  souls  which  Christ  Jesus  has  so  dear- 
ly bought  with  his  precious  blood.  En- 
trusting and  commending  to  the  God,  who, 
by  his  grace,  created,  delivered,  regenerated 
and  sent  them  to  his  ministration,  to  the  care 
of  their  temporal  necessaries  of  life,  dili- 
gently feeding  themselves,  by  the  grace  of 
the  Lord,  from  their  own  or  their  rented 
lands,  or  from  the  labor  of  their  hands,  so 
far  as  is  possible;  that  they  do  not  sell  the 
free  word  of  God,  given  them  without  price, 
and  thus  live  on  shameful  gain,  robbery 
and  theft.  Let  all  sincere  and  pious  serv- 
ants of  Christ  beware  of  this,  and  whatever 
they  cannot  obtain  by  dne  prudence  and 
diligence  will  doubtlessly  be  provided  for 
them  by  the  begotten  brethren  who  fear  the 
Lord,  for  whom  they  sow  spiritual  things; 
and  not  by  inconvertible  heathen,  drunk- 
ards, usurers,  whoremongers  and  such  like. 
For  such  teachers  are  the  oxen  which  tread 
out  the  corn,  which  should  not  be  muzzled, 
1  Cor.  9:  9;  1  Tim.  5:  18;  Dent.  25:  4;  they 
are  those  who  are  worthy  of  double  honor, 
with  whom  all  things  should  be  shared,  and 
who  shall  live  by  the  gospel  according  to 
the  Lord's  own  ordinance,  as  the  priests 
under  the  law,  lived  by  the  altar;  these  are 
the  true  laborers  worthy  of  their  reward  as 
Christ  says;  such  teachers  we  shall  ac- 
knowledge, honor,  maintain  in  love,  and 
for  their  labors'  sake  keep  peace  with  them, 
as  Paul  teaches,  "For  they  watch  for  your 
souls  as  they  that  must  give  account,"  Heb. 
13:  17. 

Behold  most  beloved  sirs,  friends  and 
brethren,  thus  has  God,  the  merciful  Father, 
sent  his  blessed  Son,  who  was  in  his  own 
form,  and  minded  like  him  in  all  things, 
namely,  Christ  Jesus,  who  has  sent  such 
as  were  of  one  spirit,  soul  and  body  with 
him,  without  a  staff",  purse,  shoes,  scabbard, 
money,  gold  and  silver,  that  is,  without  all 
solicitude  and  avarice.  The  apostles  or- 
dained, at  all  places  where  they  had  be- 
gotten churches,  such  bishops  and  teachers 


342 


AN  ADMONITION  TO  THE  PKEACHERS. 


as  were  unblamable  both  in  doctrine  and 
in  life,  and  liave  never  mentioned  annual 
incomes,  benefices  or  rents.  For  they  were 
men  of  God,  servants  of  Christ,  full  of  the 
love  of  God  and  their  beloved  brethren, 
who  labored,  taught,  songlit,  pastured  and 
watched  through  mere  love,  urged  by  the 
Spirit,  not  only  for  one,  two  or  three  hours 
a  week,  in  the  synagogue,  but  at  all  hours 
and  places,  in  synagogues,  streets,  houses, 
mountains  and  fields.  And,  as  they  had 
received  the  knowledge  of  tlie  kingdom  of 
God,  the  truth,  love  and  Spirit  of  God,  ! 
without  price,  so  they  were,  again,  prepared  \ 
to  dispense  it  diligently  and  teach  it  with- 
out price,  to  their  ueecly  brethren;  and,  as 
for  the  temporal  necessaries  of  life,  the  be- 
gotten church  was  sufficiently  urged  by 
]ove,  through  th.e  Spirit  and  word  of  God 
to  give  unto  such  faithful  servants  of  Christ, 
and  watchers  of  their  souls,  all  tlie  necessa-  j 
ries  of  life,  to  assist  them  and  provide  for  ! 
them  all  suchthings  they  could  not  obtain  j 
themselves.  O,  brethren,  tiee  from  avarice  ! 
Again,  those  teachers  did  not  go  about 
offering  their  services,  as  these  do,  but  they 
were  called  of  God,  as  were  Aaron,  Jeremi- 
ah, Isaiah,  Zechariah,  Paul  and  others. 
Others,  born  of  the  unblamable  church  of 
Christ,  were  chosen  by  lot,  as  was  Matthias 
Acts  1:26.  Being  called,  they  were  con- 
strained by  the  Spirit,  to  teach,  to  admon- 
ish, to  console,  to  reprove  and  to  serve  and 
protect  their  poor  brethren  and  sisters  ac- 
cording to  God's  holy  word,  with  all  their 
strengtli.  As  they  were  thus  called,  and 
felt  in  them  an  urging  spirit  and  moved  by 
love,  as  was  said  above,  so  they  reasonably 
filled  their  office  with  all  solicitude  and  dil- 
igence, watching  night  and  day  for  the  eter- 
nal salvation  of  their  sheep,  working  dili- 
gently in  the  vineyard  of  the  Lord,  ruling 
the  people  of  God  with  the  rod  of  the  Lord; 
they  did  not  doubt,  made  use  of  no  flat- 
tery; but  in  a  good  conscience  they  re- 
proved the  great  as  well  as  the  small,  the 
rich  as  well  as  the  poor,  the  learned  as  well 
as  those  that  were  not  learned;  the  word 
was  proclaimed  in  their  church,  wholesome 
and  unadulterated,  at  all  times  a^d  in  all 
places,  as  was  said  above,  according  to  the 
measure  of  their  faith  and  Spirit  which  God, 
by  his  grace,  had  given  to  every  one  of 


them.  Most  beloved,  do  not  excuse  your- 
selves because  all  who  boasted  themselves 
as  being  teachers  of  the  church  of  Christ, 
even  in  the  times  of  Paul,  were  not  sincere, 
pious,  and  urged  by  love,  as  appears  from 
Phil.  1 :  15;  2:  21 ;  3:  2.  Verily,  I  say  unto 
3'ou,they  boasted  of  being  such,  but  in  truth, 
before  God  they  were  not.  For  it  is  not 
hidden  from  you  what  kind  of  fruits  they 
produced  and  how  Paul  regarded  them. 
As  you  are  aware  that  it  is  not  the  intention 
and  will  of  God,  nor  ever  shall  be,  that 
his  holy  word  should  be  proclaimed  to  the 
erring  world  unto  salvation,  either  by  (bunk- 
ards,  whoremongers,  avaricious,  idolaters, 
despisers  of  the  Scripture,  gluttons,  proud, 
thieves,  bloodthirsty,  vain  talkers,  enemies 
of  the  cross  of  Christ,  by  those  whose  belly 
is  their  God,  by  those  who  are  already 
condemned  by  the  word  of  God,  or  by  the 
carnal  or  earthly-minded.  But  only,  by 
the  truly  regenerated  christian,  unblama- 
ble men  who  sincerel}^  seek  God  from  their 
inmost  souls,  urged  by  the  Holy  Ghost  and 
constrained  by  love,  as  Christ  said  thrice 
imto  Peter,  "Lovest  thou  me?  Yea,  Lord 
(answered  Peter);  thou  knowest  all  things 
and  knowest  that  I  love  thee.  Jesus  saith 
unto  him.  Feed  my  lambs,"  Jn.  21 :  15. 

O,  most  beloved,  take  heed  what  spirit 
urges  you,  what  love  constrains  3'ou,  what 
church  calls  you  and  what  things  you  seek. 
Follow  the  good  and  not  the  evil.  I  tell 
you  in  Christ  Jesus  that  my  soul  is  troubled 
for  your  sakes.  I  pray  you,  beloved  breth- 
ren, receive  it  with  a  will.  I  must  frankly 
speak  my  mind;  for  as  much  as  I  can  de- 
duce and  understand  from  my  past  actions 
and  from  j'our  apparent  fruits,  3'ou  are  all, 
none  of  your  teachers  excepted,  urged  by 
3'our  flesh  and  belly,  and  are  therefore  all 
hirelings  and  not  shepherds,  Jn.  10: 12.  Or, 
at  best,  are  such  shepherds  as  seek  the 
wool,  milk  and  flesh  and  do  not  care  for  the 
Lord's  sheep.  For  wherever  the  fattest  are, 
there  are  also  the  best  sheep.  O  breth- 
ren, consider  what  the  Lord's  prophets  have 
so  often  threatened  on  such.  Yea,  how 
many  are  found  among  you  who,  for  the 
sake  of  an  earthen  house,  or  for  ten  guild- 
ers, move  from  one  place  to  another,  as  if 
they  were  not  all  bought  equally  dear  at 
one  price  ?  I  fear  that  you  would  all  do  it. 


AN  ADMONITION  TO  THE  PREACHERS. 


343 


O  brethren,  if  you  confess  this  to  be  true 
then  judge  for  yourselves  what  is  your  seek- 
ing, and  if  you  will  not  verbally  confess  it, 
superhia  fl-tie  j^'^rfinacia  impediente,  it  ran 
yet  not  be  denied  by  the  intelligent.  God 
has  been  mocked  long  enough.  Brethren, 
be  converted  ! 

As  tlie  teachers  are  serving  their  bellies, 
avaricious,  desirous  of  shameful  gain,  eartli- 
ly-minded,  as  Paul  says,  not  to  say  proud, 
lazy,  vain,  drunken,  spiteful  and  envious, 
so  are  also  minded,  all  those  who  are 
tauglit  and  liegotten  of  them,  as  may  be 
plainly  seen,  inasmuch  as  both  teacher  and 
church  live  and  walk  so  sliamefullj^that  all 
heaven  must  be  ashamed  and  astounded 
thereat.  For  their  avarice,  unchastity, 
pride,  pomp,  greed,  drunkenness,  liatred, 
envy,  fornication,  adulterj^,  blood-thirsti- 
ness, usury,  fraud,  vanity,  and  all  manner 
of  shame  have  no  limits  or  bonds.  More- 
over, we  iind  open  fencing-schools,  gam- 
bling houses,  houses  of  ill-fame  and  drink- 
ing liouses.  For  as  tlie  teachers  are,  so  are 
also  their  doctrine,  sacraments  and  church, 
as  is  said,  Qualis  Papa,  tale  Ecangdium  and 
omnia.  Verily,  I  say,  believe  it  if  you 
choose,  Christ  does  not  send  such  avaricious, 
selfish  and  carnal  teachers,  nor  does  he  ac- 
knowledge such  a  self-conceited,  carnal  and 
blamable  church.  But  those  who  are  sent 
of  Christ  Jesus  have  his  Spirit,  crucify  the 
lusts  and  desires  of  their  liesh,  that  they, 
preachingto  others  may  not  be  found  shame- 
ful, seeking  alone,  the  praise  of  God  and  the 
salvation  of  their  beloved  brethren,  refusing 
all  shanu^fiil  gain,  presents  and  gifts,  so 
long  as  they  have  wherewith  to  maintain 
themselves,  honoring  none  for  the  sake  of 
gain,  living  unblamably,  teaching  the  word 
wholesomely  and  using  the  sacraments  ac- 
cording to  the  commandments  of  the  Lord, 
excluding  all  degenerated  sisters  and  breth- 
ren, again  proclaiming  grace  to  those  that 
are  converted,  having  eternal  vigilance  and 
care  for  those  whose  care  is  entrusted  to 
them  of  the  Lord's  church. 

As  you  are  not  such  as  the  Scriptures  re- 
quire you  to  be,  but  are  as  yet  in  opposi- 
tion to  the  true  doctrine,  and  also,  blama- 
ble in  life,  as  is  apparent,  therefore  I  ad- 
monish you  in  all  earnestness  and  fraternal 
love,  to  become  first  sincere  christians  be- 


fore you  undertake  to  impress  and  teach 
Christ  unto  others.  Let  us  examine  our- 
selves, that  we  may  learn  to  know  our  own 
ailings,  and  knowing  them,  die  unto  them. 
For  before  God,  neither  smooth  words  nor 
semblance  will  avail.  Brethren,  I  must 
tell  you  the  plain  truth  which  may  be  gall- 
ing and  bitter  to  you  because  there  is  found 
neither  Spirit  nor  power,  nor  trust  in  Christ, 
nor  fear  of  God,  nor  love  of  the  brethren 
with  your  teachers,  but  only  a  vain  calling 
of  words  for  the  sake  of  a  stipulated  salary, 
without  any  show  of  christian  fruits.  There- 
fore all  your  calling  is  nothing  but  to  sow 
on  the  shore  to  reap  the  wind;  for  the  pui-e 
word  of  God  and  the  teaching  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  cannot  be  pointed  out  and  tauglit  by 
servants  who  are  unclean  and  carnal.  To 
this  all  intelligent  persons  must,  doubtless- 
ly, consent. 

As  you  then,  I  say,  are  blanuible  both 
in  doctrine  and  in  life,  and  as  your  doctrine, 
such  as  you  have,  is  hired  for  a  salary  and 
Avithout  spiritual  fiuit,  and  as  no  unblama- 
ble church  is  begotten  of  j'ou,  and  as  the 
signs  of  the  Word  are  abused  by  you ;  there- 
fore it  is  apparent  that  you  are  not  the  true 
messengers  of  God,  but  you  run  }'our  own 
course,  urged  by  the  liesh  and  not  by  the 
Spirit;  not  sincerely  seeking  the  salvation 
of  the  church,  but  rather  the  temporal  prof- 
its and  rents,  and  that  with  such  rapacity 
that  you  are  not  ashamed  to  receive  them 
as  a  reward  and  price  of  3'our  preaching, 
which  were  in  ancient  times,  by  feigned 
words  and  fraudulent  commerce,  as  Peter 
says,  nay,  by  nothing  but  theft  and  sly 
robbery,  taken  from  the  true  and  legal 
heirs. 

Thus  you  sell,  first,  the  precious,  free 
word  of  God  which,  by  grace,  was  given  us 
of  God,  without  price.  And  secondly,  it  is 
paid  for  by  that  which  was  stolen.  Here 
lies  hidden  more  than  I  will  disclose.  Qui 
defurto  vttit  and  rapina  non  duhium  est, 
quim  fur  est  and  raptor.  Do  look  at  the 
matter  in  a  christian  light.  Behold,  feel 
and  taste  your  manifest  error,  unworthi- 
ness  and  plain  avarice.  I  here  speak  of  all 
your  preachers;  for  they  all  enjoy  such 
gain.  Your  teachings,  benelices,  pensions 
and  rents  are  such  an  abomination  before 
my   eyes,  that    brethren,  verily  I  would 


344 


AN  ADMONITION  TO  THE  PREACHERS. 


rather  be  beheaded,  burned,  drowned  or 
torn  into  quarters  by  four  horses  than  to 
receive,  on  account  of  my  preaching,  such 
benefices,  pensions  or  rents.  Yea,  wlien  giv- 
ing salaries  to  preachers  was  established, 
there  surely  crept  into  the  church  of  Christ 
a  very  fearful,  corrupting  pestilence;  wliich 
has  corrupted  so  that,  alas,  there  are  scarce- 
ly any  left  who  have  retained  the  breath  of 
Christ  in  them.  To  this  you  must  all  con- 
sent. What  other  reason  is  there  than  this 
that  the  preachers  have  sought  the  temporal 
gain  of  their  own  bellies  more  than  the 
eternal  gain  of  the  souls  of  Christ?  As  you 
freely  accept  and  enjoy  the  beforementioned 
shameful  gain,  and  what  is  still  worse,  as 
you  diligently  seek  and  desire  the  same, 
how  can  you  defend  yourselves  and  say 
that  you  are  not  desirous  of  the  lilthy  lucre  i 
1  Tim.  3:  3,  and  that  j'ou  do  not  honor  the 
person  for  filthy  lucre's  sake  ?  O,  brethren, 
I  wish  you  would  awaken,  to  consider 
the  matter,  and  that  you  were  all  of  one 
mind  with  us  in  this  matter;  for  it  would 
doubtlessly  be  profitable  to  both  the  praise 
and  truth  of  God,  and  to  your  poor  souls, 
that  we  would  without  pay,  dispense  the 
precious  word  of  God,  the  word  of  eter- 
nal salvation  and  heavenly  grace,  which 
can  be  merited  by  no  works  nor  requited 
by  money,  as  we,  by  grace  only,  received 
it  of  God  without  price,  that  we  again 
would  dispense  it  without  pay,  and  solely 
by  brotherly  love  would  teach  it  to  the  hun- 
gering consciences,  God  surely  would  not 
forsake  us,  but  would  in  every  emergency 
paternally  care  for  us  and  protect  us.  But 
it  can  not  thus  be  with  you  becarase  you  are 
devoid  of  faith  and  love. 

As  you  are  all  buried  to  your  ears  in 
filthy  lucre;  earthly  and  carnally  minded 
in  all  things;  not  yet  dead  unto  the  flesh 
by  the  power  of  regeneration,  not  yet  re- 
ceived Christ  Jesus  in  all  his  words,  and 
on  that  account,  are  not  yet  wholesome  in 
doctrine,  do  not  conform  the  ministration 
of  the  signs  to  the  word  of  God;  are  blam- 
able  in  doctrine,  as  is  plain,  and  as  there 
is  found  with  you  no  power,  no  fruit  of  the 
Spirit,  no  true  fear  of  God  and  no  brother- 
ly love;  but  rather  heresy,  upbraiding, 
blasphemy  and  profaning  of  the  teachings 
and  lives  of  the  pious  saints  and  children 


of  God,  who  for  the  testimony  of  their  con- 
sciences, confirmed  by  the  word  of  God, 
have  fled  from  their  country  and  kindred, 
and  for  the  sake  of  the  testimony  are  pre- 
pared for  water,  fire  and  sword  if  God  so 
will.  Besides,  your  doctrine  being  quite 
powerless  and  fruitless,  the  church  which 
you  beget  being  quite  earthy,  carnal  and 
contrary  to  the  testimony  and  fruits  of  the 
holy  word  of  the  Lord ;  therefore,  we  repeat 
it  that  you  are  not  the  true  messengers  of 
Jesus  Christ.  Be  not  angry  with  me,  most 
beloved. 

It  is  for  the  beforementioned  reasons  that 
we  will  not  hear  nor  attend  your  preaching, 
nor  partake  of  your  supper.  For  we  shall 
never  desire  to  enter  into  your  clrarch  and 
to  become  one  body  with  you  until  3'ou 
sincerely  repent  and  embrace  a  free,  chris- 
tian doctrine,  not  hired  nor  sold  out,  but 
solely  iirged  by  the  Holy  Spirit  through 
])rotherly  love,  a  true  use  of  the  sacrament- 
al signs,  according  to  the  command,  doc- 
trine and  usage  of  Christ  and  his  apostles, 
and  an  unblamable  life  and  walk,  led  in  the 
love  and  fear  of  the  Lord.  If  we  do  so  be- 
fore these  are  found  with  you,  we  are  sure 
that  we  sin  against  God  and  his  holy  word, 
from  which  may  the  kind,  merciful  Father 
save  us.  For  before  God,  it  does  not  become 
us  to  commit  ourselves  to  such  doctrine,  ad- 
monition and  church,  who  first,  err  in  doc- 
trine, and  secondly,  do  not  in  the  least 
show  by  their  lives  that  they  are  the  truly 
regenerated  children  of  God,  or  the  true 
church  of  Jesus  Christ.  But  most  beloved, 
it  behooves  you,  as  you  have  not  the  un- 
blamable doctrine  and  walk  of  Jesus 
Christ,  to  renounce  your  doctrine  and  life 
and  voluntarily  bid  adieu  to  all  the  lusts 
of  the  flesh,  to  seek  the  kingdom  of  God  in 
sincerity  of  heart,  to  enter  with  us,  into  all 
obedience  to  our  beloved  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
with  all  your  strength,  if  you  do  not  desire 
to  err  willfully,  that  we  together,  may  be- 
come the  holy,  christian  and  unblamable 
church,  godly,  holy,  clean,  obedient  unto 
God,  serving  all  mankind,  powerful  in  truth, 
shining  forth  in  righteousness,  dead  unto 
sin,  living  by  the  Spirit,  nay,  in  all  things 
christian,  heavenly  and  unblamable  in 
Christ  Jesus. 

Do  receive  my  admonishing  confession. 


AN  ADMONITION  TO  THE  PREACHERS. 


345 


in  good  faith,  and  do  not  understand  it  as 
too  far-reaching,  namely,  such  words  as, 
clean,  vnblamahle,  and  the  like.  For  they 
are  spoken  of  Christ  Jesus  himself,  and  of 
his  holy  apostles  to  the  church  of  the  Lord, 
Jn.  VS:  10;  Phil.  2:  15.  Do  not  luiderstand 
it,  most  beloved,  that  we  deem  ourselves  so 
clean  and  unblamable  as  being  without  sin. 
Not  at  all,  dear  brethren;  for  I  know  full 
well  that  holy  John  teaches,  saying,  "If  we 
say  that  we  have  no  sin,  we  deceive  our- 
selves, and  the  trath  is  not  in  ^^s,"  1  Ju. 
1:  8.  Again,  James  says,  In  muUis  enim 
labimur  oinnes.  "In  many  things  we  of- 
fend all,"  Jas.  3:  3.  Yea,  beloved  brethren, 
with  Paul,  I  fiud  the  disposition  to  com- 
mit sin,  at  all  times,  so  strong  in  my  flesh, 
that  I  often  think  recklessly,  speak  incon- ' 
siderately  and  "the  evil  which  I  would  not, 
that  I  do,"  Rom.  7  :  8,  19.  ; 

But  the  abominable,  shameful  sins  and  : 
offenses,  siich  as  adultery,  fornication,  ha- 
tred, envy,  inebriety,  pomp,  splendor,  curs-  j 
ing,  swearing,  gambling,  desire  of  filthy 
lucre,  abuse  of  the  ordinances  of  Christ  and 
fraud  I  verilj',  detest  from  the  inmost  of 
my  heart,  and  they  should  never,  by  the 
grace  of  the  Lord,  be  practiced  by  any  sin- 
cere, godfearing  christians,  inasmuch  as 
they  hate  and  oppose  them;  for  the 
spirit  which  is  in  them  is  a  deadly  enemy 
to  all  ungodliness,  wickedness  and  sin 
(in  the  mean  while  we  often  find  that  we 
are  born  of  Adam).  Besides,  their  spirit 
strives  and  hungers  after  the  truth,  right- 
eousness, will  and  commandments  of  God, 
yet  in  great  weakness;  for  they  are  very 
much  retarded  in  the  works,  fruits,  and  ful- 
fillment by  the  heavy  burden  of  the  sinful 
flesh.  Nevertheless,  because  the  good  Spir- 
it of  God  abides  in  them,  they  do  not  cease 
to  fight  their  tardy  flesh.  For  the  life  of 
true  christians  is  nothing  but  a  continual 
combat  upon  earth.  Whosoever  shall  val- 
iantly battle  and  overcome,  will  be  clothed 
in  white  raiments,  and  fed  with  the  heaven- 
ly bread  of  the  tree  of  life,  Rev.  2:  17. 

Behold,  most  beloved,  inasmuch  as  you 
and  your  church  have  never  triumi^hed  in 
this  battle  (I  judge  from  what  I  hear,  and 
from  your  actions  which  I  see),  but  still 
serve  the  world,  the  flesh  and  the  devil 
carelessly;  therefore  we  deem,  according  to 
SO 


the  testimony  of  the  Scripture,  that  you  vain- 
ly and  wrongfully  boast  of  the  name,  grace, 
deliverance,  merits,  death,  blood,  and  prom- 
ises of  Christ;  as  you  have  not  his  word, 
and  by  the  word,  his  faith.  Spirit,  fear  and 
love,  and  consequently  do  not  follow  them . 
Therefore,  I  pray  you  by  the  mercy  of  the 
Lord,  to  consider  once,  what  kind  of  teach- 
ers you  are,  what  kind  of  spirit  urges  you, 
what  kind  of  love  prompts  you,  with  what 
intentions  and  by  what  motives  you  teach, 
what  kind  of  fruits  you  produce,  what  kind 
of  ordinances  you  use,  and  unto  what  kind 
of  a  church  you  teach  and  minister.  Judge 
all  things  according  to  the  divine  testimo- 
ny, without  self-love,  flesh  and  partiality. 
I  doubt  not  but  if  you  examine  the  matter 
rightly,  you  will  not  be  surprised  that  we 
will  not  hear  3^our  doctrine,  nor  use  your 
sacraments,  and  refuse  \into  death  to  be- 
come members  of  your  church.     For  this 
remains     incontrovertible,     eternally    un- 
changeable;   that  as    Cluist  Jesus    is    of 
one  mind  with  the  Father,  and  sent  of  him, 
so  all  teachers  should  be  of  one  mind  with 
Christ  Jesus  who  can  be  considered  as  sent 
of  him.  Those  who  are  one  with  Christ  in  Spir- 
it, love  and  life;  who  teach  that  which  was 
commanded  by  Christ,  such  as  repentance 
and  the  peaceable  gospel  of  grace,  wliicli 
he  himself  received  of  God,  and  taught  to 
the   world,   all   those  who    hear,  believe, 
keep  and  fulfill  the  same  in  true  fear,  are 
the  church  of  Christ,  the  truly  believing, 
christian  church,  the  body   and  bride  of 
Christ,  the  ark  of  the  Lord,  the  mount  and 
paradise,  the  house,  people,  city  and  tem- 
ple  of  God,   the    spiritual    Eve,   flesh    of 
Christ's  flesh  and  bone  of  his  bone,  children 
of  God,  the  chosen  generation,  the  spiritual 
seed  of  Abraham,  children  of  the  promise, 
'  branches  and  trees  of  righteousness,  sheep 
,  of  the  heavenly  pasture,  kings  and  priests, 
,  a  holy  begotten  people  which  is  God's  own. 
Besides,  they  are  chosen  to  proclaim  the 
power  of  him  who  has  called  them  from 
darkness  into    his   marvelous    light,   Col. 
1:14;    1  Cor.  12:27;    Heb.  12:22;    Matt. 
5:  14;  2  Cor.  6:  16;  11:  5;  Eph.  5:  30;  1  Pet. 
2:  9;  Rom.  9:  S;  Isa.  61:  3;  Ps.  95:  7;  79: 13; 
Rev.  1:6;  1  Pet.  2:9. 

All  those  who  have  not  the  Siiirit,  love 
and  life  of  Christ,  nor  sincerely  desire  them. 


346 


AN  ADMONITION  TO  THE  PREACHERS. 


have  no  share  in  the  glorious  Jerusalem  of 

God,  that  is,  in  Christ's  church;  no  matter 
whether  they  be  teacher  or  disciple,  prince 
or  subject,  man  or  woman;  besides  they 
have  neither  prayer,  nor  God,  nor  Christ, 
nor  promise,  nor  remission  of  sins,  nor  any 
sure  consolation  in  eternal  life,  so  long  as 
they  do  not  sincerely  repent,  receive  God's 
word,  and  fulfill  it  in  the  true  fear,  as  Christ 
himself  says,  "He  that  believeth  not  is  al- 
ready condemned,'"  Jn.  8:  18. 

Dear  brethren,  you  may  contradict  this 
as  much  as  you  will,  yet  this  foundation 
shall  stand  forever,  and  will  never  be 
changed.  The  words  of  Paul  shall  never 
be  broken,  "If  any  man  have  not  the  Spirit 
of  Christ,  he  is  none  of  his,"  Rom.  8:9;  and 
where  the  Spirit  is  there  shall  also  be  the 
fruits  of  the  Spirit,  as  it  is  infallible  that  if 
the  Spirit  is  in  man,  the  evil  one  as  well  as 
the  good,  it  will  manifest  itself  by  itsftiiits, 
Gal".  5:  16;  Matt.  7:  17. 

Lastlj^,  most  beloved,  if  you  want  to  be 
the  true  church  of  Christ  and  boast  of  the 
truth,  grace,  word,  Spirit,  and  blood  of  the 
Lord,  then  separate,  first,  all  your  preach- 
ers who  are  urged  by  the  unclean  spirit  and 
flesh,  who,  therefore  are  not  of  the  church 
of  Christ,  namely,  all  those  who  are  desir- 
ous of  filthy  lucre,  as  was  said  above. 
Again,  also,  all  drunkards,  wranglers,  flat- 
tererSj  proud,  envious  and  avaricious;  for 
all  these  testify  by  their  fruits  that  they 
have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ.  And  if  they 
have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  how  can  these 
poor,  miserable  men,  then,  teach  and  im- 
press the  Spirit,  power  and  will  of  God,  the 
word  of  grace,  and  the  word  of  eternal  life, 
which  they  do  not  confess  ?  Yea,  brethren, 
it  is  impossible  for  me  to  teach  the  things 
which  I  do  not  know  myself,  and  how  shall 
I  serve  in  the  house  of  the  Lord  while  I  my- 
self am  a  castaway  ?  Judge  for  yourselves. 

Secondly,  cleanse  your  church,  also.  Ex- 
clude, according  to  the  word  of  God,  all 
adulterers  and  fornicators,  drunkards,  slan- 
derers, swearers,  those  who  lead  a  shameful 
and  inordinate  life,  the  proud,  avaricious, 
idolatrous,  disobedient  unto  God,  whore- 
mongers and  the  like,  that  you  may  be- 
come the  holy,  christian  church  which  is 
without  spot  or  blemish,  which  is  as  a  city 
built  upon  a  rock.    In  case  these  are  truly 


observed  and  found  with  you,  and,  besides, 
a  free,  christian  doctrine,  tlie  true  ministra- 
tion of  the  sacraments  of  Christ,  not  accord- 
ing to  the  opinion  of  men  or  of  the  learned, 
but  according  to  the  true  doctrine  of  Christ 
and  his  apostles — again,  the  fear  and  love 
of  God,  and  an  unblamable  life,  according 
to  God's  word,  then  you  will  ever  have  us 
as  your  brethren;  for  it  is  such  we  seek. 
But  if  you  remain  as  you  are,  then  I  say 
publicly.  Better  to  die  than  to  enter  into 
your  doctrine,  sacraments,  life,  and  church, 
as  was  said  above. 

Beloved  brethren,  it  is  no  use  to  allege 
the  Scriptui'e  of  the  Pharisees  sitting  in  the 
seat  of  Moses,  Matt.  23:  2;  nor  that  Herod 
sent  the  wise  of  the  east ;  nor  that  some  say, 
If  tlie  devil  should  preach  the  word  of  God, 
why  not  hear  it?  Christ  Jesus  did  not  send 
the  Phai'isees,  the  sei-vants  of  the  letter,  to 
preach  the  word  of  tlie  Spirit  and  of  life; 
Herod  did  not  send  the  wise,  with  good  in- 
tentions; nor  has  the  devil  ever  sincerely  giv- 
en praise  to  God;  nor  does  God  want  the 
praise  of  the  devil,  for  Christ  says,  "Hold 
thy  peace,  and  come  out  of  him,"  Luke 
4:  3.5;  therefore  it  is  useless  to  adduce  such 
reasons,  inasmuch  as  God,  by  his  mercy 
and  grace,  has  so  opened  the  eyes  of  our 
mind  that  we  surely  know  that  the  spiritu- 
al service  of  the  New  Testament  can  be  ad- 
ministered by  none  but  by  servants  of  the 
Spirit  impelled  in  love  by  the  power  of  the 
Holy  Ghost;  for  it  is  and  remains  a  service 
of  the  Spirit  and  not  of  the  letter,  2  Cor. 
3:  6.    Enough  has  been  adduced  on  this. 

In  short,  deny  yourselves,  be  prepared  to 
do  the  will  of  God,  seek  nothing  but  his 
honor  and  praise,  and  the" eternal  salvation 
of  your  brethren,  and  hunger  and  thirst  after 
the  righteousness  of  God.  Believe  and  re- 
ceive Christ  Jesus  rightly  in  his  blessed 
word,  and  you  will  undoubtedly  understand 
and  comprehend  the  true  way,  the  truth, 
and  life  eternal,  to  the  praise  of  God,  and 
to  your  own  salvation.  May  God,  the  kind 
and  merciful  Father,  grant  us  all  this.  Amen, 
Matt.  5:  6;  Jer.  31:25. 

As  I,  dear  brethren,  have  diligently  re- 
proved the  preachers,  on  account  of  the  re- 
ceiving of  filthy  lucre,  in  this  my  admon- 
ishing confession,  according  to  the  word  of 
God,  therefore  I  do  not  doubt  but  that  there 


AN  ADMONITION  TO  THE  PREACHERS. 


347 


are  some  wlio  will  bitterly  contradict  me  in 
this  matter,  and  say,  "  Beloved  Menno,  you 
can  not  deprive  iis  of  the  privileges  Christ 
Jesus  has  given  us;  as  you  have  alleged 
from  Paul,  that  those  who  serve  the  gospel 
shall  live  by  the  gospel.  Say  why  seek 
you  to  take  away  that  of  which  we  have  the 
privilege?"  To  those  who  contradict  me- 
thus,  I  would  first  reply  by  asking,  If  the 
teachers,  to  whom  this  privilege  is  given  of 
Christ  by  the  gospel,  are  not  sent  of  Christ 
Jesus  ?  They  must  answer  in  the  affirma- 
tive. Then  I  say  again,  as  tliey  are  sent  of 
Christ,  who  enjoyed  this  privilege  given  of 
Christ,  therefore  those  have  not  thig  priv- 
ilege, who  run  their  own  course  and  are  not 
sent  of  Christ. 

Again,  I  ask  if  these  teachers  to  whom 
this  privilege  is  given  by  the  Scriptures, 
were  not  men  of  the  Spirit  of  love  and  of 
truth?  Doubtlessly  so.  Then  I  reply:  If 
they  are  men  of  Spirit,  of  love  and  of  truth, 
to  whom  this  privilege  is  granted  by  the 
gospel,  those  who  do  not  teach  and 
serve  by  the  Spirit,  love  and  truth,  may  not 
appropriate  and  make  use  of  this  privilege ; 
for  they  are  not  the  teachers  to  whom  it 
was  given  and  promised  by  the  word  of 
God. 

Thirdly,  I  ask,  if  the  teachers  which  are 
sent  of  Christ  Jesus,  who,  according  to  the 
Scriptures  may  enjoy  this  privilege,  led  a 
shameful  life  after  their  being  called  ?  and 
if  they  led  a  shameful  life,  and  were  found 
corrupt  before  God  and  his  church,  if  they 
could  longer  remain  as  teachers  in  the  un- 
blamable church  of  Christ?  They  must 
doubtlessly  answer.  No.  Then,  if  they  an- 
swer, no,  as  it  is  in  truth,  that  those  whose 
life  and  walk  in  the  church  of  Christ,  are  no 
more  pure  and  useful  than  the  filthy  carrion 
by  the  roadside,  are  no  teachers  in  the 
church  of  the  Lord;  such  as  drunkards, 
perjurers,--  those  filled  with  all  unrighteous- 
ness, fornication,  wickedness,  covetousness, 
maliciousness ;  full  of  envy,  murder,  deceit, 
debate  and  malignity.  For  if  the  salt  have 
lost  his  savor,  says  Christ,  it  is  thenceforth 
good  for  nothing,  but  to  be  cast  out,  and  to 
be  trodden  under  foot  of  men.  Matt.  5:  13; 
1  Cor.  5:  10;  2  Cor.  6:  lO;  Rom.  1:  29.  And 
if  the  church  is  to  be  uul^lamable,  and  with- 
out spot  or  blemish,  how  much  more  so  the 


teachers,  as  Christ  himself  teaches,  saying. 
Ye  are  the  light  of  the  world.  Ye  are  the 
salt  of  the  earth,  Eph.  5:  30;  Matt  5:  13. 
Inasmuch  as  the  beforementioned,  carnal 
teachers  are  already  excluded  from,  and 
deprived  of  the  christian  office  of  teacher, 
by  God's  own  ordinance  and  word,  as  they 
do  not  live  up  to  the  doctrine,  and  by  their 
apparent  unbelief  and  inordinacy  are  not 
in  the  church  of  Christ;  therefore  they 
can  not  enjoy  that  privilege;  for  Christ 
Jesus  has  promised  and  given  sincere,  pious, 
spiritual,  meek,  true,  unblamable  teachers, 
sent  of  God,  and  not  inordinate,  lazy,  vain, 
idle,  drunken,  shameful,  Ij'ing,  pompous, 
gluttonous,  avaricious  and  carnal  rogues, 
Rom.  10:  16;  Isa.  51:  7;  62:  6. 

Fourthly,  I  ask,  whether  the  men  of  God, 
the  prophets,  apostles,  and  teachers  sent  of 
God,  were  also  hired  or  bought  at  a  stip- 
ulated, annual  salary,  to  teach  and  proclaim 
the  free  word  of  grace  ?  I  know  that  the  an- 
swer must  be,  no.  For  they  did  not  teach 
but  by  the  urging  of  the  Spirit  and  love.  I 
say  again,  Inasmuch  as  your  preachers  are 
hired  and  bought  at  a  stipulated  salary  or 
rents,  and  do  not  preach  unless  they  are 
hired,  they  mvrst  acknowledge  that  they  are 
hii'elings,  and  not  teachers  that  are  sent; 
for  they  do  not  teach  by  the  urging  of  the 
Spirit  and  love,  but  are  enticed  and  drawn 
on  as  was  Balaam  by  the  promised  salary, 
benefices  and  rents.  Qui  id  negat,  Solem 
in  die  splendere  minus  concedet. 

Fifthly,  I  ask,  if  the  teachers,  sent  of  God, 
men  of  the  Spirit,  of  love  and  of  truth,  en- 
lightening both  in  doctrine  and  in  life,  lived 
of  a  stipulated  salary,  benefice  or  rents;  or 
whether  they  did  not  live  by  the  services  or 
assistance  of  the  brethren,  so  far  as  they 
could  not  obtain  it  of  themselves?  They 
must  confess  that  it  was  by  the  assistance 
of  the  brethren,  and  not  of  certain  benefices, 
pensions  or  rents.  This  I  teach,  seek  and 
sincerely  desire.  Therefore  this  is  my  brief 
conclusion  and  christian  admonition  to  all 
preachers  and  teachers.  Brethren,  humble 
yourselves  and  become  unblamable  disci- 
ples, that  you  may  hereafter  become  called 
teachers.  Try  your  Spirit,  love  and  life  be- 
fore you  commence  to  pasture  and  to  teach. 
Run  not  yoiu"  own  course,  but  wait  until 
you  are  called  of  the  Lord's  church;  I  say, 


348 


AN  ADMONITION  TO  THE  PREACHERS. 


Lord^s  cliurcTi,  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  are 
constrained  by  urging  love.  If  this  is  the 
case,  brethren,  then  pasture  diligently, 
preach  and  teach  valiantly,  cast  from  you 
all  lilthy  lucre  and  booty ;  rent  lands,  milk 
cows,  learn  a  trade,  if  possible,  do  manual 
labor,  as  did  Paul,  and  all  that  vphich  you 
then  fall  short  of  will  doubtlessly  be  given 
and  provided  you  bj^  the  pious  brethren,  by 
the  grace  of  God.  Understand  it  not  as 
'superfluously,'  but  as  'necessarily.' 

Such  privileges  the  holy  gospel  grants  to 
the  unblamable  preachers  which  are  sent  of 
Christ  Jesus,  and  nothing  further.  But  the 
preachers  who  run  their  own  course,  are 
earthly  and  carnally  minded,  are  blamable 
in  doctrine  and  in  life,  "  serve  not  our  Lord 


Jesus  Christ,  but  their  own  bellies,"  who, 
on  account  of  their  lazy,  gluttonous,  easy 
flesh,  teach  and  serve  to  please  the  world, 
as  hired  servants,  at  certain  wages,  the 
Scriptures  do  not  know.  Therefore  I  say 
for  once  and  for  all  time,  If  they  will  not 
do  differently,  but  always  say  in  their 
hearts — Erret  quilibet  Jtomo  ad  libitum, 
■nili.il  ad  iios,  modo  ventri  nostra  provisum 
fiierit — then  I  will  leave  them  in  the  hands 
of  him  who  shall  .judge  them  and  us  accord- 
ing to  his  most  holy  word  and  to  his  pleas- 
ure. 

Brethren,  decide  the  more  wisely,  and 
living  in  the  great  God  through  all  things, 
refuse  not  to  bid  adieu  to  your  carnal 
bodies. 


C  0  I  C  L  U  S I  0  ]^. 


Here  you  have,  beloved  sirs,  friends,  and 
brethren,  our  plain  confession  of  the  incar- 
nation of  our  beloved  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
which  I  thus  sincerely  confess  and  believe; 
for  you  requested  me  to  do  so,  and,  I  trust, 
with  a  good  intention.  Therefore  I  have 
not  hidden  my  faith.  Now,  judge  the  mat- 
ter rightly,  if  you  be  spiritually  minded, 
and  if  I  should,  as  you  think  I  do,  err  as  is 
natural  to  man,  which  I  trust  I  do  not,  then 
do  not  think  that  I  do  so  out  of  obduracy, 
or  partiality,  but  before  God,  my  Creator, 
it  is  because  I  know  no  better  but  that  it 
is  the  Arm,  immutable  foundation  of  God's 
word  and  truth.  Brethren,  do  not  look  at 
me  as  one  who  seeks  something  contrary 
to  the  will  of  God.  Not  at  all.  The  eter- 
nal truth,  word  and  will  of  God,  I  am  pre- 
pared to  do,  at  the  risk  of  all  that  his  pater- 
nal kindness  may  inflict  upon  me.  This  I  say 
in  sincerity  of  heart,  and  have  no  doubt. 
Therefore  I  say  to  you,  that  if  you  have 
any  plainer  Scriptures  in  support  of  this 
article  of  the  incarnation  of  Christ;  if  you 
have  a  clearer  foundation,  truth,  or  clearer 
proof  than  we  have,  then  assist  us.  I  will, 
by  the  grace  of  the  Lord,  change  my  heart 
in  regard  to  this  matter,  and  follow  your 
doctrine.  But,  above  all,  brethren,  I  want 
you  to  understand  that  I  will  not  accept 


nor  listen  to  human  doctrines,  nor  cleverness, 
nor  garbling  of  the  Scriptures,  nor  flatter- 
ings,  nor  presumption,  in  regard  to  this 
but  solely  to  the  plain  Scriptures,  truth 
and  immutable  testimony;  as  we  have 
presented  to  you,  in  this  matter  of  our  con- 
fession, nothing  but  scriptxaral  truth  and 
immutable  testimony.  Biit  if  you  cannot 
advance  such,  then  give  heed,  keep  your 
peace  and  leave  us  our  faith  in  peace;  for, 
most  beloved  brethren,  before  God,  I  seek 
nothing  but  the  pure,  unadulterated  word 
of  God  and  its  testimony. 

Besides,  I  have  here  presented  to  you,  how 
and  in  what  manner  I  admonish  and  teach 
the  open  hearted  brethren;'  with  which  doc- 
trine no  godfearing  consciences  can  be  af- 
flicted, nor  christian  souls  be  deceived.  I 
pray  and  desire  you  to  do  likewise,  that 
you  may  build  and  not  break.  Brethren, 
if  you  do  not  then  take  heed  how  and  what 
you  teach,  I  can  beseech  and  admonish  you 
in  love,  but  it  behooves  me  not  to  force  you, 
even  if  I  could.  Every  person  shall  have  to 
render  an  account  of  his  teaching  and  do- 
ing, before  God  and  not  before  men. 

In  the  third  place  you  have  my  admon- 
ishing confession  how  both  teacher  and 
church  should  be  minded  according  to  the 
Scriptures.  Again,  I  pray  and  desii-eby  the 


AN  ADMONITION  TO  THE  PREACHERS. 


349 


mercy  of  tLe  Lord,  tliat  you  will  not  accept  j 
this  scriptural  trutli  in  bitterness;  for  tlaat  ■ 
wMcti  I  have  written  is  the  unchangeable  j 
word  and  will  of  God,  and  will  remain  so  | 
forever.  Therefore  take  heed  that  you  do 
not  be  angry  with  me  on  account  of  my 
writing,  because  it  is  contrary  to  yoiir  flesh. 
It  verily  is  not  mine,  but  the  doctrine  of 
Christ;  not  my  will,  but  the  will  of  Christ. 
If  you  be  angry,  you  are  not  angry  with  me, 
but  with  Christ,  who  has  thus  taught  and 
instructed  us  in  his  holy  gospel  or  Avord. 
And  in  case  you  fear  God,  you  will  doiibt- 
lessly  love  me  the  more,  because  I,  hy  the 
grace,  Spirit  and  word  of  God,  as  far  as  he 
bestows  on  me,  open  unto  you  the  kingdom  i 
of  heaven,  and  show  you  the  right  way. 
Yea,  because  I,  fearlessly,  and  in  true 
brotherly  love,  of  which  God  is  my  witness, 
speak  imto  you  and  point  you  to  the  eter- 
nal, immutable  truth;  because  I  cut  the 
cankering  flesh  from  your  wounds,  and  do 
not  flatter  you;  for  I  seek  not  your  carnal, 
but  your  spiritual  friendship;  not  :i/oitr 
praise,  but  the  praise  of  God;  not  your 
goods  and.  gifts,  but  your  salvation  and 
souls.  For  these  reasons  I  tell  you  the 
pure  truth  of  God,  and  do  not  spare  you. 
O,  brethren,  receive  it  in  gladness  of  heart. 
It  is  the  only  word  and  will  of  Christ.  If 
you  reject  it,  you  do  not  reject  me,  but 
Christ  Jesus  who  has  so  dearly  bought  us 
all.  Therefore  take  heed  to  awaken  yet 
to-day,  and  no  longer  wander  and  proceed 
in  darkness  and  deadly  blindness.  And 
let  the  poor,  ignorant  people,  the  poor,  in- 
nocent soials,  no  longer  err  under  your  name 
and  cover.  The  whole,  wide  world  depends 
upon  you  learned.  As  you  pipe,  so  they 
dance;  as  you  teach,  so  they  believe;  and 
as  you  proceed,  so  they  follow.  Therefore, 
woe  unto  you  if  yon  teach  wrongly;  if  yon 
destroy  and  do  not  gather;  if  you  deceive 
and  do  not  pasture ;  if  you  corrupt  and  do 
not  convert. 

Receive  eyes  of  wisdom,  that  you  may 
rightly  teach  and  lead  others,  according  to 
the  will  of  God;  and  that  the  word,  which 
Christ  spoke  be  not  applicable  to  you,  "If 
the  blind  lead  the  blind,  both  shall  fall  into 
the  ditch,"  Matt.  15:14.  Lastly,  I  shall 
soon  send  you,  if  God  please,  my  treatise 
on  the  baptism  of  the  believing,  with  other 


doctrines,  from  which  you  may  clearly 
learn  my  foundation,  doctrine,  seeking  and 
intentions;  why  I  labor,  after  what  I  strive, 
and  by  what  Scriptures  and  for  what  rea- 
sons we  assert  the  baptism  of  the  believing; 
and  for  what  reasons  we  deem  and  consider 
infant  baptism  as  vain,  idolatrous  and  con- 
trary to  the  word. 

Read  it  all  in  sincerity  of  heart,  ponder 
upon  it,  follow  alone  the  true  sense  of  the 
divine  Spirit  and  truth.  Let  opinions  go, 
let  flesh  and  adroitness  be  destroyed.  Many 
have  been  deceived  thereby.  This  our  doc- 
trine concerning  the  preachers,  concerning 
the  unblamableness  of  the  church,  concern- 
ing the  baptism  of  the  believing,  concerning 
the  Supper  of  an  unblamable  assembly,  and 
concerning  the  separation  of  the  penitent, 
is,  doubtlessly,  the  eternal,  immutable  word, 
will  and  ordinance  of  God;  therefore,  by 
the  grace  of  the  Lord,  we  will  never  be  rea- 
soned out  of  it  by  human  wisdom,  clever- 
ness, threats  nor  tyranny.  Yea,  at  all 
times  I  am  prepared  to  testify  and  assert 
this  doctrine  before  God  and  my  brethren, 
with  the  sure  testimony  of  my  conscience, 
at  the  cost  of  all  anxiety,  persecution,  blood 
and  death.  Let  the  merciful,  kind  Father 
treat  me  and  all  those  who  sincerely  seek 
and  fear  him,  according  to  his  divine, 
blessed  will.  Read  it  discreetly  and  judge 
it  in  a  christian  way. 

This  is  briefly  my  foundation  and  con- 
viction of  the  articles  of  the  christian  church; 
that  before  God  neither  baptism,  nor  Sup- 
per, nor  any  other  oiitward  ordinances 
avail  if  partaken  without  Spirit  and  the 
new  creature.  But  before  God,  only  faith, 
love,  Spirit,  the  new  creature  or  regenera- 
tion avail,  as  Paul  jilainly  shows.  Gal. 
5:6.  All  those  who,  by  the  grace  of  God 
receive  these  from  above,  suffer  themselves 
to  be  baptized  according  to  the  command- 
ment of  the  Lord,  and  rightly  partake  of  his 
Supper,  Acts  2  :  38;  9  :  19;  8  :  38;  Matt. 
28:19. 

Yea,  they  with  ardent  desire  commit 
themselves  to  the  ordinance  and  doctrine  of 
Jesus  Christ,  and  shall  nevermore  willfully 
oppose  the  holy  Avill,  and  plain  testimony 
of  God.  For  this  reason  I  amicably  be- 
seech you,  most  beloved,  from  my  inmost 
heart,  not  to  dispute  with  me,  nor  any  oth< 


350 


AN  ADMONITION  TO  THE  PREACHERS. 


er  person  concerning  any  outward  articles 
and  literal  ordinances;  but  tirst  conquer 
and  subject  yourselves;  that  is,  your  unbe- 
lieving, miserable,  refractory,  obdurate 
fesb  which  yet  keeps  and  hinders  you  from 
the  truth,  faith,  knowledge,  righteousness 
and  obedience  of  God.  Yea,  doiibtlessly, 
if  that  is  rightly  vanquished,  you  will  see 
into  all  of  the  ordinances  of  God,  confess 
and  practice  them.  But  as  long  as  it  lives 
in  you  and  has  its  sway,  you  will  dispute 
and  oppose,  and  nevermore  comprehend, 
understand  and  follow  the  immutable  foun- 
dation of  eternal  tioith.    Beware. 

No  more  ^at  present.    But  rightly  com- 
pare Christ  with  yourselves;  his  love  and 


Spirit,  with  your  love  and  spirit;  his  seek- 
ing, doctrine,  sacraments  and  life,  with  your 
seeking,  doctrine,  sacraments  and  life;  and 
you  will,  no  doubt,  find  wherein  you  fall 
short. 

May  God,  the  merciful  Father,  grant  unto 
you  and  to  us  all,  true  wisdom,  understand- 
ing, faith,  knowledge  and  true  judgment;  an 
ardent  heart,  true  fear,  love,  doctrine,  life, 
sacraments  and  ordinances,  through  Christ 
Jesus,  our  Savior  and  eternal  Deliverer  of 
the  world.  Amen. 

"Enter  ye  in  at  the  strait  gate,"  Matt. 
7:13. 

Amara  est  mritas,  and  qui  earn  prcEdicant 
repletus  amaritudme,  dieit  Hieronymus. 


VERY  PLAIN  AND  POINTED  REPLY 


TO   TIIK 


Anti- Christian  Doctrine 


AND 


FALSE  ACCOUNT  BY  MARTIN  MICRON  CONCERNING  THE  DISCUSSION  BE- 
TWEEN HIM  AND  MYSELF,  BEFORE  M.^J^TY  WITNESSES,  HELD  A.  D., 
1553,  CONCERNING   THE   INCARNATION    OF    OUR    LORD    JESUS 
CHRIST,  ACCORDING  TO  THE  TRUTH  AND  POWER  OF  THE 
HOLY  SCRIPTURES,  TOGETHER  WITH  A  SINCERE  EPIS- 
TLE OR  ADMONITION  TO    HIM,   TO   LEARN    TO 
KNOW  HIMSELF,  TO  REPENT  AND  BE  SAVED. 


BY 

MENNO   SIMON. 

■W"  E/ 1  T  T  E  IT   ^.33.,   15  5  6. 


"  This  is  life  eternal,  that  tlioy  might  know  thee,  the  only  true  God  and  Jesus  Christ, 
whom  thou  hast  sent,"  Jn.  17  :  3. 

"For  other  foundation  can  no  man  lay  than  that  is  laid,  whicli  is  Jesus  Christ," 
1  Cor.  3  :  11. 


ELKHART,  INDIANA: 

PUBLISHED  BY  JOHN  F.  FUNK  AND  BROTHER. 

18  7  1. 


PREFACE. 


To  the  weU-disposed  Reader : 
It  is  manifest,  honorable  reader,  that  as 
Satan,  the  envier  of  the  divine  honor  and 
of  our  salvation,  in  the  beginnning  of  crea- 
tion, used  the  serpent  as  an  instrument  to 
lead  Adam  and  Eve  off  the  way  of  life,  and 
thus  to  lead  them  into  death,  as  he  actually 
did,  Gen.  3:  19,  he  now  uses  his  false  au- 
thors and  preachers  to  do  so,  some  of  whom 
he  clothes  with  an  angelic  appearance  of 
innocence,  by  using  many  garbled  Script- 
ures, philosophy,  sophistr}',  words  of  hu- 
man wisdom,  and  by  leading  a  reasona- 
ble, private  life,  whereby  he  detains  and  en- 
snares the  poor,  bound  souls  in  their  great 
blindness  and  abominations,  and  robs  them 
by  his  many  wiles  of  their  only  means  of 
salvation,  which  is  Jesus  Christ. 

For  the  serpent  said  unto  Eve,  "Ye  shall 
not  surely  die."  Thus,  now,  our  opponents 
say.  Should  Christ  he  the  Son  of  God?  JS'o, 
he  IS  not.  The  man  Christ  has  no  father, 
and  like  expressions.  For  from  the  be- 
ginning, the  devil  neither  did  nor  could 
confess  the  true  faith  in  Christ  Jesus,  name- 
ly, that  we  should  acknowledge  him  to  be 
the  true  Son  of  God,  as  may  be  plainly  un- 
derstood from  1  Jn.  2:  22;  4:  3;  2  Jn.  7. 
"Whosoever  shall  confess  that  Jesus  is  the 
Son  of  God,  God  dwelleth  in  him,  and  he 
in  God,"  1  Jn.  4:  15.  In  short  he  has  life 
everlasting.  Such  destroy  the  dominion  of  the 
devil  and  the  kingdom  of  falsehood.  Yea 
Christ  himself  had  to  suffer  death  because 
he  confessed  himself  to  be  the  Son  of  God, 
Matt.  26:  64;  Mark  14:  62,  Jn.  5:  18;  19:  7. 
If  Satan,  then,  did  not  confess  such  faith, 
in  the  beginning,  as  was  heard,  how  shall 
he  now  sutler,  as  by  the  righteous  judgment 
of  God,  he  is  arisen,  through  anti-christ 
and  his  servants,  to  full  dominion,  for  the 
sake  of  sin,  and  has  bound  all  earth  by  liis 
deceitful  doctrine,  explanations,  tlatterings, 
statutes,  commandments,  idolatiy,  tyranny  \ 
and  violence'^ 


AVe  see  clearly,  since  Christ  Jesus,  by  his 
grace,  has  shown  himself  through  the  clouds 
so  that  we,  with  Peter,  and  with  all  tlie 
Scriptures  confess  him  in  power  and  truth 
to  be  the  Son  of  the  true  and  living  God, 
and  submissively  seal  this  faith  with  the 
sign  of  the  holy  baptism,  as  did  the  Ethio- 
pian, Acts  8: 36,  according  to  his  command, 
because  we  would,  in  our  weakness,  walk 
according  to  his  commandments  and  be 
saved  by  his  grace;  how  terribly  we  are 
upbraided,  slandered,  belied,  accursed,  per- 
secuted and  murdered  by  this  wicked,  per- 
verse, blind,  and  carnal  generation,  on  that 
account.  For  Satan,  never,  from  the  begin- 
ning confessed  true  faith  in  Christ  Jesus, 
nor  submissively  sealed  it  by  true  baptism. 
Nor  will  he  ever  do  so,  unto  the  end. 

The  apocalyptical  Apollyon  has  so  cor- 
rupted things  by  the  locusts  of  the  bottom- 
less pit,  that  but  little  truth  remains  with 
man;  for  it  is  manifest  that  not  only  the 
Turks  and  the  Papists  are  inimical  to  the 
clearness  of  the  most  holy  birth  of  Jesus 
Christ  in  which  consists  true  faith,  to  the 
nature,  power,  fruit,  impression  and  seal- 
ing of  faith,  but  also  those  of  whom  we 
should  expect  better  things,  as  may  be  seen 
by  the  writings  of  our  opponents. 

Oh  !  oh  !  how  very  little  these  poor  chil- 
dren have  and  know  of  the  kingdom  of 
God,  and  of  the  power  of  his  holy  word, 
although  they  may  think,  perhaps,  that 
they  understand  a  great  deal.  For  it  is 
very  clear  that  an  earthly,  carnal  minded 
heart,  an  ambitious,  proud  mind,  a  spite- 
ful, envious  person,  and  an  untrue  and  false 
tongue  is  not  of  the  good,  but  of  tlie  evil 
one,  1  Jn.  3:8;  that  the  writings  of  our  op- 
ponents were  prompted  by  an  earthly,  car- 
nal, hateful  and  false  heart;  that  they  did 
not  seek  the  glory,  name  and  honor  of  God, 
but  their  own;  and  that  they  are  partial 
and  untruthful,  can  be  easily  deduced  from 
the  fact  that  from  begnining  to  end  they  do 


PREFACE. 


353 


not  speak  a  kind  word  about  me  nor  our 
beloved  brethren;  that  they  are  qnite  silent 
xipon  the  favor,  faithfully  rendered  them  in 
need;  nor  once  mention  that  they  were  so 
often  silenced  and  could  not  present  any 
excuses,  something  which  I  do  not  mention 
to  our  honor,  but  to  the  praise  of  the  Lord ; 
also,  that  they  did  not  at  all  in  their  writ- 
ings touch  upon  their  confession  which  they 
made  before  us  all,  that  woman  has  no 
seed,  *  *  *  whereby, 

in  fact,  his  whole  cause  was  already  lost. 
Again,  that  there  were  two  persons  in 
Christ;  and  that  the  crucitied  one  was  not 
the  Son  of  God;  something  wliich  does  not 
become  an  impartial  writer  who  does  not 
seek  his  own  honor,  but  sincerely  seeks  the 
honor  of  God;  also,  that  they  call  me  quite 
ignorant,  yea,  as  a  cuckoo  (as  he  also  calls 
me)  which  always  sings  the  same  song,  and 
passes  himself  for  a  spiritual  master,  versed 
in  Scriptirre,  while,  before  God  and  his 
angels  and  before  all  present,  it  was  actu 
ally  found  to  be  quite  different,  as,  by  the 
grace  of  God,  will  be  found  and  clearly  seen 
from  my  following  writings,  if  judged  ac- 
cording to  the  divine  truth.  Very  little, 
alas,  have  they  meditated  upon  the  Script- 
ure of  Paul,  saying,  that  we  should  not  be 
desirous  of  vain  glory.  Gal.  5:  26.  Inas- 
much as  they  give  such  an  imtrue  account 
of  the  discussion,  and  as  they  have  so  lam- 
entably profaned  the  Father  and  his  Son, 
and  their  precious,  dear,  powerful  and  true 
word  and  all  their  confessors  as  also,  our 
beloved  brethren  who  daily,  piously  suffer 
and  die  for  the  sake  of  the  Lord's  word, 
and  who  are  slandered  as  if  their  whole 
life  and  death  were  but  madness,  and  their 
forsaking  possessions  and  kindred,  were  but 
heresy;  therefore  I  am  impelled,  as  in  duty 
bound,  and  for  the  love  of  my  Lord  and 
Savior  Jesus  Christ  and  his  holy  church 
(not  urged  by  wrath;  for  this  I  leave  to  him 
who  in  due  time  shall  .judge  us  all  without 
respect  of  person),  faithfully  and  truthfully 
to  annotate  all  that  which  Micron  has  will- 
fully sui^pressed,  to  the  dishonor  of  Christ 
and  his  holy  word.  Besides  also,  how 
slanderously  he  has  blasphemed  the  Father 
and  the  Son,  the  Word  and  its  confessors, 
and  how  wrongfully  he  opposes  our  faith 
and  doctrine  concerning  the  incarnation  of 
81 


Christ,  which  is  taught  and  testified  to 
throughout  the  Scriptures  in  incontroverti- 
ble power  and  clearness. 

I  therefore  beseech  all  readers,  for  the 
Lord's  sake,  to  peruse  this  my  explanation, 
with  impartial  hearts,  to  consider  well  the 
foundation  and  to  pray  the  Lord  for  grace 
and  understanding.  I  trust  to  be  able  to 
show  and  explain  it,  b}^  the  aid  of  God, 
with  such  power  and  clearness  of  the  holy 
Scriptures,  that  it  will  be  plainly  seen  that 
anti-christian  deceit  is  on  the  side  of  our 
opponents  and  that  the  clear  ground  of 
truth  is  on  our  side.  Therefore  I  would 
have  the  judicial  term.  Alteram  jjart em  au- 
ditor that  is,  hear  also  the  other  party,  ap- 
plied, and  to  compare  my  writings  with 
theirs  and  not  be  mistaken  tlirough  preju- 
dice as  do  the  partial. 

I  also  beseech  you  not  to  think  Imrd  of 
my  having  to  use  such  terms  as,  seed  of 
man,  seed  of  woman,  &c.;  God  knows 
how  unwillingly  I  do  so;  but  necessity 
forces  me  to  make  use  of  such  terms,  that 
the  glory  of  Christ  Jesus  may  not  be  ob- 
scured with  many,  and  that  the  heavenly 
brightness  of  his  most  holy  birth  may  not 
remain  obscured  by  the  anti-christian  flat- 
tering and  sophisty  of  the  bieath of  Micron. 

I  can  not  sufficiently  wonder  at  the  man's 
heart  and  mind  that  he  dares  publish  sucli 
absurd  fables  to  the  world,  and  that  he 
dares  show  himself  so  ambitious  and  proud 
(something  which,  before  God,  I  must  de- 
duce from  his  writings),  as  it  will  doubt- 
lessly be  read  by  many  an  intelligent  per- 
son; for  what  else  does  he  do  all  through 
his  jwritings,  but  exalt  himself,  and  tram- 
ple me  in  the  dust  as  is  the  nature  of  all 
the  ambitious,  something  which  I  would 
not  have  wiitten  if  it  only  touched  me,  and 
not  the  honor  of  God,  while  so  many  god- 
fearing, pious  men  were  present  who  heard 
the  discussion  from  beginning  to  end.  Yet 
besides,  it  is  well  known,  perhaps,  to  thou- 
sands, as  I  presume,  to  whom  it  is  known 
through  my  printed  writings  which  are  dai- 
ly read  here  and  there,  that  I  have  frequent- 
ly solicited  a  public  discussion,  at  the  risk 
of  being  burned  if  I  could  not  maintain  my 
faith  and  doctrine  by  virtue  of  the  Script- 
ures; but  which,  alas,  has  never  been  ac- 
cepted. 


354 


PREFACE. 


If  I,  now,  were  so  entirely  ignorant,  as 
must  be  understood  from  his  writing,  it 
would  be  very  curious  why  such  a  discus- 
sion should  have  been  so  long  denied  nie, 
as  he  might  thereby  liave  gained  many  a 
soul,  might  have  redeemed  many  a  child, 
if  we  were  wrong;  and  as  he  might  have 
won  such  a  fame  and  reputation,  if  he  had 
been  successful,  among  those  of  high  stand- 
ing and  also  among  the  whole  world.  But 
Micron  has  not  yet  forgotten  how  they  were 
situated  with  us,  notwithstanding  he  wrote 
thus  sneeringly.  If  Micron  and  Herman 
had  feared  God  as  they  pretend  by  their 
sheep's  clothing,  they  would  not  have  acted 
so  foolishly  us  they  have  done  by  their 
writings.  But  I  presume  that  the  one  who 
urged  Pharaoh  to  persecute  Israel  (notwith- 
standing he  had  seen  such  miracles  in 
Egypt  hy  the  hands  of  Moses  and  Aaron), 
and  found  his  punishment  in  the  Red  Sea, 
Ex.  7:  25;  8:  2;  9:  6;  10:  14;  11  :  5;  14:  28; 
who  urged  Antiochus  .to  turn  Jerusalem 
into  a  death-pit,  and  on  his  way  met  the 
punisher;  that  this  same  one  has  urged  Mi- 
cron and  Herman  to  write  thus,  that  their 
covert  hypocrisy,  their  many  gross  false- 
hoods, ambitioiis  partiality  (I  call  it  as  I 
judge  them  before  tlie  Lord),  ingratitude, 
slander,  adulteration  and  willful  garbling 
of  the  hol}^,  divine  word,  their  corrupting 
ilatterings,  sophistical  philosophy,  misera- 
ble deceit  of  the  poor,  despised  souls,  abom- 
inable, anti-christian  doctrine,  blasphemy 
of  both  the  Father  and  his  blessed  Son, 
palpable  blindness,  and  their  vain,  carnal 
hearts,  may  once  be  made  manifest  through 
this  our  explanation;  and  that  thus  the 
hearts  which  are  bound  by  their  snares 
through  the  falsehoods  which  they  publish 
against  us,  by  the  tine  appearance  they  put 
on,  and  by  the  garbled  Scriptures  which 
they  teach  by  smooth,  flattering  words,  may 
be  unbound  and  delivered,  to  the  glory  of 
the  Lord. 

I  do  not  know  what  else  to  say  or  think 


of  the  matter.    For,  more  than  two  years 
ago  I  warned  him  by  a  inan  of  considerable 
name  and  one  of  his  fellow-believers,  that  if 
he  would  put  it  in  print  (for  I  was  told  that 
he  intended  to  do  so),  and  would  not  tell 
the  tale  just  as  it  truthfully  happened,  for 
I  observed  that  he  did  not  spare  falsehood, 
I  should  reply  to  him,  if  I  lived  and  the 
Lord  granted  it.     But  he  was  aware  that  if 
he  did  not  tell  it  diiferently  from  what  it  was, 
he  would  have  acquired  but  little  fame  and 
honor  with  the  world;  for  it  would  have 
sounded:  3ficronlostitall;  somethingthat 
conceited,  proud  flesh  does  not  like  to  hear. 
'      Yet,   I  would  never,   in   my    life,    have 
I  thought  that  he  was  of  such  extremely  am- 
j  bitious,    partial,     untrue,    infamous,    and 
\  shameless  mind,  if  I  had  not  been  convinced 
I  thereof  in  our  discussion  and  by  this  writ- 
I  ing  of  his.     I  thought  that  his    intellect 
would  have  told  him,  even  without  the  warn- 
ing  of  any  one,  that  if  he  should  do  as  he 
did,  while  I  am  yet  living,  that  it  would 
produce  him  nothing  but  shame  and  dis- 
honor with  all  reasonable  readers  and  aii- 
ditors.    But  Micron  had  to  speak,  as  his 
heart  was  full. 

But  perhaps,  he  hoped  or  thought  that  I 
might,  in  the  mean  time,  die,  and  that  he 
might  thus  acquire  fame  and  honor,  unre- 
buked,  with  the  world.  He  was  also  aware 
that  he  could  not  oftend  the  world,  who 
gladly  accept  and  hear  false  consolations 
and  slanders,  by  abusing  me;  for  whosoev- 
er can  best  belie,  defame,  upbraid,  and  de- 
pict me  and  my  brethren  in  evil  colors,  is, 
with  them,  a  great  prophet,  and  a  pleasing 
preacher.  Let  them  run  their  course  until 
hindered  by  the  Lord!  John  says,  "They 
are  of  the  world,  and  therefore  they  speak 
of  the  world,  and  the  world  hear  them," 
1  Jn.  4:  5.  If  possible,  the  beloved  Lord 
grant  them  grace.  Let  the  reader  take  due 
notice  of  the  following  reply,  that  he  may 
learn  to  know  Christ,  do  right,  and  be 
saved. 


A  VERY  PLAIN  AND  DISCREET 

ANSWER  TO  MARTIN  MICRON'S 

ANTI-CHRISTIAN  DOCTRINE,  AKD  UNTRUE  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  DISCUSSION 

OP  1553,  ACCORDING  TO  THE  TRUTH  AND  POWER  OP 

THE  HOLY,  DIVINE  SCRIPTURES. 


IIoic  and  when  the  so  called  English  came  to  us,  and  what  faith ful  love  our  hrethren 
shoiced  them. 


I]sr  the  year  1553,  a  little  before  midwin- 
ter, it  happened  that  it  Avas  told  the  breth- 
ren that  a  ship-load  of  people  had  arrived 
from  Denmark,  who,  on  accoiint  of  their 
faith,  were  driven  from  England,  and  that 
they  lay  a  short  distance  from  the  shore, 
frozen  up  in  the  ice. 

When  the  brethren  heard  of  this,  they 
were  moved  by  christian  mercy  on  their  ac- 
count, as  was  proper.  They  counseled  to- 
gether and  concluded  to  lend  them  their 
assistance  to  help  them  out  of  the  ice  and 
properly  escort  them  to  the  ciij,  without 
any  commotion,  as  they  also  did;  although 
they  conjectured  that  it  might  cause  trouble 
with  their  governments,  as  was  also  the 
fact. 

They  met  them  with  wheat  bread  and 
wine,  so  that  if  there  should  be  any  sick 
among  them,  they  might  refresh  and  stimu- 
late them  therewith.  And  after  they  had  es- 
corted them  into  the  city  they  made  a  col- 
lection of  twenty -four  thalers  out  of  their 
poverty,  and  presented  that  sum  to  the 
leading  ones  of  them,  to  be  distributed 
among  the  needy  if  such  there  should  be 


among  them.  They  refused  the  monej^,  and 
said  they  had  enough;  but  would  like  that 
labor  might  be  procured  for  some  of  their 
number;  in  which  our  brethren  assisted 
them  as  much  as  they  could. 

One  of  our  number  offered  to  take  the 

children  of  John  A'Lasco  into  his  house, 

and  to  do  the  best  he  could  for  them.     To 

'  which  Herman  Backereel  answered;    No, 

this  can  not  be  granted;  for  John  A'Lasco 

1  is  a  man   who   has   dealings  with  lords, 

I  princes    and    other    high    personages.     It 

j  might  (oh  I  reader  observe)  injure  his  repu- 

!  tation  if  his  children  should  sojonrn  with 

!  such  people.     On  hearing  this,  I  observed 

that  we  had  not  met  with  the  true,  plain 

and  humble  pilgrims  of  Jesus  Clirist. 

Behold,  thus  was  their  arrival  and  recep- 
tion by  us;  and  such  faithful  love  have  our 
brethren  shown  them,  which  was,  not  long 
afterward,  taken  quite  amiss  hj  ungrateful 
Herman;  and  as  appears,  is  not  touched 
upon  in  Micron's  account,  merely  out  of 
hatred  of  the  truth  and  out  of  disfavor  to 
the  brethren,  lest  piety  should  be  ascribed 
to  them. 


HOW  THE  ENGLISH  CAME  INTO  DISCUSSION  WITH  US. 


ArTKK  they  had  been  a  few  days  in  the 
city,  Herman  and  his  followers  called  some 
of  us  together  and  desired  a  discussion  with 


them,  and  after  many  broad  assertions  he 
said  unto  them,  "I  am  a  teacher,  and  would 
like  to  have  a  teacher  put  against  me;  fori 


356 


REPLY  TO  MARTIN  MICRON. 


have  heard  that  Menno  was  to  be  in  the 
city.  Therefore  I  Avould  have  him  or  some 
other  teacher  to  discuss  with  me.  For  I 
have  had  discussions  with  hundreds  of 
3^ours,  and  when  they  would  be  vanquished 
they  would  invariably  appeal  to  their  teach- 
ers." Behold,  thus  he  spoke  !  I  might  here 
write  a  good  deal  about  his  false  preten- 
sions and  ambitious  expressions ;  also  about 
his  infamous  talk  behind  my  back,  and 
seeking  if  he  could  not  lind  a  splinter  about 
me  to  magnify  into  a  beam  and  to  tie  this 
upon  my  back  as  a  sign  of  shame.  Also, 
how  he  inquired  of  an  unconscious  child 
about  my  secret  shelter,  &c.  But,  as  it  can 
not  be  serviceable  to  the  reader,  therefore  I 
will  commend  it  to  the  Lord,  and  leave  the 
shame  of  Herman  untouched,  that  the  read- 
er may  not  think  that  I  wish  to  retaliate 
evil  with  evil,  from  which  may  the  Lord  for- 
ever save  me.  Yet  it  is  my  heart's  desire 
that  he  would  be  more  truthful,  and  more 
impartial  of  heart,  and  that  he  would  fear 
the  Lord,  his  God,  more. 

The  discussion  was  agreed  upon  with 
Herman  and  his  fellows  upon  this  condi- 
tion: That  the}''  were  to  tell  none  where  the 
discussion  took  place  (as  I  was  a  poor, 
weak  man,  hated  of  all  the  world).  Upon 
which  they,  on  their  part,  gave  our  breth- 
ren their  hands  that  they  would  never  tell 
it.  But  how  they  kept  their  word  their 
deeds  have  shown.  For  it  was  but  a  short 
time  until  it  was  known  in  the  streets  of 
Emden  where  Menno  lived,  and  that  Micron 
and  his  fellows  had  a  discussion  with  him. 
And  besides,  they  have  published  it  in 
print,  to  all  the  world.  If  honorable,  pious 
persons  are  not  bound  to  respect  their  word 
and  pledge  (which  is  considered  the  same 
as  an  oath  by  all  reasonable  people)  better 
than  this,  I  will  leave  to  the  judgment  of  all 
readers,  both  those  for   and   against  me. 


But  there  are  many  who  think  that  they 
cannot  misuse  us. 

In  the  same  manner  they  have  been  un- 
grateful to  the  city  which  showed  more  mer- 
cy to  them  than  all  Eastland  and  Denmark, 
when  in  midwinter  they  knew  not  where  to 
find  shelter;  as  they,  with  tlieir  unsalted, 
partial  writings,  have  made  the  city  sus- 
picioned  by  lords,  princes  and  other  cities, 
that  the  city  maintained  us;  while  the  city 
knew  no  more  of  my  sojourning  than  they 
knew  of  the  honr  of  their  death. 

Lastly,  they  registered  the  names  of  some 
good  persons  who  had  not  merited  such 
treatment,  that  they  might  be  known  in  all 
countries  to  which  they  might  move.  A  re- 
ward of  thousands  has  been  offered  for  the 
apprehension  of  one  and  his  little  children, 
who  have  rendered  them  such  great  services 
if  the  Lord,  by  his  grace,  do  not  prevent  it. 
If  they  had  now,  in  all  this  considered  the 
unfeigned,  pure  love  (which  wishes  harm  to 
none,  much  less  does  it),  common  honesty, 
and  their  word  and  honor,  since  such  a 
course  instructs  none  upon  the  earth,  nor 
makes  them  better  in  God,  and  appears 
more  like  the  work  of  a  traitor,  than  of  a 
pious  man;  then,  according  to  my  opinion, 
tlie  evangelical,  christian  character,  spirit, 
discipline  and  reasonableness  would  have 
been  more  uniform  than  it  now  is.  The 
Lord's  word  is  true:  The  fruit  shows  what 
the  tree  is,  Matt.  12:  33.  Behold,  thus  have 
they  acted  who  pretend  to  be  christians 
and  say  that  we  are  heretics;  who  call  upon 
God  as  their  witness  and  judge  that  they 
have  faithfully  described  the  discussion, 
while  they  are  well  aware  that  the  first  sen- 
tence they  ^vl■ote  was  a  -falsehood.  And 
how  quite  untrue  it  is,  will,  by  the  grace  of 
the  Lord,  be  shown  by  self-evident  truths 
from  m}^  following  explanation  of  the  dis- 
cussion between  Herman  and  myself. 


DISCUSSION  BETWEEN  HERMAN  AND  MYSELF. 


It  happened  when  we  met  for  the  purpose 
of  a  discussion,  that  I  briefly  admonished 
them  in  regard  to  the  suffering,  oppression, 
tribulation,  persecution  and  cross  of  the 


true  christians.  To  which  he  immediately 
answered:  "  That  I  wished  to  make  his  doc- 
trine suspected."  Something  of  which  I 
had  not  thought  of  in  the  least.    I  then 


REPLY  TO  MARTIN  MICRON. 


S57 


quit,  and  said,  AVell  Herman,  I  presume 
you  would  rather  discuss  the  question  of 
the  incarnation  ?  He  answered  in  the  affirm- 
ative. Then,  I  said,  confess  your  faith. 
When  he  had  made  his  confession,  I  said, 
Beloved  Herman,  take  heed  of  your  words. 
For  behold,  all  these  inconsistencies  follow 
from  your  belief.  And  eniimerated  eight 
of  them. 

And  behold,  when  I  had  finished  my  dis- 
course there  was  one  among  them  (J.  M. 
whose  name  is  frequently  referred  to  in  Mi- 
cron's writings),  who  asked  me  if  I  could 
prove  that  to  be  the  fact,  according  to  Script- 
ure? thinking  that  I  had  thus  spoken  in 
regard  to  my  own  faith.  I  told  him  that 
he  might  ask  Herman,  as  it  was  his  faith 
and  doctrine.  On  hearing  this  he  dropped 
his  head  and  was  silent.  I  told  him  thrice, 
successsively,  to  get  Herman  to  prove  it  to 
him,  according  to  the  Scriptures.  I  have 
yet  to  receive  his  answer. 

When  I  observed  such  partiality,  I  was 
very  sorry.  I  said,  Great  God,  are  we  thus 
to  treat  the  word  of  the  Lord.  O  shame ! 
When  you  thought  that  it  was  my  docfa'ine 
you  wanted  Scripture;  but  since  you  find 
that  it  is  the  doctrine  of  Herman,  now  you 
have  Scripture  enough !  O,  friend,  I  said, 
repent  and  be  ashamed  before  God;  for  you 
do  not  treat  his  word,  as  becomes  a  true 
christian.  And  this  is  one  of  the  principal, 
impartial  witnesses,  as  Micron  wrongfully 
boasts. 

Afterward  Herman  replied  and  said,  "I 
will  scatter  these  inconsistencies  as  the  wind 
scatters  the  dust."  Dear  Herman,  I  said, 
do  not  speak  so  boldly,  it  does  not  become 
a  christian.  I  know  you  can  not  do  it. 
And,  praise  to  the  Lord  for  his  grace,  it  is 
verified  to  the  present  time  as  I  can  plainly 
see  by  Micron's  Appendix,  notwithstanding 
they  have  revolved  the  matter  in  their  heads 
for  more  than  two  years. 

The  inconsistencies  remained  unrepliedto, 
and  it  was  mostly  granting  that  could  be 
heard  from  him.  So  at  last  I  said.  My 
dear  sir,  show  me,  where  do  you  find  it 
written  that  he  took  on  him  ourfieshorour 
human  nature,  as  you  claim  ?  He  then  an- 
swered: Paul  teaches  us  that  Christ 
"took  on  him  the  form  of  a  servant,"  Phil. 
2:  7. 


When  he  had  finished  his  discourse  I 
asked  him  whether  or  not  he  agreed  with 
John  A'Lasco,  in  doctrine?  He  answered  in 
the  affirmative.  I  replied:  Well,  A'Lasco 
has  made  an  antithesis  of  this  Scripture 
of  Paul  "In  the  form  of  God,"  and,  "the 
form  of  a  servant."  That  as  he  was  in  a 
divine  form  and  thereby  truly  was  God, 
he  has  thus,  also,  taken  upon  himself 
our  sinful  form  and  was  thereby,  truly, 
made  man,  "but"  (he  says),  "the  sins,  on 
account  of  which  we  are  called  servants  in 
Scripture,  he  did  not  have." 

From  which  antithesis  one  of  two  things 
must  be  true.  Either,  if  he  had  the  sinful 
form  and  not  the  sin,  that  he  then,  by  vir- 
tue of  the  antithesis,  also,  must  have  had 
the  divine  form ;  but  he  did  not  have  the 
divine  form.  Or  if  he  had,  and  therewith 
the  divinity  also,  that  he,  also,  must 
have  had  the  sinful  form,  and  therewith 
sin;  else  the  antithesis  is  false  and  can 
not  stand,  in  fact.  In  this  view  of  the  mat- 
ter one  of  two  things  is  true,  that  Christ 
Jesus  was  either  a  sinner,  or  else  he  was 
not  God.  And  how  such  doctrine  agrees 
with  the  Scriptures,  I  will  leave  to  your  own 
judgment. 

Then  he  replied:  "The  Scriptures  testify 
that  he  was  without  sin."  It  is  true,  I  said. 
Therefore  it  is  manifest  that  this  antithesis 
of  A'Lasco  is  false,  and  that  you  can  not 
maintain  your  doctrine  by  this  Scriptiu-e. 
But  if  the  Scripture  is  to  remain  unln-o- 
ken,  then  this  is  the  true  antithesis;  as 
Christ  was  in  the  godly  form,  and  was 
thereby  truly  God,  as  he  humbled  himself 
and  did  not  take  on  himself  the  form  of  a 
potentate,  emperor,  or  king,  whom  we  should 
serve,  but  the  form  of  a  poor  servant,  be- 
cause he  wanted  to  serve;  for  as  he  has 
been  truly  God  in  God,  and  with  God  his 
Father,  from  eternity ;  thus  he  became  our 
true  servant,  in  due  time,  Isa.  7:  15;  9:  5; 
40  :  28;  Jer.  23  :  5;  33  :  15;  Jn.  1:2;  Rom. 
9:  26;  1  Jn.  5:  5;  Matt.  12:  18;  20:  28. 

He  then  abandoned  that  Scripture,  and 
said,  "Tliere  is  another  one  much  plainer, 
which  has  it  that,"  "He  has  taken  on  him 
the  seed  of  Abraham,"  Heb.  2:  16.  Not  so 
Herman,  I  said.  We  should  not  thus  adul- 
terate the  Scriptures.  For  it  does  not  read 
that  7ie  lias  taken  on  him  the  seed  of  Abra- 


858 


REPLY  TO  MARTIN  MICRON. 


ham,  but  it  reads  that  Tie  took  it  on  himself. 
Which  taking  on  shall  last  nnto  the  end. 

He  then  took  the  words  of  the  same  chap- 
ter and  said,  "That  Christ  had  taken  upon 
himself  the  children's  flesh  and  blood,  and 
is  thus,  on  account  of  the  flesh,  called  our 
brother." 

On  hearing  this  I  replied:  That  that  was 
again  an  adulteration  of  the  Scriptures;  for 
it  is  written  that  he  took  upon  himself  _;^e57i 
and  TAood;  but  not  the  flesh  and  blood  of 
children.  Therefore  let  us  get  at  the  mean- 
ing of  these  words  at  the  start,  lest  we 
adulterate  the  Scriptures.  Thus  Paul  says, 
"He  that  sanctifieth,  and  they  who  are 
sanctified,  are  of  one."  Now  I  ask,  to 
whom  has  it  reference  ?  To  God  or  to  Adam  ? 
He  replied:  "To  Adam."  Then  it  follows, 
I  saicl,  incontrovertibl}^,  tliat  all  ungodly 
children  of  the  devil,  such  as  thieves,  mur- 
derers, drunkards,  haters,  idolaters,  whores 
and  rogues,  are  Christ's  brethren  and  sis- 
ters. He  frankly  admitted  this  to  be  the 
case. 

It  would  further  follow,  if  we  were  Christ's 
brethren  and  sisters  on  account  of  the  flesh, 
then  also  we  would  be  his  children  on  ac- 
count of  the  flesh;  for  Paul  saj^s,  "Behold, 
I  and  uiy  children,"  &c.  From  which  it 
would  surely  follow  that  the  one  brother 
had  generated  the  other,  and  the  children 
their  father,  according  to  the  flesh.  And  I 
will  leave  you  to  study  out  how  such  a  gen- 
eration could  be,  according  to  the  Script- 
ure.s,  and  according  to  tlie  ordinance  of  God. 

After  passing  some  other  words  concern- 
ing the  jjartaldng  of,  I  asked  him  if  Adam 
had  not  partaken  of  flesh  and  blood  ?  He 
answered  in  the  affirmative.  Well,  said  I, 
of  whose  flesh  and  blood  did  he  partake,  if 
we  are  to  understand  participation  as  you 
do  *  Therefore  beloved  Herman,  take  heed. 
Your  learned  ones  deceive  you.  Thus  Paul 
says,  "He  that  threshes  in  hope,  should  be 
partaker  of  his  hope,"  that  is,  that  he  may 
obtain  that  for  which  he  hopes.  Again,  in 
the  same  chapter:  "If  others  be  partakers 
of  this  power  over  you,  are  not  we  rather?" 
1  Cor.  'J:  10,  12,  that  is;  if  others  have  this 
power.  Again,  "We  are  made  partakers 
of  Christ,  if  we  lio^Ld.  the  beginning  of  our 
confidence  steadfast  unto  the  end,"  Heb. 


3  :  14.     Not  that  we   partake  partly  but 
wholly. 

Therefore,  beloved  Herman,  I  warn  you, 
let  the  Scripture  remain  Scripture  and  do 
not  garble  it  to  suit  your  opinion.  For 
Paul  does  not  say  that  the  unsanctifled, 
such  as,  liars,  haters,  proud,  adulterers, 
and  the  children  of  the  devil  are  one  with 
Christ,  our  Savior,  but  that  the  sanotifled 
are  of  one  with  him,  that  is,  those  who, 
with  him  are  born  of  one  God.  On  account 
of  which  birth  of  God,  and  not  of  Adam, 
we  are  his  brethren;  for  the  regenerated 
with  him,  have  one  Father,  as  he  is  the  first 
begotten  Son  of  God,  thus  he  is  also  the 
firstborn  among  many  brethren,  Heb.  1:6; 
Rom.  8:  29. 

As  holy  Paul,  then,  teaches  us  that  he  is 
thus  the  first-begotten  among  the  brethren; 
therefore  it  is  very  plain  that  he  is  not  our 
brother  of  Adam,  hwi  of  God;  for  he  was 
not  the  first-begotten  of  Adam,  therefore 
Adam's  children  must,  through  regenera- 
tion by  faith,  also  become  the  children  of 
God,  Jn.  1 :  13,  and  thus  be  Christ's  breth- 
ren, Matt.  12:  50;  Mark  3:  35;  Luke  8:  21; 
Heb.  2:  11. 

Behold,  he  is  not  ashamed  to  call  his 
brethren,  such  regenerated  and  sanctified 
ones  who,  witli  him,  have  one  Father  (no 
whores,  rogues  and  children  of  the  devil), 
saying.  Thy  name  (he  means  his  Father's 
name  and  not  Adam's)  I  will  promulgate  to 
my  brethren.  Again,  I  will  trust  in  him 
(namely,  in  the  Father,  and  not  in  Adam). 
Again,  behold,  "I  and  the  children  which 
God  (not  Adam)  hath  given  me."  Inas- 
mucli  as  it  is  very  plain  that  his  children 
are  not  the  carnal,  but  the  spiritual  chil- 
dren (for  he  had  no  carnal  children)  then 
his  brethren  must  be  spiritual  brethren;  or 
else  one  Scripture  must  be  understood  spir- 
itually and  the  other  carnally,  then,  also 
sister  Mary  must  have  generated  her  broth- 
er Christ,  in  the  flesh.  This  is  incontro- 
vertible. 

Although  now  such  regenerated,  the  sanc- 
tified, are  his  brethren  and  sisters  they  yet 
have,  contrary  to  their  own  will,  communion 
with  flesh  and  l>lood,  through  the  inherent 
sinful  nature;  they  fretxuently  sin,  stumble 
and  transgress,  and  are  thus  through  the 
beforementioned  communion,  conscious  of 


EEPLY  TO  MARTIN  MICRON. 


359 


guilt  according  to  the  law  which  requires  ! 
perfect  righteousness.     x\nd  behold,  there- 
fore he  is  their  Savior,  iirst-begotten  Broth-  ; 
er,  and  Father  Christ,  who  in  like  manner,  ' 
has  partaken  of  flesh  and  blood,  not  of  tlie 
children,  for  it  does  not  read  so,  and  in  1 
that  case  he  must  have  been  one  of  two  ; 
sons,  one   of  whom   was  of  heaven,  eter-  ; 
nal  and  immortal,  the  other  of  earth  and  ' 
mortal,  but  the  AVord  itself  (I  add  some 
words  for   explanation)  is  become  flesh,  I 
that  is,  a  truly  passive,  mortal  man,   in  j 
Mary,  as  John  says,   "The  word  is  become  j 
flesh,"  like  unto  his  sanctified  brethren  in  i 
all  things,  except  sin,  that  he  might  fulfill  j 
the  law  in  his  innocent  flesh  and  not  by  our  i 
guilty  flesh;  that  he  might  take  away  the  i 
deserved  death  bj'  his  innocent  death;  de- 
stroy the  devil  who  had  tlie  power  of  death;  \ 
bruise  the  Serpent's  head;  sanctify  us  unto 
God,  his  Father,  by  virtue  of  his  precious 
blood;  and  assist  us  in  all  our  temptations 
and  besetting  sins  which  result  from  our  \ 
wicked  flesh  and  the  inspirations  of  Satan,  j 
Behold,  this  is  the  proper  explanation  of  i 
Heb.    2  :  14.     And    by    such    explanation 
Christ  remains  the  undivided  Son  of  God, 
the  Scripture  remains  unbroken,  Christ  re- 
mains the  Sanctifier  and  we  are  the  sancti- 
fied.    Brethren  and  children,  there  is  not  a 
single    Scripture    which    contradicts    this, 
while  Herman's  confession  and  faith  are  very 
inconsistent  as  has  been  heard. 

When  I  again  touched  upon  the  incon- 
sistencies, he  asked  me  to  confess  my  faith, 
as  he  had  done  his;  and  he  was  going  to 
show,  he  said,  more  inconsistencies  (al- 
though he  had  not  yet  heard  it)  in  my  faith  I 
than  I  had  shown  in  his.  And  when  I  had 
made  my  confession,  he  said,  "This  is  too  j 
long  for  me;  I  can  not  rejyJ?/  to  it.''    I  then  i 


made  a  brief  statement.    Yet  I  was  shown 
no  inconsistency. 

Behold,  worthy  reader,  these  are  the  prin- 
cipal points  and  Scriptures  which  Herman 
and  I  discussed  concerning  the  incarnation 
of  Christ.  I  say  the  principal  ones;  for  to 
repeat  all  the  words  which  passed  between 
us,  is  impossible. 

After  meal  time  we  came  to  the  discus- 
sion of  pedo-baptism,  which  he  tried  to 
make  right  by  the  assertion,  that  the  chil- 
dren, as  he  said,  are  accounted  as  believ- 
ing, by  the  Scriptures,  and  thatZacchens 
(he  insisted  upon  Zaccheus,  notwithstanding 
I  told  him  that  it  was  not  Zaccheus),  and  his 
whole  house  were  baptized. 

Kind  reader,  if  I  Avere  to  give  an  account 
of  the  discussion  as  it  happened  it  would 
seem  to  some  readers  as  if  I  Avere  partial; 
again,  to  others,  who  know  me,  that  it  was 
very  foolish  of  him  to  challenge  us  while  he 
did  not  know  more  of  Scripture.  I  told 
him  twice,  dear  Herman,  you  are  too  young; 
3'ou  will  have  to  learn  a  great  deal  before 
you  ought  to  try  to  defend  j^our  cause. 
What  is  become  of  all  your  bold  assertions 
which  you  made  at  the  start  ?  Yet,  Micron 
writes  that  some  of  their  weak  brethren 
were  very  much  strengthened  by  Herman 
during  the  discussion.  I  will  leave  the  mat- 
ter here.  Thus  they  hoodwink  the  reader 
that  he  may  not  observe  that  Herman  acted 
so  childish,  to  their  shame. 

I  know  to  a  certainty  that  Micron  was 
written  to  immediately  after  the  discussion, 
as  his  own  writing  implies.  For  their 
brethren  who  were  with  us  were  in  great 
need,  inwardly  and  outwardly.  What  he 
means  by  '  inwardly '  I  will  leave  the  reader 
to  judge. 


HOW   PARTIALLY   JHCRON   KAKRATED    OUR   FIRST    DISCUSSION;    HOW   SILEjSTT  IIE  IS   ON   THE 
PRINCIPAL  POINTS;    HOW  HE  GARBLES  MT  WORDS  AND  HOW  HE  ADORNS  HIS  OWN. 


When  we  were  met  for  the  discussion,  I 
said  to  Micron,  I  hear  that  your  name  is 
Martin  Micron.  You  are  unknown  to  me, 
and  I  have  never  heard  of  you  before  you 
came  here.    But  I  understand  that  you  have 


made  quite  a  reputation  at  London,  Eng- 
land, that  you  have  published  writings,  as 
1  hear.  Therefore  my  fraternal  admonition 
to  you  is,  that  if  you  hear  more  powerful 
truths  and  firmer  foundation  in  this  our 


360 


REPLY  TO  MARTIN  MICRON. 


discussion,  than  you  have  heard  or  learned 
before  this,  that  you  seek  not  your  own 
fame  and  honor,  but  the  praise  and  honor 
of  God.  To  which  he  replied:  "Menno, 
this  is  also  my  admonition  to  j^ou."  I  said, 
I  am  here  for  that  very  purpose;  and  I  have 
suffered  for  many  years  because  I  would 
gladly  have  the  truth  and  follow  it. 

This  brotherly  admonition,  given  him  in 
faithfulness  of  heait,  he  has  lamentably 
disregarded  in  the  latter  part  of  the  discus- 
sion, as  he  was  every  time  conquered  in 
his  false,  anti-christian  doctrine,  and  he 
said  it  before  my  face  that  I  liad  blamed 
him  with  seeking  his  own  praise  and  honor 
by  his  wi'iting,  in  London.  Something 
which  I  had,  then,  never  thought  of;  for  I 
was  not  acquainted  with  him. 

He  called  upon  his  own  as  witnesses, 
whicli  poor,  enchanted  children  all  agreed 
with  him.  at  which  I  was  very  sorry,  and 
said,  Is  the  fear  of  God,  then,  not  before 
you  ?  There  are  now  ten  of  3'ou,  all  of  whom 
answer  to  suit  him.  If  there  were  ten  thou- 
sand more  besides  you,  you  would  not  tell 
the  truth  in  this  matter.  For  how  could  it 
be  possible  that  I  should  at  the  first  start 
run  up  to  a  man  with  whom  I  was  not  ac- 
quainted, and  of  whom  I  had  heard  nothing 
but  a  good  report,  and  say,  that  he  had 
sought  his  own  honor  with  his  writings. 

Also,  all  of  our  brethren  contradicted 
him,  and  said,  "Good  Micron,  you  are 
mistaken;  for  so  and  so  has  Menno  admon- 
ished you,  and  thus  you  have  answered 
him."  Yet  it  was  of  no  avail.  These  un- 
kind, bitter,  lying,  and  defaming  words 
must,  alas,  be  published  in  his  book.  What 
kind  of  a  spirit  this  is;  how  he  follows  the 
unadulterated,  christian  truth,  piety  and 
love;  and  how  faithfully  he  narrates  the 
matter,  I  will  let  all  impartial,  reasonable 
readers  judge  by  his  dishonest  adulteration 
of  my  words  which  I  spoke  to  him  with 
such  good  intentions.  We  then  discussed 
some  articles  with  which  my  writings  are  re- 
plete; and  to  which  it  is  useless  to  replj^. 
Lastly,  we  came  to  the  discussion  of  the  in- 
carnation, for  the  sake  of  which  we  are 
called  such  abominable  heretics  and  de- 
ceivers by  them,  namely,  because  we  con- 
fess with  God,  the  Father,  with  Christ,  with 
the  angel  Gabriel,  with  Peter,  and  with  all 


the  Scriptures  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son 
of  God,  Matt.  3  :  17;  17  :  5;  Mark  1  :  11; 
9  :  7;  Luke  1 :  31;  3  :  22;  Jn.  1  :  45;  5:  22; 
6:  35;  7:  21;  8:  23;  9:  37;  10:  36. 

His  proper  confession  and  foundation 
was,  Tliat  there  are  tim  Sons  in  Christ. 
The  one  eternal  and  impassive;  the  other 
temporal  and  jjassive;  and  that  the  one 
lohich  was  crucified  for  us,  loas  not  the  Son 
of  God.  Which  confession  he  did  not  make 
thoughtlessly  and  by  mistake,  but  with 
premeditation  and  a  sober  mind,  before  us 
all;  and  he  has  repeated  it,  at  least  four  or 
five  times.  Yet  he  calls  on  the  judgment 
and  name  of  the  Lord,  that  they  frequently 
confessed,  with  us,  that  the  Son  of  God 
died  for  us.  Syrach  truly  says,  "Many 
would  rather  do  the  worst  than  to  lose  their 
honor;  and  do  it  for  the  sake  of  the  ungod- 
ly," Syr.  20:24.* 

I  proposed  the  inconsistencies  of  his  be- 
lief and  after  many  long  and  broad  asser- 
tions I  let  him  read  undisturbedly  an  hour 
or  an  hour  and  a  half  from  the  Bible,  about 
the  seed  of  woman,  the  seed  of  Abraham, 
and  of  David;  and  about  the  fruit  of  the 
loins  of  David.  When  he  had  finished 
reading,  I  asked,  what  he  wanted  to  assert 
thereby?  "I  assert  thereby,  he  said,  that 
the  man  Christ  is  of  the  fathers,  and  that 
the  word  did  not  become  flesh,  as  you  say." 
This  was  the  amount  of  his  words. 

I  replied,  I  cordially  acknowledge  and 
confess  all  these  Scriptures  to  be  right  and 
good;  for  they  teach  us,  and  testify  that  such 
a  Savior  should  come.  But  now  we  will  find 
out  from  the  Scriptures  of  whom  the  human 
fruit  comes;  whether  it  comes  of  the  father 
or  of  the  mother.  On  hearing  this,  he  said, 
"Are  you  going  to  find  that  out?"  I  an- 
swered in  the  affirmative;  for  I  trust,  b}^  the 
grace  of  God,  to  be  able  to  prove  by  virtue 
of  the  holy,  divine  Scriptures,  that  the  ori- 
gin of  the  child  is  of  the  father,  and  not  of 
the  mother,  but  through  the  mother.  This, 
I  thinlc,  was  something  new  to  him;  for  he 
said,  "Sir,  let  us  hear  it."  I  pointed  him 
to  1  Cor.  11:  8,  where  Paul  says,  "Man  is 
not  of  the  woman,  but  the  woman  of  the 
man."  On  hearing  this  he  interrupted  me 
and  said,  "This  is  spoken  of  Adam  and  Eve." 


*German  Bible, 


REPLY  TO  MARTIN  MICRON. 


361 


Hold,  said  I;  but  it  further  reads :  "Even  so 
is  the,  man  also  by  the  woman."  AVas 
Adam,  then,  by  Eve?  He  was  then  silent, 
as  one  who  is  beaten.  I  showed  him  many 
plain  Scriptm-es,  as  Gen.  15:4;  17:6;  19:32; 
Rom.  9:  7;  Heb.  7:  10;  11:  12.  I  also  re- 
ferred him  to  the  genealogy,  Matt.  1,  that 
Christ,  according  to  his  foundation,  must 
also  have  been  a  Sj^rian,  Canaanite,  Moab- 
ite  and  an  Ammonite.  I  also  made  some 
natural  illustrations,  as  of  the  sower,  his 
seed  and  soil;  from  which  he  tries  to  make 
it  appear  to  the  reader  that  I  made  use  of 
my  intellect  and  not  of  the  Scripture,  against 
him.  But,  as  the  saying  is,  Micron's  little 
finger  knows  full  well  that  the  seed  of  the 
land  and  the  seed  of  man  are  called  by  the 
same  name,  in  the  Scriptures;  and  that  also 
Abraham  cast  his  seed,  that  is,  sowed  it, 
Heb.  11:  11,  although  he  garbles  it  in  his 
writings  and  would  apply  the  casting  to 
Sarah.  What  we  are  to  judge  of  such 
willful  adulterers  of  the  holy,  divine  word, 
I  will  leave  to  the  impartial  reader.  It  is 
the  same  means  of  which  the  serpent  made 
use  when  he  led  Adam  and  Eve  into  death. 
Gen.  3:  1.  Kind  reader,  as  the  Scriptures, 
together  with  daily  occurrences,  openl}^  tes- 
tify to  us  by  the  ordinance  of  God,  that 
there  are  sowers,  and  also  that  there  is 
seed,  which  is  sown,  there  must  also  be  a 
fit  soil  to  be  sown;  for  neither  in  the  un- 
plowed  land,  nor  upon  houses,  trees  and 
rocks  do  we  sow,  as  may  be  seen.  And 
whether  or  not  my  comparison  of  the  hus- 
bandman, of  his  seed,  and  of  his  field  can 
stand  according  to  the  Scriptures,  I  will  not 
leave  to  the  calumniating  Micron  and  Her- 
man, but  to  the  reasonable  reader. 

When  I  had  finished  my  argument  I  said, 
Behold,  Martin,  this  natural  comparison 
which  I  have  proposed,  you  may  take  into 
consideration,  at  your  leisure,  but  let  us 
have  a  reply  to  my  Scriptures.  Then  he 
appeared  as  one  vfho  is  in  doubt,  and  said, 
"Away  with  this  plilosophy  of  the  seed  of 
woman."  On  hearing  this,  I  replied:  I  have 
proposed  to  you  the  plain  Scriptures  where- 
by I  have  proved  that  the  child  is  original- 
ly of  the  father,  and  not  of  the  mother;  and 
you  want  it  to  be  of  the  mother,  without  the 
Scriptures.  Say,  kind  sir,  which  of  us  two 
makes  use  of  philosophy?  You  or  I?  He 
82 


I  made  no  reply  at  all.  But  he  now  writes 
as  if  he  had  then  said,  thus,  "The  words  of 

:  Paul,  1  Cor.  11 :  7,  should  be  understood  as 
having  reference  to  Adam  and  Eve;  for 
Paul  wanted  to  humble  the  men  that  thej^ 
should  not  exalt  themselves  above  woman, 
on  account  of  their  glory,"  which  in  one 
sense  is  right,  yet  not  according  to  the 
sense  of  Paul  in  this  instance.  For  Micron 
desires  to  apply  it  to  Adam  and  Eve,  and 
Paul  spoke  it  in  reference  to  all  who  are 
born  of  Adam  and  Eve.  For  he  says,  "For 
as  the  woman  is  of  the  man,  even  so  is  the 
man  also  by  the  woman."  Mark,  he  says, 
Bij  tlie  woman.  If  Onan  had  done  as  he 
did,  Gen.  38:  9,  a  thousand  times;  and  be- 
sides, all  men  with  him,  who  were  from  the 
l)eginning,  no  human  fruit  would  be  born 
therefrom .  For  the ,  seed  must  have  a  prop  - 
er  soil  to  produce  fruit  and  to  generate  ac- 
cording to  the  word  and  ordinance  of  the 
Lord,  and  therefore  Paul  says,  "  Neither 
is  the  man  without  the  woman,  neither  the 
woman  without  the  man,  in  the  Lord,"  1 
Cor.  11:  11.  I  trust  that  such  plain  Script- 
ures can  be  understood. 

Again,  concerning  the  Scripture,  Wis. 
7:2,  Micron  says,  "It  does  not  read  of 
man's  seed  alone."  To  which  I  reply:  Mi- 
cron must  be  a  man  who  esteems  the  judg- 
ment of  the  Almighty  God  too  little,  that 
he  is  not  afraid  to  adulterate  such  plain 
words,  or  to  obscure  them  by  the  breath  of 
the  abyss,  as  it  is  so  plain  that  the  Holy 
Spirit  in  plain  words  here  ascribes  to  the 
father  that  which  belongs  to  the  father,  ac- 
cording to  the  ordinance  of  God,  and  to  the 
mother  what  belongs  to  the  mother.  *  * 
I  repeat  it,  that  such  plain  words  of  the 
Scriptures  are  easily  understood. 

Again,  to  my  pointing  him  how  Sarah 
conceived  of  Abraham,  and  Rebecca  of 
Isaac,  Heb.  11:11;  Rom.  9:7,  he  replies 
thus,  but  in  the  discussion  he  did  not  refer 
to  it,  the  reason  why  Abraham  and  Isaac 
are  called  the  origin  of  their  descendants, 
he  says,  is  to  exclude  other  men,  and  also, 
because  woman  has  lost  her  privilege 
through  sin.  This  is  such  glozing  as  if 
both  the  Scripture  and  that  were  lost. 
Therefore  this  is  my  brief  reply:  God  does 
not  require  of  any  one  that  which  he  has 
not  given,  nor  does  he  envy  any  one  for 


362 


REPLY  TO  MARTIN  MICRON. 


that  which  is  given  him;  for  he  is  a  God  of 
the  truth  and  not  of  a  mere  name.  And  if 
the  Lord  had  done  so,  for  the  reason  given 
by  Micron,  tlien  God  wonld  have  liad  pleas- 
ure in  the  name,  and  not  in  truth.  He 
would  also  have  given  more  to  those  patri- 
archs than  truthfully  belonged  to  them,  and 
taken  from  woman  wliat  belonged  to  her. 
Mark  what  kind  of  a  God  the  sophistry  of 
Micron  teaches. 

As  for  the  privilege,  of  which  he  writes,  I 
would  in  all  love  ask  him  what  kind  of  a 
privilege  this  was,  which  woman  has  lost 
through  sin  ?  If  she  is  no  more  woman,  and 
if  she  is  become  unfit  to  fulfill  her  maternal 
calling  and  office  to  which  she  was  ordained 
of  God?  That  she  is  woman  still,and  necessa- 
ry to  fill  her  place  in  the  world,  is  too  clear 
to  need  arguing.  Therefore  I  do  not  know 
what  the  privilege  might  be,  as  the  Script- 
ures say  no  more  than,  *'I  will  greatly  mul- 
tiply thy  sorrow,  and  thy  conception;  in 
sorrow  tliou  shalt  bring  forth  children:  and 
thy  desire  shall  be  to  thy  husband  and  he 
shall  rule  over  thee,"  Gen.  3:  16.  But  thus 
something  must  be  done  to  deceive  the 
humble  reader,  when  flatter}'  will  not  give 
it  a  scriptural  appearance. 

Oh !  oh !  !  If  we  poor  children  were  to 
treat  the  Scriptures  the  twentieth  part  as 
they  do  (something  from  which  may  the 
Lord  save  us),  and  would  vail  the  eyes  of 
the  ignorant  as  does  Micron  by  his  fiatter- 
ings,great  God !  how  they  would  be  offended. 
They  would  also  have  full  right  to  do  so. 
Nevertheless,  however  they  teach  and  do,  it 
is  a  welcome  gospel  to  the  poor,  deceived 
world,  as  was  commonly  the  case  from  the 
beginning  with  all  false  prophets  and  their 
followers.  He  is  allowed  to  break  the  bones 
of  the  passover,  and  to  cut  off  Samson's 
hair,  Ex.  12:  4G;  Num.  9:  12,  until  the  time 
comes  that  it  is  ended  with  him  and  he  has 
to  give  an  account  of  his  deceit  before  the 
Lord. 

After  some  passing  remarks,  we  came  to 
the  inconsistency  that  they  had  an  impure 
Christ;  and  I  asked  him  if  he  confessed 
Mary  to  be  of  the  impure  and  sinful  seed  of 
Adam?  He  answered,  "Yes."  But  he  said 
she  was  pure,  because  the  angel  said  unto 
her,  "Blessed  art  thou  among  women," 
Luke  1:  28.    To  this  I  replied:  The  Lord 


said  unto  Abraham,  "I  shall  bless  thee;" 
"and  I  will  bless  them  that  bless  thee," 
Gen.  12.  Again,  he  promised  to  the  obedi- 
ent parents  under  the  law:  "Blessed  shall 
be  the  fruit  of  thy  body,"  Deut.  28:  4.  AVere, 
thereby,  Abraham,  together  with  all  those 
that  bless  him,  and  all  those  who  are  born 
of  such  pious  parents,  pure  and  without 
sin? 

He  said,  "Christ  was  pure  and  without 
sin,  and  that  because  he  was  not  of  human 
seed."  I  replied:  From  such  explanation 
the  greatest  inconsistencies  would  follow. 

He  then  replied:  "God  was  the  cause 
that  the  nature  of  Adam  was  corrupted."  I 
noticed  that  he  was  unable  to  reply,  and 
that  he  knew  not  what  to  say.  I  asked 
him,  Why?  Because,  said  he,  "God  said," 
"In  the  day  that  thou  eatest  thereof  thou 
shalt  surely  die."  So  I  hear,  I  said,  that 
God  was  the  cause  of  the  transgression  of 
Adam  ?  together  with  some  other  remarks. 
"No,"  he  said,  "I  do  not  say  so."  Oh,  Mi- 
cron !  I  said.  Consider  what  inconsistencies 
you  advance  and  what  a  weak,  unscriptural 
foundation  it  is  which  you  would  assert 
and  maintain  !  He  did  not  reply  again,  yet 
he  claims  in  his  writing  that  he  asserted 
and  maintained  the  purity  of  Christ,  against 
us.  If  that  is  not  seeking  one's  own  honor 
and  to  give  an  untrue  account  of  the  discus- 
sion, I  will  leave  the  reader  to  judge.  And 
how  the  assertions  which  he  now  makes  in 
his  writings,  will  stand  according  to  the 
Scriptures,  we  will  show  by  the  Scripture. 
Thus  he  writes:  "We  can  conclude  nothing 
under  sin,  but  that  which  the  Scriptures 
conclude  under  it."  In  this  he  is  right,  jet 
contrary  to  himself.  For  tlie  Scriptures 
conclude  Adam  and  all  his  seed  under  sin. 
Therefore  it  must  be  so  with  Adam  and  all 
his  seed ;  this  cannot  be  denied,  1  Cor.  15:21; 
Rom.  5:  18;  Gal.  3:  22;  Eph.  2:1.  He  fur- 
ther writes:  That  which  the  Scriptures 
make  free,  we  also  should  consider  free. 
Again  he  is  right;  but  contrary  to  himself, 
for  the  Scripture  makes  Christ  free,  and 
therefore  we  also  consider  him  as  free,  be- 
cause he  is  from  above,  of  God  who  is  pure, 
and  not  from  below  of  impure  Adam; 
which  Adam,  I  repeat,  according  to  the 
Scriptures,  is  concluded  under  sin,  with  all 


KEPLY  TO  MAHTIN  MICRON. 


363 


Ms  seed,  and  the  Scriptures  do  not  contra- 
dict themselves. 

He  further  writes  that  the  apostles  and 
prophets  had  no  need  of  saying  so  much 
about  the  holiness  of  Christ,  if  he  were  from 
above,  and  not  of  Adam.  This  is  so  simple, 
that  it  looks  surprising.  For,  if  Christ 
were  such  a  pure  man  of  impure  Adam,  as 
our  opponents  say,  then  the  Scriptures 
would  contradict  themselves ;  or  else  Adam 
must  have  had  two  seeds  of  which  one  was 
corrupt  and  the  other  remained  pure,  which 
is  not  thus  taught  by  holy  writ.  Observe 
what  blind  arguments  he  advances. 

Lastly,  he  writes:  "That  which  God  tes- 
tifies to  be  holy;  man  can  not  make  com- 
mon or  unholy,"  and  adduces,  Acts  10:  15. 
Here  the  most  holy  holiness  of  the  flesh  of 
Jesus  Christ  is  compared,  by  him,  to  the 
flesh  of  the  animals,  which,  under  the  law, 
were  forbidden  Israel  to  eat.  Lev.  11;  Dent. 
14:  7,  and  which  are  now,  under  the  gospel, 
allowed  as  clean,  Matt.  15:  11;  Mark  7:  15; 
Acts  10:  15;  Rom.  14:  20;  Tit.  1:  15,  as  if 
Adam,  thus,  by  one  word  (as  the  animals 
under  the  law),  was  made  unclean ;  and  now, 
again,  by  one  word  (as  also  these  animals), 
was  made  clean,  in  this  his  seed'(of  which, 
according  to  him,  Christ  should  be  gener- 
ated); by  which  he  blasphemes  the  most 
holy  holiness  of  Christ's  flesh.  O,  abom- 
inable flattery  ! 

Behold,  dear  reader,  this  is  the  best  foun- 
dation upon  which  Micron  can  build  his 
assertion  of  the  purity  of  the  flesh  of  Christ, 
after  a  study  of  two  years  of  which  he,  at 
the  time  of  the  discussion  did  not  advance 
a  single  word.  You  may  consider  for  your- 
selves whether  he  does  not  make  his  doc- 
trine suspected  by  such  flattery. 

And  when  he  was  defeated  in  his  assertion 
about  the  seed  of  woman,  hy  virtue  of  the 
Scripture,  and  could  find  nothing  to  solve 
the  inconsistency,  and  was  hedged  in  on  all 
sides,  he  proposed  the  following  question, 
as  if  he  was  so  confused  that  he  knew  not 
what  to  say  and  yet  wanted  to  say  some- 
thing, that  it  might  not  be  said  that  he  was 
silenced:  "Do  you  believe  that  Mary  was 
a  human  being  ?"  For  God's  sake,  hear  what 
he  has  projjosed ! 

On  hearing  this,  I  became  recklessly  ex- 
cited, and  answered  thoughtlessly :  She  cer- 


tainly was  no  brute.  What  is  this  for  a 
base  question  ?  Behold  thus  the  brute  came 
into  play;  upon  the  cause  of  which  he  is 
silent;  and  which  he  adduces  quite  strange- 
ly, and  little  to  my  honor. 

I  confess  before  him  and  before  all  read- 
ers that  I  did  not  answer  him  respectfully; 
and  I  am  sorry  for  it;  for  it  would  have 
been  proper  to  liave  given  him  a  consider- 
ate answer;  and  not  to  return  foolishness 
with  foolishness.  But  to  which  of  us  the 
greatest  blame  should  be  attributed,  to  Mi- 
cron with  his  surprisingly  indiscreet  ques- 
tion, or  to  myself  with  my  unseasoned  an- 
swer, I  would  gladly  leave  to  his  own  con- 
sideration if  he  were  impartial. 

After  this  had  taken  place  I  had  but  very 
little  desire  to  discuss  with  him  at  that  time, 
as  I  saw  that  he  so  quite  partially  placed 
himself  against  the  truth  although  he  had 
nothing  to  advance  whereby  he  could  de- 
fend his  foundation,  so  that  I  was  forced  to 
say,  Good  Martin,  do  not  take  it  amiss;  it 
would  be  well  if  you  would  learn  to  know 
yourself  better,  for  you  are  yet  too  much  of 
a  novice  in  the  Scriptures  to  defend  the 
foundation  of  your  doctrine  in  regard  to 
this  matter. 

"Attend,"  he  said  then,  "I  will  tell  you 
something  else."  But  as  it  had  no  founda- 
tion at  all,  and  was  nothing  but  nonsense; 
and  as  he  went  from  one  thing  to  another, 
I  recklessly  answered:  Away  with  your 
talk.  All  you  adduce  is  nothing  but  anath- 
ema. 

He  then  became  very  angry  and  cried  out 
thrice:  "The  pope  has  taught  you  this." 
No,  I  answered  with  the  same  words,  thrice, 
Not  the  pope,  but  Paul  has  taught  me  this. 
Gal.  1:  8.  For  it  is  a  strange  gospel,  your 
philosophy  about  Christ,  which  is  nottaught 
us  by  the  apostles  uor  by  the  Scriptures; 
and  I  did  not  say  a  word  about  1  Cor. 
16:  22,  although  he,  without  any  truth,  said 
and  wrote  so,  the  like  of  which  alas,  he 
often  does  to  defame  me,  out  of  malice. 

I  again  acknowledge  that  I  might  have 
borne -with  him  more  patiently  than  I  did. 
Yet  the  Son  of  God  has  not  lost  his  son- ship 
and  rights,  by  my  inconsiderate  answer; 
nor  was  Micron's  anti-christian  doctrine 
thereby  rendered  the  christian  doctrine.  I 
became  very  tired  of  answering  his  foolish 


364 


REPLY  TO  lilAETIN  MICRON. 


questions;  for  I  began  to  observe  by  what 
kind  of  a  spirit  lie  was  prompted. 

Besides,  lie  has  quite  reversed  the  narra- 
tion of  the  discussion ;  has  enlarged  his  ten 
words  into  very  many,  to  flatter  his  cause; 
has  abreviated  mine  in  many  instances,  to 
weaken  our  cause,  and  lias  written  many 
things  which  were  never  thought  of;  and 
such  by  which  he  was  quite  stunned,  he  has 
not  mentioned  at  all.  Yet  this  audacious 
man  dares  call  on  God  as  his  witness  that 
he  has  given  a  true  narration.     O  Lord  ! 

Well,  every  one  will  have  to  give  an  ac- 
count of  himself  before  his  God,  let  him 


adorn  his  falsehoods  and  seal  them  as 
much  as  he  pleases.  By  the  grace  of  God, 
I  shall  afBrm  my  humble  truth  with  yea, 
and  nay,  as  Scripture  teaches.  AYhosoever 
will,  may  therewith  believe  my  writings; 
and  if  he  will  not  I  can  not  help  it.  I  will 
call  on  nothing  higher.  I  have  suffered 
much  pain  and  trouble  for  about  twenty- 
one  years  for  the  sake  of  truth,  yea  and 
nay,  and  have  borne  it  submissively;  nor 
shall  I  by  the  merciful  assistance  of  the 
Lord  leave  it  in  my  old  age,  on  account  of 
Micron  and  all  anti-christians'  false  doc- 
trine, however  Satan  may  portray  me  by 
his  authors  and  servants. 


HOW  AND  WHAT  MICRON  CONFESSED  DURINCt  OUR  SECOND  DISCUSSION, 
AND  HOW  UNFAITHFULLY  HE  HAS  NARRATED  IT. 


In  the  second  place,  I  asked  him  if  he  ad- 
mitted the  confession  which  he  had  made, 
concerning  the  two  Sons  in  Christ,  at  the 
time  of  our  first  discussion  ?  He  answered, 
"Yes."  Then  I  desired  Andrew  whom  he 
calls  Cananeus,  to  write  it  down,  which  he 
did  in  Micron's  presence,  and  reads  thus: 
"Two  sons  in  Christ.  The  first,  God's  eter- 
nal Son,  born  of  him  before  time  was,  with- 
out mother,  and  impassive.  The  second, 
Mary's  son,  or  the  son  of  man,  born  of  her 
in  due  time,  without  fatlier,  and  passive. 
In  which  passive  son  of  Mary,  the  impas- 
sive Son  of  God,  dwelt.  So  that  the  man 
Christ  who  died  for  us,  was  not  the  Son  of 
God;  for  he  had  no  father."  Behold,  this 
was  his  confession  which  we  all  heard  from 
his  own  mouth,  and  which  was  written 
down  in  his  presence. 

When  Andrew  had  wiitten  it  down.  Mi- 
cron said,  "Read  it  to  me."  After  it  was 
read  I  asked  him  if  he  had  not  written  it 
downright.  He  replied  "Yes."  And  now 
this  untruthful  man  comes  and  writes  that 
they  frequently  confessed  that  the  Son  of 
God  died  for  us;  while  it  did  not  happen 
otherwise  than  it  is  here  narrated;  and 
comes  now  again  in  his  writing  and  says 
that  be  had  no  father.    For  on  the  thirty- 


second  page  he  %vTites:  "As  to  the  real  ori- 
gin of  the  human  substance  (which  he  called 
before  us,  the  second  son),  he  had,  accord- 
ing to  the  testimony  of  the  Holy  Scriptures, 
no  father;  and  refers  to  Matt.  1:  2,  3.  And 
thus  the  pure,  Holy  Scriptures  (because  they 
call  Mary  a  virgin),  must  be  the  cover  of 
his  abominably  false  doctrine;  notwith- 
standing it  clearly  testifies  in  many  places 
that  God  is  his  Father;  and  that  he  is  the 
Son  of  God,  Luke  1:  81;  9:  35;  Matt.  3:  17; 
14  :  33;  16  :  16;  17  :  5;  Mark  3  :  11;  9  :  6; 
15:  39;  Jn.  1:  45;  3:  16;  6:  09;  7:  28;  8:  23; 
9:  37;  10:  36;  11  :  27.  Behold  this  is  the 
man  who,  according  to  his  own  writing,  has 
so  cleverly  discussed  and  so  powerfully  as- 
serted the  foundation  of  his  doctrine,  as  he 
falsely  makes  his  followers  believe;  and 
who  has,  to  his  own  everlasting  shame, 
placed  such  a  bright  crown  upon  his  head, 
as  he  claims  in  his  book.  The  proverb, 
"That  honor  shames  those  that  seek  it,"  is 
true. 

In  the  third  place,  I  asked  him,  since  he 
says  that  the  man  Christ  had  no  father, 
whether  he  did  not  call  him  the  Son  of  God  ? 
He  answered,  "Yes."  I  asked  him  again, 
for  what  reason  he  called  him  so ;  whether 
it  was  on  account  of  his  birth,  or  of  regen- 
eration, or  of  his  creation,  or  of  the  accep- 


REPLY  TO  MARTIN  MICRON. 


365 


tation?  For  if  lie  sliould  be  truly  called 
such  it  must  be  because  of  one  of  these  four 
reasons;  or  else  one  would  speak  a  false- 
hood as  often  as  he  would  call  him  such. 
I  received  this  answer :  "  On  account  of  none 
of  these  four  reasons."  This  is  all  the  an- 
swer he  gave  me;  but  he  sought  another  re- 
treat, that  he  might  not  be  caught  in  the 
net  of  truth.  This  question  (then  left  unan- 
swered) he  now  adduces  quite  garbled,  and 
says,  page  173,  "  That  he  is  called  the  Son 
of  God,  on  account  of  the  union  of  the  two 
sons "  (which  he  artfully  calls  two  natures 
that  it  may  not  sound  too  strange),  of  which 
union  we  can  find  not  a  letter  in  all  the 
Scriptures,  whereby  he  confesses  publicly 
that  the  crucified  Christ  Jesus  who  has 
borne  the  sins  of  all  the  world  and  recon- 
ciled it  unto  God  his  Father,  was  merely 
called  the  Son  of  God;  and  that  God  is 
therefore  but  a  God  in  name,  and  not  a  God 
in  truth.  Surely,  this  is  too  much  of  blas- 
phemy, that  the  Almighty,  great  God  and 
his  blessed,  beloved  Son  must  hear  of  such 
a  man. 

In  the  fourth  place,  I  asked  him  if  he 
knew  that  Gellius  Faber  had  issued  a  pub- 
lication against  us,  and  if  he  had  read  it? 
He  answered,  "Yes."  Well,  said  I,  how 
do  you  like  it  ?  "It  is  a  very  fine  thing,"  he 
said,  "I  have  also  let  our  brethren  read  it." 

Ah,  Martin  !  said  I,  do  yon  endorse  that 
ungodly  homily  which  is  so  replete  with 
falsehood,  by  which  the  word  and  ordinan- 
ces of  the  Lord  are  so  lamentably  broken, 
and  wherein  the  most  holy  flesh  of  Christ  is 
called  a  hoose-geld*  and  ransom  ?  If  the  Lord 
will  help  me  he  will  be  replied  to,  for 
when  this  happened  mine  was  almost  in 
print.  Behold,  I  tell  the  truth.  Then  Mi- 
cron said,  "I  have  spoken  to  Gellius  about 
the  hoose-geld\  and  he  claims  that  it  is  a 
mistake  of  the  printer,  and  that  it  should 
be  loose-geld'  (a  ransom).  Then  one  of  ours 
said,  loose  means,  in  this  sense,  false  or 
frivolous."  Should  Christ's  flesh,  then,  have 
been  a  false  or  frivolous  money  ?  &c. 

On  hearing  this,  I  said:  I  have  often 
thought  to  myself  how  is  it  possible  that  a 
man  could  thus  write?  It  must  be  a  mis- 
take.   Reflecting  upon  the  matter,  I  said,  I 


*Boose  in  Dutcli  means  wicked. 


remembered  that  John  A'Lasco  and  he 
were  unanimous  in  this  doctrine;  and  that 
A'Lasco  wrote:  "If  Christ  be  holy  why 
was  he  then  condemned  by  the  judgment  of 
the  Father,  on  account  of  sin?"  Again, 
"Christ  partook  of  no  other  flesh  but  that 
of  sin,  that  he  might  be  tempted,  and  sub- 
ject to  death."  Inasmuch  as  they  agreed,  I 
thought,  and  as  these  sayings  of  A'Lasco 
openly  testify,  that  he  (Christ)  was  not  holy, 
but  that  he  was  of  a  sinful  flesh,  guilty  of 
death,  therefore  it  might,  in  the  same  man- 
ner, be  called  by  the  learned,  a  boose-geld 
and  ransom.  Behold,  thus  I  answered,  and 
not  otherwise. 

AVhen  I  told  it  thus.  Micron  desired  to 
read  the  sayings  of  A'Lasco,  and  said  at 
last,  after  having  studied  about  them:  "It 
is  very  obscure."  Yes,  certainly,  I  said, 
Not  obscure  but  ungodly.  And  this  dis- 
creet reply  of  mine  he  has  not  only  sup- 
pressed, but  lamentably  garbled,  to  my 
disadvantage.  Besides,  he  has  left  the 
writings  of  A'Lasco  out  of  the  narrative 
and  thus  he  blames  me  of  what  others  are 
guilty.  I  will  leave  it  to  the  all -seeing 
God  and  to  his  own  mind  whether  he  has 
written  it  with  the  Spirit  of  truth,  which  is 
quite  impartial,  and  with  true,  christian 
love,  as  if  standing  before  God. 

Inasmuch  as  I  have  thus  found  it  printed 
in  his  book,  and  as  the  sayings  of  A'Lasco 
imply  that  Christ's  flesh  was  guilty  of  death; 
as  has  been  heard,  which  may  rightfully  be 
called  a  ioose-geld  and  ransom,  as  he 
deems  it  to  be  sinful,  then  say,  beloved, 
what  have  I  said  about  which  to  make  such 
an  ado  ?  and,  as  he  perhaps  thinks,  on  ac- 
count of  which  he  has  so  mortally  wounded 
me;  besides^  according  to  truth  it  is  their 
foundation  and  the  unmistakable  result  of 
their  doctrine.  But  thus  he  must  render 
Gellius  a  favor  at  my  expense,  although  he 
once  spoke  quite  difierentlj''  to  some  preach- 
ers at  Emden,  about  Gellius'  book. 

We  then  came  to  the  inconsistency  of 
concluding  two  persons  in  Christ.  To  which 
Micron  answered:  "We  do  not  assert  that 
there  are  two  persons  in  Christ;  but  we  say 
there  is  but  one.  For  although  the  Word, 
from  eternity,  was  one  person,  yet  when  it 
was  conceived  in  Mary  it  was  no  person." 
Beloved,  mark,  what  indiscreetness  he  uses. 


366 


REPLY  TO  MAHTIN  MICRON. 


He  further  said:  "  Althotigli  every  man  is  a 
person,  and  altbongli  tlie  man  Christ  was  a 
man  as  any  other  man,  yet  the  man  Christ, 
for  himself  alone,  was  no  person."  Is  it 
not  a  shame  that  one  has  to  repeat  such  ig- 
norant words  before  intelligent  persons? 
Paul  truly  asks:  "Where  is  the  disputer  of 
this  world  ?"'  1  Cor.  1 :  20.  When  we  had 
finished  our  arguments  in  regard  to  this 
matter,  I  said,  I  understand  that  some  of 
you  say,  "Menno  said  sometime  ago  that 
the  whole  Christ  was  God's  Son;  but  he  did 
not  prove  it  by  the  Scripture."  Therefore  I 
desire  to  do  so  now,  and  I  will  read  the 
Scriptures  of  the  New  Testament  to  you, 
which  testify  that  the  whole  Christ  Jesus, 
from  head  to  foot,  visible  and  invisible,  is 
God's  own,  only  and  first-begotten,  true 
Son,  if  you  will  patiently  attend,  as  I  did 
when  you  were  reading.     "Do  so,"  he  said. 

I  read  about  twenty -four  or  twenty-five 
strong,  plain  Scriptures,  to  some  of  which  I 
shall  here  refer.  The  first  was,  "The  Holy 
Ghost  shall  come  upon  thee  and  the  power 
of  the  Highest  shall  overshadow  thee;  there- 
fore also  that  holy  thing  which  shall  be 
born  of  thee  shall  be  called  the  Son  of  God," 
Luke  1 :  35.  Here  the  angel  of  the  Lord  tes- 
tifies that  Christ  Jesus  should  be  the  Son  of 
God,  and  you,  Micron,  say  that  he  was 
not. 

The  Father  himself  says,  "  This  is  my  be- 
loved Son  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased," 
Matt.  3:  17;  17:  5;  Mark  9:7;  Luke  3:  22; 
9:  35.  And  you.  Micron,  boldly  contradict 
it,  and  say  that  he  is  not.  Again,  Christ 
said  unto  the  blind  man,  "Dost  thou  believe 
on  the  Son  of  God  ?  He  answered  and  said, 
Who  is  he,  Lord,  that  I  may  believe  on 
him  ?  And  Jesus  said  unto  him.  Thou  hast 
both  seen  him,  and  it  is  he  that  speaketh 
with  thee,"  Jn.  9:  35,  36.  Here  the  visible, 
speaking  Christ  confesses  himself  to  be  the 
Son  of  God.  And  you.  Micron,  say  he  is 
not. 

Christ  saj's,  "What  and  if  ye  shall  see 
the  son  of  man  ascend  np  where  he  was  be- 
fore?" Jn.  6:  63.  Here  Christ  testifies  that 
the  Son  of  man  was  from  above,  and  that 
he  would  again  return  thither.  And  you. 
Micron,  say  that  the  son  of  man  is  not  of 
heaven,  but  of  earth. 

Peter  answered  Christ  to  the  question: 


"Whom  say  ye  that  I  am?"  "Thou  art  the 
Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God,"  Matt. 
IG:  16;  and  Christ  blessed  him  for  it.  And 
you.  Micron,  say  that  the  man  Christ  is  not 
the  Son  of  God. 

The  centurion  confessed  him  to  be  such; 
at  the  cross.  He  said,  "Truly  this  man 
was  the  Son  of  God,"  Mark  15:  39.  And 
you.  Micron,  controvert  it,  and  say  that  he 
was  not. 

All  the  apostles  confessed  Christ  to  be 
the  Son  of  God,  Matt.  14:  33;  also,  John, 
the  Baptist;  Nathaniel  and  Martha,  Jn. 
1:45;  11:27.  And  you.  Micron,  are  not 
ashamed  to  say  that  he  is  not. 

John  says,  "These  are  written,  that  ye 
might  believe  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  the 
Son  of  God;  and  that  believing  ye  might 
have  life  through  his  name,"  Jn.  20:  31. 
Beloved  Micron,  take  heed.  At  another 
place  it  reads,  "  He  that  believeth  not  God, 
hath  made  him  a  liar;  because  he  believeth 
not  the  record  that  God  gave  of  his  Son,"  1 
Jn.  5:  10.  "He  is  anti-christ  that  denieth 
the  Father  and  the  Son,"  1  Jn.  2:  22.  Be- 
hold, Micron,  what  kind  of  spirits  you  are 
we  will  let  you  judge  by  this  Scripture  of 
John.  What  is  your  answer  to  all  those 
plain  Scriptures,  which  I  have  read  ? 

He  was  again  puzzled  as  belbre,  during 
the  first  discussion  when  he  was  overcome 
on  the  subject  of  woman's  seed.  Both  he 
and  Herman  became  pale  (as  the  brethren 
told  me,  for  I  did  not  notice  it),  and  Micron 
said,  "Most  of  these  Scriptures  I  confess  to 
be  right  and  just."  Not  all?  I  asked.  I 
have  not  added  a  single  word;  but  merely 
read  from  the  Bible.  Tell  me  which  are 
not  right. 

I  received  no  answer  at  all.  But  again 
he  asked  a  strange  question  three  or  four 
times,  which  I  refused  to  answer,  desiring 
an  answer  to  the  Scriptures  which  I  had 
read.  At  last  he  spoke,  but  merely  deceitful- 
ly, that  he  might  lead  me  off  my  Scriptures 
which  he  could  not  answer  because  they  were 
too  powerful  and  plain,  and  also  because 
he  yet  wanted  to  make  a  show :  "They  shall 
be  answered,"  he  said.  Then  ask  on,  said 
I.  "Do  you  believe,"  he  said,  "that  Christ 
was  born  of  the  Father,  and  seated  with  the 
Father,  from  eternity?"  I  let  him  ask  the 
question  again. 


EEPLY  TO  MARTIN  MICRON. 


367 


Martin,  said  I,  you  do  not  act  as  becomes 
a  true  and  pious  man.  Is  that  an  answer 
to  my  Scriptures?  Immediately  lie  began 
to  boast  that  I  could  not  answer  his  ques- 
tion. I  was  sorry  that  I  had  commenced 
to  discuss  with  such  a  perverse  man;  for  I 
saw  clearly  that  he  was  not  prompted  by 
the  spirit  of  truth.  I  further  said,  that  I 
have  never  read  of  such  a  birth,  in  the 
Scriptures,  as  the  one  which  he  enquired 
about,  which  implied  a  seat  with  God  from 
eternity.  If  you  read  of  it,  I  said,  then 
show  me  where  to  find  it. 

"No,"  he  said,  "We  want  to  find  it  out 
by  you."  Martin,  said  I,  be  ashamed. 
When  I  want  to  see  the  Scriptures  you  are 
not  willing  to  show  them.  He  again  said, 
"He  wanted  to  lind  it  out  by  me."  Man, 
man,  I  said.  By  this  j^ou  show  what  kind 
of  a  spirit  there  is  in  you.  What  indiscreet 
perverseness,  to  require  of  me  to  show  that 
which  is  not  to  be  found  in  the  Scriptures. 
Heaven  and  earth  have  not  yet  stood  six 
thousand  years,  and  the  Scriptures  say  that 
heaven  is  God's  throne,  and  earth  his  foot- 
stool, and  that  God  is  an  eternal  God  who 
has  neither  beginning  nor  end.  If  I  should 
ask,  now,  what  were  God's  throne  and  foot- 
stool before  heaven  and  earth  were  created, 
would  you  be  obliged  to  answer  me,  while  the 
Scriptures  say  nothing  about  it?  I  again  re- 
ceived the  answer:  "We  want  to  find  out 
by  you."  Mark  with  what  kind  of  a  spirit 
this  man  discussed  with  me. 

Observing  that  the  bait  which  he  threw 
out  was  to  get  something  peculiar  from  me, 
I  said  to  him:  Micron,  since  you  can  not 
stand  before  the  truth,  I  can  see  what  your 
object  is.  Therefore  understand  me,  that 
you  may  give  a  true  account  of  me.  What- 
ever the  Scripture  testifies  concerning  the 
eternal,  divine  form  of  Christ,  I  sincerely 
believe,  although  I  may  not  thoroughly 
commprehend  it,  as  that  his  goings  forth 
have  been  from  of  old,  from  everlasting, 
Micah  5:2;  that  he  is  the  Alpha  and  Ome- 
ga, Rev.  1:8;  2:  S;  the  eternal  Word  of  the 
Father,  his  Wisdom  and  Son,  by  whom  all 
things  were  created.  Gen.  1:1;  Ps.  33:  6; 
Prov.  8:  22;  Jn.  1:  3;  Eph.  3:  9;  Col.  1:  16; 
Heb.  1:2;  the  firstborn  of  every  creature, 
Col.  1:  15,  who  is  before  Abraham  was,  Jn. 
8:  58,  and  other  like  Scriptures  I  do  not 


comprehend.  But  that  there  was  a  birth 
from  everlasting,  as  you  say,  I  can  not  find 
in  the  Scriptures. 

Inasmuch  as  I  can  not  find  this  in  the 
Scriptures,  and,  as  I  am  prepared  to  obey 
them  unto  death,  therefore  I  ask  you  to 
show  me  (as  you  ask  it  of  me)  where  it  is 
written,  and,  by  the  grace  of  God,  I  will 
not  in  the  least  controvert  it;  for  I  was  cer- 
tain that  he  could  not  show  it.  He  answered 
again:  "No,  we  want  to  find  out  by  you." 
Now  judge  of  the  spirit  of  the  discussion. 

I  will  now  leave  this  to  the  judgment  of 
all  impartial,  reasonable  readers  whether 
Micron  has  met  us  in  discussion  as  a  godly, 
humble,  kind  and  pious  christian,  to  teach 
me  and  all  of  us,  or  to  be  taught  of  us  in  the 
matters  pertaining  to  Christ  Jesus,  by  the 
Spirit  and  word  of  the  Lord;  or,  whether 
he  met  us  as  an  ungodly,  proud,  cruel  and 
infamous  pharisee. 

A  more  abominable  discussion  I  never 
heard  of.  In  the  first  place,  because  he 
wanted  to  find  out  by  us  something  which 
is  not  in  the  Scriptures.  And  in  the  second 
I  place,  because  I  desired  him  to  show  it  to 
me,  and  he  would  not  do  it  for  the  sake  of 
truth  and  love.  But  Micron  knew  that  he 
could  not  find  it  in  the  Scriptures,  yet,  by 
such  trickery,  after  he  had  lost  this  founda- 
tion, he  tried  to  make  a  show  among  his 
followers  who  understood  so  little  about  the 
Scriptures.  But  he  was  caught  in  the  net 
he  set  for  us,  as  you  may  clearly  see  from 
the  following  account.  For,  when  I  ob- 
served that  he  had  lost  all  christian  reason- 
ableness; that  no  Scriptures  would  avail 
anything  in  his  case,  and  that  he  strove  for 
nothing  else  but  to  catch  me  at  some  ex- 
pi'ession  or  other,  which  he  might,  by  false- 
ly adding  to  it,  himself,  fasten  upon  us,  to 
our  disadvantage,  I  desired  of  him  to  ex- 
plain his  question  a  little  better,  namely, 
whether  he  believed  that  Christ,  from  ever- 
lasting, was  born  of  the  Father,  or  that  he 
was  from  eternity  seated  with  the  Fa- 
ther, and  separated  from  him  ?  Three  or 
four  times,  he  said,  "Born." 

Born?  I  said,  I  do  not  contradict  it;  for 
you  have  heard  my  confession,  clear  enough, 
but  explain  your  question.  It  was  again, 
"Born." 


Then  I  said  to  Herman,  Do 


tell,  what  is 


368 


REPLY  TO  MARTIN  lill'CRON. 


your  faitli  ?  He  spoke  in  liis  usual,  fhouglit- 
less  manner  and  frankly  said,  "That  lie 
was  seated,  separate  from  the  Father." 

Well,  Micron,  I  said,  is  that  your  faith 
also  ?  He  again  answered,  Born.  For  the 
fox  was  afraid  that  he  should  be  caught  in 
his  den. 

Micron,  said  I,  say  yes  or  no.  We  have 
heard  enough  of  your.  Born.  Then  he 
said,  "Yep!"  Well,  I  said,  give  attention! 

I  presume,  I  said,  that  you  have  read 
that  there  was  a  sect  in  ancient  times  which 
was  called  Triticole  or  Tritoites  (Trithe- 
ists),*  because  they  worshipjied  three  Gods. 
If  you  have  the  same  faith  concei'uing  the 
Holy  Ghost,  that  you  have  concerning  the 
Father,  and  the  Son,  then  it  is  plain  that 
you  are  Tritheists;  for  you  so  divide  them, 
as  being  seated  separate,  one  from  the  oth- 
er, as  was  seen.  He  made  no  reply  to  this, 
at  all. 

In  the  second  place,  I  said.  You  are  aware 
that  Arius  was  deemed  a  heretic,  because 
he  said  that  Christ  had  a  beginning !  He 
answered,  "Yes."  This  is  right,  I  said. 
But  reflect.  If  Christ  was  from  eternity 
with  the  Father,  separated  from  him,  as  you 
say,  having  neither  beginning  nor  end,  then 
he  is  not  the  Father's  Son;  for  in  such  case 
he  is  not  born  of  the  Father;  and  if  he  be 
born  in  such  a  manner,  that  he  was  divided 
from  the  Father,  and  separated  from  him, 
as  you  have  it,  then  he  must  have  had  a  be- 
ginning; for  that  the  begetter  must  be  be- 
fore the  begotten,  in  a  natural  sense  as  you 
assume,  is  as  clear  as  day.  And  if  you, 
then,  are  not  Arians,  I  will  leave  to  your 
own  judgment.     I  am  jat  to  be  answered. 

In  the  third  place  I  said,  Some  ancient 
authors  have  compared  the  eternal,  divine 
Being  to  the  Sun,  that  is,  they  have  compared 
the  body  to  the  Father,  the  Word  or  Son  to 
the  brightness,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  to  the 
heat.  For  as  these  three,  the  body,  the 
brightness  and  the  heat  are  one  sun,  thus 
the  Father,  his  Word,  and  his  Holy  Ghost 
are  one  God. 

And,  as  the  brightness  cannot  be  sepa- 
rated from  the  siin  and  yet  remain  bright- 
ness, thus  the  Word  can  not  be  separated 


*Tritlieist,  One  who  believes  that  tlie  three  persons 
in  the  Trinity  are  three  distinct  Gods. 


from  God  and  still  remain  the  AVord.  Yet 
the  AVord  is  not  the  Father,  nor  is  the  Fa- 
ther the  AA^ord.  And  therefore  you  daily 
sing  in  your  temples.  Lumen  cle  lumme, 
that  is,  a  Ligltt  ofliglds.  Also  says  Paul, 
"He  is  the  brightness  of  the  glory  of  God," 
Heb.  1 :  3. 

Behold,  dear  Micron,  this  the  beforemen- 
tioned  writers  have  confessed  concerning  the 
eternal,  divine  Being,  and  you  confess  thus. 
I  will  leave  it  to  your  own  Judgment  wheth- 
er you  did  not  forsake  their  faith  and  wheth- 
er you  did  not  make  them  false  writers,  by 
your  confession.  He  did  not  reply  at  all 
to  this. 

In  the  fourth  place  I  said.  You  surely 
confess  that  Christ  Jesus  from  everlasting, 
was  the  Almighty  word,  wisdom  and  power 
of  God?  He  replied,  "Yes."  AA^ell,  I  said, 
if  such  a  birth,  then,  took  place,  as  you 
say,  that  he  was  seated,  divided  and  sepa- 
rated from  the  Father,  then  the  Father  must 
have  been  seated  without  wisdom,  word 
and  power  from  eternity,  inasmuch  as  they 
were  separated,  as  you  claim.  This  is  too 
plain  to  be  controverted,  Jn.  1:1;  Gen.  1:1; 
Isa.  40:  8;  Bar.  3:  5.  Dear  Micron,  consider 
how  3^ou  blaspheme  God.  Not  a  vrord  did 
he  reply  to  this. 

But  now  he  comes  and  says  that  Christ, 
from  eternity  was  born  of  the  Father,  al- 
though yet  remaining  in  the  Father.  Mark, 
what  a  double  tongue  and  unsteady  spirit 
it  is.  At  the  time  of  the  discussion,  Christ 
was,  from  everlasting,  seated,  divided  and 
separated  from  the  Father;  and  now,  he 
remained  in  the  Father.  In  such  a  short 
space  of  time  he  has  changed  his  mind  on 
live  points  concerning  the  incarnation  of 
Christ,  as  is  shown  in  the  "Admonition" 
written  to  him,  and  now  he  comes  to  cast 
upon  me  the  base  stains  of  his  own  unstead- 
iness; while  the  merciful  Lord  has,  by  his 
grace  andpower,  for  about  twenty-one  years, 
kept  me  steady  in  one  sense  and  foundation 
of  the  doctrine,  notwithstanding  the  many 
artifices  devised  against  me  by  so  very 
many  crafty  spirits,  as  all  must  testify  who 
have  impartiallj^  read  my  books  and  heard 
my  admonitions. 

Here  I  would    faithfully   admonish   all 
readers,  in  love,  and  would  humbly  pray  . 
them,  for  God's  sake,  that  none  will  say  or 


REPLY  TO  MARTIN  MICRON. 


369 


think  that  I,  by  these  four  answers  to  his 
proposed  and  explained  question,  would 
change  or  forsake  my  doctrine  concerning 
the  birth  of  Christ,  the  eternal  Word,  be- 
fore every  creature.  Not  at  all.  For,  with 
all  those  who,  with  holy  Paul,  in  truth, 
confess  Christ  Jesus  to  be  the  first  -  born 
of  every  creature,  and  that  without  the  in- 
termixture of  any  human  philosophy,  with 
these  I  hereby  confess  to  be  unanimous, 
now  and  forever. 

I  declare  that  if  Micron  had  asked,  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  Scriptures,  if  I  confessed 
Christ,  according  to  his  divine  form,  to  be 
the  first-born  of  every  creature,  then  I 
would  immediately  have  answered  him  in 
the  affirmative.  It  would,  then  also  have 
prevented  his  irrelevant  questions.  But  as 
his  questions  were  the  result  of  reason  and 
not  of  the  Scriptures,  and  as  he  would  thus 
make  of  the  word  a  separate  person,  from 
everlasting,  of  which  not  a  single  word  is 
found  in  the  Scriptures,  before  his  ascension, 
therefore,  he  was  immediately  defeated  by 
the  four  inconsistencies  concerning  the  eter- 
nal, divine  Being,  from  which  he  could  not 
extricate  himself  at  all,  as  was  heard. 

Mark  also,  that  he  has  reflected  upon  the 
foolishness  of  his  wisdom  which  he,  without 
any  Scripture,  used  against  me,  so  that  he 
is  now  ashamed  of  his  own  confession  and 
words ;  for  he  says,  "  If  I  received  the  correct 
news,  that  he  never  talked  about"  "being 
seated."  If  this  is  true,  then,  alas,  it  is  too 
gross  a  falsehood.  He  also  writes  now 
that  he  is  born  of  the  Father,  from  everlast- 
ing, but,  that  he  yet  abided  in  him  as  is 
also  the  doctrine  of  the  Nicene  council, 
Athanasius,  Erasmus  of  Rotterdam,  Luther, 
Pomeranius,  Melanchthon,  Bullinger  and 
of  the  most  learned  persons,  as  can  be  easi- 
ly deduced  from  their  comparison  of  the 
sun,  as  also  from  the  writings  of  some  of 
them. 

He  again  makes  use  of  philosophy  and 
not  of  the  Scriptures,  as  he  did  in  his  first 
which  he  has  now  eaten  up.  For  the  spirit 
of  wisdom  has  not  left  us  a  single  word 
concerning  the  ineffable,  incomprehensible 
mystery  of  the  eternal  birth,  at  all;  wheth- 
er he  became  separate  from  the  fatherly 
Being  at  his  birth,  before  all  creatures,  or 
whether  he  remained  ineffably  one  there- 


with.  For  God  is  a  Spirit,  Jn.  4:  24,  and 
that  Spirit  is  ineffable. 

As  he  again  makes  use  of  philosophy 
and  not  of  the  Scriptures,  the  searching, 
curious  philosopher  might  again  ask  him 
in  regard  to  the  word,  horn:  How  can  one 
be  born  and  yet  remain  in  the  begetter?  I 
do  not  know  where  Micron  can  find  a  direct 
answer,  wherewith  he  could  stand  before 
the  disputer.  Therefore  I  would  that  the 
ineffable  mystery  was  left  with  God.  For 
all  who  want  to  follow  their  own  intellect 
in  this  ineffable  mystery,  and  maintain 
their  opinion  thereby,  are  immediately 
caught  in  the  snare  of  the  disputer.  No 
matter  how  he  manage. 

Inasmuch  as  we  clearly  find  and  know 
that  the  Holy  Ghost  has  hidden  this  mys- 
tery in  the  Scriptures,  and  that  he  has  not, 
in  any  manner,  revealed  it  unto  us,  neither 
by  prophet,  apostle  nor  by  the  Son  himself; 
and,  inasmuch  as  it  is  manifest  that  it  can 
not  be  explained  by  intellect  how  short  or 
how  long;  how  near  or  how  far  he  was  to 
the  Father;  or  whether  at  birth,  he  became 
separate  from  the  Father  or  not;  as  he  is  a 
Spirit;  besides,  as  we  learn  from  history, 
and  find  in  our  own  time  how  many  pierc- 
ing eyes  are  dazzled  by  this  impenetrable 
brightness ;  therefore  I  warn  all  pious  hearts 
that  would  walk  with  a  good  conscience 
before  their  God,  not  to  speculate  about 
this  ineffable  and  indescribable  majesty  of 
the  immeasurable,  eternal  Godhead  and 
not  to  conclude,  assert,  teach  or  maintain 
any  thing  more  than  the  Holy  Ghost  has 
revealed  and  taught,  lest  they,  by  their  fan- 
cies, make  themselves  a  god  which  is  not 
revealed  unto  them,  by  the  Scriptures.  For 
it  is  sufficient  for  all  godly  souls  that  they 
have  such  faith  in  God,  as  his  word  directs 
and  points  out,  that  Christ  Jesus  is  from 
everlasting;  the  ineffable,  eternal  word, 
wisdom  and  power  of  the  Father,  and  first- 
born of  every  creature,  an  eternal,  true, 
perfect,  divine  substance  or  being  in,  by, 
and  with  God,  and  that  this  same,  by  the 
power  of  the  Almighty,  eternal  Spirit,  ac- 
cording to  the  promise,  became,  in  due 
time,  a  true,  passive,  mortal  man,  in  Mary, 
as  the  Scriptures  teach. 

For,  if  we  should  have  needed  more 
knowledge  and  understanding  of  this  inef- 


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REPLY  TO  MARTIN  MICRON. 


fable  birth,  the  Holy  Spirit  which  rightly  | 
teaches  his  unto  all  godliness,  would  nn-  I 
doubtedly  not  have  hidden  it  from  ns,  but 
would  have  revealed  or  explained  it  to  us 
by  some  of  his  holy  apostles,  or  prophets,  ' 
or  by  the  Son  himself. 

I  hereby  pray  all  pious  hearts,  for  Jesus'  j 
sake,  to  submit  their  intellect  to  the  word 
of  the  Lord,  to  feel  and  believe  of  God  as  j 
the  Scriptures  command  and  teach,  not  to  ! 
ascend  higher  nor  descend  lower,   and  to  ] 
walk  before  God  and  his  church  with  a  pa- 
tient, humble,  contrite  heart,  and  he  shall 
find    peace    therein.      Whosoever    feareth 
God,  let  him  reflect  upon  what  I  write. 

When  he  was  again  met  in  his  question, 
and  unable  to  replj^,  he  broke  forth  with  a 
disturbed  mind,  as  it  appeared,  and  said, 
"Do  you  also  believe  that  Christ  was  nour- 
ished by  Mary?"  Yes,  I  said,  I  sincerely 
believe  so.  "Fy  I"  he  said  then,  "what  an 
impure  Christ;  for  if  he  was  nourished  by 
her,  then  he  must  also  have  become  im- 
pure." He  knew  not,  as  I  thought,  what 
to  say,  for  surprise. 

Dear  Micron,  I  said,  control  your  heart 
and  tongue.  We  speak  of  his  origin  and 
not  of  his  nourishment.  And  if  nourish- 
ment could  make  him  impure,  which  is 
contrary  to  Christ's  own  word.  Matt.  15: 11; 
Mark  7:  15,  how  much  more  the  substance 
taken  from  such  body  of  which  the  fruit 
should  have  come  as  you  say  and  teach, 
and  that  Mary  was  born  of  the  impure,  sin- 
ful seed  of  Adam,  of  which  you  say  the  flesh 
or  humanity  of  Christ  came;  this  you  ad- 
mitted yourself;  nor  could  you  produce  a 
single  Scripture  by  which  you  could  prove 
her  spotlessness,  as  I  mentioned  sufficiently 
plain  in  the  narration  of  the  first  discussion. 

Behold,  honorable  reader,  here  you  have 
the  principal  foundation  of  that  which  Mi- 
cron and  Herman  have  suppressed  in  their 
narration.  It  is  easy  to  guess  for  what  pur- 
pose and  with  what  intention  they  have 
done  so. 

Inasmuch  as  it  did  not  happen  otherwise 
than  we  have  here  told,  and  as  it  is  well 
know  to  the  all-seeing  God,  to  Micron  and 
Herman,  as  also  to  their  own  witnesses  and 
all  of  us  who  were  present,  that  he  was 
quite  outdone  in  the  argumentation  in  re- 
gard to  the  question  under  discussion  and 


on  which  their  whole  foundation  rests, 
whereby  the  cause  was  already  lost,  had  he 
not  again  admitted  it,  as  also,  that  there 
were  two  sons  in  Christ,  and  that  the  cruci- 
fied one  was  not  God's  Son,  whereby  he  had 
already  forsaken  the  Son  of  God;  and  as 
he  could  not  prove  by  the  Scriptures  the 
spotlessness  of  the  flesh  of  Christ,  according 
to  liis  view  of  the  matter;  nor  that  there 
were  two  persons  in  the  one  Christ,  as  he 
professes  to  believe,  nor  did  he  know  how 
he  could  show  the  fatherless  Christ  (as  he 
makes  him)  to  be  the  Son  of  God;  and  as 
he  could  not  reply  a  single  word  to  all  the 
plain  Scriptures  which  I  produced  to  prove 
that  the  visible,  palpable,  speaking  and 
crucified  Christ  Jesus  was  God's  own  Son; 
and,  lastly,  as  he  was  so  inextricably  caught 
in  his  unscriptural,  strange  question;  and 
as  he  is  silent  on  all  these,  not  even  touch- 
ing them,  and  yet  calls  upon  the  name  and 
judgment  of  the  Lord,  and  upon  my  own 
conscience,  that  he  has  faithfully  narrated 
the  matter  in  discussion;  therefore  I  will 
leave  it  to  the  judgment  of  all  reasonable, 
impartial  readers  whether  he  has  written  as 
a  true  writer  or  as  a  false  one;  whether  he 
gained  the  discussion  or  lost  it;  whether  he 
has  done  justice  to  truth  and  to  us,  or 
whether  he  has  done  wrong;  whether  he 
sought  the  honor  and  glory  of  God,  or  his 
own  honor  and  fame;  and  also,  whether  he 
should  be  deemed  a  pious,  praiseworthy, 
honorable,  unblamable,  true  teacher,  or  an 
impious,  unfaithful,  ungodly,  blamable  and 
lying  deceiver  and  calumniator ;  as  he  wrote 
through  envious  partiality  and  carnality, 
without  truth,  and  yet,  to  affirm  his  false- 
hood, so  highly  seals  it,  alas  !  as  was  heard. 
When  I  had  answered  his  last  question, 
they  left  me,  and  went  to  the  front  part  of 
the  building.  What  was  said  there  I  can 
not  say  to  a  certainty ;  for  I  was  not  there 
myself.  But  I  was  told  by  the  brethren 
that  he  was  still  arguing  there,  notwith- 
standing the  weapons  were  knocked  out  of 
his  hands  by  force  of  the  Scriptures.  Also 
some  of  their  members  about  the  doors  next 
the  street  were  too  noisy  in  their  talk.  For 
which  reason  some  of  the  brethren  said 
they  would  better  go,  and  asked  them  to 
help  us  all  out  of  the  gates.  Of  whicli  he 
so  unworthily  has  made,  thrust  out,  that  he 


KEPLY  TO  MARTIN  MICRON. 


371 


might  thereby  make  a  greater  stench  and 
hatred,  for  the  pious  and  true,  and  make 
them  a  bad  name. 

Justly  has  the  Holy  Spirit  likened  this 
generation  unto  the  fearful  apocalyptic  lo- 
custs whose  shapes  were  like  unto  horses 
prepared  unto  battle,  who  have  crowns  on 
their  heads,  like  gold;  which  however  are 
not  gold;  of  which  Micron  and  Herman 
have  placed  one  on  each  others  head,  by 
their  writings;  their  teeth  are  as  the  teeth 
of  lions,  and  they  have  tails  like  unto  scor- 
pions,and  there  are  stings  in  their  tails,Rev.9. 
Consider  what  the  Holy  Spirit  means,  as 
also  that  the  serpent  should  bruise  the  heel 
of  the  seed  of  woman.  Gen.  3:  15..  I  think 
they  have  not  stung  a  little  by  this  writing 
of  theirs.  The  Lord  forgive  them  and  grant 
that  they  may  yet  sometime  find  his  merci- 
ful grace,  if  possible. 

Had  they  now  been  people  of  contrite 
hearts,  as  they  should  reasonably  be  ex- 


pected to  be,  insignificant  in  their  own 
sight,  born  of  truth,  and  gifted  with  the 
power  of  the  word,  they  would  have  thought: 
What  is  the  use  to  write.  Our  cause  is  lost. 
And  if  we  now  defame  them  we  do  so  out  of 
partiality,  and  not  with  truthfulness;  for  it 
is  manifest  that  they  do  not  hate  us,  be- 
cause they  have  shown  us  such  faithfulness 
and  love,  in  time  of  need.  But,  alas,  there 
was  not  so  much  prudence,  honorableness, 
reasonableness,  reflection  and  love  found 
with  them. 

As  we  have  truthfully  and  plainly  shown 
all  that  which  Micron  has  artfully  sup- 
pressed in  his  narration,  to  the  dishonor  of 
God  and  of  his  holy  church,  as  was  heard, 
thus  we  shall  now,  by  the  grace  of  God, 
briefly  show  to  the  reader  how  far  we  differ 
with  them  in  regard  to  this  matter,  that, 
thereby,  truth  may  be  the  more  clearly  dis- 
tinguished from  falsehood,  and  light  from 
darkness. 


THIRTY-ONE  ARTICLES  AHD  DIFFERENCES,  PRESEJ^TED  TO  THE  READER, 
TO  SHOW  THAT  MICRON  SAYS  THIS,  WITHOUT  THE  SCRIPT- 
URES, AND  WE  THAT,  ACCORDING  TO  SCRIPTURE. 


First.  Micron  and  Herman  have  clearly 
and  publicly  confessed  before  us  all,  "That 
Christ  Jesus  was  so  born  of  the  Father, 
from  everlasting,  that  he  was  separated 
from  the  Father,  and  seated  separate  from 
him,  from  eternity,"  Mark  that  this  being 
seated  separate  from  the  Father,  is  without 
the  Scriptures. 

We  confess,  and  that  according  to  the 
Scriptures,  that  Christ  Jesus  was  from  eter- 
nity the  Father's  wisdom,  Prov.  8:  13.  His 
eternal  Word,  Jn.  1:  1,  by  which  all  things 
are  created.  Gen.  1:1;  Ps.  23:  6;  Jn.  1:  3; 
Eph.  3:9;  Col.  1:1b;  Heb.  1:2;  that  his 
goings  forth  were  from  the  beginning  and 
from  the  days  of  eternity,  Micah  5:  2;  that 
he  was  before  Abraham  was  born,  Jn. 
8:  58;  that  he  was  before  John  the  Baptist, 
and  came  after  him,  John  1:3;  the  first  and 
last.  Rev.  1:8;  2:8;  the  firstborn  of  every 
creature,  Col.  1: 15.    But  of  such  a  birth 


which  implies  a  separate  seat,  from  ever- 
lasting, as  Micron  and  Herman  confessed 
before  us,  we  do  not  read  in  the  Scriptures. 
Consider  whether  this  our  confession  is  not 
in  accordance  with  the  Scriptures. 

Secondly.  The  doctrine  and  belief  of  our 
opponents  is,  "That  this  separate  Son  of 
Godj  in  due  time,  became  a  real  son,  body 
and  soul,  of  the  flesh  and  blood  of  Mary." 
Mark,  lioo  Sons,  and  a  dicided  Christ. 

Our  doctrine  and  belief  is  that  this  same 
Word,  Wisdom,  or  Firstborn,  as  we  have 
confessed,  in  due  time  descended  from 
heaven,  and  that  he  became  a  true,  passive, 
mortal  man,  by  the  power  of  the  Most  High 
and  his  Holy  Spirit;  not  of  Mary,  but  in 
Mary,  above  all  human  comprehension,  as 
John  says,  "  The  word  is  made  flesh."  Ob- 
serve if  this  our  confession  is  not  in  accord- 
ance with  the  Scriptures. 

Third  ly.    JSIicr on  and  Herman  frequently 


372 


REPLY  TO  MARTIN  MICRON. 


confessed  before  us  all,  "That  there  were 
two  Sons  in  Christ;  the  one,  the  eternal 
Son  of  God,  the  other  the  temporal  son  of 
Mary."  Mark,  again,  two  sons,  and  a  di- 
vided Christ.  We  confessed,  as  said  before, 
that  he  who  was  the  Word,  AVisdom  and 
first-born  from  everlasting,  became  the  son 
of  man,  in  due  time,  an  only,  imdivided 
Son,  whose  Father  vras  God,  from  everlast- 
ing, and  whose  mother  was  Mary  tempo- 
rally, Luke  1 :  31 ;  Matt.  1 ;  Jn.  1 :  49.  Ob- 
serve if  this  our  confession  is  not  according 
to  the  Scriptures. 

FourtJiJy.  Micron  and  Herman  frequent- 
ly, have  plainly  confessed  before  us  all, 
and  do  so  in  their  narration  many  times, 
that  the  son  of  man  had  no  father,  some- 
times they  say,  no  near  father,  which  is  the 
same  as  no  father.  Mark,  how  they  blas- 
pheme both  the  Father  and  the  Son,  Christ. 

We  confess  with  the  angel  Gabriel,  Luke 
1 :  28 ;  with  the  heavenly  Father,  Matt.  4:17; 
17:  5;  Mark  1:  11;  9:  7;  Luke  3:  22;  9:  20; 
with  Christ  himself,  Jn.  3:  16;  5:  22;  6:  69; 
7:28;  8:23;  with  all  the  apostles.  Matt. 
14:  33;  with  Peter,  Matt.  16: 16;  with  John, 
the  baptist,  with  Nathaniel,  Jn.  1: 49;  with 
Martha,  Jn.  11 :  27;  and  with  all  the  Script- 
ures, that  God  is  his  Father,  Jn.  1  :  14; 
9:  38.  Observe  whether  this  confession  is 
not  right  according  to  the  Scriptures. 

Fifilily.  Micron  and  Herman  have  fre- 
quently confessed  before  us  all,  and  yet  do 
so  in  their  narration,  "That  the  crucified 
Jesus,  who  died  for  us,  was  not  the  Son  of 
God  and  is  one  with  the  other."  Obsei-ve 
if  this  is  not  forsaking  the  Lord  who  has 
purchased  them,  as  Peter  says.  We  con- 
fess according  to  the  Scriptures,  that 
the  crucified  Christ  Jesus  is  God's  first  and 
only  begotten,  own  true  Son,  whom  he  has 
not  spared,  for  our  sake,  Rom.  8:  32;  but 
sent  him  to  be  the  propitiation  for  our  sins, 
by  his  paternal,  divine  love,  1  Jn.  4:  10,  by 
whose  blood  we  are  cleansed  and  bought,  1 
Cor.  6:  20;  7:  23;  who  also,  in  the  last  ex- 
tremity confessed  God  the  Father  to  be  his 
Father,  crying,  "Father,  into  thy  hands  I 
commend  my  Spirit,"  Luke  23:  46.  Mark, 
whether  our  confession  is  not  right  accord- 
ing to  the  Scriptures. 

SixtJdy.  Micron  makes  use  of  a  parable 
that  as  body  and  soul  are  an  undivided 


man,  thus  the  Son  of  God  and  the  son  of 
Mary  are  an  undivided  person.  Mark,  in 
the  third  place,  hoo  Sons,  and  a  divided 
Christ. 

We  call  one  what  the  Holy  Scriptures, 
and  all  the  world  call  one,  that  which  is 
one;  and  that  which  they  call  two,  are  two. 
If  there  are  two  sons  in  Christ  which  gener- 
ated at  different  times,  the  one  from  eterni- 
ty, the  other  in  due  time,  of  different  per- 
sons, namely,  of  God  and  of  Mary,  in  dif- 
ferent forms,  the  one  invisible  and  impas- 
sive, and  the  other  visible  and  passive,  as 
is  the  doctrine  of  our  opponents,  then  there 
must  also  be  two  persons  in  him;  or  else 
the  Word  was  no  real  Son  of  God,  or  the 
son  of  M^iry  no  real  son  of  man,  or  else  the 
one  must  be  taken  away  by  the  other  and 
absorbed  thereby.  Of  this,  we  can  not,  by 
the  grace  of  God,  be  convinced  by  human 
reasoning,  without  the  Scriptures. 

Nor  is  such  a  parable  of  body  and  soul, 
in  regard  to  this  matter,  known  to  the 
Scriptures;  nor  such  a  Savior  and  Christ, 
who  was  changed  from  one  Son  into  two 
sons,  from  one  person  into  two  persons, 
from  earthly  into  heavenly,  from  holy  into 
sinful,  from  good  into  evil,  from  pure  into 
impure,  from  blessed  into  cursed,  and  who 
was  changed  from  man  into  Jesus  Christ. 

Seventldy.  The  foundation  and  doctrine 
of  our  opponents  is,  "That  as  the  man 
Christ  was  born  of  Mary,  he  was,  therefore, 
also  of  her  flesh  and  seed;"  and  refer  to 
Matt.  1 :  16.  Mark,  fourthly,  two  Sons,  and 
a  divided  Christ. 

We  say,  Obed  is  also  born  of  Ruth,  and 
Solomon  of  Bathsheba;  nevertheless  Boaz 
and  David  were  their  fathers,  who  begat 
Obed  of  Ruth,  and  Solomon  of  Bathsheba, 
thus,  also,  the  man  Christ  was  born  of 
Mary;  yet,  God  the  heavenly  Father,  was 
his  Father,  Matt.  1:  20;  Gen.  17:  6;  19:  32; 
35:  11;  Wis.  7:  2;  Rom.  9:  5;  Heb.  11:  11. 
Observe  whether  I  do  not  rightly  teach  you 
according  to  the  Scriptures. 

*  *  *  * 

Ninthly.  The  foundation  and  doctrine 
of  our  opponents  is,  "That  the  man  Christ 
is  of  the  natural  seed  of  David,"  because 
the  Scriptures  say,  "  Of  the  fruit  of  thy  body 
will  I  set  upon  thy  thione,"  Ps.  132:  11; 


REPLY  TO  MARTIN  MICRON. 


373 


89:4.    Mark,  fifthly,  two  sons,  and  a  di-\ 
vided  Christ. 

We  say,  according  to  the  foundation  and 
doctrine  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  that  he  is 
David's  supernatural,  promised  and  given 
son;  for  if  he  were  David's  natural  son,  as 
our  opponents  have  it,  then  he  must  have 
been  of  Joseph's  natural  seed  (for  the  evan- 
gelists count  to  Joseph),  and  the  Word  did 
not  become  flesh.  Observe  v^hether  we  do 
not  teach  according  to  the  Scriptures. 

TentMy.  Again,  the  foundation  and  doc- 
trine of  our  opponents  is,  "That  the  man 
Christ  was  of  David's  seed,  and  refer  to 
Rom.  1:  3;  9:  5."  Mark,  sixthly,  two  sons, 
and  a  divided  Christ. 

We  say  that  the  foundation  and  doctrine 
of  the  Holy  Scriptures  are,  that  the  same 
who  was  God's  Almighty,  eternal  Word, 
from  eternity,  in  due  time,  according  to  the 
promise,  became  man  by  his  Almighty 
power,  in  the  virgin  Mary,  who  was  prom- 
ised to  a  man  of  the  generation  of  David, 
called  Joseph,  to  which  Joseph,  the  evan- 
gelists count.  Matt.  1:16;  Luke  8:23;  Matt. 
1:  18;  Jn.  1:  14,  and  was  thus,  in  due  time, 
born  according  to  the  flesh  of  the  same  gen- 
eration of  which  he  was  incarnated,  as  the 
Lord  had  promised  unto  David.  And  thus 
Christ  is  born  of  the  seed  of  David,  that  is, 
of  the  generation  of  David;  but  did  not  be- 
come flesh  of  the  seed  of  David,  as  our  op- 
l^onents  claim,  by  garbling  this  Scripture. 
Observe  whether  we  do  not  teach  rightly 
according  to  the  Scriptures. 

Eletentldy.  The  foundation  and  doctrine 
of  our  opponents  is,  "That  the  man  Christ 
is  flesh  of  our  flesh,  and  bone  of  our  bone, 
and  that  our  flesh  is  seated  at  the  right 
hand  of  the  Father."  This  he  advocates  in 
his  book  on  "The  Doctrine  of  the  Church  of 
God."  Mark,  seventhly,  tico  sons,  and  a 
divided  Christ. 

We  say  that  the  foundation  and  doctrine 
of  the  Holy  Scriptures  are.  That  the  regen- 
erated church  of  Christ  is  flesh  of  his  flesh, 
and  bone  of  his  bone,  as  Adam  testifies  of 
his  Eve  that  she  was  flesh  of  his  flesh  and 
bone  of  his  bone,  Gen.  2 :  23,  but  Eve  was 
not  thi\s  of  Adam.  Thus  Christ  also  testi- 
fies of  his  church  which  he  has  begotten  by 
viitue  of  his  holy  word  in  the  sprinkling  of 


his  most  holy  blood,  by  faith,  that  she  is 
flesh  of  his  flesh,  and  bone  of  his  bone;  but 
the  church  can  not  thus  testify  of  Christ, 
Eph.  5 :  30.  See  if  we  do  not  rightly  teach 
you  according  to  the  Scriptures. 

T^celftJtly.  The  foundation  and  doctrine 
of  oirr  opponents  is,  "That  the  man  Christ, 
and  we,  are  of  one  Adam,  and  are  thus 
brethren  by  virtue  of  the  flesh."  The  foun- 
dation of  this  assertion  is  that  Paul  says, 
"He  that  sanctifieth  and  they  who  are  sanc- 
tified are  all  of  one,"  that  is,  of  "  one  Adam," 
they  say.  Mark,  in  the  eighth  place,  two 
sons,  and  a  divided  Christ. 

We  say  that  the  foundation  and  doctrine 
of  the  Holy  Scriptures  are,  that  Christ  and 
his  regenerated  church  are  of  one  God,  Jn. 
1:  12,  that  is,  those  who  hear  and  obey  his 
word,  Mark  3:  35;  Luke  8:  21,  and  there- 
fore he  calls  them  his  brethren,  and  says, 
"I  will  declare  thy  name  unto  my  breth- 
ren;" for  as  he  is  God's  firstborn  Son,  Heb. 
1:  6,  thus  he  is  also  the  firstborn,  of  the 
brethren,  Rom.  8:9.  If  he  were  our  broth- 
er in  Adam,  as  is  the  doctrine  of  our  oppo- 
nents, then  he  must,  also,  have  been 
Adam's  first-begotten  son,  as  he  is  the  first- 
begotten  of  the  brethren,  as  was  heard. 
Then,  also,  all  the  ungodly  of  the  whole 
world,  who  have  the  devil  as  their  father, 
Jn.  8:  44,  must  be  Christ's  brethren  and  sis- 
ters, as  well  as  the  regenerated  who  have 
God  as  their  Father.  See  if  we  do  not  teach 
you  rightly  according  to  the  Scriptures. 

TJiirteentldy.  The  foundation  and  doc- 
trine of  our  opponents  is,  "That  Christ  has 
partaken  of  the  flesh  and  blood  of  his  chil- 
dren; which  can  not  be  explained  or  under- 
stood otherwise  than  that  he  has  received 
his  flesh  and  blood  of  the  children."  Mark, 
in  the  ninth  place,  two  sons,  and  a  divided 
Christ. 

We  say  that  they  thereby  deny  the  word 
of  the  Lord  and  the  ordinance  of  creation. 
For  the  Scriptures  ssij,  only,  tliat  he  par- 
took of  flesh  and  blood.  If  they  should 
say  that  the  children  are  spiritual  children 
(as  is  also  the  case,  because  Christ  had  no 
carnal  children),  and,  if  then  the  brethren 
should  yet  be  carnal  brethren,  then  they 
first  break  the  Scripture,  in  explaining  the 
one  word,  which  is  so  closely  connected  to 
the  other,  as  being  understood  in  a  spirit- 


374 


KEPLY  TO  MAHTIN  MICRON. 


ual,  and  the  other  in  a  carnal  sense.  And, 
secondly,  they  assert  an  inconsistency. 
Consider  whether  they  teach  according  to 
the  Scriptures. 

Fonrteentlily .  Micron  frequently  writes 
that  Christ  has  taken  unto  himself  the  seed 
of  Abraham,  and  refers  to  Heb.  2:  16.  In 
the  tenth  place,  mark,  two  sons,  and  a  di- 
vided Christ. 

We  say,  and  that  truthfully,  that  Micron 
lamentably  adulterates  the  text;  for  Paul 
does  not  say,  lias  taken,  but  he  says,  takes 
unto  himself  the  seed  of  Abraham,  that  is, 
the  children  and  descendants  of  Abraham. 

Mark,  how  he  deals  with  the  Scriptures. 

*  •*  *  * 

Eicjldeentlily .  Micron  confessed  before 
us  ail,  "That  although  Mary  was  of  the  im- 
pure, sinful  flesh  of  Adam,  she  was,  never- 
theless, pure  and  holy,  because  the  angel 
said  unto  her,  'Blessed  art  thou  among 
women,'  "  Luke  1  :  28.  See  whether  such 
doctrine  can  stand  the  test  of  the  Scriptures. 

We  confess,  and  that  according  to  the 
Scriptures,  that  as  Mary  was  of  the  sinful 
seed  of  Adam,  as  we  are,  she,  therefore,  was 
concluded  under  sin,  the  same  as  we;  for 
the  Scriptures  except  none  of  Adam's  seed, 
Rom.  5:  12;  1  Cor.  15:  21;  Gal.  3:  22;  Eph. 
2:  3.  For  if  she  would  have  been  pure  on 
account  of  such,  as  Micron  says,  "Then 
God  might  have  cleansed  the  whole  world 
by  such  a  word;  and  it  would  have  been 
vain  to  have  sent  his  beloved  Son  into  this 
wicked  world,  in  such  an  humble  form." 
Oh  no.  It  required  another  who  must  re- 
quite the  debt,  fultill  the  law  and  be  the 
pleasing  sin-oflfering  for  Mary,  no  less  than 
for  us,  if  we  were  to  be  saved.  Observe  and 
see  if  we  do  not  rightly  teach  you  in  accord- 
ance with  the  Scriptures. 

-s  *  *  * 

Twentietli.  Now  Micron  writes,  "That 
we  should  free  from  sin  whatever  the  Script- 
ure frees  therefrom;  and  that  man  should 
not  declare  common  or  unholy  that  which 
God  testifies  to  be  holy,"  and  refers  to  Acts 
10:  15. 

We  confess  and  say,  and  that  in  accord- 
ance with  the  Lord's  word,  that  the  Script- 
ure frees  none  from  sin  but  him  that  is  free 
indeed,  namely,  Chiist  Jesus,  Isa.  53:  12;  2 
Cor.  2:  15;  1  Pet.  2:  23;  IJn.  3:  5;  whereby 


it  is  plainly  shown  that  he  is  not  of  Mary's 
flesh,  which  was  also  concluded  under  sin; 
but  that  the  Father's  most  glorious  word, 
which  knew  not  sin,  became  flesh,  Jn.  1: 1-1. 
\  For  he  is  holy,  and  that  in  truth,  and  shall 
j  ever  remain  holy.  Therefore,  in  my  opin- 
ion, it  is  blasphemy  against  the  most  holy 
flesh  of  Christ,  which  is  the  true  food  for 
our  souls,  the  living  bread,  given  in  such 
great  love,  to  the  reconciliation  of  the  sins 
of  all  the  world,  thus  to  compare  it  to  the 
flesh  of  irrational  animals  which  were  for- 
bidden as  food,  under  the  law,  and  were, 
therefore,  deemed  unclean;  and  which  are 
now  again,  under  the  gospel  allowed  as 
clean  and  free,  as  was  once  heard.  See  if 
we  do  not  teach  in  accordance  with  Script- 
ure, Jn.  6:  51;  Lev.  11:  4;  Dent.  14:  7;  Rom. 
14:  20;  Matt.  15: 11;  Mark7: 15;  Acts  10: 15; 
Tit.  1 :  15. 

Twenty-first.  The  doctrine  of  our  op- 
ponents is,  "That  the  Son  of  God  has  ful- 
filled the  law  in  our  flesh."  In  the  four- 
teenth place,  mark,  two  sons,  and  a  divided 
Christ. 

We  say,  that  it  is  the  doctrine  of  the  Holy 
Scripture  that  none  born  of  the  accursed 
and  sinful  flesh  of  Adam,  could  fultill  the 
law  which  was  spiritual;  for  the  seed  of 
Adam  was  too  much  corrupted,  and  was 
also,  by  the  righteous  judgment  of  God, 
subject  to  the  curse.  Dent.  27  :  26.  Inas- 
i  much,  then,  as  it  is  become  so  quite  impo- 
tent and  wed^k  in  Adam,  and  as  the  law  ac- 
cused us  before  God,  therefore  he,  in  his 
great  love,  took  pity  upon  Adam  and  all 
his  seed,  and  did  not  spare  his  own  Son, 
but  he  sent  him  in  the  form  of  sinful  flesh, 
Rom.  8:  3,  32,  who  fulfilled  the  law  for  us. 
Matt.  5  :  17;  Eph.  2  :  13,  who  innocently 
died  for  us  guilty  sinners  that  through  him 
we  might  live,  1  Pet.  2:  24;  and  thus  he  be- 
came our  holy,  innocent  and  spotless  High 
Priest,  Mediator,  Advocate  and  Reconciler, 
with  God,  his  Father,  Heb.  5:1;  6:20; 
7  :  26;  8:1;  9  :  14;  10  :  12;  13  :  12;  1  Tim. 
2:  5;  1  Jn.  1:2.  Andthustheglory  is  to  God 
our  Almighty  Father,  by  his  blessed  Word 
or  Son,  alone,  as  the  Scriptures  teach;  and 
not  by  the  accursed,  sinful  flesh  of  Adam, 
as  our  opponents  teach,  Rom.  7:  14.  Ob- 
serve whether  we  do  not  teach  you  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  Scriptures. 


EEPLY  TO  MARTIN  MICRON. 


375 


Twenty -second.  The  distinct  doctrine  of 
our  opponents  is,  "That  the  man  Christ 
who  died  for  us,  was  not  of  heaven,  but  of 
earth."  In  the  fifteenth  place^  mark,  two 
sons,  and  a  divided  Christ. 

Onr  foundation  and  doctrine  is,  according 
to  the  Scriptures,  that  he  was  of  heaven  and 
not  of  earth,  as  he  himself  says,  "I  am  the 
living  bread  which  came  down  from  heaven ;" 
"and  the  bread  that  I  will  give,  is  my 
flesh,"  Jn.  6:  51.  Again  in  verse  62,  "What 
and  if  ye  shall  see  the  son  of  man  (mark  he 
says.  The  son  of  man,  who  Micron  says, 
was  of  earth)  ascend  up  where  he  was  be- 
fore?" Again,  "I  am  from  above;  ye  are  of 
this  world,"  Jn.  8:23.  Again,  "He  that 
cometli  from  above,  is  above  all,"  Jn,  3:  31. 
Christ  says,  "  I  came  forth  from  the  Father, 
and  am  come  into  the  world;  again,  I  leave 
the  world,  and  go  to  the  Father,"  Jn.  16 :  28. 
Paul  also  says,  "The  first  man  is  of  the 
earth,  earthy;  the  second  man  is  the  Lord 
from  heaven,"  1  Cor.  15:  47,  and  manj^  oth- 
er similar  Scriptures.  By  the  grace  of  God, 
we  will,  at  the  proper  time  plainly  show 
what  kind  of  spirits  those  are  who  deny 
these  plain  Scriptures  and  point  the  jsoor, 
ignorant  people  to  a  divided,  earthly,  im- 
pure and  sinful  creature  and  Christ,  as  also 
what  abominations  they  commit  by  their 
false  doctrine.  Observe  whether  we  do  not 
rightly  teach  in  accordance  with  the  Script- 
ures. 

Twenty-tJdrd.  Micron  writes : ' '  They  tes- 
tify sufficiently  that  the  name  without 
truth  and  works  is  vain;  and,  that  none 
can  be  saved  by  the  name,  unless  he  have, 
above  all,  the  reality  of  the  being;  for  the 
name  cometh  of  the  truth."  Mark  how  he 
here  judges  himself. 

We  say,  that  he  is  right,  that  the  name 
without  the  reality  avails  nothing;  and  yet 
he  confesses  in  difi"erent  parts  of  his  writ- 
ings that  the  man  Christ  (as  he  calls  him), 
had  no  father,  still  he  calls  him  the  Son  of 
God;  he  calls  him  of  heaven,  yet  he  says 
that  he  is  of  earth;  he  calls  him  pure,  yet 
confesses  that  he  is  of  the  impure  seed  of 
Adam,  and  says  other  like  things.  Wheth- 
er or  not  Micron  proves  thereby  that  he 
calls  vain  names  and  does  not  speak  the 
truth — for  according  to  his  doctrine  the  Son 
of  God  is  the  son  of  man,  and  the  man 


Christ,  the  son  of  God.  I  will  let  himself 
and  all  intelligent  persons  judge  according 
to  his  own  word. 

Twenty-fourth.  Micron  writes :  "As,  then, 
the  same  human  nature  (he  means,  the  whole 
man  of  Mary's  flesh)  in  which  he  suifered, 
was  his  own  flesh  and  body,  and  was  none 
other;  therefore  it  can  not  be  concluded 
therefrom  that  God's  Son  did  not  suifer  for 
us."  Mark  how,  here,  the  mere  name,  and 
not  the  reality,  must  avail  with  him,  con- 
trary to  his  own  doctrine. 

We  say  that  Micron  manages  it  so  with 
his  flatterings  that  they  may  not  be  too 
much  alarmed;  for  at  different  places  he 
says  that  Christ,  according  to  his  human 
substance  and  nature,  had  no  Father,  and 
that  he  sufl"ered  in  this  same  human  sub- 
stance and  nature,  which  had  no  father; 
and  here  he  says  that  this  was  God's  Son, 
and  that  he  suffered  for  us.  What  kind  of 
a  flatterer  and  writer  IMicron  is,  and  what 
one  should  tliiuk  of  his  foundation  and 
doctrine,  I  will  let  each  one  judge  for  him- 
self, from  his  own  writings.  This  is  not 
simply  truthful  declaiming,  as  he  writes.  I 
know  not  what  greater  sliame  one  could 
think  of. 

Twenty -fif til.  Micron  writes  that  the 
Scriptures  say,  "That  the  Son  of  God  suf- 
fered and  died  for  us.  This  he  writes  for 
two  particular  reasons.  First,  to  prove  the 
inseparable  union  of  both  the  divine  and 
human  natures,  in  one  person,  Christ.  Sec- 
ondly, to  show  that  Christ's  suffering,  in 
his  body  and  flesh,  could  not  conduce  to 
man's  salvation  otherwise  than  by  such 
inseparable  union  of  both  the  divine  and 
human  natures  in  one  person,  Jesus  Christ." 
In  the  seventeenth  place,  mark,  two  sons, 
and  a  divided  Christ. 

We  say,  Micron  generally  sings  the  same 
tune  about  the  iinion  of  both  natures  all 
through  his  appendix,  of  which  not  a  single 
word  can  be  found  in  all  the  Scriptures. 
We  ask  nothing  more  than  that  he  shall 
show  us  where  the  Scripture  says,  "This  is 
the  divine  nature  in  Christ," or,  "that  is  the 
human  nature  in  Christ,"  although  I  confess 
both  natures  to  be  in  Christ;  but  not  as  the 
doctrine  and  teaching  of  our  opponents 
have  it.  Or  else,  that  he  show  us  where  the 
Scriptures  say  this  is  the  union  of  the  two 


376 


KEPLY  TO  MARTIN  MICEON. 


natures  in  one  person,  as  he  generally 
writes;  or  that  he  show  us  where  the  perfect 
Son  of  God  is  called  only  of  divine  nature, 
or  the  perfect  man,  body  and  soul,  only  of 
human  nature,  as  he  would  make  the  read- 
er believe,  that  we  may  reflect  upon  it.  If 
it  is  no  Scripture,  it  is  anathema.  Gal.  1 :  8, 
and  if  it  is  Scripture,  let  it  be  shown  us, 
and  we  will  yield.  O,  God  !  what  abomin- 
able deceit  which  they  falsely  teach  the 
poor,  ignorant  people  under  semblance  of 
the  Scriptui-es ! 

I  would  further  say,  that  if  it  were  such 
inseparable  union,  and  that  the  same  made 
his  suffering  have  the  power  unto  salvation, 
as  he  says,  then  it  is  manifest  that  also  the 
divine  nature  suffered.  For  that  which  is 
inseparable  cannot  be  separated,  and  in 
other  places  he  says  that  the  divine  nature 
did  not  sutler;  whereby  he  makes  the  nat- 
ures separable.  Thus  he  contradicts  him- 
self, and  deceit  remains  deceit  however  he 
garbles  the  Scriptvires  by  his  liatterings. 
See  if  we  do  not  rightly  teach  you  accord- 
ing to  the  Scriptures. 

Twenty-sixth.  Micron  writes,  "Those 
speak  very  unintelligently  of  this  great  and 
holy  mystery  of  our  salvation,  who  say 
that  Mary's  tlesli  was  crucified  for  us,  when 
the  man  Christ  was  born  of  her,  for  they  do 
not  consider  that  Christ  was  not  only  man, 
but  also  God."  Mark,  two  sons  and  a  di- 
vided Christ. 

We  say  that  Micron  makes  his  glozings 
worse  and  worse,  so  that  it  must  be  appar- 
ent that  he  advocates  the  cause  of  anti- 
christ. I  leave  it  to  the  judgment  of  all  the 
world  if  the  man  Christ  (mark  what  he 
means  by  saying  the  man  Christ)  were  of 
the  seed  of  Mary,  born  of  her,  as  the  wine 
is  of  the  vine,  and  the  blossom  and  fruit  are 
of  the  tree,  if  he  was  not,  then,  Mary's  flesh 
and  blood  who  was  crucified  for  us  ?  Al- 
though one  could  not  say  when  Absalom 
hung  upon  the  tree,  there  hangs  David,  as 
he  writes,  yet  one  could  have  truthfully  said, 
There  hangs  David's  flesh  and  blood;  nei- 
ther do  we  say,  that  Mary  was  crucified, 
but  Mary's  flesh  and  blood  (mind,  I  speak 
this  in  the  manner  of  Micron)  was  crucified; 
that  is,  if  he  were  born  of  the  flesh  and 
blood  of  Mary ;  or  else  the  whole  Scriptures 
must  be  wrong,  which  say  that  we  are  the 


seed,  children,  flesh  and  blood  of  Adam,  on 
account  of  our  carnal  birth.  Mark  whether 
we  do  not  rightly  teach  you  in  accordance 
with  the  Scriptures. 

Twenty -senerdli.  Micron  says, "  That  Da- 
vid confessed  Christ  to  be  his  Lord,  accord- 
ing to  his  divinity,  and  to  be  his  son,  ac- 
cording to  his  humanity,"  Ps.  110: 1;  Matt. 
22  :  42.  Mark  again,  t%m  sons,  and  a  di- 
xided  Christ. 

We  say  that  the  prophets  call  him,  with- 
out any  distinction  as  to  his  divinity  or  hu- 
manity, our  "Immanuel,"  Isa.  7:  14,  "The 
mighty  God"  and  "everlasting  Father," 
Isa.  9:  6,  "The  Lord  Our  Righteousness," 
Jer.  23:6;  33:16.  Paul  calls  him  our 
Lord,  1  Cor.  8:6;  12:3.  Thomas  called 
him,  "my  Lord  and  my  God,"  Jn.  20:  28. 
Christ  says,  "All  power  is  given  unto 
me  in  heaven  and  in  earth,"  Matt.  28:  IS. 
Paul  says,  "That  at  the  name  of  Jesus, 
every  knee  should  bow,  of  things  in 
heaven,  and  things  in  earth,  and  things 
under  the  earth;  and  that  every  tongue 
should  confess  that  Jesus  Christ  is  Lord," 
Phil.  2:  10,  11.  As  also,  that  all  things 
are  put  under  his  feet;  and  that  the  Father 
gave  him  to  be  the  head  over  all  things  to 
the  church;  "and  set  him  at  his  own  right 
hand  in  the  heavenly  places,  far  above  all 
principality,  and  power,  and  might,  and 
dominion,  and  every  name  that  is  named, 
not  only  in  this  world,  but  also  in  that 
which  is  to  come,"  Eph.  1 :  21 ;  that  he  is  the 
Lord  both  of  the  dead  and  living;  and  if 
he  is  thus  not  also  David's  Immanuel,  the 
Powerful,  God,  Father,  Jehovah,  Lord, 
Head,  and  Judge,  all  those  may  reflect  upon 
in  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  who  rightly  confess 
the  Lord  and  his  word.  Consider  whether 
we  do  not  rightly  teach  you  according  to 
the  Scriptures. 

Tmenty-eigldh.  Micron  writes,  "If  the 
flesh  of  Christ  were  of  the  substance  of  the 
heavenly  Father,  as  Menno  dreams,  then 
the  heavenly  Father  must  also  have  flesh 
and  blood;  or  else  Christ  could  have  no 
flesh  and  blood;  but  would  only  be  a  Spir- 
it, as  God  is  a  Spirit."  Behold  what  blind 
reason,  and  no  faith. 

We  testify  and  confess  before  God  and 
all  our  readers,  and  that  in  accordance  with 
the  word  of  the  Lord,  that  the  eternal,  inef- 


REPLY  TO  MARTIN  MICRON. 


377 


fable  word  is  of  the  eternal,  ineflfable  sub- 
stance of  the  Father,  and  must  be,  if  it  be 
God.  For  what  can  be  God,  with  God  and 
in  God  which  is  not  of  his  substance  or  be- 
ing? And,  also,  that  this  same  word  came 
down,  in  due  time,  and  that  it  became  truly 
man  in  Mary,  by  the  Almighty  power  of 
God,  Jn.  1 :  14.  Behold,  thus  the  Holy 
Scriptures  teach,  and  thus  we  believe,  not- 
withstanding Micron  dares  call  it  "dream- 
ing." 

The  holy  angel  Gabriel,  and  the  dear 
evangelist,  together  with  John  the  Baptist, 
Peter,  and  all  the  apostles,  nay,  Christ 
himself  certainly  knew  as  well  as  Micron 
and  the  learned  do,  that  God  the  Father 
was  a  Spirit,  and  that  he  was  not  of  flesh 
and  bjood;  yet  they  confessed  before  all 
the  world  that  the  visible,  palpable,  eating, 
drinking,  speaking,  sleeping,  waking,  walk- 
ing, teaching,  sighing,  weeping,  dying  and 
resurrecting  Christ  Jesus  was  the  invisible, 
eternal  and  living  Son  of  God,  as  may  be 
plainly  seen  by  the  general  tenor  of  the 
whole  New  Testament.  O  God,  what  abom- 
inable snares  to  catch  the  poor  souls  and 
to  drag  them  to  the  pit  of  destruction. 

Twenty -ninth.  The  foundation  and  doc- 
trine of  our  opponents  is,  "That  the  word 
was  God  from  the  beginning,  and  could 
therefore  not  suffer."  They  refer  to  Jn.  1 : 1. 
"  It  was  flesh,  and  could,  therefore,  not  be- 
come flesh."  Mark,  it  is  reason,  and  not 
faith. 

"We  say  and  confess,  and  that  by  the 
strength  of  the  Scriptures  that  this  same 
Word,  which  was,  in  the  beginning  with 
God,  and  was  God,  in  due  time  became 
man,  and  dwelt  among  us,  Jn.  1 :  14.  For 
"God  so  loved  the  world,"  says  Christ 
himself,  "that  he  gave  his  only  begotten 
Son."  He  spared  not  his  own  Son,  says 
Paul,  but  delivered  him  up  for  us  all,  Rom. 
8:  32;  and  John  says,  "He  sent  his  Son  to 
be  the  propitiation  for  our  sins,"  1  Jn.  4: 10. 

All  those  who  controvert  this,  deny  first, 
the  eternal  love  of  God  who  so  loved  us 
that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  Jn. 
3:  16;  1  Jn.  4:  10. 

Secondly,  they  deny  the  promise  of  truth 
whereby  God  promised  that  the  Messiah 
should  be  our  Immanuel,  lea.  7;  4,  our  God, 
84 


Isa.  40:  10,  and  the  Lord  Our  Righteous- 
ness, Jer.  23:  6;  33:  16. 

Thirdly,  they  deny  the  Almighty  power 
of  God,  by  which  he  can  do  whatsoever  he 
will.  They  make  Gabriel  a  false  messen- 
ger, as  he  said  that  nothing  was  impossible 
with  God,  Luke  1:  37. 

Fourthly,  they  are  in  opposition  to  all 
the  Scriptures  which  testify,  without  any 
separation,  that  Christ  Jesus  is  the  own, 
only  and  first-begotten  Son  of  God,  Jn. 
1  :  14;  3 :  16;  1  Jn.  4:9;  Heb.  1:5;  Rom. 
8:32. 

Fifthly,  they  make  the  Father  a  liar;  for 
they  do  not  believe  the  testimony  which  he 
has  given  of  his  Son,  1  Jn.  5:  10. 

Sixthly,  they  have  neither  Father  nor 
Son;  for  they  deny  the  Son,  1  Jn.  2:  22. 

Seventhly,  they  remain  under  the  wrath 
of  God;  for  they  believe  not  in  the  name  of 
the  only,  begotten  Son  of  God,  Jn.  3:  36. 

Eighthly,  they  attach  to  Christ  all  the 
gross  inconsistencies  which  neither  Micron 
nor  any  other  man  can  explain  away,  as 
may  be  clearly  seen  by  his  writings,  if  one 
has  spiritual  eyes.  Consider  whether  we 
do  not  rightly  teach  you  in  accordance  with 
the  Scriptures.  *  *  * 

TTdrtietli.  Micron  and  Herman  say, "  That 
if  the  Word  became  flesh,  and  did  not  take 
on  himself  the  flesh  of  Mary,  there  must 
have  been  a  new  creation  in  Mary.  Mark, 
how  diametrically  they  oppose  the  founda- 
tion of  truth. 

We  say  (note  it)  that  if  all  miracles  and 
powers  of  God,  by  which  many  things  were 
changed  into  different  beings  or  forms  from 
what  they  were  before,  were  to  be  called  a 
new  creation,  then  we  would  find  many  such 
new  creations  in  the  Scriptures,  as  when 
water  was  changed  into  wine,  Jn.  2:  9,  it 
was  turned  into  blood,  Ex.  7:  20.  Lot's 
wife  was  changed  into  a  pillar  of  salt.  Gen. 
19:  26.  All  the  dust  of  Egypt  was  changed 
into  lice,  Ex.  8:  17;  and  many  other  mira- 
cles. The  omnipotence  of  God  was  thereby 
acknowledged;  yet  it  is  not  called  a  new 
creation  in  the  Scriptures. 

But  we  will  let  the  polite,  impartial  read- 
er judge  according  to  the  Scriptures,  if  there 
would  not  have  taken  place  a  new  creation 
in  the  case  of  Christ  being  born  of  Mary, 
ae  was  in  the  beginning  the  cas«  with  Eve 


378 


REPLY  TO  MARTIN  MICRON. 


being  made  of  Adam's  rib,  if  our  opponent's 
foundation  were  true.  Consider  whether 
we  do  not  rightly  teach  in  accordance  with 
the  Scriptures. 

Thirty -first.  Micron  writes  "That  we 
place  in  the  stead  of  the  true  Christ,  a  new, 
unknown  Christ  whom  neither  the  patri- 
archs, prophets,  apostles,  nor  the  many- 
thousands  of  martyrs,  &c.,  ever  confessed." 

We  saj'  that  Micron,  as  also  all  the  false 
prophets,  thereby  lamentably  slander  the 
pious  patriarchs,  prophets,  apostles,  and 
witnesses  of  Christ;  and  that  he  thereby 
denies  their  sure,  true  testimony,  left  in  the 
Holy  Scriptures,  concerning  Christ  Jesus 
the  Son  of  God.  For  it  is  manifest  that  the 
prophets  confessed  him  to  be  their  Imman- 
uel;  and  that  he  was  to  be  the  son  of  a  vir- 
gin, who  was  to  conceive  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
Isa.  7:  14,  for  God  himself  was  to  be  his 
Father,  Luke  1 :  31 — 35.  They  confess  him 
to  be  their  mighty  God,  and  everlasting 
Father,  Isa.  9:  6,  their  Jehovah  who  would 
make  them  and  us  righteous,  Jer.  23:  6; 
33:  16;  that  his  goings  forth  were  from  ever- 
lasting, who  was  to  be  Lord  and  Prince  of 
Israel;  that  he  was  the  wisdom  of  God, 
and  was  to  show  himself  on  earth  and  dwell 
among  men.  David  confessed  him  to  be 
his  Lord,  Ps.  110:  2,  he  was  to  be  the  Lord, 
strong  and  mighty,  and  to  be  the  Lord  Sab- 
aoth,  Ps.  24  :  8,  which  no  man  of  Adam 
could  be.  Also,  all  the  holy  apostles. 
Matt.  14:  33,  the  angel  of  God,  Luke  1:  28, 
the  Father,  Matt.  3: 17;  17: 16;  Mark  1 :  11; 
9:7;  Luke  3:  22;  9:  35,  and  Christ  himself, 
Jn.  9:  35,  John  the  Baptist,  Jn.  1:34;  3:28. 
Nathaniel,  Jn.  1 :  49,  and  Martha,  Jn.  11:  27, 
confessed  him  to  be  the  true  Son  of  the  true 
and  living  God,  nay,  to  be  his  only,  and 
first-born,  inseparable  Son,  all  through  the 
New  Testament.  I  say  inseparable;  for, 
that  the  son  of  man  was  God's  Son,  and 
that  the  Son  of  God  was  the  son  of  man, 
Peter  plainly  confessed,  upon  which,  also, 
salvation  was  promised*^um  of  Christ;  that 
the  church  would  be  built  thereupon,  and 
that  flesh  and  blood  had  not  revealed  it 
unto  him,  but  the  Father  which  is  in  heaven, 
Matt.  16:  17. 

And  now  these  thoughtless  people  come 
and  divide  Christ,  without  Scripture  for  it; 
he  must  not  be  the  Son  of  God,  on  account 


of  the  flesh;  but  is  only  called  so  for  the 
sake  of  their  garbled  union;  rob  us  of  both 
Father  and  Son,  make  false  and  untrue  all 
the  Scriptures,  together  with  all  the  apos- 
tles and  prophets,  nay,  also,  the  Father 
and  the  Son,  and  take  the  innocent  apos- 
tles, patriarchs,  and  prophets,  with  whom 
we  agree  in  all  particulars,  as  a  mere  cover 
for  their  falsehood;  they  point  us  from  the 
firm  foundation  of  truth  to  the  quick-sands 
of  criticism,  garbled  Scriptures  and  glozing; 
build  their  church  upon  a  man  and  creature 
of  the  impure,  sinful  seed  and  flesh  of 
Adam,  without  father.  And  although  they, 
poor  children,  are  quite  earthly  and  carnal, 
as  may  be  seen  by  their  writings  and  works, 
yet  they  boast  that  they  rightly  teach 
Christ;  which  none  can  do  but  by  the  reve- 
lation of  the  Father  through  the  Holy  Xrhost, 
as  Christ  himself  says,  "No  man  knoweth 
the  Son,  but  the  Father;  neither  knoweth 
any  man  the  Father,  save  the  Son,  and  he 
to  whomsoever  the  Son  will  reveal  him," 
Matt.  11:  27. 

Observe  whether  we  teach  a  Christ  to 
whom  the  prophets  and  apostles  have  not 
pointed  us,  as  these  unfaithful  people  false- 
ly accuse  us  of,  before  all  the  world. 

Oh!  That  they  meant  God!  that  they 
sought  the  glory  of  God  and  the  salvation 
of  their  neighbors,  and  not  their  own  vain 
honor  and  glory  !  How  gladly  would  they 
confess  that  we  had  the  pure,  saving  truth, 
and  they  the  impure,  accursed  falsehood. 
But  as  it  is,  it  is  hid  from  them  by  their 
earthly,  carnal  vision. 

Behold,  honorable  reader,  here  you  have 
distinctly  presented  to  view  the  principal 
differences  between  us  and  our  opponents, 
concerning  this  article.  And  I  will  now 
faithfully  show  you,  for  further  explana- 
tion, their  unscriptural  confessions,  gar- 
blings  and  adulterations  of  the  Scriptures, 
together  with  their  principal  glozings  of 
which  they  make  use  without  the  Script- 
ures, or  with  a  false  and  garbled  under- 
standing of  them,  whereby  they  quite  ob- 
scure the  brightness  of  Jesus  Christ  the  Son 
of  God,  break  the  foundation  of  truth,  en- 
snare the  simple  reader,  deprive  him  of  the 
Father  and  Son,  and  thus  detain  him  in  the 
curse,  sin  and  death,  as  has  been  heard. 


REPLY  TO  MARTIN  MICRON. 


879 


FORTY-FIYE  UNSCRIPTURAL  CONFESSIONS, 

EXPLANATIONS,    FALSE    GLOZINGS,    ADULTERATED    AND    GAEBLED    SCRIPTURES,    PRESENTED 
TO  THE  READER  FOR  THE  EXPLANATION  OF  THE  FLATTER. 


First.  We  do  not  read  in  the  Scriptures, 
that  Mary,  who  was  a  natural  daugh- 
ter of  the  impure  and  sinful  flesh  of  Adam, 
was  without  sin  and  pure,  as  Micron  con- 
fessed before  us  all,  at  the  discussion,  or: 

Secondly.  That  such  pure,  innocent, 
spotless  and  blessed  fruit,  as  was  Christ 
Jesus,  was  born  of  such  impure,  sinful  flesh, 
guilty  of  death,  as  was  the  flesh  of  Mary, 
since  she  was  a  daughter  of  the  impure  seed 
of  Adam,  as  Micron  says,  or: 

TMrdly.  That  Adam  had  two  seeds,  of 
which  the  one  was  holy  and  pure,  as  was 
Christ,  and  the  other  sinful  and  impure,  as 
we  are;  as  must  be  concluded  from  the  doc- 
trine of  Micron,  or: 

FourtMy.  That  Christ  was  born  of  the 
Father,  from  eternity,  that  he  was  seated 
separate  from  the  Father,  and  outside  of 
the  Father,  from  eternity,  as  Micron  and 

Herman  confessed  before  us  all,  or: 

*  *  *  * 

Eleventldy.  That  the  AVord,  or  the  eter- 
nal Son  of  God,  without  mother  (I  write  it 
according  to  their  foundation),  thus  united 
himself  with  a  son  of  man,  without  father; 
that  he  accepted,  or  took  on  the  same,  that 
he  dwelt  therein,  and  thus  became  one  per- 
son and  son,  as  is  the  foundation  and  doc- 
trine of  our  opponents,  or: 

TwelftMy.  That  there  were  two  sous  in 
Christ,  as  was  heard,  of  which  one  was  vis- 
ible, passive,  and  earthly — the  other  invisi- 
ble, impassive,  and  heavenly,  as  is  the  foun- 
dation and  doctrine  of  our  opponents,  or: 

TldrteentJdy.  That  the  divine  nature 
thus  united  itself  with  the  human  nature 
(whereby  he  means,  two  perfect  sons)  into 
one  person,  which  he  so  often  repeats,  or: 

Fourteentlily.  That  such  a  union  of 
God's  Son  and  Mary's  son,  as  Micron  saj's, 
should  be  compared  to  the  union  of  the 
body  and  soul  of  man,  or: 

Fifteentldy.  That  such  a  divided,  double, 
earthly  and  heavenly,  righteous  and  un- 
righteous, pure  and   impure   Christ   was 


promised  by  the  prophets,  and  preached 
by  the  apostles,  as  Micron  says,  without 
any  truth,  or: 

SixteentJdy.  That  Christ  was  God  and 
man  in  such  a  sense  as  Micron  teaches,  or: 

EigldeenUdy.  That  the  Son  of  God  is 
called  the  son  of  man,  and  the  son  of  man 
is  called  the  Son  of  God,  by  reason  of  such 
union,  as  our  opponents  assert,  without 
any  Scripture,  or: 

•*■*-*» 

Twentieth.  That  the  flesh  of  Christ  was 
sinful,  and  guilty  of  death,  as  John  A'Lasco 
(with  whom  Micron  agrees)  blasphemously 
teaches,  or: 

Twenty-first.  That  the  word,  which  from 
the  beginning  was  God,  thus  took  its  tab- 
ernacle, tent,  or  dwelling  in  our  flesh,  as 
John  A'Lasco  philosophizes,  or: 

Twenty-second.  That  the  Son  of  God 
thus  covered  his  divinity  with  humanity,  so 
long  as  he  was  upon  earth,  as  John  A'Las- 
co writes,  or: 

Txoenty-tMrd.  That  the  one  who  had 
transgressed,  also,  had  to  requite  it  in  his 
nature,  as  is  the  foundation  of  our  oppo- 
nents, or: 

Twerdy-fonrtli.  That  the  Son  of  God  ful- 
filled the  law  and  reconciled  the  Father  in 
our  flesh,  as  is  the  foundation  of  our  oppo- 
nents, or: 

Twenty-fiftli.  That  we  could  not  have 
partaken,  unto  salvation,  of  his  heavenly 
and  spiritual  atti'ibutes,  such  as  his  life, 
holiness,  righteousness,  merits,  &c. ,  if  Christ 
had  not  had  our  human  nature,  form  and 
substance,  as  Micron  writes,  or: 

Twenty-sixth.  That  the  son  of  man,  who 
is  confessed  to  be  the  Son  of  God  by  Peter, 
by  John  the  Baptist,  by  the  angel  and  by 
all  the  Scriptures,  said  in  any  part  of 
Scripture:  No,  I  am  not  the  Son  of  God, 
but  he  that  dwelleth  in  me  whom  you  do 
not  see,  is  the  Son  of  God,  and  for  his  sake 


380 


REPLY  TO  MAHTIN  MICRON. 


I  am  called  his  Son,  as  is  the  doctrine  of 
our  opponents,  or: 

Ticenty-seventJi.  That  the  angel  Gabriel 
told  Mary  that  such  a  divided  son  would 
be  conceived  in  her,  Luke  2 :  28,  as  Micron 
garbles  it,  or: 

Twenty -eigMJi.  That  Christ  Jesus  was 
not  God's  Son,  according  to  his  most  holy 
humanity,  as  well  as  according  to  his  eter- 
nal divinity,  as  our  opponents  teach,  or: 

Twenty -ninth.  That  the  man  Christ  was 
of  earth  and  was  called  heavenly,  only,  on 
account  of  some  honorable  attributes  as 
Micron  writes,  or: 

TMrtieth.  That  the  flesh  and  blood  of 
the  seed  of  Adam,  as  our  opponents  say, 
that  the  flesh  of  Christ  is  the  true  bread  of 
life,  on  account  of  some  divine  attributes  as 
they  garble  the  word  of  Christ,  Jn.  6:  51,  or: 

Thirty -first.  That  Abraham  and  Isaac 
were  called  the  autores  or  origin,  in  the 
Scriptures,  that  it  should  not  be  attributed 
to  strange  men,  as  Micron  says,  without  the 
Scriptures,  or: 

Thirty-second.  That  Christ  took  on  him 
our  sinful  form  as  John  A'Lasco  says, 
Phil.  2:7,  or: 

Tliirty-tJtird.  That  Christ  took  on  him 
the  seed  of  Abraham,  as  Micron  garbles 
the  text  of  Heb.  2:  16,  or: 

Thirty -fourth.  That  Christ  partook  of 
the  flesh  and  blood  of  the  children  by  gen- 
eration, as  our  opponents  garble  or  falsely 
explain  the  text,  Heb.  2:  14,  or: 

Thirty-fifth.  That  God  was  manifested 
in  our  flesh,  as  our  opponents  explain  the 
Scripture  of  Paul,  2  Tim.  3:  5,  or: 

Thirty -sixth.  That  Christ  dwelt  in  our 
flesh  by  generation,  as  our  opponents  ex- 
plain, 1  Ju.  2:  4,  or: 

Thirty -seventh.    That  we  are  to  compare 


to  purity  the  most  holy  flesh  of  Christ  with 
the  cleanness  of  the  animals  which  were  de- 
clared clean,  as  Micron  compared  Acts 
10:  15,  or: 

Thirty-eighth.  That  the  most  holy  flesh 
of  Christ  Jesus  was  flesh  of  our  impure, 
sinful  flesh,  as  our  opponents  make  the 
poor  people  believe,  or: 

Thirty-ninth.  That  Christ  would  be  the 
Immanuel  in  our  flesh  as  our  opponents 
claim,  or: 

Fortieth.  That  Christ  and  we,  are  breth- 
ren on  account  of  the  flesh,  as  Micron  teach- 
es the  unrepentant,  ignorant  world,  without 
the  truth,  or: 

Forty -first.  That  the  children  of  the  devil, 
such  as  liars,  haters,  murderers,  adulterers 
of  the  Scriptures,  blasphemers,  frc,  are 
Christ's  brethren  and  sisters  as  well  as  the 
children  of  God,  as  we  must  conclude  from 
the  teachings  of  our  opponents,  or: 

Forty-second.  That  the  Son  of  God 
united  himself  with  human  nature,  that  is, 
with  a  man  of  the  flesh  of  Mary,  and  that 
he  ascended  with  such  flesh,  as  Micron  uu- 
scripturally  garbles  Eph.  4:  10,  or: 

Forty-tJiird.  That  our  flesh  is  seated  at 
the  right  hand  of  the  Father,  as  is  the  doc- 
trine of  our  opponents,  or: 

Forty-fourth.  That  Christ  is  our  Head, 
and  we,  his  body,  members  and  brethren, 
on  account  of  the  flesh,  as  we  must  under- 
stand it  from  the  teachings  and  foundation 
of  our  opponents,  or: 

Forty-fifth.  That  a  man  of  the  impure, 
sinful  seed  of  Adam  is  our  Advocate,  Medi- 
ator, Reconciler  and  High  Priest  with  God 
the  Father;  and,  that  with  him  we  should 
worship,  honor  and  serve  him  as  the  true 
and  living  God,  as  our  opponents  teach. 


CONCLUSION. 


Heke,  observe,  kind  reader,  that  the  whole 
foundation  and  belief  of  our  opponents 
concerning  this  article  is  built  upon  mere 
jarnal  wisdom,  philosophy,  explanation, 
glozings,  adulteration  and  garbled  Script- 
lu'es  whereby  they  make  it  appear  as  if 


their  anti-christian  doctrine  was  the  doc- 
trine of  the  Son  of  God,  and  whereby  tliey 
cause  themselves  to  be  called  the  true  teach- 
ers, and  us  the  deceivers,  by  the  world  who, 
alas,  are  little  versed  in  divine  matters. 
But  how  they  will  stand  at  the  coming  of 


EEPLY  TO  MARTIN  MICRON. 


381 


Christ,  before  his  impartial  judgment  seat, 
I  fear  most  of  them  will  find  out  too  late. 

I  will  now  point  out  to  you,  by  the  grace 
of  the  Lord,  the  inconsistencies  that  must 
follow  from  their  doctrine  and  faith,  in  such 
clearness  that  you  can  see  that  their  doc- 


trine is  not  of  the  Fountain  of  the  eternal 
Wisdom,  as  Micron  dares  boast,  without 
any  truth,  but  that  it  is  exhaled  from  the 
abyss  by  the  locusts  of  Apollyon.  Take 
heed. 


FOUllTEEN  INCONSISTENCIES,  WHICH  MUST  RESULT  AND  FOLLOW  FEOM 
THE  FOUNDATION  AND  DOCTRINE  OF  OUR  OPPONENTS. 


First,  it  follows  incontrovertibly  from 
their  doctrine  and  faith  that  there  are  two 
sons  in  Christ,  of  which  one  was  the  im- 
passive, eternal  Son  of  God,  without  moth- 
er, and  the  other  the  son  of  Mary  or  the 
son  of  man,  without  father.  And  whether 
or  not  such  doctrine  and  faith  is  not  an  in- 
consistency, I  will  leave  j^ou  to  Judge  ac- 
cording to  the  Scriptures. 

Secondly,  it  follows  incontrovertibly  that 
there  are  two  persons  in  Christ ;  for  where 
there  are  two  actual  sons  there  must  be  two 
persons.  Or  else  the  one  must  have  taken 
unto  him  the  other,  and  by  the  fictitious 
union  quite  absorbed  the  other.  If  this  can 
not  be  called  an  inconsistency  you  may 
judge  according  to  the  Scriptures. 

Thirdly,  it  follows  incontrovertibly  that 
the  eating,  drinking,  sighing,  weeping,  pas- 
sive, dying  and  crucified  Christ  Jesus  was 
not  the  Son  of  God,  notwithstanding  he  is 
confessed  by  all  the  Scriptures  to  be  the 
first  and  only  begotten,  own  Son  of  God; 
for,  they  say  that  he  had  no  Father.  You 
may  judge  by  the  Scriptures  whether  this 
may  not  be  called  a  blasphemous  incon- 
sistency and  denial  of  the  Son  of  God. 

Fourthly,  it  follows  incontrovertibly  that 
they  utter  a  falsehood  as  often  as  they  call 
the  man  Christ,  the  Son  of  God;  for  how 
can  he  be  a  Son  of  God  according  to  their 
doctrine?  for  they  publicly  write  and  ver- 
bally confess  that  he  was  not  of  God  but  of 
Mary.  You  may  judge  according  to  the 
Scriptures  whether  this  is  not  a  blasphe- 
mous inconsistency,  which  is  not  conforma- 
ble to  the  true  God  who  deals  according  to 
truth,  and  does  not  use  idle  names. 

Fifthly,  it  follows  incontrovertibly  that  it 


is  a  divided  Christ,  who  became  a  Savior, 
and  Jesus  Christ,  of  God  and  man,  of  the 
heavenly  and  earthly,  of  the  pure  and  im- 
pure, of  the  righteous  and  unrighteous,  of 
the  good  and  evil,  and  of  the  blessed  and 
accursed,  as  was  once  heard  above.  You 
may  judge  by  the  Scriptures  whether  this 
may  not,  also,  rightly  be  called  an  incon- 
sistency. 

Sixthly,  it  follows  incontrovertibly  that 
the  eternal  expiatory  offering,  once  offered 
for  all  the  world,  is  not  the  spotless  lamb 
which  the  Scriptures  confess  him  to  be,  but 
an  impure,  sinful,  and  accursed  man  of  the 
impure,  sinful  and  accursed  flesh  and  seed 
of  Adam.  You  may  judge  by  the  Script- 
ures whether  this  is  not  an  abominable, 
blasphemous  inconsistency. 

Seventhly,  it  incontrovertibly  follows  that, 
as  the  holy  apostle  Thomas  confessed  the 
crucified,  visible  Christ  to  be  his  Lord  and 
God,  and,  as  all  Scripture  testifies  that  he 
is  our  Reconciler,  Mediator,  Advocate,  High 
Priest,  Savior,  and  Deliverer,  and  if  he  were 
a  man  of  Adam's  impure  seed,  as  our  op- 
ponents assert,  then  it  is  manifest  that  an 
earthly,  impure,  sinful  and  accursed  creat- 
ure, of  the  earthly,  impure,  sinful  and  ac- 
cursed flesh  of  Adam  is  our  Reconciler,  Me- 
diator, Advocate,  High  Priest,  Savior,  De- 
liverer, Lord  and  God.  You  may  judge  by 
the  Scriptures  whether  this  may  not,  also, 
be  called  a  blasphemous  inconsistency  and 
anti-christian  abomination. 

*  *  *  * 

Tenthly,  it  incontrovertibly  follows  that 
if  the  man  Christ  were  of  the  unclean,  sinful 
flesh  of  Adam,  as  is  the  foundation  of  our 
opponents,  th£(,t  one  of  two  things  must  be 


383 


REPLY  TO  MARTIN  MICRON. 


true,  either  that  the  Scriptures  do  not  right- 
ly teach  us,  or  that  all  are  idolaters  who 
worship,  honor,  thank  and  serve  such  an 
earthly,  sinful  and  accursed  Christ,  as  our 
opponents  teach  and  advocate  without  the 
Scriptures;  for  they  say,  "Thou  shalt 
worship  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  him  only 
shalt  thou  serve,"  Matt.  4:  10;  Deut.  6:  13. 
The  prophet,  also  says,  I  will  give  my 
praise  to  none  other.  And  it  is  clear  that 
one  does  not  worship  our  Savior  Christ  any 
less  than  he  does  the  Father  liimself.  You 
may  judge  according  to  the  Scriptures 
whether  this  is  not  also  an  idolatrous  in- 
consistency and  an  infamous  blasphemy. 
*  *  *  * 

Twelfthly,  it  incontrovertibly  follows,  if 
I  understand  the  writing  of  Micron,  that  the 
eternal  Word  became  the  Spirit  of  man, 
and  that  it  only  took  on  itself  a  tabernacle 
of  Mary's  flesh.  For,  as  I  think,  he  alleges 
Peter  for  such  a  purpose,  and  says  he  was 
put  to  death  in  the  flesh,  but  quickened  by 
the  Spirit,  1  Pet.  3:  18. 

If  he  iinderstands  the  Spirit  of  Christ  as 
being  the  Spirit  which  he  commended  to  the 
Father,  as  also,  being  the  immortal  Son  of 
God  with  which,  according  to  his  doctrine, 
he  was  united,  then  Peter  did  not  write 
enough  by  merely  saying  "quickened  by 
the  Spirit,"  and  not,  "  as  also  by  the  im- 
mortal Son  of  God  with  which  he  was 
united."    Mark  what  I  say. 

And  if  he  understand  it  as  solely  having 
reference  to  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  and  not, 
also,  to  the  immortal  Son,  as  he  confesses 
him  to  be,  then  the  Son  of  God  must  have 
become,  according  to  his  doctrine,  a  spirit 
of  man;  or  else  I  do  not  know  for  what 
purpose  he  adduces  this  Scripture.  You 
may  judge  by  it  whether  this  is  not  an 
abominalale  inconsistency,  and  blind-fold- 
ing of  the  poor,  ignorant  world. 

Thirteenthlj^,  it  incontrovertibly  follows, 
if  the  doctrine  of  the  learned  is  right,  that 
the  Almighty  AVord,  whereby  heaven  and 
earth  were  replenished,  must  have  united 
itself  with  such  a  small  body  of  the  flesh  of 
Mary,  and  thus  sighed,  wept,  ate,  drank, 
suflered  and  died  with  it  and  lay  dead  in 
the  grave;  or  else  it  must  have  merely 
sheltered  in  Christ's  Spirit,  and  thus,  at 
death,  departed  therewith,  and  at  the  res- 


urrection again  united  therewith,  the  second 
time.  Wis.  18:  15.  You  may  judge  by  the 
Scriptures,  whether  this  may  not  rightfully 
be  called  a  wonderful  inconsistency. 

Fourteenthly,  it  incontrovertibly  follows 
that  if  the  word  or  the  eternal  Son  of  God  thus 
took  on  him  such  a  man  of  Mary's  flesh 
and  blood,  and  united  himself  therewith 
into  one  person  and  son,  as  our  opponents, 
by  their  philosophy  pretend,  then,  God 
the  Father,  was  not  the  true  Father  of 
Christ,  Mary  not  the  true  mother,  Christ 
not  a  true  Son;  and  all  the  Scriptures  are 
thereby  denied,  which  confess  Christ  to  be 
the  first  and  only  begotten,  true  Son  of  God, 
without  any  distinction  between  divine  or 
human,  between  spirit  and  flesh,  invisible 
and  visible,  immortal  and  mortal,  as  we 
have  clearly  explained  above  and  shall 
still  further  explain  below,  by  virtue  of  the 
word  of  the  Lord.  You  may,  in  the  fear  of 
God,  judge  by  the  Scriptures  whether  this 
can  not  be  rightfully  called  a  blasphemous 
inconsistency^,  and  a  direct  denial  of  both 
Father  and  Son. 

Behold,  chosen  readers,  it  is  such  an  un- 
scriptural,  divided,  unclean,  sinful  and 
earthly  Savior  and  Christ  which  our  oppo- 
nents teach  and  point  to  by  their  anti- chris- 
tian, covert,  garbled,  mysterious  and  ob- 
scure reasonings  of  human  wisdom.  I  place 
before  you,  in  plain  and  clear  words  the 
mirror  of  their  deceit.  If  you  will,  you  may 
clearly  see  how  lamentably  you  are  de- 
ceived by  them. 

Inasmuch,  then,  as  their  doctrine  and 
faith  is  nothing  in  fact  but  anti-christian  de- 
ceit, and  the  temptation  of  the  old  serpent, 
for  it  is  all  taliing  nrdo,  uniting  tico  into 
one,  divine  and  human  nature,  Jtonorahle 
virtues  and  the  like  whatever  we  read  or 
hear  from  them,  of  which  we  find  nothing 
in  Scripture;  and  as  they  make  these  asser- 
tions and  adorn  them  with  many  broken 
Scriptures,  glozings  and  false  explanations; 
therefore  I  say,  first,  in  Micron's  own 
language,  that  all  they  philosophize  and 
teach  avails  us  nothing,  since  it  is  not 
according  to  Scripture.  And  secondly,  in 
the  language  of  holy  Paul,  it  is  anath- 
ema, since  it  is  a  strange  gospel  of  which 
not  a  single  word  is  taught  in  the  Script- 
ures, neither  by  the  prophets,  nor  by  Christ, 


REPLY  TO  MARTIN  MICRON. 


383 


nor  by  any  of  his  apostles,  in  such  a  sense 
as  our  opponents  teach  it.    Take  heed. 

We  will  now,  by  the  grace  of  the  Lord, 
present  to  view,  in  the  first  place,  the  foun- 
dation of  the  confession  and  doctrine  of  our 
opponents,  concerning  this  article,  together 
with  its  proper  contents,  fruits,  end,  and 


witu  Its  proper  contents,  iruits,  end,  and   lieve  and  loliow 
promise,  and,  in  the  second  place,  the  foun-   without  any  fear 


dation  of  our  confession  together  with  its 
proper  contents,  fruits,  end,  and  promise, 
that  you  may,  by  such  comparison  in  black 
and  white,  the  more  readily  guard  against 
the  deceit  of  the  old  serpent,  and  find  the 
sure  and  firm  foundation  of  truth,  and  be- 
lieve and  follow  it,  with  a  sure  conscience, 


THE  FOUNDATION  AND  FAITH 

OF   OXTR  OPPONENTS   CONCEENING  CITRIST  JESTJS,  TOGETHER  WITH  THEIR  PROPER  CONTENTS, 

FRiriTS,  ENDS,   AND    PROSaSE. 


Honorable  reader,  take  heed.  The  fol- 
lowing is  the  whole  contents,  conclusion, 
sense,  explanation,  foundation  and  mean- 
ing of  the  faith  and  doctrine  of  our  oppo- 
nents, concerning  the  incarnation  of  our 
Lord,  whereby  they,  by  their  human  wis- 
dom and  the  cunning  of  the  old  serpent, 
proclaim  that  all  the  glorious  promises 
concerning  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  con- 
tained in  Moses  and  the  prophets,  such  as, 
of  grace,  mercy,  remission  of  our  sins,  peace 
of  conscience,  reconciliation,  and  life  eter- 
nal, are  concluded,  in  the  unclean,  sinful 
flesh  of  Adam,  which  they  call  clean  al- 
though they  confess  that  it  is  of  him  with- 
out any  Scripture. 

They  confess  publicly  (witness  their  own 
confession),  that  there  are  two  Sons  in 
Christ;  of  which  the  one  is  the  Son  of  God, 
from  everlasting,  without  mother,  and  Im- 
passive; and  the  other,  the  son  of  Mary,  or 
the  son  of  man,  without  father,  and  passive. 
Which  two  sons,  they  say  (but  without 
Scripture),  are  united  into  one;  so  that  the 
man,  Christ,  who  visibly  walked,  ate,  drank, 
sighed,  wept,  and  hung  on  the  cross,  and 
who  cried  to  his  Father:  "Father  into  thy 
hands  I  commend  my  Spirit,"  and  who  lay 
in  the  tomb  three  days,  was  not  the  Son  of 
God. 

They  make  the  Holy  of  holies,  the  ever 
blessed  Christ  Jesus,  a  sinful  and  accursed 
man;  [one  of  their  number  asks  publicly: 
If  Christ  were  holy,  why  was  he  adjudged 
unto  death  by  the  judgment  of  the  Father, 
on  account  of  sin  ?]  and  say  that  he  par- 


took of  sinful  flesh,  that  he  might  be  tempt- 
ed and  be  subject  to,  or  guilty  of  death.  They 
place  their  salvation  in  an  earthly,  sinful 
creature  of  the  unclean,  sinful  seed  of  Adam, 
and  make  Christ  Jesus  not  alone  of  the  sin- 
ful and  accursed  flesh  of  Adam,  Abraham 
and  David,  but  also,  a  gentile  of  the  gen- 
tiles, namely,  a  Syrian  of  the  daughters  of 
Bethuel  and  Laban,  Gen.  24;  29:  IS,  a  Ca- 
naanite  of  Rahab,  a  Moabite  of  Ruth,  Matt. 
1 :  5,  and  an  Ammonite  of  the  mother  of 
Rehoboam,  of  the  son  of  Solomon,  1  Kin. 
14:21. 

They  make  a  creature  of  the  unclean,  sin- 
ful flesh  and  seed  of  Adam,  their  seat  of 
grace,  and  sin-oftering,  tlieir  High  Priest, 
Mediator,  Advocate,  Intercessor,  and  Rec- 
onciler, and  falsely  call  him  the  Son  of  God. 
I  say  falsely ;  for  they  publicly  confess  that 
he  had  no  father.  Call  them  their  Lord 
and  God,  still,  they  say  and  write  that  he 
is  of  earth,  and  not  of  heaven.  They  wor- 
ship, honor  and  serve  him  as  they  do  the 
Father  himself.     Oh,  abomination  ! 

They  garble  and  break  the  Scriptures,  be- 
cause they  do  not  believe  the  testimony  of 
John,  that  the  Word  was  made  flesh.  They 
adulterate  the  plain  confession  of  the 
angel  of  God,  concerning  the  Father  and 
the  Son  himself,  of  John  the  Baptist,  of 
Peter  and  of  all  the  apostles,  of  Paul,  and 
of  all  the  Scriptures,  which  unanimously 
testify  that  the  conceived,  born,  suffering, 
whole  Christ,  outwardly  and  inwardly,  vis- 
ible and  invisible  is  inseperable,  the  first 
and  only  begotten  Son  of  God. 


384 


REPLY  TO  MARTIN  MICRON. 


They  break  and  contradict  the  whole  gos- 
pel and  the  precious  epistle  of  John  in 
which  he  testifies  more  than  sixty  times 
that  Christ  confessed  himself  to  be  the  Son 
of  God  and  confessed  God  to  be  his  Father. 
Also,  frequently,  that  he  went  forth  from 
the  Father,  that  he  was  sent  and  came  from 
heaven. 

They  garble  and  profane  the  Holy  Script- 
ures quite  lamentably,  heap  one  abomina- 
ble flattery  and  fictitious  explanation  upon 
another.  Christ,  say  they,  has  taken  on 
himself  our  human  nature  of  Mary;  then, 
there  are  two  sons  and  natures  combined 
into  one  person  and  Son.  Now  the  Son  of 
God  has  put  on  the  flesh  and  blood  of 
Mary,  dwelt  therein,  placed  his  tabernacle 
or  tent  therein. 

One  of  their  learned  writes,  "That  the 
Son  of  God  has  brought  all  his  attributes 
to  the  son  of  man."  Another  writes,  "That 
the  man  Christ  was  God's  adojytrmts  fdius, 
that  is,  the  adopted  and  well-pleasing  Son 
of  God."  Still  another,  "That  the  one  nat- 
ure in  Christ  was  quite  divine,  and  the 
other  half  divine  and  half  human."  Some 
write,  "That  the  divine  nature  also  suf- 
fered." Others  write  and  say,  "That  he 
only  suffered  in  his  human  nature  and  not 
in  his  divine  nature.  Micron  says,  "That 
Mary's  blood  became  in  her,  our  flesh;  that 
Christ's  flesh  is  of  our  flesh,  and  that,  not- 
withstanding he  is  of  earth,  and  of  Adam's 
seed,  he  is  still  called  heavenly,  on  account 
of  certain  virtues,"  and  other  like  anathe- 


matic  words  and  self-conceited  glozings 
and  abominations,  of  which  not  a  word  is 
found  in  the  Scriptures. 

Is  it  not  a  pity,  nay,  a  horrible  thing,  to 
wade  in  such  pure,  limpid  waters,  with  such 
filthy  feet,  and  thus  to  obscure  the  precious 
and  bright  sun  of  righteousness  with  such 
infernal  exhalations  of  the  anti-christian 
doctrine?  Rev.  9:  2.  And  that  for  no  other 
reason  than  that  they  do  not  trust  the  testi- 
mony of  John  and  of  the  angel;  do  not  be- 
lieve the  Almighty  power  of  the  Father, 
judge  every  thing  according  to  nature  and 
not  according  to  the  Scriptures,  and  attrib- 
ute more  to  Mary  than  belongs  to  a  true 
mother,  according  to  the  ordinance  and 
word  of  the  Lord. 

From  which  it  incontrovertibly  follows, 
and  is  manifest,  according  to  the  doctrine 
and  testimony  of  John,  that  they,  alas, 
have  neither  the  Father,  nor  the  Son ;  "Who- 
soever denieth  the  Son,  the  same  hath  not  the 
Father,"  1  Jn.  2:  23,  that  the  wrath  of  God 
abides  on  them,  and  that  they  shall  not  see 
life;  for  they  do  not  believe  in  the  name  of 
the  only  begotten  Son  of  God;  that  they 
must  die  in  their  sins;  for  they  do  not  be- 
lieve that  it  is  he,  Jn.  8:  24;  that  they  do 
not  vanquish  the  world,  that  they  are  not 
in  God,  nor  God  in  them;  for  they  do  not 
confess  that  Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God,  1  Jn. 
4:  3.  Oh!  how  well  it  would  be  if  these 
poor  people  would  take  heed,  rightly  con- 
fess Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  and  give  him 
his  due  praise  and  honor. 


OUR  DOCTRINE  AND  FAITH  IN  JESUS  CHRIST, 

THE  SON   OF  GOD,  TOGETHER  WITH   THEIE  PROPEE  CONTENTS,  FRUITS,  END,   AND   PEOmSE. 


Otjr  foundation  and  faith  is,  and  that, 
according  to  the  Scriptures,  in  power  and 
truth,  that  the  whole  Christ  Jesus,  visible 
and  invisible,  outwardly  and  inwardly, 
mortal  and  immortal,  is  the  first  and  only 
begotten  Son  of  God,  Heb.  1:  G;  Jn.  1:  14; 
3:  18;  1  Jn.  4:  10,  as  the  angel,  John  the 
Baptist,  the  apostles  and  all  the  Scriptures 
confess  him  to  be;  that  he  is  the  ineffable, 
eternal  word,  by  which  all  things  are  cre- 
ated, ineffably  come  from  heaven,  and  that. 


by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost  he  became 
man  in  Mary,  the  virgin,  who  was  prom- 
ised to  a  man  of  the  house  and  generation 
of  David,  named  Joseph,  above  all  human 
understanding,  and  that,  according  to  this 
flesh  he  was  generated  in  her,  and  in  due 
time  born  of  her,  an  only,  undivided  per- 
son, Son,  and  Christ,  God's  tiiie  and  natu- 
ral Son,  by  virtue  of  his  origin ;  and  Mary's 
supernatural  son,  by  virtue  of  his  concep- 
tion, I  say,  supernatural;  for  it  was  not 


REPLY  TO  MARTIN  MICRON. 


385 


brought  about  by  the  will  of  man;  who 
was  promised  that  he  should  be  born  of  the 
generation  of  Abraliam,  Isaac,  Jacob,  Jn- 
dah  and  David;  as  it  also  happened;  that 
lie  is,  also,  by  reason  of  his  mother,  Jo- 
seph's wife,  called  in  tlie  Scriptures  the 
righteous  branch  of  David,  a  rod  out  of  the 
stem  of  Jesse,  the  fruit  of  the  loins  of  David, 
represented  by  the  literal  Solomon:  that  he 
is  the  Wonderful,  Counsellor,  The  Mighty 
God,  The  everlasting  Father,  our  Immanuel, 
our  God,  The  Lord  Our  Righteousness,  The 
Wisdom  of  God,  the  Lord  of  David,  the 
Strong  and  Mighty  God,  who  in  the  begin- 
ning founded  the  earth,  and  made  the  heav- 
ens; our  new  and  spiritual  Solomon,  seated 
upon  the  new  spiritual  throne  in  the  new 
and  spiritual  kingdom  and  reign  of  David; 
God's  true  Son,  I  say,  by  reason  of  his  Fa- 
ther; Abraham  and  David's  son,  by  reason 
of  his  mother;  an  only,  undivided  Son  of 
God  and  Mary,  gone  forth  from  the  Father, 
come  down  from  heaven ;  conceived  in  Mary, 
born  of  her,  a  true  man,  like  unto  us,  poor 
children  of  Adam,  in  all  things  except  sin; 
that  he  hungered  and  ate,  thirsted  and 
drank,  tired  and  rested;  that  he  was  made 
in  the  likeness  of  men;  that  he  has  fulfilled 
the  law  for  us;  that  he  sought  the  lost 
sheep;  taught  the  kingdom  of  God,  and 
that  he  confirmed  his  sending  by  miracles; 
and  that  he,  at  last  died  the  bitter  death, 
innocently,  for  us  who  were  guilty  (when 
we  were  yet  ungodly  and  enemies);  that  he 
has  thus  purchased,  sanctified  and  cleansed 
us  by  his  own  blood,  and  not  by  the  blood 
of  another;  that  he  has  reconciled  us  with 
God,  our  Father,  nay,  made  us  kings  and 
priests;  that  he  was  delivered  and  resur- 
rected from  the  bonds  of  death,  and  ascend- 
ed to  his  Father,  where  he  was  before,  and 
that,  by  his  precious  innocent  blood,  he  be- 
came our  only  and  eternal  High  Priest,  In- 
tercessor, Mediator,  Advocate  and  Recon- 
ciler, with  God  his  Father;  that  he  is  our 
Lord  and  God,  whom  we,  in  our  weakness, 
should  honor  and  praise  because  of  his  in- 
eflfable  love  and  merits,  even  as  we  honor 
the  Father  himself.  Gen.  1:1;  Ps.  33:6; 
Jn. 1:  3;  3: 13;  8:  23;  16: 28;  1  Cor.  15:  47; 
Eph.  4:10;  Matt.  1:20;  Luke  1:23;  Jn. 
1:14;  Rom.  1:3;  Gal.  4:4;  Luke  1:30; 
Gen.  12:3;  18:18;  22:18;  26:4;  28:14; 
85 


49:  10;  2  Sam.  7:  12;  Rom.  1:3;  9:  5;  Matt 
1:18;  Luke  2:7;  3:23;  2  Tim.  2:8;  Jer. 
23:  6;  33:  16;  Isa.  11:1;  1  Kin.  5:5;  Ps. 
89:  37;  Matt.  1:  16;  Luke  3:  23;  Acts  2:  30; 
Isa.  9:  6;  7:  14;  Matt.  1:23;  Isa.  40:  3;  Jer. 
23:  6;  33:  16;  Prov.  8:  12;  Bar.  3:  36;  Ps. 
110:1;  24:8;  Heb.  1:10;  Isa.  9:5;  Luke 
1:  28;  Jn.  16:  28;  6:  32;  Eph.  4:  10;  Matt. 
1:  18;  Luke  1 :  31;  Jn.  1  :  14;  Luke  2 :  7; 
Gal.  4:  4;  Heb.  2:  14;  4:  15;  Jn.  4:  6;  Phil. 
2:7;  Matt.  5:17;  Rom.  8:3;  Eph.  2:13; 
Col.  2:  13;  Ezek.  34:  23;  Matt.  18: 11;  4: 17; 
Jn.  2:  11;  Rom.  5:8;  1  Jn.l:7;  1  Pet.  1:19; 
Heb.  9:  12;  Eph.  2:  15;  Col.  1:20;  1  Pet. 
2:9;  Rev.  1:6;  5:10;  Matt.  28:6;  Mark 
16:  6;  Luke  24:  6;  Jn.  20;  Eph.  1:  20;  Mark 
16:  19;  Acts  1;  Jn.  6:  62;  Rom.  3:  25:  Heb. 
3:  1;  5:  1;  6:  20;  7:24;  8:  1;  9:  11;  10:  11; 
Rom.  8:  27;  Heb.  7:  25;  1  Tim.  2:  5;  1  Jn. 
2:  1;  Heb.  9:  11;   12:  24;  Jn.  20:  28;  5:  22. 

We  confess  and  believe  that,  as  the  Al- 
mighty, eternal  Father,  through  mere  grace 
and  love,  has,  in  the  beginning,  created 
Adam  and  Eve  by  Christ,  his  Almighty, 
eternal  word,  Gen.  1: 27.  He,  also,  now  by 
pure  love  and  grace,  has  again  raised  them 
and  all  their  seed  (since  they  fell)  by  the 
same  word,  now  incarnated  by  his  Almighty 
power,  and  that  he  has  again  accepted  them 
as  his  children,  Jn.  1:  14,  that  we  may  give 
the  eternal  honor  and  praise  to  God,  for 
his  grace,  by  his  Word  or  Son,  and  not  to 
the  sinful  flesh  of  Adam,  of  which  they  are. 

And  behold,  such  a  confession  concern- 
ing this  matter  leaves  the  whole  Scriptures 
unbroken  and  unchanged.  Not  an  incon- 
sistent flattery,  nor  an  adulterated  Script- 
ure is  found,  as  is,  alas,  the  case  with  the 
confession  of  our  opponents. 

The  Almighty,  eternal  God  alone,  retains 
his  glory  and  honor,  by  his  Word  or  Son. 
The  Father  remains  the  true  Father  of  the 
whole  Christ,  the  mother  the  true  mother, 
and  the  Son  the  true  Son  of  both  his  Father 
and  his  mother,  which  Son  is  from  above 
and  not  from  beneath,  who  is  from  heaven 
and  not  of  earth;  pure  of  the  pure  God,  an 
only  Son  and  person,  the  Potentate  and 
Lord  of  heaven  and  of  earth,  the  Savior  of 
all  the  world,  in  whom  all  the  present  and 
future  promises  are  fulfilled,  and  by  whom 
they  are  given  and  received.  Eternal  praise 


386 


REPLY  TO  MARTIN  MICRON. 


be  to  his  adorahle,  glorious,  and  exalted 
name,  Amen. 

All  those  who  can  thus  firmly  believe  this 
miraculously  high  work  of  the  ineffable, 
great  love  of  God,  and  who  can  confess, 
with  Peter  and  all  the  Scriptures,  that  Christ 
Jesus  is  the  true  Son  of  the  true  and  living 
God,  they  have  both  the  Father  and  the 
Son,  1  Jn.  2:  23;  they  vanquish  the  world; 
they  are  in  God,  and  God  is  in  tliem,  1  Jn. 
4:  15;  they  are  freed  from  the  wrath  of  God, 
and  have  eternal  life;  they  acknowledge  the 
severe  justice  and  the  merited  curse  which 
came  upon  Adam  and  all  his  descendants 
through  Adam's  disobedience.  They,  there- 
fore, fear  God,  bury  their  sins,  and  turn 
from  evil.  They  also  acknowledge  the  in- 
expressible love  of  God,  so  richly  shown  us 
in  Christ  Jesus ;  they  enter  into  newness  of 
life  with  Christ,  Rom.  6:  4;  they  believe  in 
the  name  of  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God, 
Jn.  3:  18. 

Honorable  reader,  take  heed.  I  warn 
you  in  sincere  and  faithful  love;  for  it  avails 
eternal  life,  or  eternal  death.  If  you  be 
not  quite  blinded  you  must  observe  the  de- 
ceit of  Micron  by  these  "Thirty-one  differ- 
ences,""  Forty-five  unscriptural  confessions, 


explanations,  fictitious  glozings,  adulter- 
ated and  garbled  Scriptures,"  and  bythese 
'^Fourteen  insolvable,  blasphemous  incon- 
sistencies;" and  you  must  observe  that  his 
inconsistencies,  together  with  the  founda- 
tion of  their  confessions  concerning  this 
matter,  which  I  have  faithfully  and  plainly 
set  forth,  are  nothing  but  anti-christian  de- 
ceit of  the  old  serpent ;  and  that  our  foun- 
dation and  faith,  on  account  of  which  we 
must,  alas,  hear  and  suffer  so  much,  are  the 
firm,  immutable,  invincible  rock  and  stone 
of  the  eternal  truth  which  the  holy  apostles 
and  prophets,  together  with  all  the  pious 
witnesses  of  God  in  the  primitive,  incor- 
rupted  church,  before  the  man  of  sin  en- 
tered into,  and  was  seated  in  the  temple  of 
God,  who  cannot  bear  this  foundation,  as 
may  be  seen,  1  Jn.  2:  22;  4:  3;  2  Jn.  1:  7, 
confessed  with  us. 

Not  a  single  Scripture  is  adulterated  or 
broken  by  us.  We  make  use  of  no  giozing. 
No  inconsistency  is  the  result.  It  is  the 
plain  Scripture  and  its  foundation  which 
we  present  to  the  reader,  as  you  may  feel 
and  see. 


OF  am.  3: 15,  "I  WILL  PUT  ENMITY  BETWEEN  THEE  AND  THE  WOMAN, 
AND  BETWEEN  THY  SEED  AND  HER  SEED." 


MicROif,  in  his  writing,  reports  that  I  said 
that  we  should  not  understand  the  seed  of 
woman.  Gen.  3:  15,  in  a  carnal,  but  in  a 
spiritual  sense  only.    To  this  I  reply  unre- 
servedly, that  the  assertion  is  without  foun- 
dation.    For  never  in  my  life  was  it  my  in- 
tention that  I  would  exclude  Christ  from 
this  promise.    For,  as  deceived  Eve  was  a  I 
literal  woman,  thus  also,  was  the  deceitful ' 
serpent  a  literal  serpent,  through  which  the 
devil   deceived    her.    For  the  Lord  said, 
"Upon  thy  belly  shalt  thou  go,  and  dust ; 
shalt  thou  eat  all  the  days  of  thy  life,"  I 
Gen.  3:  14,  something  which  the  devil,  who  | 
is  a  spirit,  could  not  do.    If  we,  now,  are  | 
to  understand  the  seed  of  woman  as  a  gen- 
erative seed,  as  does  Micron,  then  also,  the 
seed  of  the  serpent  must  be  understood  as 


being  a  generative  seed,  between  which  two 
the  enmity  would  exist,  solely;  for  the  one 
seed  must  be  after  its  own  kind,  for  the  rea- 
son that  it  is  of  one  name.  In  that  sense 
the  literal  serpent,  only,  was  vanquished 
by  Christ.  Understand  rightly  what  I  write. 
On  the  other  hand,  if  the  serpent  be  a 
spiritual  serpent  (as  it  indeed  is)  represent- 
ed by  the  deceitful  serpent,  then  the  woman 
must  also  be  a  spiritual  woman,  represent- 
ed by  the  deceived  woman,  and  thus,  again, 
the  seed  be  after  its  own  kind;  for  as  the 
serpent  is  spiritual,  so  also,  is  her  seed 
spiritual,  which  is  falsehood,  Jn.  8:  44,  of 
which  alas,  she  begets  such  children  as 
write  such  deceiving,  lying,  infamous,  and 
partial  books  as  Micron  and  Herman  have 
done  in  this  instance. 


REPLY  TO  MAKTIN  MICRON. 


387 


In  the  same  manner,  as  the  woman  is 
spiritual,  Eph.  5:25;  Rev.  12:6;  19:7, 
thus,  also,  is  her  seed  spiritual,  that  is,  the 
truth  of  which  (eternal  glory  be  to  God  for 
his  grace),  she  begets  such  children  as  walk 
in  the  truth,  sincerely  speak  the  truth,  and 
for  the  sake  of  the  truth,  willingly  submit 
to  death  with  yea,  and  nay. 

And  behold,  between  these  two,  the  chil- 
dren of  truth,  and  the  children  of  falsehood, 
there  is  an  eternal  enmity.  The  seed  of 
woman  vanquishes,  and  that  by  sincere, 
firm  faith,  in  christian  patience  by  the  Spir- 
it and  word  of  the  Lord;  yet  it  receives 
many  stings  in  the  heel  from  the  van- 
quished seed  of  the  serpent.  For  their  name 
is  slandered,  their  doctrine  is  ridiculed, 
their  life  is  hated  unto  death,  their  effects 
are  stolen,  their  flesh  is  burned,  and  they 
are  drowned,  and  must  expect  to  be  daily 
bitten  by  the  venomous,  bloodguilty  seed, 
as  I,  in  my  weakness,  have  experienced  for 
more  than  twenty  years. 

Behold,  if  we  understand  it  in  such  a 
sense  as  we  have  here  shown,  the  spiritual 
things  remain  spiritual,  carnal  things,  car- 
nal, and  the  Scriptures  remain  unbroken. 
But  the  Lord  save  me  from  hereby  excluding 
Christ  from  the  promise.  For  I  am  aware, 
by  the  grace  of  the  Lord,  that  Christ  is  the 
power,  the  beginning,  means  and  end  of  the 
whole  promise,  and  that  he  will  remain 
such  forever.  For  he  is  the  spiritual  hus- 
band of  this  spiritual  woman,  Jn.  3:  6;  Rev. 
19:  7;  Eph.  5:  25.  His  Word  is  the  seed  of 
woman,  which  Word  he  is  himself,  as  he 
says,  "Even  the  same  that  I  said  unto  you 
from  the  beginning,"  Jn.  8:  25.  He  spoke 
and  taught  the  truth  and  he  is  the  truth, 
Jn.  14:  6.  He  spoke  and  taught  love,  and 
he  is  love,  1  Jn.  4:8.  In  short,  he  spoke  of 
wisdom,  righteousness,  holiness,  and  deliv- 
erance, and  he  is  himself  Wisdom,  Right- 
eousness, Sanctification  and  Redemption,  1 
Cor.  1:30. 

He  alone  is  the  victorious  Prince,  and  tri- 
umphant Conqueror  who  was  promised  by 
those  words,  who  has  bruised  the  serpent's 
head  for  us,  and  also,  we  in  him,  by  him, 
as  Paul  says,  "In  all  these  things  we  are 
more  than  conquerors,  through  him  that 
loved  us,"  Rom.  8:  37.  And  "I  can  do  all 
things  through  Christ  which  strengtheneth 


me,"  Phil.  4:  13,  and,  "Whoishethatover- 
cometh  the  world,  but  he  that  believeth  that 
Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God  ?"  1  Jn.  5:  5. 

Inasmuch  as  it  is  manifest  from  all  this, 
that  Christ  and  his  Spirit,  word,  wisdom,, 
truth,  righteousness,  sanctification,  peace,, 
deliverance,  and  all  other  attributes  can 
never  be  separated  in  power  and  truth;  and 
as  it  is  manifest  that  where  the  one  is  the 
other  must  be  also,  therefore  I  will  not  leave 
it  to  the  judgment  of  Micron  and  ''Herman, 
but  to  the  judgment  of  the  impartial  reader, 
whether  I  exclude  the  man  Christ,  in  whom 
our  salvation  is,  from  this  promise,  and  say 
that  it  should  only  be  landerstood  spiritu- 
ally, notwithstanding  the  allegory  is  spirit- 
ual in  him,  as  Micron  reports. 

It  has  always  been  my  understanding 
that  he  was  hereby  promised  unto  us  of  a 
woman,  and  have  so  stated  it  in  some  of  my 
books;  yet  he  must  thus  misquote  my  writ- 
ings, as  alas,  he  often  does.  I  would  not 
know  for  what  reason  I  should  contradict 
it,  as  he  is  not  here  promised  of  a  man,  but 
of  a  woman,  Isa.  7:  14,  of  a  virgin;  from 
which  we  must  deduce  that  he  was  not  to' 
be  the  impure  seed  of  mortal  man,  but  the 

Son  of  the  Most  High. 

*  *  «  * 

Behold,  here  you  have  our  incontroverti- 
ble reply,  founded  on  the  Scriptures,  to  all 
the  unfounded,  wordy,  sophistic  and  pow- 
erless arguments  which  Micron  and  Herman 
adduce  in  their  writing  about  the  seed  of 
woman. 

I  do  not  see  why  the  godly  women,  of 
which  he  writes  and  to  whom  he  complains, 
should  not  submit  to  this,  as  I  allow  their 
husbands  and  lords,  whose  honor,  all  vir- 
tuous and  honorable  wives  should  gladly 
maintain,  and  to  themselves  each  in  her 
sphere,  according  to  the  measure  of  eternal 
truth,  that  which  their  God  the  Lord,  has 
allowed  them  himself,  by  his  word,  by  the 
works  of  his  creation,  according  to  his  di- 
vine pleasure. 

I  will  not  say  anything  about  what  shame 
Micron  commits  against  all  honorable  wo- 
men by  his  unseasoned  writing;  I  do  not 
delight  in  chiding  and  upbraiding.  It  suf- 
fices me  to  assert  the  foundation  of  our  doc- 
trine, to  the  praise  of  the  Lord.  He  must 
once  in  a  while  maliciously  pierce  me,  that 


388 


REPLY  TO  MARTIN  MICRON. 


he  may  thereby  the  more  embitter  some  I  truth  still  more  hated  and  abhorred  by  our 
hearts  against  me,  and  that  he  may  make  I  hated  name. 


MICRON'S  CONFESSION,  IN  HIS  NARRATIVE,  THAT  CHRIST  IS  THE  SON  OF 

GOD  AND  OF  MAN. 


Micron  writes :  Jesus  Christ  is  called  the  Son  of  God 
on  account  of  his  eternal  and  ineffable  generation  of 
God  the  Father,  according  to  his  divine  form.  Thus  he 
is  also  called  the  son  of  man  on  account  of  his  being 
born  in  the  fullness  of  time,  of  a  human  being,  of  Mary, 
according  to  the  flesh  or  human  natnre,  Matt.  1.     Hac 

ILLE. 

Answer.  I  would  here  faithfully  admon- 
ish the  kind  reader  earnestly  to  consider 
my  reply  to  Micron's  confession,  and  to 
judge  it  with  a  frank,  impartial  heart.  I 
trust,  by  the  grace  of  God,  that  if  he  do  so 
he  will  discover  the  adulteration  and  deceit 
of  our  opponents  in  great  clearness;  and 
he  will  see,  on  the  other  hand,  that  the 
truth  is  with  us. 

In  the  first  place,  if  we  compare  the  verb- 
al confession  which  he  made  to  us,  with  his 
confession  in  writing,  he  appears  to  be  as 
slippery  as  an  eel.  For  at  the  time  of  the 
discussion  he  confessed  repeatedly  before 
us  all,  that  the  crucified  Christ  Jesus  had  no 
father  or  near  father;  and  says  so  yet  at 
different  places  in  his  writing.  Neverthe- 
less he  now  comes  and  writes,  but  without 
the  truth,  that  they  repeatedly  confessed 
before  us,  that  the  Son  of  God  died  for  us. 
He  repeats  the  same  song,  but  he  sings  it  to 
the  unintelligent,  and  to  a  little  better  tune. 

It  would  sound  too  much  out  of  tune  thus 
bluntly  to  forsake  the  crucified  Christ  Jesus, 
and  say,  that  he  had  no  Father,  as  he  did 
before  us. 

In  fact,  I  do  not  know  what  to  say  or  to 
think  of  this  man.  Now  the  man  Christ  is 
the  Son  of  God,  then  again  he  is  not;  now 
God  is  his  Father,  then  again,  he  had  no 
father.  For  he  writes  pointedly  that  the 
man  Christ,  who  died  for  us  was  generated 
not  of  God,  but  of  the  seed  of  Mary,  and 
that  he  had  no  father.  If  he  then,  be  of  her 
seed,  and  not  generated  of  God,  and  if  he 
had  no  father,  as  he  says,  then  it  is  plainly 
falsehood,  lies  and  deceit,  to  say  that  the 


Son  of  God  died  for  us.  If  we  take  the  best 
view  as  to  his  meaning  he  can  be  no  more 
than  an  adopted,  or  a  nominal  Son,  with- 
out truth,  let  him  gloze  the  matter  over  as 
much  as  he  can.  I  will  leave  the  impartial 
reader  to  consider  whether  this  is  a  simple 
and  plain  reasoning  according  to  the  truth, 
or  an  equivocal  and  dark  argument  of 
falsehood. 

Now  observe,  first,  his  equivocation  to- 
gether with  the  unconformable,  wavering, 
lightminded  foundation  of  his  doctrine, 
and  his  intolerable  error,  to  teach  that  the 
crucified  Christ  Jesus  was  not  God's  own 
true  Son,  but  merely  a  nominal  Son,  as  was 
heard.  I  do  not  see  what  greater  blasphemy 
one  could  commit.  Yet  he  is  a  good  teach- 
er and  writer,  and  that  for  the  reason  that 
he  has  so  finely,  but  falsely,  portrayed  the 

old  heretic,  Menno. 

*  *  *  * 

Thirdly,  so  long  as  they  do  not  prove  to 
us  by  the  Scriptures  that  the  Son  of  God  is 
called  the  son  of  man,  and  the  son  of  man, 
the  Son  of  God  for  the  reason  that  there  was 
a  union  of  the  two  as  they  frequently  assert 
without  the  Scripture,  so  long,  they  mistake 
the  truth  as  often  as  they  call  the  Son  of 
God  the  son  of  man,  and  the  son  of  man 
the  Son  of  God;  for  the  name  is  given,  as 
Micron  himself  confesses,  in  truth  and  in 
fact.  And  how  this  assertion  of  his  agrees 
therewith,  the  reader  may  consider.  To 
mock  man  is  disreputable;  but  to  mock 
God  is  too  abominable  and  blasphemous. 
Foui'thly,  so  long  as  they  do  not  prove  to 
us  by  the  Scriptures,  that  such  union  took 
place,  as  they  assert,  so  long  it  is  the  lies 
and  deceit  of  the  old  serpent,  as  it  is  not 
'  according  to  Scripture.  For  it  is  manifest 
'  that  it  is  no  union,  as  they  call  it,  but  a 
fearful  division  of  the  most  holy  and  undi- 
vided person  of  Christ,  whereby  he  mani- 


KEPLY  TO  MARTIN  MICRON. 


389 


festly  makes  two  persons  and  sons  in  Christ, 
wMch  are  born  of  two  different  persons,  at 
two  different  times,  in  two  different  forms; 
that  he  robs  the  crucified  Christ  Jesns  of 
his  beloved  Father,  and  the  Father  of  his 
only  begotten,  beloved  Son;  that  he  makes 
the  greater  part  of  the  most  holy  flesh  of 
Christ  of  gentile  origin ;  that  he  esteems  the 
man  Christ  no  higher  than  an  adopted  or 
nominal  Son  of  God;  that  he  points  us  to 
an  unholy,  sinful,  accursed  offering,  to  an 
impure  seat  of  justice,  High  Priest,  Savior, 
Mediator,  Advocate,  and  Christ,  of  the  un- 
holy, sinful,  accursed  and  created  flesh  of 
Adam;  that  in  fact,  he  makes  Mary  both 
the  father  and  mother  of  Christ;  that  he 
breaks  and  disputes  the  whole  Scriptures, 


together  with  the  ordinances  of  God  con- 
cerning generation;  and  that  he  includes  so 
many  abominable  inconsistencies  in  Christ 
that  a  feeling  heart  is  pained  thereat,  when 
the  matter  is  earnestly  considered. 

Behold,  upon  such  a  foundation  has  Mi- 
cron built  his  false  doctrine  of  the  union  of 
the  Son  of  God,  which  he  teaches  all  through 
his  book,  in  so  many  smooth  sentences  and 
garbled  Scriptures.  It  is  easily  perceived 
what  kind  of  an  abomination,  Babylon,  the 
mother  of  whoredom,  pours  from  her  golden 
cup,  by  her  messengers  and  servants.  AVoe 
unto  tliose  that  drink  thereof;  for  she  will 
so  enchant  them  that  they  will  become 
drunk,  and  fall. 


HOW   CHRIST,   THE  SON   OF   GOD,   IS  ALSO   THE    SON    OF    ABRAHAM    AND    DAVID,   ACCORDINC* 

TO   THE   SCRIPTURES. 


If  we  would  have  the  true  understanding 
of  Christ  being  also  the  son  of  Abraham 
and  David,  and  not  break  or  go  beyond  the 
Scriptures,  then  we  must  keep  in  view  the 
ordinances  of  God,  and  as  it  is  manifest 
that  Christ  Jesus  is  not  in  truth  confessed 
to  be  the  Son  of  Joseph,  but  the  Son  of  God, 
by  the  Scriptures,  therefore  it  may  be  easi- 
ly discerned  how  or  in  what  manner  Christ  j 
is  also  the  Son  of  Abraham,  and  of  David,  I 
and  why  he  is  thus  called  in  Scripture,  be- 
cause of  his  human  birth,  as  Paul  says, 
"To  Abraham  and  his  seed  (that  is,  his  , 
sons),  were  the  promises  made.    He  saith  I 
not.  And  to  seeds,  as  of  many;  but  as  of  | 
one,  and  to  thy  seed,  which  is  Christ,"  Gal.  | 
3:  16;  Rom.  1:  3;  9:  5;  2  Tim.  2:  8. 

In  the  same  manner  we  should  consider 
also  that  both  the  evangelists,  Matthew  and 
Luke,  count  the  genealogy  up  to  Joseph, 
and  not  to  Mary.  Luke  makes  no  mention 
at  all  of  Mary,  but  says,  "Being  (as  was 
supposed),  the  son  of  Joseph,  which  was 
the  son  of  Heli,"  &c.,  Lxike  3:  23.  Mark 
what  the  evangelists  mean.  From  this  it  is 
plain  that  they  do  but  show  the  generation 
of  which,  according  to  the  promise,  is  born 
he  who  is  forever  the  Jehovah,  Immanuel, 
Savior,  and  Lord  of  the  vs^orld. 


For,  if  such  a  man  as  was  Christ,  should 
have  been  begotten  of  human  seed,  as  our 
opponents  say  he  is,  who  was  to  be  the  De- 
liverer of  the  whole  world,  as  is  Christ 
Jesus,  then  the  Scriptures  would  point  to 
the  one  of  whom  he  was  generated  and  orig- 
inally came,  and  not  to  the  one  of  whom  he 
was  not.  For  the  Holy  Ghost  is  a  Spirit  of 
truth,  which  teaches  and  instructs  rightly. 
According  to  the  foundation  of  the  learned, 
our  salvation  would  not  be  attached  to  the 
Scriptures,  but  to  an  uncertain  meaning. 
For  it  is  manifest  that  there  is  not  a  word 
found  in  them,  which  shows  that  Mary  was 
of  David's  generation.  Luke  says  that  she 
was  a  cousin  to  Elisabeth  who  was  a  daugh- 
ter of  Aaron,  Luke  1 :  5,  36. 

%  *  *  * 

Kind  reader,  understand  me.  I  do  not 
mean  that  Mary  was  not  a  daughter  of  Da- 
vid, but  I  say  that  the  Scripture  does  not 
say  so.  But,  inasmuch  as  our  opponents 
found  their  whole  structure  upon  the  ground 
that  the  man  Christ  was  to  be  a  natural 
seed  and  son  of  David,  and  that  by  Mary, 
therefore  they  must  have  the  sure  testimony 
of  the  Holy  Scriptures  whereby  they  can 
prove  it  to  be  as  they  assert,  before  one  can 
accept  such  an  important  thing  concerning 


S90 


KEPLY  TO  MAHTIN  IknCROlSr. 


the  salvation  of  all  the  chosen.  Since  it  is 
founded  on  mere  presumption  and  not  on 
the  Scriptures,  it  may  be  that  she  was  a 
daughter  of  David,  and  again,  it  may  be 
that  she  was  not,  inasmuch  as  they  did  not 
follow  one  rule  in  regard  to  marriage,  as 
may  be  seen  by  sacred  history,  and  where- 
as it  has  nothing  to  do  with  the  matter, 
and  was,  according  to  the  evangelists  suffi- 
cient that  she  was  the  wife  of  a  son  of  Da- 
vid, that  the  promise  might  be  fulfilled  in 
the  generation  to  which  it  was  promised,  as 
was  frequently  said,  therefore  I  do  not  con- 
tradict it  in  the  least  that  she  was  a  daugh- 
ter of  David.  But  a  sure  testimony  of  the 
Holy  Scriptures,  on  which  the  foundation 
of  eternal  salvation  should  be  built,  they 

can  not  adduce,  to  prove  their  doctrine. 
*  *  *  * 

If  they  should  say  that  it  was  to  be  a 
virgin,  according  to  the  word  of  the  prophet, 
and  that  therefore,  it  could  not  be  of  the 
seed  of  man,  then  I  would  answer  in  plain 
words  that  they  thereby  pronounce  their 
own  sentence  that  Christ  was  not  the  natu- 
ral seed  and  son  of  Abraham  and  David, 
but  their  supernatural  and  promised  seed. 
For  he  was  not  of  one  of  Abraham  and  Da- 
vid's sons,  but  of  one  of  their  daughters, 
who  was  a  virgin,  and  knew  no  man,  but 
was  promised  to  one  of  David's  sons,  be- 
gotten of  the  ineffable,  eternal  word  of  the 
Almighty,  great  God,  which  she  conceived 
by  faith,  Jn.  1 :  14.  Being  the  first  and  only 
begotten,  true  Son  of  God,  on  account  of 
his  eternal  Father,  and  the  promised,  given, 
and  born  son  of  Abraham,  Judah  and  Da- 
vid, on  account  of  his  mother,  who  was  a 
daughter  of  Abraham,  and  the  wife  of  Jo- 
seph, the  son  of  David,  as  heard,  Heb.  1:2; 
Jn.  1:  14-,  3:  IG;  1  Jn.  4:  16. 

I  will  now  conclude  all  the  passages  of 
the  Holy  Scriptures  which  treat  about  the 
seed,  fruit  and  branch  of  Abraham  and  Da- 
vid, with  the  following  remarks.  Inasmuch 
as  the  Savior,  King,  Prince,  Conqueror,  and 
Prophet,  graciously  promised  to  Abraham, 
Isaac,  Jacob,  Judah  and  David,  Gen.  12:  3; 
18: 18;  22: 18;  26:4;  28:14;  49:20;  2  Sam. 
7:  12,  was,  in  due  time,  born  a  true  man  of 
one  of  their  daughters,  according  to  the 
promise,  Luke  2 :  7,  to  whom  the  kingdom 
and  throne  of  David  was  promised  before- 


hand by  Isaiah,  and  again  at  his  concep- 
tion, when  it  was  already  fulfilled  in  the 
letter  by  the  angel,  that  he  was  to  reign 
forever  therein,  Isa.  9:6;  Luke  1:  29,  which 
kingdom  and  throne  he  did  not  receive  lit- 
erally, but  spiritually,  for  it  was  then  al- 
ready fulfilled;  his  kingdom  is  eternal, 
Luke  19;  and  shall  not  be  left  to  other  peo- 
ple, Dan.  2:  44;  and  as  he  is  acknowledged 
all  through  the  Scriptures  as  the  first  and 
only  begotten  Son  of  God,  which  he  could 
not  be  if  he  were  generated  of  impure  hu- 
man seed,  as  our  opponents  say,  and  not 
of  God;  and  as  his  house  or  temple  which 
he  builds,  is  not  a  literal  house,  of  literal 
wood,  stone,  metal,  gold,  and  silver,  as  was 
the  perishable  house  of  Solomon;  but  as  it 
is  built  of  living  precious  stones,  of  the  im- 
perishable gold  and  silver,  1  Cor.  3:  12,  up- 
on the  immutable  foundation  of  the  holy 
apostles  and  prophets,  put  together  by  the 
Holy  Ghost,  Eph.  2  :  19;  1  Pet.  2  :  4,  19, 
therefore  it  is  thereby  manifest  that  the 
promise  made  to  David,  should  be  under- 
stood in  the  old,  literal  form,  as  fulfilled  in 
Solomon,  and  in  the  new  spiritual  being, 
Christ,  1  Kin.  5:5;  Ps.  89:  37;  132:  11;  for 
if  we  measure  the  genealogy  of  his  blessed 
flesh  the  most  minutely,  in  the  line  of  David, 
then  we  find  that  he  was  no  more  than  the 
son  of  the  daughter  of  David,  while  there  is 
not  a  word  in  all  the  Scriptures  to  prove 
that  she  actually  was  one  of  David's  daugh- 
ters. 

Behold,  such  a  foundation  has  the  strong 
argument  of  Micron,  as  he  boasts,  that  the 
gates  of  hell  will  not  prevail  against  it, 
something  which  they,  doubtlessly,  will  not; 
for  they  would  rather  strengthen  and  aid 
him  in  such  a  cause;  it  is  the  strongest  for- 
tification and  shield  of  hell,  as  may  be 
clearly  seen  by  John.  But  it  takes  a  heav- 
enly gate  to  prevail  against  it,  the  strong 
Spirit  and  word  of  the  Lord,  against  which 
neither  the  gates  of  hell,  nor  the  devil  can 
prevail. 

Whosoever  desires  to  have  more  informa- 
tion \ipon  this  subject  may  examine  our  re- 
ply to  John  A'Lasco,  impartially,  and  by 
the  grace  of  God,  he  will  find  the  true  foun- 
dation and  meaning  thereof. 

And  behold,  thus  our  foundation  and 
doctrine  remain  fijm  and  invincibly;  that 


KEPLY  TO  MARTIN  MICRON. 


391 


Jesus  Christ  is  the  only,  first-born,  and 
undivided  Son  of  God,  Heb.  1 :  6;  Jn.  1 :  49; 
3:  16;  IJn.  4:  9;  Rom.  8:  32,  by  whom  he 
has  created  heaven  and  earth,  and  the  sea 
with  their  fullness.  Gen.  1:1;  Ps.  33:  9;  Jn. 
1:1;  Eph.  3:  9;  Col.  1:  16;  and  that  he  is 
not  the  impure,  sinful,  accursed,  earthly 
seed  of  Abraham  and  David,  as  our  oppo- 
nents philosophize  it. 

Truly,  he  is  the  new  Melchisedec,  the 
King  of  perfect  righteousness  and  of  eternal 
peace,  whose  Father,  mother,  and  genera- 


tion, according  to  the  true  foundation  of  the 
Holy  Scriptures  are  unknown  to  the  whole 
world,  the  glorious  Prince  and  wise  Lord, 
the  peaceful  Solomon,  who  is  seated  upon 
the  spiritual  throne  of  his  father  David, 
prepared  for  him  by  his  eternal  Father,  in 
eternal  glory,  and  shall  reign  forever  over 
the  house  and  kingdom  of  Jacob,  Isa.  9:  6, 
7;  Luke  1 :  29.  Consider  whether  we  do 
not  rightly  teach  you  in  accordance  with 
the  Scriptures. 


CONCERTINO    THE    TWO    NATURES    IN    CHRIST,   HOW    IT   SHOtTLD   BE  RIGHTLY  UNDERSTOOD 

ACCORDING  TO   THE  SCRIPTURES. 


Micron  criticises  my  sixth  point,  and  re- 
marks concerning  my  saying.  That  God's 
Son  did  not  die  for  us  according  to  their 
doctrine,  is  caused  by  a  misconception  on 
my  part,  that  I  do  not,  or  will  not  under- 
stand the  union  of  the  two  natures,  the  di- 
vine and  the  human,  into  one  person,  Christ; 
and  says.  That  in  both  discussions  they  have 
repeatedly  stated  that  God's  Son  died 
for  us. 

To  which  I  reply  thus:  First,  that  they 
can  not  truthfully  say  that  they  once  stated, 
during  the  discussion,  that  the  Son  of  God 
died  for  us.  For  they  have  distinctly  as- 
serted, all  the  time,  that  the  man  Christ  had 
no  father,  or  as  Micron  sometimes  said, 
that  he  had  no  near  father,  and  repeats  it 
in  difierent  places  in  his  book,  as  any  one 
may  read  and  see. 

O,  dear  Lord,  what  a  terrible  abomina- 
tion that  mortal  man  and  an  earthly  creature 
dares  so  boldly  lie  against  his  own  con- 
science, that  he  dares  so  lamentably  belittle 
the  King  of  all  honor,  so  unrestrainedly  de- 
ceive the  poor  souls,  and  commit  such  great 
deceit  and  shame  against  the  word  of  the 
Lord !  O,  that  they  could  see  what  they  are 
doing ! 

Secondly,  I  reply  as  I  did  before  him, 
that  there  can  not  be  a  word  found  in  all 
the  Scriptures  about  this  union  of  the  two 
sons,  of  God's  Son  and  the  son  of  man,  in 
one  person,  Christ,  which  he,  generally, 
artfully  calls  two  natures,  and  which  he 


compares  to  the  union  of  the  body  and  soul 
of  man. 

That  the  body  and  soul  of  a  living  man 
are  one  person,  is  as  clear  as  the  light  of 
the  sun. 

But,  that  such  a  man,  body  and  soul, 
which  is  a  perfect  person,  was  thus  united 
into  one  with  the  Son  of  God  who  is  eter- 
nal; or,  that  the  eternal  Son  of  God  thus 
united  himself  with  the  son  of  man  (which 
two  sons  they  call  two  natures,  without 
Scripture),  may  be  read  in  the  Batterings  of 
Micron,  but  we  do  not  find  it  written  in  the 
Scriptures.  You  may  further  consider  what 
kind  of  a  Christ  they  teach  you,  by  com- 
paring this  criticism  of  ours  with  the  Script- 
ures. 

Thirdly,  I  say  that  if  Micron  desired  to 
deal  with  the  readers  as  a  faithful  teacher, 
he  would  not  make  use  of  such  equivocal 
and  dark  reasoning,  but  would  express  and 
explain  his  foundation  and  meaning  with- 
out any  duplicity,  and  say  that  the  eternal, 
immortal  Son  of  God  put  on  a  temporal, 
mortal  son,  body  and  soul,  of  the  flesh  and 
blood  of  Mary,  and  that  he  has  thereby  de- 
livered us;  for  this  is,  in  this  matter,  the 
proper  meaning,  sense  and  understanding 
of  all  their  writing,  flattering,  and  teaching, 
as  their  public  confession,  before  us  all, 
clearly  testified  and  implied,  as  was  heard. 

But  now  he  deals  unfaithfully;  for  he 
means  two  actual  sons,  of  which  one  was 
divine  and  the  other  human  and  calls  them 


392 


REPLY  TO  MARTIN  MICRON. 


but  two  natures,  that  the  unsuspicious  read- 
er may  not  be  offended  at  the  harshness; 
which  nature  is  but  a  property  of  him  who 
possesses  it,  and  which  is  not  tlie  one  him- 
self who  possesses  it.  For,  if  one  sees  a 
man,  he  does  not  say  that  is  a  human  nat- 
ure, but  that  is  a  man;  for  the  property  is 
not  the  being  itself,  but  the  being  possesses 
the  property.  And  if  Chiist  had  but  the 
properties,  namelj^  the  natures,  and  if  he 
had  not  the  being  itself,  which  are  the  sub 
stances,  then  he  was  neither  God  nor  man; 
for  the  natures  are  not  the  being  itself,  but 
the  being  possesses  the  nature.  Therefore 
it  would  be  becoming  in  Micron  to  deal  un- 
equivocally, and  not  to  deceive  his  readers 
and  hearers  by  such  incomprehensible, 
strange  words,  that  they  might  comprehend 
the  foundation  of  his  doctrine,  and  under- 
stand what  he  means.  For  we  teach  in  such 
a  manner  that  it  may  be  understood. 

But  it  would  offend  the  thoughtful  reader 
thus  boldly  to  confess  and  teach  that  there 
are  two  Sons  in  Christ,  and  say,  that  the 
crucified  Son  was  not  God's  Son,  but  a  sin- 
ful, acccursed  man,  of  the  sinful,  accursed 
flesh  or  seed  of  Adam.  And  therefore  they 
must  fix  it  so  as  to  retain  their  honor  and 
name  with  the  world,  and  enjoy  their  sala- 
ries and  liens  at  ease. 

Behold,  thus  we  must,  by  virtue  of  the 
Scriptures,  lift  the  fine  cloak  of  the  Bab}^- 
lonian  whore,  which  Micron  and  the  preach- 
ers would  keep  down  by  their  glozings, 
wrong  explanations  and  adulterated  Script- 
ures, since  they  live  off  her  table,  that  you 
may  rightly  observe  and  see  their  infamy, 
loathsome  diseases,  lumps,  and  deadly  lep- 
rosy,  understand  it  spiritualy ,  and  that  you 
may,  in  the  fear  of  your  God  beware  thereof. 

I  cordially  admit,  however,  that  Christ 
had  two  natures;  but  not  in  such  a  sense 
as  Micron  believes,  but  in  a  scriptural 
sense;  in  this  manner  Peter  writes  to  the 
church  of  God,  and  says.  Ye  are  partakers 
of  the  divine  nature,  2  Pet.  1:4;  whereby 
he  clearly  testifies  that  there  are  two  natures 
in  a  christian;  the  one,  the  human  nature 
with  which  he  is  born  of  Adam,  and  the 
other,  the  divine  nature  of  which  he  partakes 
by  faith,  in  the  birth  which  is  of  God,  by 
the  Holy  Ghost. 

If  there  are,  then,  two  natures  in  one  chris- 


tian, as  there  are  in  truth,  why  then  not  in 
Christ  ?  For,  as  he  is  the  only  and  true  Son  . 
of  God,  having  no  other  origin  but  of  God, 
then  he  must  also  have  the  nature  of  the 
one  of  whom  he  is,  this  is  too  plain  to  be 
controverted.  That  he  had  the  divine  nat- 
ure he  has  proven  by  these  manifest,  ap- 
parent attrributes  of  a  true,  divine  nature; 
as  by  his  perfect  righteousness,  truth,  holi- 
ness, love,  and  miracles. 

As  he  had  the  divine  nature,  I  say,  on 
account  of  his  divine  origin,  thus  he  also 
had  the  unblemished,  pure,  human  nature 
(like  unto  the  nature  of  Adam,  before  the 
fall),  and  that  by  reason  of  his  true  human- 
ity. For  as  truly  as  he  was  the  Father's 
Almighty  Word  from  everlasting,  so  truly 
also,  he,  in  the  fullness  of  time,  became  a 
true,  passive,  mortal  man,  Jn.  1:  14;  1  Jn. 
1:1.  And  as  he  thus  became  a  true  man 
he  must  also  have  had  the  property  of  a 
true  man,  which  is  a  true,  human  nature 
(though  not  corrupted),  or  else  he  would 
not  have  been  a  true  man ;  this  is  incontro- 
vertible. 

Although  the  Scriptures  say  nothing 
about  the  two  natures  in  Christ,  yet  I  ad- 
mit it  with  the  above  understanding;  for  I 
am  sure  that  one  can  not  separate  the  nat- 
ure from  any  thing  any  more  than  he  can 
separate  the  light  from  the  sun,  the  heat 
from  the  fire  and  humidity  from  water. 

That  he  had  the  true,  human  nature  as 
well  as  the  divine,  he  has  shown  by  the  ap- 
parent fruits  of  the  real,  human  nature,  as 
by  hungering,  thirsting,  being  weary,  sigh- 
ing, weeping,  suffering  and  death. 

Behold,  thus  I  plainly  confess  according 
to  the  style  and  ordinance  of  the  holy,  di- 
vine Scriptures,  that  there  were  two  natures 
in  the  only,  undivided  person  and  Son  of 
God,  Christ;  and  not  as  Micron  does,  who 
makes  one  Son  of  two  sons,  and  one  person 
of  two  persons,  without  the  Scriptures, 
which  he  calls  two  natures,  and  according 
to  his  glozings,  were  born  at  two  different 
times,  of  two  different  persons,  in  two  differ- 
ent forms,  and  which  several  natures  re- 
mained distinct,  and  were  incomprehensibly 
united  into  one  person,  Christ,  according  to 
his  writing,  without  the  Scriptures.  Ob- 
serve which  of  us  points  you  to  the  Script- 
ures. 


REPLY  TO  MAETm  MICRON. 


893 


It  is  hardly  necessary  to  reply  to  some 
Scriptures  which  he  adduces,  whereby  he 
tries  to  prove  that  not  the  Son  of  God,  but 
the  son  of  man,  suffered.  Of  these  Script- 
ures, in  my  opinion,  the  strongest  is,  that 
Peter  says,  Christ  was  "put  to  death  in  the 
flesh,  but  quickened  in  the  Spirit,"  1  Pet. 
3:  18.  For  who  ever  suffered  but  in  the 
flesh?  Also,  "Forasmuch  then  as  Christ 
hath  sufifered  for  us  in  the  flesh,  arm  your- 
selves likewise  with  the  same  mind:  for  he 
that  hath  suff"ered  in  the  flesh  hath  ceased 
from  sin,"  1  Pet,  4:1.  Mark,  Christians 
also  suffer  in  the  flesh,  as  Christ  himself 
did,  yet  they  are  not  one  son,  composed  of 
two  sons,  as  Micron  says  that  Christ  is. 

Nobody  can  suff'er  otherwise  than  in  the 
flesh,  for  Christ  himself  says,  "Fear  not 
them  that  kill  the  body,  but  are  not  able  to 
kill  the  soul,"  Matt.  10:28;  Luke  12:4. 
Again,  to  the  murderer,  "To-day  thou  shalt 
be  with  me  in  paradise,"  Luke  23:  43.  His 
flesh  hung  upon  the  cross,  and  was  after- 
ward buried,  from  which  it  is  very  plain 
that  it  was  said  in  regard  to  his  immortal 
Spirit. 

Again,  Christ  said,  "Father,  into  thy 
hands  I  commend  my  Spirit."  He  did  not 
cry,  Father,  into  thy  hands  I  commend  thy 
Son  with  whom  I  have  been  united  into  one 


person,  and  which  was  my  Spirit.  For  one 
of  three  conclusions  must  be  drawn  from 
Micron's  writing.  Either  the  indwelling 
Son  of  God  whom  he  generally  calls  the 
divine  nature,  and  the  son  of  Mary,  whom 
he  generally  calls  the  human  nature,  to- 
gether, must  have  had  one  Spirit  or  soul, 
and  this  Spirit  he  must  have  commended 
into  the  hands  of  the  Father;  or  that  the 
two  remained  alive  at  the  death  of  Christ. 
First,  the  immortal,  eternal  Son  of  God, 
which  had  dwelt  in  him.  Secondly,  the  Spir- 
it or  soul  which  he  had  received  of  Mary, 
or  else  the  eternal  Son  of  God  must  have 
become  the  Spirit  of  a  mortal  man,  which 
had  put  on  a  dwelling  place  or  tabernacle 
of  Mary,  which  he  offered  for  us,  as  was 
said  in  treating  about  the  inconsistencies. 
From  which  it  follows  that  it  is  mere 
quicksand  upon  which  they  build  their 
doctrine  of  the  two  natures,  or  two  sons  in 
Christ,  according  to  their  manner;  and  that 
it  can  stand  no  better  before  the  power  of 
the  divine  word,  than  the  stubble  can  stand 
before  the  tire.  And  thus  we  firmly  hold 
our  ground  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  only, 
undivided,  and  true  Son  of  God;  and  that 
he  is  not  one  Son  composed  of  two  different 
sons,  as  is  the  anti-christian,  false  founda- 
tion and  doctrine  of  our  opponents. 


THAT   GOD  THE  FATKEE  IS  THS.  TEtTE  TATHEE  OF  THE  WHOLE  CHRIST,  HIS  SON;    AND   THAT 

THE  "WHOLE  CHRIST  IS  A  TEXTE  SON  OF  GOD,  HIS  FATHEE,  WHICH  inOEON 

OONTEADICTS  IN  JiIANT  PLACES,  AND  SATS  THAT  IT  IS  NOT  SO. 


MiCEON  writes  at  some  places,  "That  the 
son  of  man  had  no  father,  or  near  father." 
He  often  said  so  at  the  time  of  the  discus- 
sion, too.  Something  which  is  so  diametri- 
cally opposed  to  all  Scripture  that  one  must 
be  astounded  and  ashamed  thereat. 

Since  he  so  indiscreetly  denies  the  Father 
of  Christ  Jesus,  according  to  his  humanity 
— therefore,  I  trust  I  will  show  to  the  read- 
er, who  is  the  Father  of  Christ,  by  a  num- 
ber of  scriptural  references  and  by  their 
power  that  he  must  say,  if  he  be  not  entire- 
ly given  up,  that  Micron  and  the  learned, 
by  their  writings,  have  lamentably  deceived 
SO 


him,  and  that  they  have  taught  nothing  but 
an  anti-christian  foundation. 

Thus  spake  the  angel  of  the  Most  High 
to  Mary,  when  she  wondered  how  this 
should  be,  as  she  knew  not  a  man:  "The 
Holy  Ghost  shall  come  upon  thee,  and  the 
power  of  the  Highest  shall  overshadow 
thee;  therefore  also  that  holy  thing  which 
shall  be  born  of  thee  shall  be  called  the 
Son  of  God,"  Luke  1:  35. 

Which  plain  Scripture  Micron  has  ob- 
scured by  his  infernal  smoke,  saying,  "The 
angel  meant  to  say  to  Mary,  that  her  child 
should  not  be  man,  only  (he  means  of  her 


394 


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flesh),  but  also  truly  God,  and  his  Son,  ac-  { 
cording  to  his  eternal,  divine  being."  Not 
a  single  word  did  the  angel  say  to  that  ef- 
fect; nor  did  he  make  such  a  division  in 
Christ,  as  does  Micron.  But  the  angel 
merely  made  it  known  that  she  should  con 
ceive,  and  that  the  fruit  should  be  the  Son 
of  God,  and  that  God  should  be  the  Father 
of  the  child.  Behold,  thus  Micron  breaks 
the  testimony  of  the  holy  angel,  which  he, 
at  God's  command,  bore  to  Mary  from  high 
heaven,  that  the  holy  thing  which  should 
be  born  of  her,  should  be  the  Son  of  God. 

Again,  the  heavenly  Father  himself  testi- 
fies of  Christ  Jesus,  saying,  "This  is  my 
beloved  Son  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased. 
Hear  ye  him,"  Matt.  17:  5;  Mark  9: 7;  Luke 
9:  35.  Here  the  Father  proclaims  him  to 
be  his  beloved  Son,  without  any  division. 
And  Micron  says  that  he  is  not. 

Again,  Christ  said  unto  the  blind  man, 
"Dost  thou  believe  on  the  Son  of  God?  He 
answered  and  said,  who  is  he.  Lord,  that  I 
might  believe  on  him  ?  And  Jesus  said  unto 
him,  Thou  hast  both  seen  him,  and  it  is  he 
that  talketh  with  thee,"  Jn.  9 :  35.  Here  the 
palpable,  visible  Christ,  who,  according  to 
the  foundation  of  Micron,  was  only  the  son 
of  man,  confesses  himself  to  be  the  Son  of 
God,  without  any  division;  and  Micron 
says  that  he  is  not.  Again,  at  another 
place  Christ  says,  "What  and  if  ye  shall 
see  the  son  of  man  (mark,  he  says  the  son 
of  man)  ascend  up  where  he  was  before?" 
Jn.  6:  62.  Here  Christ  himself  confesses 
that  the  son  of  man  was  from  heaven;  and 
Micron  says  that  he  was  of  earth,  and  that 
he  is  called  heavenly,  on  account  of  some 
virtues,  as  if  Christ  was  a  nominal  Christ 
and  not  a  Christ  in  truth. 

Again,  when  Christ  asked  his  disciples, 
saying,  "Whom  do  men  say  that  I,  the  son 
of  man,  am?"  (mark,  he  asks  about  the 
son  of  man).  Then  Peter  said,  "Thou  art 
the  Christ  (without  a  division),  the  Son  of 
the  living  God,"  Matt.  16:  16,  &c.;  and  Mi- 
cron says  that  the  son  of  man  was  not  the 
Son  of  God. 

Again,  John  the  Baptist  says,  "He  that 
sent  me  to  baptize  with  water,  the  same 
said  unto  me,  Upon  whom  thou  shalt  see 
the  Spirit  descending,  and  remaining  on 
him,  the  same  is  he  which  baptizeth  with 


the  Holy  Ghost.  And  I  saw  and  bare  rec- 
ord that  this  is  the  Son  of  God,"  Jn.  1:  33. 
Here  John  confesses  the  visible  Christ  (who, 
according  to  our  opponent's  foundation, 
was  only  the  son  of  man),  to  be  the  Son  of 
God;  and  Micron  writes  that  he  is  not. 

Again,  the  centurion,  on  Golgotha  said, 
"  Truly,  this  man  (mark,  he  says,  this  man) 
was  the  Son  of  God,"  Mark  15:  39;  and  Mi- 
cron says,  he  is  not.  Paul  says,  "  God 
sent  forth  his  Son,  made  of  a  woman,"  Gal. 
4:4;  and  Micron  writes,  God  sent  forth  his 
Son,  who  came  of  a  woman.  At  another 
place,  Paul  writes,  "He  that  spared  not  his 
own  Son,"  Rom.  8:  32.  Mark,  he  says,  His 
own  Son,  and  we  are  reconciled  to  God  by 
the  death  of  his  Son.  Rom.  5  :  10.  John 
says,  "The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  his  Son 
cleanseth  us  from  all  sin,"  1  Jn.  1:  7.  At 
another  place,  "He  (God)  sent  his  Son  to 
be  the  propitiation  for  our  sins,"  1  Jn.  4: 10, 
which  reconciliation,  according  to  Micron's 
false  doctrine,  is  not  brought  about  by  the 
blood  of  the  Son  of  God,  as  John  and  Paul 
teach,  but  by  the  blood  of  the  son  of  man, 
who,  according  to  Micron,  had  no  father, 
as  has  often  been  heard. 

Kind  reader,  if  you  closely  observe  it  you 
will  find  more  than  sixty  instances  in  the 
New  Testament  where  Christ  Jesus  confess- 
es God  the  heavenly  Father  to  be  his  Fa- 
ther, and  himself  to  be  his  Son.  And  from 
the  beginning  to  the  end,  you  will  not  find 
anything  about  such  a  division  and  union 
as  our  opponents  teach,  neither  in  Christ's 
words,  nor  in  those  of  any  of  the  holy  apos- 
tles or  evangelists. 

Micron  writes  at  more  than  one  place, 
"If  God,  the  Father,  is  the  Father  of  the 
man  Christ,  then  he  must  have  also  had 
flesh  and  blood."  From  which  it  is  mani- 
fest, first,  that  he  does  not  allow  the  cruci- 
fied Christ  a  Father.  Whereby  the  angel 
of  God,  the  Father,  and  the  Son,  themselves, 
also  John  tlie  Baptist,  Peter,  John,  Paul, 
Nathaniel,  Martha,  and  the  whole  Scriptures 
are  made  bare-faced  liars  and  false  witness- 
es, by  him,  Luke  1:31;  Matt.  17:5;  Jn. 
9:  36;  1:  33;  3:  16;  Matt.  16:  16.  For  they 
have  repeatedly  confessed  him  to  be  the 
true  Son  of  the  true  and  living  God. 

Secondly,  it  is  manifest  that  all  such 
writing  is  not  of  the  living  Fount  of  the 


REPLY  TO  MAHTIN  MICRON. 


896 


Holy  Ghost;  nor  of  an  enlightened,  linn, 
believing  heart  which,  without  all  wavering, 
trusts,  with  Joshna  and  Caleb,  in  the  pow- 
er and  true  promise  of  the  Almighty  God; 
but  that  it  is  solely  of  human  wisdom  and 
an  unbelieving,  carnal  heart,  which  can  not 
judge  but  according  to  nature;  and  yet, 
through  excessive  blindness,  destroys  the 
ordinances  of  this  same  nature,  which  God 
established  in  the  first  creation. 

Kind  reader,  take  heed !  The  Almighty 
power  of  God,  the  ineffable  miracle  of  his 
divine  love,  and  the  undeceiving,  sure  word 
of  his  eternal  truth  should  avail  more  than 
the  blind  intellect  of  our  corrupted  nature, 
if  we  would  rightly  learn  to  know  Christ, 
and  follow  and  obey  his  holy  word. 

The  dead  body  of  Adam,  created  of  the 
dust,  by  the  breath  of  God,  became  a  living 
soul.  Gen.  1 :  27,  and  the  water  gushed  forth 
from  the  rock,  Ex.  17:  6.  Yet  the  earth, 
from  which  the  living  Adam  was  made,  was 
no  living  soul,  neither  was  the  rock  from 
which  the  water  flowed  for  Israel  to  drink, 
the  ingredients  of  water.  If  they  should 
now  say  that  this  was  done  by  the  power 
of  God,  by  supernatural  means,  as  is  the 
case,  too,  then  I  would  reply  again:  Thus 
was  also  brought  about  the  miraculous  in- 
carnation of  Jesus  Christ,  in  Mary,  by  the 
omnipotence  of  God  by  which  he  can  do 
any  thing  he  pleases,  as  the  angel  says, 
"The  power  of  the  Highest  shall  overshad- 
ow thee;"  for  with  God  nothing  is  impossi- 
ble, Luke  1 :  35. 

I  entertain  the  opinion  that  all  those  who 
believe,  in  power  and  in  truth,  that  God 
was  able,  in  the  beginning,  to  create  heaven, 
earth  and  sea,  and  the  fullness  thereof,  by 
his  mighty  word,  and  now,  by  the  same 
word,  rules,  disposes  and  maintains  all 
this;  and  who  believe  that  he  is  able  to 
raise  Adam  and  all  his  descendants,  at  the 
end,  by  the  same  power,  from  the  dust,  and 
reclaim  them  from  the  undermost  parts  of 
tlie  earth  and  the  depths  of  the  sea,  and 
place  them  before  the  sight  of  his  majesty, 
will  also  believe  that  this  same  God  had 
the  power  to  send  his  ineffable,  eternal 
word  from  heaven  and  to  let  it  become,  by 
the  power  of  his  Holy  Spirit,  a  true,  pas- 
sive, mortal  man,  in  Mary,  as  John  says, 
"The  Word  was  made  flesh,"  Jn.  1:  14. 


I  repeat  it,  in  Mary,  for  in  the  Father, 
or  in  heaven,  before  he  was  conceived,  he 
was  not  flesh.  This  I  have  often  confessed 
in  plain  language,  and  thoroughly  proved 
by  the  Scriptures.  Notwithstanding  this 
he  is  not  ashamed  so  to  garble  my  words 
as  if  I  should  have  said  that  the  Word  was 
flesh  in  the  Father,  or  in  heaven.  Some- 
thing which  I  can  say  with  a  good  con- 
science never  to  have  thought  of  in  all  my 
life. 

I  do  not  see  what  difference  there  can  be 
between  the  spirit  of  oi;r  opponents  and  the 
spirit  of  the  Pharisees  and  of  the  false 
prophets.  For  as  they  always  garbled  the 
words  of  the  pious  prophets  and  of  the 
Lord  Christ,  and  were  always  intent  upon 
making  them  disreputable,  and  thus,  out 
of  mere  hatred  and  envy  of  the  truth,  make 
way  with  them  by  violence,  falsehood  and 
wrong;  thus  these,  out  of  mere  hatred  and 
envy  of  the  truth,  deal  with  me,  old,  afilict- 
ed  man;  for,  alas,  they  have  portrayed  me 
all  through  their  book,  in  such  colors,  that 
I  do  not  see  how  they  could  have  depicted 
Behemoth  and  Beelzebub  in  more  unpleas- 
ant colors  than  they  have  depicted  me;  not- 
withstanding that,  I  have  never  in  my  life, 
wished  them  any  harm  and  much  less  done 
them  any;  but  have  shown  them  all  chris- 
tian faithfulness  and  discretion  by  giving 
them  good  counsel  in  their  need,  as  the  love 
which  is  of  God  teaches  all  true  christians 
to  do.  Yet,  however,  they  have  written  this 
lying,  infamous  and  slanderous  falsehood 
against  me,  undeservedly,  as  thanks  for  my 
faithfulness,  whereby  they  cause  me  to  be 
tenfold  more  obnoxious  in  all  countries 
than  I  was  before.  And  this  for  no  other 
reason  in  fact,  than  that  we  confess  Christ 
Jesus  to  be  the  true  Son  of  the  true  and  liv- 
ing God,  with  the  angel  Gabriel,  with  the 
Father,  with  Christ  himself,  with  John  the 
Baptist,  with  Peter,  and  with  all  the  Script- 
ures, and  that  we,  in  our  weakness,  would 
gladly  hear  and  follow  his  word,  command- 
ments, prohibitions,  ordinances  and  un- 
blamable example,  that  we  might  thus  be 
saved  by  his  grace,  which  our  opponents 
utterly  hate  and  oppose.  For  they  public- 
ly avow  that  the  son  of  man,  whom  we  con- 
fess to  be  the  Son  of  God,  according  to  the 
Scriptures,  was  not  the  Son  of  God.    They 


896 


REPLY  TO  MAETIN  MICRON. 


contradict  his  express  ordinance  of  baptism, 
which  he  taught  and  commanded  us  with 
his  own  mouth,  whereby  all  the  regenerated, 
believing  children  of  God  submissively  tes- 
tify before  Christ  and  his  church  that  they 
are  prepared  and  willing  to  follow  his  holy 
word  and  divine  will,  unto  death. 


Beloved,  do  observe  what  abomination 
and  poisonous  draught  it  is  which  they 
pour  out  for  you  from  the  Babylonian  cup  ! 
True  and  immutable  remains  the  testimony 
of  the  Father:  "This  is  my  beloved  Son  in 
whom  I  am  well  pleased,"  Matt.  3: 17;  17: 5; 
Mark  1:  11;  0:  7;  Luke  0:  35;  2  Pet.  1;  17. 


HOW  THE  DIYINE  WORD,  IN  THE  FULLNESS  OF  TIME,  ACDORDING  TO 
THE  SCRIPTURES,  WAS  MADE  FLESH. 


You  have  heard  that  God,  the  Father,  is 
a  true  Father  of  the  whole  Christ,  and  that 
the  whole  Christ  is  the  true  Son  of  God,  his 
Father.  We  will  now  show  you,  by  the 
grace  of  the  Lord,  by  virtue  of  the  holy,  di- 
vine Scriptures,  what  kind  of  divine  sub- 
stance, matter,  seed,  or  being  it  was  of 
which  this  same  Son  of  God  and  Mary  was 
brought  forth,  that  you  may  confess  and 
see  the  clearness  of  the  human  birth  of 
Jesus  Christ,  according  to  the  Scriptures, 
through  the  smoke  of  the  bottomless  pit, 
cleared  away  by  the  power  of  the  strong 
word  and  scattered  by  the  breeze  of  the 
Holy  Ghost. 

Thus  John  teaches  us,  saying,  "In  the 
beginning  was  the  Word,  and  the  Word 
was  with  God,  and  the  Word  was  God. 
The  same  was  in  the  beginning  with  God. 
All  things  were  made  by  him ;  and  without 
him  was  not  any  thing  made  that  was  made. 
In  him  was  life,  and  the  life  was  the  light 
of  men."  "And  the  Word  (which  was  in 
the  beginning)  was  made  flesh,  and  dwelt 
among  us  (and  we  beheld  his  glory,  the 
glory  as  of  the  only  begotten  of  the  Father), 
full  of  grace  and  truth,"  Jn.  1. 

Behold,  dear  reader,  here  John  shows  us 
as  a  true  witness  of  the  truth,  the  divine 
being  of  the  man  Christ,  the  ineffable,  eter- 
nal Word. 

If  you  would  have  an  immutable,  true 
and  firm  foundation  of  faith,  and  the  true 
eense  of  these  words  of  John,  and  not  be 
deceived  by  the  lying  seed  of  the  old  ser- 
pent, nor  be  robbed  of  your  Savior  by  the 
subtle  deceit  of  anti-chrisl,  you  must  well 
obaexv.e  aad.  hold  to  these  factis. 


First,  that  God  the  Father  is  confessed  to 
be  the  true  Father  of  his  Son  Christ,  by  the 
Scriptures,  Matt.  3:  17;  16:  16;  17:5;  Luke 
1:31;  Jn.  1:45;  3:16;  5:  22. 

Secondly,  that  Christ  Jesus  is  confessed 
to  be  the  true  Son  of  God,  his  Father,  by 
all  the  Scriptures,  Matt.  3: 17;  14: 33;  16: 16; 
17:  5;  Mark  1:  11;  9:  7:  15:  39;  Luke  2:  48; 
Jn.  9:37. 

As  it  is  plain  that  God  the  heavenly  Fa- 
ther is  a  true  Father  of  Christ,  his  Son,  and 
that  Christ  is  a  true  Son  of  God,  his  Father, 
as  is  testified  all  through  the  Scriptures; 
therefore  it  is  sure  and  manifest  that  we 
should  leave  the  testimony  of  John  un- 
glozed  and  unbroken,  where  he  says,  "The 
word  was  made  flesh."  For  since  Christ  is 
God's  true  Son,  and  God  the  Father,  Christ's 
true  Father,  the  Father  must  also  have 
had  his  ineffable  Word,  by  which  all  things 
were  made  that  are  made,  as  was  heard. 

If  our  opponents  should  say,  "That  the 
Word  was  Spirit  from  the  beginning,  and 
could  therefore  not  become  flesh,"  then  you 
may  answer,  first,  If  the  Word  could  not 
become  flesh,  as  you  say,  the  power  of  the 
Fatherismadelessand  his  arm  is  shortened, 
by  which  he  can  do  anj'thing  he  pleases; 
and  the  angel  bore  a  false  testimony  to 
Mary,  when  he  said  that  there  is  nothing 
impossible  with  God,  Luke  1 :  37. 

Secondly,  you  may  answer:  If  the  Word 

was  not  made  flesh,  as  j'ou  say,  then  all 

the   Scriptures   deceive    us,    which    testify 

and  teach,  without  any    division,  union, 

I  or  exception  as  to  natuie,  sons  or  persons, 

I  that  Christ  Jesus  is  God's  Son,  and  that 

{  God  is  his  Father,  as  was  said. 

Thiidly,  you  may  answer:  If  the  Word 


REPLY  TO  MARTIN  MICRON. 


397 


was  not  made  flesh,  as  you  say,  then  the 
Holy  Scriptures  testify  falsely,  that  he  is 
of  heaven  and  not  of  earth,  Jn.  3:  31 ;  8: 23; 
Eph.  4:  10,  that  he  came  forth  from  the  Fa- 
ther, Jn.  16:  28,  that  he  is  the  bread  and 
Lord  from  heaven,  Jn.  6:  35;  1  Cor.  15;  47, 
that  he  is  the  Alpha  and  Omega,  Rev.  1:8; 
22:  13,  and  other  like  Scriptures. 

Fourthly,  you  may  answer:  Kthe  Word 
could  not  become  flesh,  as  you  say,  then 
one  or  the  other  of  you  must  be  wrong. 
Either  you  who  say  that  he  could  not  be- 
come flesh,  or  John,  who  says  that  he  was 
made  flesh,  as  was  heard. 

If  they  should  further  say,  that  the  Word 
put  on,  by  generation,  of  Mary's  seed,  as 
they  actually  do,  you  may  answer  then 
thus:  First,  Then  we  desire  that  you  show 
to  us  where  this  is  written  in  the  Scriptures 
or  else  we  say,  that  it  is  the  flattering  and 
falsehood  of  the  old  serpent,  and  not  the 
Lord's  truth. 

Secondly,  you  answer:  By  such  accepta- 
tion you  rob  the  Father  of  his  Son,  and  the 
Son  of  his  Father.  You  divide  Christ  into 
two  parts,  into  good  and  evil,  into  right- 
eous and  unrighteous,  into  heavenly  and 
earthly.  You  point  us  to  a  sinful  creature 
and  an  impure  ofl"ering.  You  idolize  the 
earthly  and  sinful  flesh  of  Adam.  You 
make  all  the  pious  witnesses  of  Christ,  such 
as  John  the  Baptist,  Peter,  &c.,  false  and 
lying,  and  yourselves  anti-christ;  and  make 
the  Scriptures  contradictory. 

Thirdly,  you  may  answer:  Becoming  is 
hecoming,  and  putting  on  is  putting  on; 
nor  will  it  be  found  otherwise  in  the  Script- 
ures. Thus  when  Christ  became  twelve 
years  of  age,  he  did  become  twelve  years  of 
age,  counting  from  the  time  of  his  human 
birth.  Christ  became  a  curse.  Gal.  3:  13. 
He  became  such,  so  as  to  be  hung  between 
two  murderers,  on  the  cross.  Matt.  27:  38; 
Mark  15: 27;  Luke  23:  32.  AVater  was  made 
wine,  and  it  was  made,  John  2:9;  Lot's 
wife  became  a  pillar  of  salt,  and  she  did 
become  one,  Gen.  19:  26.  For  becoming  I 
say,  is  becoming,  and  cannot  be  explained 
in  any  part  of  the  Scriptures  as  meaning 
■putting  on. 

If  they  would  still  follow  their  intellect 
and  say,  "If  the  Word  is  become  flesh,  it 
has  lost  its  first  being  by  the  change,"  you 


might  answer,  first:  John  has  taught  us  that 
it  was  made  flesh,  and  he  has  not  said  l, 
word  further,  as  to  how  or  to  what  extent 
it  was  changed;  something  that  you,  in- 
quisitive ones,  want  to  know  and  hear  of 
us,  without  any  Scripture. 

Secondly,  you  might  answer:  Adam  was 
made  a  living  soul,  1  Cor.  15:  45;  yet  h© 
remained  dust,  for  the  Lord  said  unto  him, 
"Dust  thou  art,  and  unto  dust  shalt  thou 
return.  Gen.  3: 19. 

Thirdly,  you  might  reply:  We  ought  to 
believe  sincerely,  and  not  intellectually 
comprehend.  For  Paul  say s,  that  "  Faith 
is  the  substance  of  things  hoped  for,  the  ev- 
idence of  things  not  seen,"  Heb.  11:  1. 

Fourthly,  you  might  reply:  Paul  says, 
That  he  is  God,  and  Christ  says  that  he  is 
a  Spirit.  Zophar  the  Naamathite  says, 
"It  is  as  high  as  heaven;  deeper  than  hell; 
longer  than  the  earth;  and  broader  than 
the  sea,"  Job  11:8,  9.  And  the  prophet 
says,  that  he  comprehended  the  dust  of  the 
earth  in  a  measure,  Isa.40: 12;  also,  "saith 
the  Lord,  The  heaven  is  my  throne,  and  the 
earth  is  my  footstool,"  Isa.  66 : 1.  There  is  no 
man  born  of  Adam  who  is  so  intellectual 
and  wise  that  he  can  measure  this  God  and 
Spirit,  or  comprehend  his  being,  therefore 
it  would  be  well  for  them  to  abandon  their 
high,  soaring  intellect  to  search  such  inefi'a- 
ble  profundity,  to  humbly  bow  themselves 
under  the  word  of  the  Lord,  and  to  ponder 
on  the  saying  of  Solomon,  "It  is  not  good 
to  eat  much  honey;  so  for  men  to  search 
their  own  glory  is  not  glory,"  Prov.  25:  27. 
Read  also  Syrach  3:  21. 

Kind  reader,  if  intellect  were  to  avail  in 
this  inefiable,  deep  matter,  and  not  the 
Scriptures,  then  I  would  ask  them  an  intel- 
lectual question  concerning  their  faith,  of 
which  they  could  scarcely  extricate  them- 
selves. It  would  be  this:  Whether  or  not 
they  believe  that  the  Almighty,  inefl'able 
Word,  of  which  heaven  and  earth  are  full. 
Wis.  18:  15,  and  which  is  also,  the  eternal 
wir^dom  and  power  o"f  the  Almighty,  eternal 
Father,  has  placed  itself  out  and  out  in 
such  concreio  sanguine,  as  Micron  calls  it 
at  one  place,  as  is  his  doctrine  now?  I  pro 
sume  they  will  leave  the  question  unan- 
swered. For  if  they  say  that  it  was  there- 
in, out  and  out,  then  they  make  a  Father 


398 


REPLY  TO  MAHTIN  MICRON. 


who  has  separated  his  word,  wisdom  and 
power  from  himself,  and  placed  it  outside 
of  himself.  And  if  they  say  that  it  was  not 
all  therein,  then  they  make  their  own  foun- 
dation untrue  and  false;  for  they  say  and 
teach  that  the  Son  of  God  (which  is  God's 
eternal  Word,  wisdom  and  power)  has  put 
on  the  son  of  man  or  of  Mary,  and  that  he 
has  united  himself  therewith  into  one  person. 
Therefore  I  repeat  that  it  would  be  well 
for  them  to  leave  such  ineffable  profundity 
unsearched,  to  stay  under  the  clouds,  and 
not  to  soar  above  heaven,  with  their  earth- 
ly, ignorant  intellect;  for,  I  presume  that 
when  they  have  measured  the  height  of  the 
heavens  and  the  depth  of  the  abyss,  have 
weighed  the  mountains  and  enumerated  the 
drops  of  rain,  then  they  will  give  me  an  in- 
telligent answer,  and  explain  how  this  thing 
is,  about  which  I  asked  concerning  their 
faith,  foundation  and  doctrine.  And  there- 
fore I  say  that  I  do  not  at  all  charge  my 
mind  with  this  incomprehensible  miracle, 
but  adduce  the  word  of  the  Lord,  whereby 
I  am  plainly  taught  that  Mary,  the  Lord's 
mother,  conceived  the  Almighty,  eternal 
Word  of  the  Father  (by  which  all  things 
were  made  that  are  made),  by  faith,  Luke 
1:  31,  and  that  the  same,  by  the  great  pow- 
er and  operation  of  his  Almighty,  eternal 
Spirit,  became  a  true,  visible,  palpable, 
passive,  mortal,  pure  and  holy  man,  not  of 
her,  but  in  her,  above  the  comprehension  of 
all  mankind.  And  thus  he  who  was  al- 
ready the  first-born  of  every  creature,  and, 
also,  according  to  his  human  form,  the  first 
and  only  begotten,  true  Son  of  God,  was 
supernaturally  born  unto  God,  his  Father, 
of  Mary,  according  to  the  flesh,  as  Isaac  was 
naturally  born  unto  Abraham  ,by  Sarah ;  Sol- 
omon unto  David,  by  Bath-sheba,  and  John 
the  Baptist  unto  Zacharias,  by  Elisabeth, 
Gen.  21;  2  Sam.  12:  24;  Luke  1:  12;  which 
first  and  only  begotten,  true  Son  of  God 
became  also,  according  to  the  promise,  a 
son  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  Jacob,  Judah,  and 
David  on  account  of  his  mother  (but  in  the 
genealogy  of  Christ,  Joseph's  son.  Matt. 
1: 16;  Luke  3:  23),  who  graciously  fulfilled 
the  spiritual  law  which  no  flesh  of  Adam 
could  fulfill,  for  all  of  the  descendants  of 
Adam,  in  perfect  righteousness,  Rom.  8:  2; 
and  who  innocently  trod  the  wine  press  of 


bitter  death,  Isa.  63:3;  Rev.  19:15,  to 
whom  the  law  and  all  the  prophets  point, 
and  in  whom  all  the  glorious  promises  of 
the  inexpressibly  great  grace  and  love  of 
God  are  fulfilled.  And  thus,  after  he  had 
done  the  service  of  his  divine  love  he  again 
ascended  up  where  he  was  before,  Jn.  6:  62. 
He  has  all  power  in  heaven  and  upon  earth. 
Matt.  28:  18,  and  is,  through  faith  in  his 
blood,  our  only  and  eternal  Propitiator, 
Reconciler,  High  Priest,  Mediator,  Advo- 
cate, and  Peace-maker  with  God,  his  Fa- 
ther, Rom.  3:  25;  Jn.  4:  25;  1  Tim.  2:  5;  1 
Jn.  2:  1. 

Behold,  thus  the  most  high,  most  gra- 
cious, and  most  merciful  God  and  Father 
retains  his  glory,  praise  and  honor  through 
his  blessed,  eternal  Word  and  Son;  and  not 
through  the  unclean,  sinful  flesh  of  Adam, 
as  our  opponents  teach  and  pretend. 

Mark,  now,  beloved  reader,  how  our  op- 
ponents are  deceived  in  this  matter  by  their 
earthly,  carnal  intellect  which  would  ex- 
plain this  miracle,  not  according  to  the 
Scriptures,  but  according  to  the  laws  of  nat- 
ure, and  therefore,  do  not  believe  that  the 
Almighty  God  had  the  power  to  let  his 
eternal  AVord  become  flesh,  and  a  true  man; 
for  which  reason  they  have  depicted  me  in 
such  unbecoming  colors,  although  these 
poor  souls  are  doubly  what  they  would 
make  us  to  be,  namely,  false  teachers,  and 
perverse  heretics.  For  they  say  and  teach 
without  any  Scriptures,  that  the  man  Christ 
who  died  for  us,  was  not  the  Son  of  God, 
and  that  he  had  no  Father;  and  we  say 
that  he  is  God's  Son,  and  that  God  is  his 
Father,  according  to  all  Scripture. 

They  say  and  teach,  without  any  Script- 
ure, "That  the  Word  has  put  on  a  whole 
man  of  Mary's  flesh  and  seed;"  and  we  say 
and  teach,  according  to  the  plain  testimony 
of  John,  That  the  Word  was  made  flesh,  not 
of  Mary,  but  in  Mary. 

They  teach,  "That  there  are  two  different 
persons  and  sons,  one  divine,  the  other  hu- 
man, in  the  one  Christ,"  without  Scripture; 
and  we  say  that  there  is  but  one  undivided 
person  and  Son,  according  to  the  Scriptures. 

They  say  and  teach,  "That  the  visible 
Chi-ist  was  earthly,  of  the  earth,"  without 
the  Scriptures ;  and  we  say  and  teach  that 


REPLY  TO  MARTIN  MICRON. 


399 


he  is  heavenly,  of  heaven,  according  to  the 
Scriptures. 

They  say  and  teach,  "That  he  is  pure  of 
impure  Adam,"  without  Scripture;  and  we 
say  and  teach  that  lie  is  pure  of  the  pure 
God,  according  to  the  Scriptures. 

They  point  us  to  an  "  accursed,  sinful  of- 
fering," without  Scripture;  and  we  point  to 
a  spotless,  innocent  offering,  according  to 
the  Scriptures. 

They  worship  an  Adamitic  flesh,  contra- 
ry to  all  Scripture;  and  we,  the  Almighty, 
eternal  Word  which  became  man  by  the 
infinite  power  of  God,  according  to  the 
Scriptures. 

In  short,  they  place  their  whole  salvation 
in  the  unclean,  sinful  seed  of  Adam,  that 
is,  in  a  man,  who,  according  to  their  fabu- 


lous writing,  and  contrary  to  the  word  and 
ordinance  of  God,  was  generated  from  the 
seed  or  blood  of  Mary,  without  father;  and 
we,  in  the  Almighty,  eternal  Word,  which 
became  man  in  the  fullness  of  time,  by 
which  all  things  are  made,  ruled,  and  have 
their  being,  forever,  which  was  from  ever- 
lasting the  eternal  wisdom,  power  and  glo- 
ry of  God,  his  Father,  one  with  God,  his 
eternal  Father  and  the  eternal  Holy  Ghost, 
blessed  forever.  Amen. 

Invincible  and  firm  remains  the  word: 
"The  word  was  made  flesh,"  Jn.  1:  14;  1 
Jn.  1:1.  O,  merciful,  gracious  Lord,  en- 
lighten the  eyes  of  all  the  blind,  that  they 
may  see  thy  heavenly  brightness  and  right- 
ly confess  the  majesty  of  thy  honor.  Amen. 
Dear  Lord,  Amen. 


CONCLUSION. 


Honorable  reader,  here  you  have  our 
fundamental  explanation  and  plain  reply 
to  the  untrue,  and  partial  narration,  and 
anti-christian,  false  doctrine  concerning 
Jesus  Christ  the  Son  of  God  by  Micron  and 
Herman,  wherewith  I  am  now  and  at  all 
times  willing  and  ready  to  appear  before 
God  and  his  angels,  before  friend  and  foe, 
and  before  the  whole  world,  unto  water, 
fire,  sword,  and  before  the  coming  judg- 
ment. 

I  would  pray  you  all,  reasonable  readers, 
through  Jesus,  as  if  before  God,  to  reflect 
earnestly  what  kind  of  spirits  and  people 
they  are  who  have  written  the  "Narration" 
and  its  appendix  and  articles  concerning 
us,  as  they  have  kept  quite  silent  about  the 
beneficence  so  faithfully  shown  them  in 
their  need;  nor  said  anything  about  the 
distinct  confessions  which  they  made,  as 
above  stated,  whereby  they  had  already 
lost  the  whole  point  in  discussion,  as  also, 
that  they  were  frequently  so  puzzled  that 
they  knew  not  what  to  say,  and  as  they 
have  not  written  a  single,  discreet  word 
about  me  in  their  whole  book;  and  from 
the  beginning  of  the  discussion  to  the  end 
of  their  writing,  they  have  only  studied  and 
aimed  how  they  might  most  expertly  de- 


fame me,  and  thus  make  our  doctrine,  which 
is  the  pure  doctrine  of  Christ,  a  stench  to 
many. 

In  several  instances  they  have  lamenta- 
bly garbled  and  misinterpreted  my  words; 
have  added  to,  or  subtracted  therefrom,  and 
changed  the  meaning  of  their  own.  The 
order  of  the  discussion  they  have  changed, 
made  many  unscriptural  glozings,  adulter- 
ated the  Holy  Scriptures,  made  false  wit- 
nesses of  the  Father  himself  and  his  blessed 
Son,  of  the  angel  of  the  Lord,  of  John  the 
Baptist,  of  all  the  evangelists,  apostles  and 
of  all  the  Scriptures,  as  may  be  seen. 

However,  they  fill  the  measure  of  their 
predecessors,  the  false  prophets,  who,  from 
the  beginning,  have  praised  and  taught 
falsehood  by  hypocrisy,  have  hated  the 
truth,  and  upbraided  the  faithful  servants 
of  God,  and  defamed  them ;  who  have  taken 
amiss  the  faithful  service  of  their  love,  ac- 
cused them  before  lords  and  princes,  have 
hindered  them  in  the  doctrine  and  true  reli- 
gion, and  at  last,  have  taken  their  lives 
and  confiscated  their  goods.  It  is  but  little 
to  me,  that  they  have  thus  trampled  upon 
me,  and  caused  me  to  be  a  stench  to  many; 
for  I  am  aware  that  I  am  unworthy  of  hon- 
or, since  I  am  born  of  Adam,  of  impure 


400 


REPLY  TO  MARTIN  MICRON. 


seed,  an  unworthy  sinner;  as  all  those  have 
complained,  from  the  beginning,  who  were 
rightly  overshadowed  by  the  glory  of  the 
Lord.  But,  the  Lord  forbid  that  I  am  such 
an  unsteady  falsifier,  and  artful  rogue,  as 
I  am  depicted  to  be  by  our  opponents 
through  the  infamous,  false,  indiscreet  and 
bitter  spirit  of  envy.  Many  pious  people 
of  both  the  Old  and  the  New  Testament  had 
to  hear  this  same  thing,  with  me.  Christ 
promises  us  a  great  reward  in  heaven ;  for 
it  is  done  for  Ms  name's  sake.  Matt.  5:  11; 
Luke  6:  22.  But  it  pierces  my  soul  night 
and  day  that  they  so  lamentably  blaspheme 
the  Son  of  God,  adulterate  the  Scriptures, 
and  so  falsely  console  the  poor,  unenlight- 
ened souls  by  such  open  falsehood,  and 
thus  encourage  and  keep  them  in  their  ac- 
cursed blindness.  For  which  reason  I  was 
urged  to  write  this  reply,  to  the  praise  of 
the  Lord,  and  to  your  service. 

I  would,  therefore,  that  you  would  earn- 
estly consider  what  a  pure,  clear  and  una- 
dulterated foundation  of  truth  we  have 
pointed  out  to  you  and  to  all  the  world, 
concerning  Christ.  And,  on  the  other  band, 
also,  how  plainly  and  convincingly  we  have 
discovered  and  manifested  unto  you  and 
all  reasonable  readers  the  anti-christian 
foundation  and  doctrine  of  our  opponents. 
Whosoever  has  but  half  sight  may  see 
where  the  deceit  is  hidden. 

We  now  and  at  all  times  willingly  offer, 
that  if  they  can  prove  to  us  by  the  unbroken 
and  unadulterated  Scriptures,  that  Adam 
had  two  kinds  of  seed,  of  which  one  was 
pure  and  the  other  impure,  or,  that  the 
Scriptures  any  where  call  that  holy,  pure, 
and  heavenly  which  is  unholy,  impure  and 
earthly  in  itself,  or,  that  two  sons  can  be 
one  Son,  or,  that  the  Scriptures  any  where 
mention  such  a  union,  as  our  opponents 
falsely  pretend,  or,  that  ever  any  one  was 
the  true  son  of  another  without  his  being 
generated  of  his  substance  or  seed,  or,  that 
God  is  a  God  of  falsehood,  so  that  he  would 
call  the  man  Christ  his  Son,  without  his 
actually  being  such,  then  we  will  gratefully 
and  diligently  reconsider  the  matter,  in  all 
love.  Behold,  before  God,  it  is  the  truth 
that  I  write.  And,  in  case  they  cannot  do 
so  (something  which  they  surely  never  can), 
then   our  opponents,   if   they   be    reason-  \ 


able  men,  should  acknowledge  that  they 
have  the  impure,  deceitful  doctrine  of  anti- 
christ, and  we  the  wholesome  doctrine  of 
Christ;  notwithstanding  we  must  hear  and 
suffer  so  exceedingly  much. 

Dear  reader,  if  we  consider  the  Script- 
ures of  John  the  evangelist,  we  clearly  find 
that  the  spirit  and  doctrine  of  our  oppo- 
nents already  existed  in  his  time.  For,  at 
that  time  they  denied  that  Jesus  Christ  was 
the  Son  of  God,  and  that  he  was  made 
flesh;  something  which  these,  also,  often 
did  in  their  writings  and  verbal  discussion 
which  they  had  with  us.  From  which  it  is 
manifest  that  it  is  tlje  roguery  and  deceit 
of  the  old  serpent. 

I  would,  therefore,  humbly  beseech  all 
the  godly,  pious  hearts  who  sincerely  and 
diligently  seek  Christ  and  eternal  life,  for 
the  Lord's  sake,  first,  to  pray  for  all  of  our 
opponents,  both  of  high  and  low  station  in 
life,  learned  or  unlearned,  rich  or  poor, 
who  ignorantly  err,  and  who  are  encouraged 
and  consoled  in  their  impenitent,  reckless 
life,  by  such  false  teachers  and  writers  as 
are  our  opponents,  that  the  merciful,  gra- 
cious Lord  may  give  them  eyes  to  see  his 
glorious,  exalted  origin,  and  rightly  con- 
fess his  truth,  that  tJiat  may  not  be  lost 
with  which  they  are  so  dearly  bought. 

And  secondly,  pray  that  the  Lord  may 
grant  me,  and  all  our  fellow  laborers  of  the 
house  of  God,  together  with  the  whole 
church,  the  Spirit  of  his  wisdom;  grant  that 
we,  by  his  grace,  may  remain  wholesome 
in  doctrine;  steady  in  faith ;  ardent  in  love; 
quickened  in  hope;  unremittent  in  the  work 
of  the  Lord;  unblamable  in  life,  and  patient 
in  all  oppression  and  tribulation;  of  which 
alas,  we  do  not  experience  a  little  by  the 
infamous  crying  and  writing  of  our  oppo-  , 
nents;  that  we  may  set  a  living  example  to 
the  world;  that  many  may  see  our  new, 
christian  walk  in  the  truth  and  examine  it, 
repent,  and  thus  be  eternally  saved. 

I  beseech  you  in  the  same  manner  not  to 
leave  these  our  writings  idle  and  hidden, 
but  to  send  them  east,  west,  north  and 
south,  into  the  hands  of  all  men,  and  to  let 
many  read  them,  that  the  bright  sun  of 
righteousness  which,  alas,  has  been  ob- 
scured for  so  many  centuries  by  the  smoke  of 
the  bottomless  pit  of  the  anti-christian,  false 


REPLY  TO  MARTIN  MICRON. 


401 


doctrine,  may  shine  forth  with  the  power       To  this  only  and  eternal  Savior,  together 


of  truth,  and  that  our  glorious  and  holy 
Savior,  the  first  and  only  begotten,  true 
Son  of  the  Almighty,  living  God,  the  ever 
blessed  Jesus  Christ,  may  be  rightly  con- 
fessed by  many,  in  his  glory. 


with  his  heavenly  Father  and  Holy  Ghost 
be  the  praise  forever,  Amen. 


MENNO  SIMON. 


October  5. 


A   LETTER. 

From  Menno  Simon  to  Margaret,  wife  of  Rein  Edes. 


Chosen  beloved  sister  in  Christ  Jesus, 
Mercy,  grace  and  peace  be  to  thee !  Most 
beloved  sister  whom  I  sincerely  love  in 
Christ.  From  your  beloved  husband's  let- 
ter I  understand,  that  during  all  the  winter 
you  have  been  a  sick  and  afflicted  child, 
which  I  very  much  regret  to  hear.  But  we 
pray  daily :  Father,  thy  will  be  done.  By 
which  we  commit  ourselves  to  the  Father  to 
treat  with  us  as  is  pleasing  in  his  blessed 
sight.  Therefore  bear  with  your  affliction 
resignedly.  For  all  this  is  his  paternal 
will  for  your  own  good;  that  you  may  put 
your  trust  in  the  eternal  living  God  alone, 
and  not  in  any  perishable  things.  Be  con- 
soled in  Christ  Jesus;  for  after  the  cold  of 
winter,  comes  summer;  and  after  death, 
comes  life.  O,  sister!  rejoice  that  you  are 
a  true  daughter  of  your  beloved  Father. 
Soon  will  the  inheritance  of  his  glorious 
promise  be  due;  a  little  while  yet,  says 
the  word  of  the  Lord,  and  he  who  is  coming 
shall  come  and  his  reward  will  be  with  him. 
May  the  Almighty,  merciful  God  and  Lord, 
before  whom  you  have  bent  your  knees,  to 
his  honor,  and  whom,  according  to  your 
weakness  you  hav^  sought,  grant  you  a 
strong  and  patient  heart,  a  suflferable  pain, 
a  lovely  refreshment,  a  gracious  cure  or 
godly  dissolution,  through  Christ  Jesus 
whom  we  daily  expect  with  you,  my  be- 
loved sister  and  child  in  Christ  Jesus. 

Secondly,  lunderstand  that  your  conscience 
is  troubled  because  you  have  not  and  do 
not  now  walk  in  such  perfection  as  the 
Scriptures  direct  us;  on  which  account  I 
write  the  following  to  my  faithful  sister,  as 
a  fraternal  consolation,  from  the  true  word 

and  eternal  truth  of  the  Lord :  The  Scripture, 

87 


says  Paul,  hath  concluded  all  under  sin. 
There  is  no  man  on  earth,  says  Solo- 
mon, who  does  righteously  and  sinneth 
not,  Eccl.  7.  At  another  place,  "  A  just  man 
falleth  seven  times,  and  riseth  up  again," 
i  Prov.  24:  16.  Moses  says,  "The  Lord,  the 
Lord  God,  merciful  and  gracious,  longsuf- 
fering,  and  abundant  in  goodness  and 
truth;  keeping  mercy  for  thousands,  forgiv- 
ing iniquity  and  transgression  and  sin,  and 
that  will  by  no  means  clear  the  guilty,"  Ex. 
34:  6,  7.  O,  dear  sister  !  Observe,  he  says, 
None  are  guiltless  before  God.  Again,  Da- 
vid says,  "Lord,  enter  not  into  judgment 
with  thy  servant;  for  in  thy  sight  shall  no 
man  living  be  justified;"  "If  they  sin  against 
thee  (for  there  is  no  man  who  sinneth  not);" 
"We  are  all  as  an  unclean  thing,  and  all 
our  righteousness  are  as  filthy  rags ;"  Christ, 
also,  says,  "There  is  none  good  but  one, 
that  is,  God;"  "The  evil  which  I  would  not, 
that  I  do ;"  "  In  many  things  we  offend  all ;" 
"If  we  say  that  we  have  no  sin,  we  deceive 
ourselves,  and  the  truth  is  not  in  us,"  Ps. 
143:2;  lKin.8:46;  Isa.  64:  6;  Matt.  19:17; 
Mark  10:  IS;  Rom.  7:  19;  1  Jn.  1:  8. 

As  it  is  plain  from  all  these  Scriptures 
that  we  must  all  acknowledge  ourselves  to 
be  sinners,  as  we,  also,  are  in  fact;  and  as 
no  one  has  perfectly  fulfilled  the  righteous- 
ness required  of  God  but  Christ  Jesus  alone; 
therefore  none  can  approach  God,  obtain 
grace  and  be  saved  except  by  the  perfect 
righteousness,  reconciliation  and  advocacy 
of  Jesus  Christ;  however  godly,  righteous, 
holy  and  unblamable  he  is.  We  must  all 
acknowledge,  whosoever  we  are,  that  we  are 
sinners  in  thoughts,  words  and  works. 
Yea,  if  we  had  not  before  ua  the  righteoua 


402 


A    LETTER. 


Christ  Jesus,  no  prophet  nor  apostle  could 
be  saved.  Therefore,  be  of  good  cheer  and 
be  consoled  in  the  Lord.  You  can  expect 
no  greater  righteoiisness  in  yourself  than 
all  the  chosen  of  God  had  in  them  from  the 
beginning.  In  and  by  yourself  you  are  a 
poor  sinner;  and  by  the  eternal  righteous- 
ness, banished,  accursed  and  adjudged  to 
eternal  death;  but  in  and  through  Christ 
you  are  justified  and  pleasing  unto  God, 
and  accepted  of  him  in  eternal  grace  as  a 
daughter  and  child.  In  this  all  saints  have 
consoled  themselves,  trusted  in  Christ,  es- 
teemed their  own  righteousness  as  unclean, 
weak  and  imperfect,  with  contrite  hearts 
approached  the  throne  of  grace,  in  the 
name  of  Christ,  and  with  firm  faith  prayed 
the  Father:  O,  Father,  forgive  us  our  tres- 
passes as  we  forgive  those  that  trespass 
against  us.  Matt.  G;  Luke  11. 

It  is  a  very  precious  word  which  Paul 
speaks,  "When  we  were  yet  without 
strength,  in  due  time  Christ  died  for  the  un- 
godly;" yea,  when  we  were  yet  ungodly, 
and  thereby  he  manifests  his  love  toward  us. 
"For  if,  when  we  were  enemies,  we  were 
reconciled  to  God  by  the  death  of  his  Son 
much  more,  being  reconciled,  we  shall  be 
saved  by  his  life,  Rom.  5:  6,  10.  Behold, 
my  chosen,  beloved  child  and  sister  in  the 
Lord,  this  I  write  from  the  sure  foundation 
of  eternal  truth.  I  herewith  pray  you,  and 
desire  that  you  will  wholly  commend  all 
your  doings  outward  and  inward  unto 
Christ  Jesus  and  his  merits;  believing  and 
confessing  that  his  precious  blood,  alone, 
is  your  cleansing;  his  righteousness  your 
piety;  his  death  your  life;  and  his  resur- 
rection your  justification;  for  he  is  the  for- 
giveness of  all  your  sins ;  his  bloody  wounds 
are  your  reconciliation;  and  his  invincible 
strength  the  staff  and  consolation  of  your 
weakness,  as  we  have,  in  former  days,  ac- 


cording to  our  small  gift,  often  shown  you 
from  the  Scriptures.  Yea,  most  beloved 
child  and  sister,  so  long  as  you  find  and 
feel  such  a  spirit  in  yourself  which  is  de- 
sirous of  following  that  which  is  good,  and 
abhorring  that  which  is  evil,notwitlistanding 
the  remnant  of  sin  is  not  entirely  dead  in 
you,  as  also  all  the  saints  complained  of 
from  the  beginning,  so  long  you  may  rest 
assured  that  you  are  a  child  of  God,  and 
that  you  will  inherit  the  kingdom  of  grace 
in  eternal  joy,  with  all  the  saints.  "Hereby 
know  we  that  we  dwell  in  him,  and  he  in 
us,  because  he  hath  given  us  of  his  Spirit," 
Jn.  4:  13.  I  sincerely  pray  that  you  may, 
by  faith,  rightly  understand  this  ground  to 
the  refreshment,  strengthening  and  consola- 
tion of  your  conscience  and  soul,  and  re- 
main firm  unto  the  end.  I  commend  you, 
most  beloved  child  and  sister,  to  the  faith- 
ful, merciful  and  gracious  God,  in  Christ 
Jesus,  now  and  forever.  Let  him  do  with 
you  and  with  all  of  us  according  to  his 
blessed  will.  Either  in  the  flesh,  yet  to  re- 
main a  little  while  with  your  beloved  hus- 
band and  children;  or  out  of  the  flesh,  to 
the  honor  of  his  name  and  to  the  salvation 
of  your  soul.  Y^'ou  before,  and  we  after,  or 
we  before  and  you  afterward.  Separation 
must  once  come.  In  the  city  of  God,  in  the 
new  Jerusalem  there  we  will  wait  on  each 
other,  before  the  throne  of  God  and  of  the 
Lamb;  there  sing  hallelujah!  and  praise 
his  name  in  perfect  joy.  Your  husband 
and  children  I  commend  to  him  who  has 
given  them  to  you,  and  he  will  do  with 
them  justly.  The  saving  power  of  the  most 
holy  blood  of  Christ  be  with  my  most  be- 
loved child  and  sister,  now  and  forever. 
Amen. 

Your  brother,  who  sincerely  loves  you  in 
Christ. 

MENNO  SIMON". 


A 


VERY  SINCERE  EPISTLE 


TO 


MARTIN  MICRON 


-A^ 


A    NECESSAJRY   REPLY    TO    HIS   IKDISCREET    FALSEHOOD,    ABUSE,    AND   FALSE   ACCUSATIONS, 
CONCEENING   THE  MAGISTRACY,   SWEARING   OF   OATHS,  &C.,  WHICH   HE  HAS  PRESENTED 
FOR  THE  PERUSAL  OF  THE  WHOLE  WORLD,  TO   THE  DISGRACE  OF  THE  HOLY,  DIVINE 
WORD  AND  OF  HIS  (THE  LORD's)  CHURCH;   AS  ALSO  SERVING  AS  A  MIRROR  TO  HIS 
ERRING  SOUL,  THAT  HE  MAY  LEARN  TO  KNOW  HIMSELF,  AND  MAY  KNOW,  TO- 
GETHER WITH  THE  READERS  OF  BOTH  OUR  WRITINGS,  HOW  WICKEDLY 
BE  HAS  ACTED  AGAINST  GOD  AND  MAN,  THAT  HE  MAY  MAKE  CON- 
FESSION,  REPENT,   AND  BE  SAVED. 


BT 


MENNO  SIMON. 


"For  other  foundation  can  no  man  lay  than  that  is  laid,  which  is  Jesus  Christ," 
1  Cor.  3  :  11. 


ELKHART,  INDIANA: 

PUBLISHED  BY  JOHN  F.  FUNK  AND  BROTHER. 

187L 


The  pure,  true  knowledge  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  God  in  truth;  a  new,  regener- 
ated, and  understanding  heart;  a  new,  impartial,  true  hand  and  tongue;  a  new,  godly, 
unblamable  life  in  the  fear  and  love  of  God;  together  with  the  unadulterated,  pure,  and 
good  disposition,  nature,  fruits  and  unction  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  I  wish  to  Martin  Micron 
from  the  inmost  of  my  heart,  to  the  enlightenment  of  his  soul,  from  him  who  is  the  Giver 
of  every  good  and  perfect  gift,  through  Jesus  Christ,  his  beloved,  chosen  Son,  our  Lord 
and  eternal  Savior,  Amen. 


-A.    ■V^EI^'^T    SIlSrCElI^;E 


EPISTLE  TO  MARTIN  MICEON. 


All  Scriptures  teach  and  enjoin,  honora- 
ble Martin,  that  we  should  love  the  Lord, 
our  God,  with  all  our  heart,  and  with  all 
our  soul,  and  with  all  our  strength,  and 
our  neighbors  as  ourselves.  On  these  two 
commandments,  says  Christ,  hang  all  the 
law  and  the  prophets,  Matt.  22:  37 — 40; 
Mark  12:  29;  Luke  10: 27;  Deut.  6:  5. 

All  that  Scripture  teaches  is  love.  "Every 
one  that  loveth,"  says  John,  "  is  born  of 
God,  and  knoweth  God.  He  that  loveth 
not,  knoweth  not  God;  for  God  is  love," 
And,  "He  that  dwelleth  in  love,  dwelleth  in 
God,  and  God  in  him,"  1  Jn.  4  :  7,  8,  16. 
Without  this  love,  it  is  all  vain,  whatever 
we  may  know,  judge,  speak,  do  or  write,  1 
Cor.  13:  1.  The  property  and  fruit  of  love 
is  meekness,  kindness,  not  envious,  not 
crafty,  not  deceitful,  not  pufled  up,  nor 
selfish.  In  short,  where  love  is,  there  is  a 
christian,  also. 

Since  we  are  pointed  to  love  by  the  Script- 
ures, and  cannot  be  christians  without  love, 
and  as  you  do  not  only  call  yourself  a  com- 
mon layman,  but  also  an  exemplary  teach- 
er; therefore  you  have  done  quite  wrong 
not  to  have  taken  into  consideration  the 
commandment  of  love,  in  the  fear  of  God, 
before  you  published  your  false,  infamous, 
ambitious,  anti-christian  "  Narration"  and 
book. 

You  have  manifested  yourself  before  God 
and  man  in  such  a  manner  as  though  you 
had,  never  in  your  life,  felt  and  confessed 
the  least  particle  of  the  pure,  unadulterated 
nature  of  love,  as  I  shall  show  and  explain, 
by  the  grace  of  the  Lord,  in  an  impartial, 
sincere  conscience,  by  this  my  admonition, 
out  of  love  of  the  divine  honor  and  the  holy 
word;  as  also,  out  of  love  for  your  poor 


soul,  that  you  (if  there  is  yet  a  spark  of 
life  and  a  faint  light  left  in  you),  by  such 
showing,  written  for  your  own  good,  may 
be  induced  to  see  your  ulcers  and  deadly 
wounds,  and  yet  be  cured  hj  the  heavenly 
medicine  of  the  Lord's  Spii'it  and  word  by 
sincere  repentance,  to  the  praise  of  the  Lord 
and  the  salvation  of  your  soul.  If  there  be 
yet  any  reason  left  in  you,  reflect  upon  what 
what  I  tell  you. 

First,  it  is  manifest,  and  cannot  be  suc- 
cessfully denied  by  you  nor  by  any  person 
else  that  you  have  by  your  writing  made  a 
liar  of  the  Almighty,  great  God,  the  God  of 
heaven  and  of  earth,  the  Father  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  who  can  neither  lie  nor  de- 
ceive; for  he  testifies  of  Christ,  and  says, 
"This  is  my  beloved  Son  in  whom  I  am 
well  pleased,"  Matt.  3  :  17;  17  :  5;  Mark 
1:  11;  9:  7;  Luke  3:  22;  9:  35;  2  Pet.  1:  16; 
and  you  say  that  he  is  not;  for  you  have 
verbally  confessed  to  us,  and  you  write  so  yet 
at  different  places,  that  the  man  Christ 
(which  you  call  the  human  nature  in  Christ) 
had  no  Father. 

Observe,  whether  you  are  not  one  of  the 
spirits,  of  whom  John  says,  "He  that  be- 
lieveth  not  God  has  made  him  a  liar;  be- 
cause he  believeth  not  the  record  that  God 
gave  of  his  Son,"  1  Jn.  5:  10.  Beloved  Mi- 
cron, reflect,  and  see  if  I  do  not  write  the 
truth. 

Secondly,  it  is  manifest  that  you  have 
also  made  a  liar  of  Christ,  who  is  the  eter- 
nal truth,  by  your  writing;  for  he  confesses 
more  than  sixty  or  seventy  times,  in  John, 
that  he  is  the  Son  of  God,  and  that  God  is 
his  Father;  that  he  came  from  heaven,  and 
that  he  was  gone  forth  from  the  Father; 
that  he  is  the  only  begotten  Son,  &«.,  and 


406 


AN  EPISTLE  TO  MARTIN  MICRON. 


you  boldly  proclaim  to  the  public,  that  he 
is  not;  that  he  had  no  father,  according  to 
his  humanity;  that  he  is  of  the  flesh  and 
seed  of  Mary,  of  earth,  and  the  natural  son 
or  seed  of  Abraham  and  David. 

Observe  and  see  if  you  are  not  one  of  the 
false  teachers  and  prophets  who  forsake 
the  Lord  who  bought  them,  2  Pet.  2:  1. 
Dear  Micron,  reflect  and  see  if  it  is  not  the 
truth  that  I  write. 

Thirdly,  it  is  manifest  that  by  your  writ- 
ing you  make  false  witnesses  of  the  heav- 
enly messenger,  the  angel  of  the  Most  High, 
Luke  1 :  31 ;  of  the  humble,  plain  Nathaniel 
in  whom  was  no  guile,  Jn.  1 :  47 ;  of  John 
the  Baptist,  the  holiest  born  of  woman. 
Matt.  11:11;  of  Martha,  the  hostess  and 
servant  of  the  Lord,  Luke  10:  38;  of  Peter 
the  faithful  shepherd,  Jn.  21:  6;  John  the 
apostle  whom  Jesus  loved,  Jn.  13: 23;  21 :  20; 
and  of  Paul  the  chosen  vessel,  Acts  9:  15. 
For  they  all  unanimously  testify,  and  that 
without  any  division  whatever  as  to  human- 
ity and  divinity  that  Christ  Jesus  is  the 
Son  of  God;  and  you  publicly  proclaim 
that  he  is  not  according  to  his  humanity. 

Observe,  and  see  whether  you  are  not  a 
servant  of  the  abominable  beast  which 
opened  his  mouth  in  blasphemy  against 
God,  to  blaspheme  his  name  and  his  taber- 
nacle, and  them  that  dwell  in  heaven,  Rev. 
13:  6.  Dear  Micron  reflect,  and  see  if  I  do 
not  write  the  truth. 

Fourthly,  it  is  manifest  that  you  have 
made  such  witnesses  of  your  own  brethren 
who  were  present  at  the  discussion  (and, 
who,  alas,  did  not  know  much  about  the 
matter),  as  those  were  who  testified  against 
Christ,  Stephen,  and  Naboth  (that  is,  if 
your  brethren  agree  with  your  unjust,  par- 
tial charges;  which  I  hope  they  do  not); 
for  as  those  testified,  out  of  hatred  of  the 
truth,  against  the  righteous,  to  please  Jeze- 
bel and  the  Scribes,  thus  these,  out  of  hatred 
of  the  truth,  testify  against  me,  to  please 
you  and  those  of  your  faith  (I  speak  of  the 
guilty  ones),  to  defame  me  thus,  notwith- 
standing that  they  heard  your  confession 
concerning  the  seed  of  woman,  on  which 
foundation  your  whole  doctrine  is  built; 
also,  concerning  the  two  Sons  in  Christ, 
that  the  crucified  one  should  have  had  no 
father;  again,  that  you  could  not  success- 


fully maintain  the  purity  of  your  Christ; 
that  you  could  make  no  reply  to  the  Script- 
ures we  have  read;  that  you  tried  to  shelter 
behind  an  unscriptural  question,  which  we 
answered  in  such  a  manner,  that  all  your 
refuge  was  cut  oft",  and  that  you  had  to  turn 
from  one  thing  to  another.  One  would 
reasonably  suppose,  if  they  were  people  of 
common  self-respect  who  sought  the  honor 
of  God,  and  your  salvation,  as  we  supposed 
them  to  be  at  first  meeting  them,  that  they 
must  charge  you  before  all  men  that  you 
have,  out  of  mere  hatred  and  envy,  spoken 
partial,  devilish  falsehoods,  and  not  the 
impartial,  godly  truth,  to  defame  your 
neighbors,  and  that  you  have  done  so  to 
your  own  eternal  shame.  But  it  is  an  old 
proverb:  "As  the  shepherd  goes,  the  sheep 
follow."  Chi-ist  truly  says,  "If  the  blind 
lead  the  blind,  both  shall  fall  into  the 
ditch,"  Matt.  15:  14.  Dear  Micron  reflect, 
and  see  if  I  do  not  speak  the  truth. 

Fifthly,  it  is  manifest  that  you  lamenta- 
bly deceive  all  your  readers  and  hearers 
who  believe  your  writing,  and  that  you  kill 
their  poor  souls.  For  it  is  known  to  the 
Lord,  who  has  eyes  as  a  flame  of  fire,  to 
yourself,  and  to  us  all  who  were  present, 
that  in  fact  your  cause  was  lost;  yet  you 
console  them  with  devised  lies,  as  is  the 
way  with  all  false  prophets,  whereby  you 
rob  them,  according  to  John,  of  both  the 
Father  and  the  Son,  1  Jn.  2:  23;  keep  them 
under  the  wi-ath  and  curse,  Jn.  3: 36;  where- 
by you  keep  them  out  of  God,  and  God  out 
of  them,  1  Jn.  4:  15,  so  that  they  do  not 
overcome  the  world,  1  Jn.  5:4;  for  they  do 
not  believe  that  Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God. 

Observe  and  see  if  you  are  not  one  of 
those  who  shut  up  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
against  men,  as  the  Lord  says.  Matt.  23: 13. 
Dear  Micron  reflect,  and  see  whether  it  is 
not  the  truth  I  write. 

Sixthly,  it  is  manifest  that  you  have,  with 
your  writing  acted  toward  some  of  us,  and 
also  toward  myself  personally,  not  as  an 
honest,  virtuous,  godly,  pious  christian, 
but  rather  as  a  dishonest,  shameless,  indis- 
creet and  blood-thirsty  Corycceus,  or  inform- 
er. For  it  is  a  fact  that  you  have,  without 
the  truth,  registered  a  poor,  innocent  man 
(whom  you  well  knew),  as  a  teacher,  who 
is  no  teacher,  nor  apt  ever  to  become  one, 


AN  EPISTLE  TO  MARTIN  MICRON. 


407 


whereby  you  will,  perhaps,  deprive  him  or 
his  poor  children  of  their  whole  welfare, 
nay,  of  thousands,  if  the  Lord  in  his  provi- 
dence does  not  prevent  it.  The  Spirit  of 
the  Lord  does  not  enjoin  you  thus  to  act 
toward  the  innocent. 

Dear  Micron,  if  you  would  have  had  a 
single  drop  of  pious  blood  in  your  veins 
you  would  have  had  mercy  on  the  poor,  in- 
nocent, unworthy  servant;  whom  you  thus, 
alas,  repay  before  the  whole  world,  for  his 
faithful  services  of  love  willingly  shown  you 
and  yours  with  sincere,  christian  intentions. 

In  the  same  manner  you  have  acted  to- 
ward the  others  who  furnished  you  with  a 
dwelling  place,  victuals  and  drink,  who  so- 
licitously led  yours  into  the  city,  furnished 
them  situations,  and  showed  them  all  man- 
ner of  kindness,  in  pure  love.  Let  the  chris- 
tian reflect  and  judge  according  to  the  Lord's 
Spirit  and  word,  whether  this  is  the  work  of 
unadulterated,  christian  love,  which  wishes 
harm  to  none,  much  less  does  it. 

Besides,  you  have  also,  nearly  pointed 
out  my  place  of  abode  which  I  had  enjoy  fed 
until  that  time  (of  which  Herman,  also,  had 
to  deprive  a  poor  child),  while  you  are 
well  aware  that  every  where  they  try  inno- 
cently to  take  my  life,  out  of  mere  hatred 
of  the  truth.  By  which  doings  you  surely 
can  not  teach  unto  righteousness,  nor  in- 
struct the  ignorant.  And  the  work  in  itself 
does  not  prove  to  be  the  reasonableness 
and  love  of  a  regenerated  christian,  but  it 
rather  shows  an  unmerciful,  cruel,  envious, 
hateful,  ravenous,  blood-thirsty  heart,  and 
the  bitter  mind  of  an  informer,  as  all  the 
reading  world  must  judge  and  say. 

Whether  you  have  done  this  by  the  mer- 
ciful, compassionate,  faithful,  unadulter- 
ated and  pure  Spirit  of  Christ,  as  a  pious, 
virtuous  man,  or  by  the  unmerciful,  tyran- 
nical, faithless,  false  and  unclean  spirit  of 
anti-christ,  as  an  ungodly  and  shameless 
spy,  to  cause  me,  an  old,  afflicted  man, 
some  trouble,  I  will  leave  to  the  considera- 
tion of  your  own  soul,  as  before  God  who 
tries  the  hearts  and  reins,  in  Christ  Jesus. 

Observe  and  see  if  you  are  not  one  of 
those,  who  say  in  their  hearts.  It  is  hard 
for  us  to  see  him;  for  his  life  does  not  con- 
form to  ours.  Dear  Micron,  reflect  and  see 
if  it  is  not  the  triTth  I  write. 


Seventhly,  it  is  also  manifest  that  you 
encourage  and  strengthen  the  rulers  in  their 
impenitent  lives,  not  a  little,  by  your  writ- 
ing, who  are,  as  a  general  thing,  quite  ob- 
durate, proud,  ambitious,  puffed  up,  self- 
conceited,  pompous,  selfish,  earthly,  car- 
nal, and  in  part,  blood-thirsty.  And,  that 
you  may  the  more  gain  their  favor  and 
praise,  I,  miserable  man,  must  be  your 
blind  and  imprisoned  Samson  whom  you 
make  to  play  and  dance  before  the  princes 
of  the  Philistine,  as  a  mockery  and  deri- 
sion, although  I  never,  in  my  life,  spoke  an 
indiscreet  word  against  the  rulers,  or 
against  their  office  and  service. 

I  have,  from  the  beginning  of  my  minis- 
tration, fraternally  warned  them  in  my 
wi'itings  in  faithful,  unadulterated  truth, 
from  my  soul,  against  the  corruption  of 
their  souls;  admonished  them  to  a  godly, 
penitent,  christian  life;  pointed  them  with 
the  Scriptures  to  the  unblamable  Spirit, 
word,  commandments,  prohibitions,  ordi- 
nances and  example  of  Christ;  and,  when 
you  proposed  yoiir  Pharisaical,  Herodian 
question  concerning  the  Magistracy,  I  said 
nothing  more  to  you  than  that  it  would 
hardly  become  a  true,  christian  ruler  to  shed 
blood,  for  this  reason:  If  the  transgressor 
should  truly  repent  before  his  God,  and  be 
born  of  him,  he  would  then  also  be  a  cho- 
sen saint  and  child  of  God,  a  fellow-par- 
taker of  grace,  a  spiritual  member  of  the 
Lord's  body,  sprinkled  with  his  precious 
blood,  and  anointed  with  his  Holy  Ghost, 
a  living  grain  of  the  bread  of  Christ,  and 
an  heir  to  eternal  life,  and  for  such  an  one 
to  be  hanged  on  the  gallows,  put  on  the 
wheel,  placed  upon  the  funeral -pile,  or  in 
any  manner  be  harmed  by  another  chris- 
tian, who  is  of  one  heart,  spirit  and  soul 
with  him,  would  look  somewhat  strange 
and  unbecoming,  according  to  the  compas- 
sionate, merciful,  kind  nature,  disposition, 
Spirit  and  example  of  Christ,  the  meek 
Lamb,  which  example  he  has  commanded 
all  his  chosen  children  to  follow. 

Again,  If  he  remain  impenitent,  and  his 
life  be  taken,  one  would  do  nothing  else 
but  unmercifully  rob  him  of  the  time  of  re- 
pentance, of  which,  in  case  his  life  were 
spared,  he  might  yet  avail  himself;  do 
nothing  but  tyrannically  olTer  his  poor  soul, 


408 


AN  EPISTLE  TO  MARTIN  MICRON. 


■which  was  purchased  with  such  a  precious 
treasure,  unto  the  devil  of  hell,  under  the 
intolerable  jndgment,  punishment  and 
wrath  of  God,  so  that  he  would  forever  have 
to  suffer  and  bear  the  tortures  of  the  un- 
quenchable burning,  the  consuming  fire, 
eternal  pain,  woe  and  death.  Never  taking 
into  consideration  that  the  son  of  man,  who 
says,  "Learn  of  me,"  Matt.  11:28,  I  have 
given  you  an  example,  Jn.  13:  15,  follow 
me,  Matt.  16:  24,  is  not  come  to  corrupt 
souls,  but  to  save  them,  Matt.  18: 11;  Luke 
19:  10. 

Behold,  this  was  the  foundation  of  my 
innocent  words  which  I  at  that  time  spoke 
to  you  in  sincerity  of  heart,  according  to 
the  style  and  Spirit  of  the  gospel  of  Christ, 
to  which  words  you  give  this  hateful  color, 
before  all  men,  saying,  "  That  I  make  many 
pious  rulers,  murderers  of  men;  that  I  pro- 
tect and  encourage  the  rogues  in  their  wick- 
edness." I  will  leave  it  to  your  own  judg- 
ment what  kind  of  a  spirit  prompted  you 
thus  enviously  to  write  about  my  plain 
words.  O,  Micron,  you  carry  this  thing  too 
far.  For  what  else  do  you  do  by  your 
writing,  but  upbraid  and  blaspheme  Christ 
Jesus  himself,  whose  example  I  follow  in 
this  matter,  for  pointing  to  the  adulterous 
woman,  who  was  already  adjudged  by  the 
law  of  Moses,  to  repentance,  and  letting  her 
go  unpunished.  Lev.  20:  10;  Deut.  22:  22; 
Jn.  8:  11;  as  also,  faithful  Paul,  who  did 
no  further  punish  the  Corinthian,  who,  ac- 
cording to  the  Mosaic  and  human  law,  was 
deserving  of  death,  than  with  separation, 
whereby  he  won  him  unto  God;  something 
which  he  could  not  have  done  had  he  been 
killed.  Dear  Micron,  reflect,  and  see  if  I 
do  not  write  correctly. 

I  do  not  doubt  in  the  least  but  that  all 
reasonable  men  who  shall  read  my  writ- 
ings, if  they  have  any  scriptural  knowledge 
at  all,  will  say  that  I  have  not  spoken  un- 
reasonably, but  truly  and  christianly,  al- 
though I  have  to  hear  from  you  such  a  base 
greeting. 

Profane  history  shows  that  the  Lacedas- 
monians,  who  were  gentiles,  did  not  prac- 
tice capital  punishment;  but  they  impris- 
oned them  and  put  them  at  labor.  There 
are  instances  that  when  some  of  them 
showed  natural  piety  and  found  them  to 


be  wise  in  counsel,  honorable,  and  master 
of  their  passions,  were  called  to  high  offices. 
They  were  not  urged  by  the  blood-thirsty 
spirit  of  murder,  as  is  the  case  with  some 
of  the  preachers  and  writers  who  dare  boast 
of  the  crucified  Christ  and  his  office  or  serv- 
ice, who  do  not  only  imprison  and  take  the 
life  of  those  who  are  guilty  according  to 
the  justice  of  the  world,  such  as  thieves, 
murderers,  wizards,  &c.,  but  also  the  sin- 
cere, faithful  children  of  God  who  sincerely 
seek  Christ  Jesus  and  his  holy  truth,  and 
walk  unblamably  before  the  world,  to  de- 
liver them  without  mercy  into  the  hands  of 
the  blood-stained  beadle  to  be  tortured, 
drowned,  burned,  or  put  to  the  sword,  out 
of  mere  hatred  of  the  truth,  becaiise  they 
shun  their  deceiving  doctrine  and  false  reli- 
gion, according  to  the  word  of  God.  O 
Lord! 

That  I  write  the  truth  in  regard  to  this 
matter,  is  shown  to  you  and  all  the  world, 
not  only  by  the  Papist  and  Lutheran  writ- 
ers, but  also  by  the  books  of  your  highly 
esteemed  predecessors  and  brethren,  John 
Calvin,  Theodore  Weselin  Beza,  and  John 
A'Lasco,  which  were  prepared  to  be  print- 
ed; but  by  the  contradiction  of  some  peo- 
ple, were  again  recalled. 

Beloved  Micron,  if  you  and  they  were 
born  of  God,  and  urged  by  the  Spirit  of  the 
Lord;  if  you  had  tasted  the  sweet  word  of 
God,  and  the  fruits  of  the  future  world,  you 
would  never  have  thus  troubled  the  pious, 
as  you  have  done  by  your  untrue,  false 
writing;  nor  would  you  encourage  any 
body  in  their  bloody  doings;  but  point 
them  to  the  meek  Lamb,  and  let  the  dead 
bury  the  dead.    Ponder  upon  what  I  mean. 

I  cordially  agree  with  you  that  the  office  of 
the  magistrates  is  of  God,  and  that  it  is  an 
ordinance  of  God;  but  I  deny  that  one  is, 
or  can  be  a  christian  and  not  follow  his 
Prince,  Head,  and  Predecessor,  Christ,  but 
ornaments  and  decks  his  unrighteousness, 
boldness,  pomp,  splendor,  avarice,  robbery 
and  tyranny  with  the  name  magistrate;  for 
whosoever  would  be  a  christian,  must  fol- 
low the  Spirit,  word,  and  example  of  Christ, 
no  matter  whether  he  be  emperor,  king  or 
anything  else.  Matt.  22:  21;  Rom.  13:  1;  1 
Tim.  2:  1;  Tit.  3:  1.  For  these  following 
admonitions  apply  to  all  alike:  "Let  this 


AN  EPISTLE  TO  MARTIN  MICRON. 


409 


mind  be  in  j^ou,  which  was  also  in  Christ 
Jesus,"  Phil.  2:  5.  "He  that  saith  he  abi- 
deth  in  him,  ought  himself  also  so  to  walk, 
even  as  he  walked,"  1  Jn.  2:  6. 

Behold,  you  show  by  actual  facts  that 
you  speak  and  teach  to  tickle  their  ears, 
and  the  lusts  of  their  hearts,  inasmuch  as 
you  again  point  them  to  tlie  vengeance  of 
the  Mosaic  law,  and  not  to  the  longsuifer- 
ing  of  Christ,  and  thus  you  encourage  them 
in  their  vain,  proud,  pompons,  and  unmer- 
ciful, carnal  life  which  is  so  little  in  keep- 
ing with  the  life  of  an  innocent,  contrite, 
humble,  merciful,  compassionate,  pious  and 
regenerated  christian  whose  conversation 
is  in  heaven,  Phil.  3:  20.  It  is  manifest 
that  yon  are  a  deadly  enemy  to  their  pooi' 
souls  and  do  not  deal  by  them  as  becomes 
the  service  of  a  true  messenger  of  God.  For 
they  build  the  wall,  and  you  daub  it  with 
nntempei-ed  mortar,  Ezek.  IB:  10.  You  cry 
peace,  peace,  while  tbere  is  no  peace,  Jer. 
8:  11.  Beloved  Micron,  reflect  if  it  is  not 
the  truth  I  write. 

Your  unscriptural  adulations  concerning 
the  oath  show  that  I  write  the  truth.  For 
Christ  says,  '"Ye  have  heard  that  it  hath 
bren  said  by  them  of  old  time,  Thou  shalt 
not  forswear  thyself,  but  shalt  perform  unto 
the  Lord  thine  oaths;  But  I  say  unto  you, 
Swear  not  at  all;  neither  by  heaven;  for  it 
is  God's  throne:  Nor  by  the  earth;  for  it  is 
his  footstool,  &c..  Matt.  5:  33 — 3.).  And 
you,  Micron,  say  that  nothing  but  light- 
minded,  false  oaths  are  hereby  prohibited, 
as  if  Moses  allowed  Israel  to  swear  light- 
mindedly  and  falsely ;  and  that  Christ,  un- 
der the  New  Testament  only  forbade  it; 
notwithstanding  that  all  intelligent  readers 
know  that  it  was  not  merely  allowed  Israel 
to  swear  truly,  but  also  commanded  them 
to  do  so,  Lev.  19:  12;  Deut.  10:  20. 

If  the  Israelites,  then,  had  the  same  lib- 
erty in  this  matter  that  we  have,  as  you 
have  it,  and  if  it  be  such  a  glorious  thing 
and  honor  to  God  rightly  to  swear  by  the 
name  of  God,  as  you  dare  boldly  lie  against 
your  God,  then  tell  me  why  the  wisdom  did 
not  say,  You  have  heard  that  it  hath  been 
said  to  them  of  old,  thou  shalt  not  forswear 
thyself,  thus  I  say,  Thou  shalt  do  likewise? 
while  he  says,  Moses  commanded  not  to 
forswear  thyself,  but  I  say  unto  you,  Thou 
88 


shalt  not  swear  at  all.  O  God,  what  pity 
that  such  plain  words  of  the  Son  of  God 
are  thus  lamentably  adulterated  and  daubed 
over  with  the  foul  mortar  of  serpentile  flat- 
tery, merely  to  suit  the  lulers  who  are  but 
of  dust;  as  Muscalus  and  3^ou  have  done! 
How  little  you  have  pondered  upon  the 
Scriptures  which  say,  "We  ought  to  obey 
God  rather  than  men,"  Acts  5:  29. 

Inasmuch  as  it  is  very  plain  that  Christ 
Jesus,  the  teacher  of  righteousness,  forbids 
us  the  oath  of  Moses,  which  was  also  an 
oath  of  truth,  and  sworn  by  the  name  of 
the  Lord,  which  you  use  and  highly  recom- 
mend to  the  reader,  and  commands  us  to 
the  true,  yea  and  nay;  and  as  I  know  to  a 
certainty  that  his  word  is  the  truth,  and  his 
commandment  life  eternal;  therefore  I  am 
sincerely  frank  and  bold  thus  to  teach  it, 
truly  believing  that  he  will  not  deceive  ns 
by  his  doctrine,  Jn.  17:  17;  12:  50. 

I  cordially  rejoice  that  such  faithful  chil- 
dren in  truth  are  found,  who  are  prepared  to 
seal  the  holy  commandments  and  testimo- 
ny of  the  Lord  with  their  possessions  and 
blood,  notwithstanding  I  have  to  hear  so 
much  on  that  account,  at  your  hands.  Nor 
am  I  in  the  least  doubtful  but  that  they,  at 
the  day  of  Christ,  will  have  a  part  in  my 
crown;  for  they,  for  a  testimony  against 
3^ou  and  all  the  world,  suffer  for  reproving 
your  deceiving,  lying  hearts  and  tongues, 
in  faithful  love,  that  you  may  be  brought 
to  reflect;  notwithstanding  that  they,  alas, 
are  called  such  detestable  people,  by  you. 

If  they  were  no  more  faithful  to  truth 
than  Herman  and  you  have  shown  your- 
selves to  be  towards  me,  then  they  would 
not  so  valiantly  adhere  to  their  true  yea 
and  nay,  nnto  death.  Of  this  we  are  con- 
vinced. 

As  it  is  manifest  that  they  so  faithfully 
adhere  to  their  undeceiving  yea  and  nay, 
which  Christ  has  commanded  ns.  Matt. 
5:  37;  Jas.  5:  12,  that  they  would  rather 
forsake  their  possessions  and  life  than  to 
transgress  this  commandment;  and  their 
whole  mind  and  life  ever  conform  to  this 
yea  and  nay,  alwa3^s  spoken  truthfully, 
before  God  and  man;  and,  as  these  same 
people  are  now  troubled  on  that  account; 
therefore  I  will  herewith  leave  it  to  the  con- 
sideration   of   all    impartial,    reasonable 


410 


AN  EPISTLE  TO  MARTIN"  MICRON. 


readers  as  also  to  yourselves,  whether  I  and 
our  beloved  hiethren  are  deserving  of  such 
Innocent  bloodshed  because  we  lead  them 
by  the  assistance  and  power  of  the  Lord, 
by  virtue  of  the  word  in  the  Holy  Spirit, 
from  falsehood  unto  truth,from  unrighteous- 
ness unto  righteousness,  from  darkness 
unto  light  and  from  the  old,  sinful  life  of 
iingodliness  unto  the  penitent,  new  life  of 
godliness,  to  which  Moses  and  Christ,  to- 
gether with  all  the  prophets,  apostles,  sac- 
rifices, commandments,  prohibitions,  cere- 
monies and  sacraments  unanimously  point; 
or,  whether  those  are  deserving  of  being 
called  deceivers  by  you,  and  your  like, 
tickling,  and  blood-thirsty-  preachers  and 
writers,  who  teach  the  powerful  doctrine  as 
taught  from  the  lips  of  the  Lord ;  and  wheth- 
er all  such  valiant  witnesses  and  saints  of 
Christ  who  would  rather  die  than  willfully 
transgress  the  word  of  the  Lord,  or  confirm 
aught  further  than  by  yea  or  nay,  are  de- 
serving of  such  treatment,  whereby  you 
open  the  doors  wide,  to  theray>acious  rulers 
to  rob  such  pious  souls,  and  to  the  blood- 
thirsty, to  murder  them. 

Dear  Micron,  if  you  were  one  of  the  true 
messengers  and  servants  of  Christ,  as  alas, 
you  boldly  boast,  you  would  reasonably 
be  expected  to  point  the  magistracy  who 
have,  as  a  general  thing,  high  and  proud 
minds  and  are  quite  carnal  in  their  life,  to 
the  true,  sincere  repentance  which  avails 
before  God;  and  to  teach  them  the  Spirit, 
mind,  nature,  and  word  of  the  Lord;  for 
then  the  unction  itself  would  teach  them, 
without,  even  the  counsel  of  man,  how  they 
should  conduct  themselves  in  regard  to  the 
delicate  matters  of  bloodshed,  the  oath  and 
other  matters.  But  now,  alas,  things  are 
inverted,  that  there  may  be  something  in- 
vented wherewith  to  charge  us  before  the 
blind  world,  and  cry  that  we  are  unfit  to 
live.  O,  Martin,  your  scorpion's  sting  and 
lion's  teeth  are  too  sharp  and  envious;  for 
your  venomous,  deadly  stings  and  bites 
are,  alas,  too  numerous  ! 

Say,  who  is  wronged  because  we  can  not 
conscientiously  swear?  because  the  Lord 
has  forbidden  it,  if  we  testify  to  the  truth 
when  required,  and  make  use  of  no  deceit? 

The  oath  is  required  for  no  other  purpose 
but  that  we  shall  truthfully  testify.     Can 


the  truth  not  be  told  without  being  sworn? 
Do  all  testify  to  the  truth,  even,  when  under 
oath?  To  the  first  question  you  must  an- 
swer in  the  affirmative,  and  to  the  last  in 
the  negative. 

As  the  oath  is  not  the  truth  itself  to  which 
one  testifies,  or  as  the  truth  is  not  estab- 
lished by  the  one  that  takes  the  oath,  why 
can  not  the  magistracy,  then,  accept  the 
testimony  confirmed  by  yea  and  nay,  as 
commanded  of  God,  instead  of  that  con- 
firmed by  that  which  is  forbidden?  For 
they  can  punish  those  who  are  found  false 
in  their  yea  and  nay,  as  well  as  those  who 
commit  perjury  by  forswearing  themselves. 

I  trust  that  no  person  is  so  confused  but 
he  knows  that  the  ordinances  of  God,  which 
are  of  heaven,  should  not  give  way  to  the 
ordinances  of  men,  which  are  of  earth,  but 
that  the  earthly  ordinances  of  men  should 
give  way  to  God's  ordinances,  if  they  would 
be  christians  and  do  according  to  the  truth. 

Therefore  it  would  be  well  for  you  to  ob- 
serve, first,  that  you  by  your  writing  con- 
cerning the  oath  make  ignorant  or  false 
teachers  of  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  and  of 
his  holy  apostle  James.  For  Christ's  foun- 
dation and  doctrine  is,  that  Moses  had 
commanded  not  to  forswear  thyself;  but 
that  under  the  New  Testament  one  should 
not  swear  at  all.  James  says.  That  we 
should  not  swear  "neither  by  heaven,  nei- 
ther by  the  earth,  neither  by  any  other 
oath,"  Jas.  5:  12  (mark,  he  says,  neither  by 
any  other  oath),  and  you  gloze  it,  by  the 
infatuation  of  the  serpent,  that  it  is  not  so, 
but  that  we  may  swear  to  the  truth,  &c. 
And  thus  the  eternal  Wisdom  himself,  and 
his  holy  witness  James,  alas,  must  be  yonr 
disciples  and  servants. 

Secondly,  that  you  condemn  the  innocent, 
and  clear  the  ungodly,  both  of  which  are 
an  abomination  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord, 
Prov.  17:  15,  whereby  3^0x1  strengthen  the 
hands  of  the  evil-doers,  and  daub  the  wall 
with  untempered  mortar,  Jer.  23:  14;  Ezek. 
13:  10,  as  was  once  said.  Beloved,  reflect, 
and  see  if  you  are  not  one  of  those  whose 
mouths  speak  great  swelling  words,  having 
men's  persons  in  admiration  because  of  ad- 
vantage, Jude  16. 

Thirdly,  that  you  cause  great  tribulation 
to  the  pious  hearts  who  are  born  of  the 


AN  EPISTLE  TO  MARTm  MICRON. 


411 


truth  and  faithfully  walk  and  seal  it  with 
yea  and  nay,  with  their  possessions  and 
blood,  and  thus  load  the  innocent  blood 
upon  yourselves.  Rev.  17:  3. 

John  saw  the  finely  attired  whore  upon 
the  scarlet  colored  beast,  drunk  with  the 
blood  of  the  saints,  and  with  the  blood  of 
the  witnesses  of  Jesus.  And  whether  or 
not  you,  in  your  heart,  have  drank  or  do 
drink  such  a  draught  of  blood  with  her,  I 
will  leave  to  the  omniscient  Judge,  and  to 
yourself.  Dear  Micron,  reflect,  and  see  if  I 
do  not  rightly  point  out  your  sores. 

As  you  did  not  fear,  but  diligently  ex- 
erted yourself,  to  adulterate,  obscure,  and 
break  the  Lord's  express  word,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  pleasing  the  magistracy;  thus  you, 
also  have,  alas,  exerted  yourself  to  garble 
my  words,  as  if  I  had  cited  the  words  of 
David  (who  does  not  delight  in  false  doc- 
trine neither  has  sworn  deceitfully,  Ps. 
24:  4),  in  my  article  concerning  sioearing, 
for  the  purpose  of  proving  that  under  the 
New  Testament  we  should  not  swear;  while 
I  adduced  these  words  for  no  other  purpose, 
as  my  words  plainly  imply,  than  to  show 
that  but  little  attention  was  alas,  given  to 
the  pietj^  implied  in  the  words  of  said 
psalm,  as  is  plainly  shown  by  your  false, 
defaming  tongue  and  hand,  toward  me, 
poor  man,  who,  alas,  has  or  finds  but  little 
consolation  from  the  children  of  men. 

Besides,  I  had  written  a  note  in  the  mar- 
gin of  the  page,  in  plain  words,  that  it  was 
spoken  by  David  in  a  spiritual  sense;  and 
that  under  the  New  Testament  we  were  to 
use  yea  and  nay,  instead.  You  have 
spared  nothing  to  make  me  ridiculous  and 
obnoxious  to  the  reader. 

In  the  same  manner,  you  have  not  avoid- 
ed to  call  me  inconsistent,  because  I  wrote 
that  we  should  not  swear  at  all  in  regard 
to  temporal  matters,  because  Christ  did  not 
use  the  word  verily,  in  worldly  matters,  but 
merely  in  his  doctrine,  &c.  I  know  of  noth- 
ing that  I  wrote  which  you  did  not  wrongly 
explain  and  garble.  I  wish  that  you  would 
once  consider,  in  the  fear  of  God,  what  kind 
of  a  spirit  it  is  that  thus  taught  you.  My 
saying  that  one  should  not  swear  at  all  iu 
worldly  dealings,  was  taught  me,  not  by 
the  flattery  of  the  old  serpent,  but  by  the 
word  of  the  Lord,  Matt.  5:  37;  Jas.  5:  12. 


But  that  I  made  an  exception  in  regard 
to  the  doctrine,  I  did  it  to  aid  the  reader,  for 
the  purpose  of  showing  that  Paul  and  Christ 
did  not  make  use  of  the  terms.  Verily,  and, 
God  is  my  witness  (which  the  learned  would 
construe  into  an  oath  for  the  purpose  of 
making  a  foundation  for  their  doings),  in 
treating  of  temporal  matters,  but  in  their 
teachings  ^nly. 

If  this  matter  is  to  be  strictly  weighed  in 
the  balance  of  the  holy,  divine  word,  in 
such  a  manner  as  to  keep  unanimity  be- 
tween all  the  Scriptures,  tlien  it  should  be  ob- 
served that  the  oath  and  some  affirmations 
are  not  of  the  same  form,  in  tlie  Scriptures. 
For  it  is  manifest,  that  an  oath  was  always 
sworn  by  God,  or  by  something  else,  and 
is  so  sworn  yet,  which  is  not  the  case  with 
an  affirmation,  as  Paul  and  Christ  used  in 
their  teaching.  Abraham  said  unto  his 
servant,  "Put,  I  pray  thee,  thy  hand  under 
my  thigh;  and  I  will  make  thee  swear 
(mark)  by  the  Lord,  the  God  of  heaven, 
and  the  God  of  the  earth,"  Gen.  24:  2. 

Again:  "By  the  life  of  Pharaoh  (mark) 
ye  shall  not  go  forth  hence,  except  your 
youngest  brother  come  hither,"  Gen.  42: 15. 

Again:  "Thou  shall  fear  the  Lord  thy 
God;  him  shalt  thou  serve,  and  to  him  shalt 
thou  cleave,  and  swear  by  his  name  "(mark), 
Dent.  10:  20. 

Again,  Christ  says.  Neither  by  heaven, 
nor  by  earth,  neither  by  Jerusalem,  neither 
by  thy  head.  Matt.  5:  34,  nor  by  the  tem- 
ple, nor  by  the  altar,  Matt.  23: 16, 18.  Read 
also  Jas.  5:  12.  Again,  neither  with  the 
world,  nor  by  God,  nor  by  the  gospel,  nor 
by  a  cross,  &c. 

Behold,  thus  an  oath  is  always  sworn  by 
something.  But  this  is  not  the  case  with 
an  affirmation  which  is  made  without  an 
oath. 

An  affirmation  may  be  made  without  an 
oath;  but  an  oath  cannot  be  made  without 
an  affirmation.  And  thus  Christ  and  Paul 
often  affirmed  their  words  with  strong  tes- 
timony, but  did  not  swear  to  them.  For 
nowhere  did  they  say,  "  This  we  swear  or 
affirm  by  the  truth,"  or,  "By  God,"  or,  "  By 
our  soul,  but  solel}^,  verily,  or,  God  is  my 
witness,  and  other  like  affirming  words. 

As  I  thus  humbly,  plainly  and  strictly 
abide  by  the  holy  word,  commandments, 


412 


AN  EPISTLE  TO  MARTIN  MICRON. 


and  prohibitions  of  the  Lord;  and,  as  I 
point  my  neiglibors,  who  would  do  things 
in  the  fear  of  God,  honestly  to  yea,  and 
nay,  as  the  mouth  of  Truth  has  commanded 
me  and  all  true  christians  to  do;  and  as  I 
sincerely  strive  to  instruct,  accordin<?  to  my 
small  talent,  the  poor,  blind  world  in  the 
true,  divine  knowledge,  thro  agh  Jesus  Christ 
without  any  respect  of  person,  ajad  to  point 
out  the  fcilsehood  of  anti-christ  and  the  old 
serpent,  according  to  the  truth,  thus  to  lead 
them  to  eternal  peace,  by  his  grace;  and  as 
the  doctrine  shows  its  fruit  in  many,  as 
may  be  seen;  theref(jre  it  is  that  they  are 
so  enraged  at  me,  that  neither  Turk  nor 
Tartar,  neither  tyrant  nor  tiend  under  the 
whole  heavens,  no  matter  how  ungodly  he 
be,  is  so  hated  as  I,  persecuted  man,  am 
hated  of  the  world  through  this  defaming, 
false,  blood-thirsty  writing  and  crying  of 
the  learned,  who,  for  the  sake  of  their  bel- 
lies, teach  the  broad,  easy  way,  with  all  the 
false  prophets.  He  who  created  me  knows 
what  love  I  bear  to  you  and  all  my  ene- 
mies and  slanderers.  If  I  could  serve  3'ou 
with  my  life,  unto  righteousness,  I  would 
at  all  times  be  willing  and  prepared  to  do 
BO,  by  the  grace  of  God.  This  I  write  with 
a  good  conscience,  as  if  before  God,  in 
Christ  Jesus. 

Dear  Micron,  do  consider  how  you,  out  of 
mere  hatred  of  the  truth,  treat  me,  old,  in- 
firm man,  quite  contrary  to  all  truth,  as 
also  contrary  to  the  virtuous,  pious  nature 
of  the  divine,  christian  love  which  would 
curtail  nor  harm  none,  to  the  dishonor  of 
the  Almighty,  great  God.  But  what  will  it 
benefit?  The  innocent,  defenseless  Lamb 
must  be  hated  and  murdered  in  his  mem- 
bers. 

I  will  let  you  teach  and  counsel  (as  you 
will  not  be  convinced)  your  church,  the 
world,  to  fight  and  retaliate  as  did  Moses 
and  the  patriarchs,  according  to  your  man- 
ner; teach  them  to  punish,  scatter,  imprison 
and  destroy  their  enemies;  to  adjudge  the 
criminals,  no  matter  whether  they  repent  or 
not,  as  you  write.  Teach  them  also  to 
swear  and  be  sworn,  after  the  manner  that 
Moses  commanded  the  Israelites.  But  I 
shall  and  will,  by  the  grace  of  God,  faith- 
fully teach  and  counsel  all  truly  regener- 
atfed  children  of   God,   and   followers   of 


Christ,  both  rulers  and  subjects,  according 
to  tlie  sure  word  of  the  holy  gospel,  to  use 
no  other  sword  than  the  one  Christ  Jesus 
and  his  holy  apostles  used,  to  be  merciful 
unto  the  penitent  sinners,  as  Christ  is  mer- 
ciful unto  us;  mercifully  to  punish  the  im- 
penitent, and  to  admonish  them  in  love,  as 
Christ  admonished  us;  and  scrupulously 
to  stand  by  their  yea  and  nay,  as  the  true 
Teacher  and  Executor  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment, the  ever  blessed  Christ  Jesus  himself, 
has  distinctly  commanded  and  taught  us 
with  his  guileless  mouth;  no  matter  what 
the  consequences  to  my  person  may  be. 
Dear  Micron,  reflect  and  see  if  I  have  not 
rightly  pointed  to  the  Scriptures;  and  con- 
sider, also,  by  what  Spirit  you  have  slan- 
dered me.  True  is  the  wise  man's  word: 
"Who  is  able  to  stand  before  envy  ?"  Prov. 
27:4. 

Eighthly,  it  is  manifest  that  throughout 
your  book  you  have  labored  with  all  your 
might  to  make  the  truth  of  Christ,  taught 
by  us  to  the  measure  of  our  talent,  obnox- 
ious and  hateful  to  the  reader  and  hearer, 
by  my  person,  and  to  make  the  falsehood 
of  anti-christ,  taught  by  you,  pleasing  and 
taking,  by  your  own  person.  You  have  so 
presented  the  matter,  but  alas,  not  with 
God's  Spirit,  that  if  I  had  been  a  tyro  in 
the  church  for  three  or  four  months,  I  would 
probably  have  done  about  as  I  now  did, 
according  to  your  untrue,  partial  writing. 

But  thus  the  righteous  Lord  makes  mani- 
fest unto  the  unsuspecting  and  innocent, 
the  impure  Spirit,  heart,  bitterness,  ambi- 
tion, hatred,  envy,  falsehood,  and  infamy, 
as  also  their  false  doctrine  of  all  such  peo- 
ple who  so  cover  up  their  ravenous  heart 
with  a  sheepskin,  as  you  do,  that  they 
can  scarcely  perceive  it.  The  venomous, 
deadly  arrows  and  lies  directed  against  me, 
show  to  the  whole  world  what  kind  of  a 
spirit  is  in  you.  Now  it  is  Menno's  incon- 
stancy, anon,  his  ignorance,  or  deceitful  in- 
tellect, or  artful  roguery,  Menno's  lies,  &c., 
and  you  also  say  that  I  should  have  changed 
my  doctrine.  In  short,  I  do  not  know  what 
you  wrote  that  was  not  written  to  the  dis- 
honor of  God,  of  the  saints,  of  the  truth,  of 
the  church  and  of  myself. 

I  thank  my  God,  with  joyful  heart,  that 
by  his  grace  he  has  ke>pt  me  these  twenty* 


AN  EPISTLE  TO  MARTIN  MICRON. 


413 


one  years  in  one  doctrine  and  fonndation 
of  faith  without  any  chano;e,  notwithstand- 
ing that  I  was  unworthily  called  to  my 
hard  service,  in  such  perilous,  dark,  erring 
times,  as  all  those  will  admit  who  have 
walked  with  me  in  Christ  Jesus  during  the 
time  of  my  pilgrimage;  who  have  from  the 
beginning  read  my  humble  works  and 
books,  and  heard  my  admonitions. 

It  may  be  that  I  am  an  ignorant,  coarse 
and  unintelligent  man,  but  I  have  never  in 
my  life  boasted  of  great  intellectuality, 
learning,  arts  and  science;  but  I  do  boast 
that  I,  in  my  weakness,  seek  the  praise  of 
the  Lord,  and  the  salvation  of  my  soul,  and 
that  I  have  learned  so  much  in  the  school 
of  God,  by  his  grace,  that  I  know  that  the 
whole,  undivided  Christ  is  God's  first  and 
only  begotten,  and  true  Son,  and  that  those 
who  contradict  this  are  the  spirits  of  anti- 
christ; that  all  blasphemers  against  God, 
profaners  against  the  saints,  adulteraters 
of  the  Scriptures,  willful  liai'S,  public  de- 
famers,  enviers  of  the  pious,  ambitious, 
blood-thirsty  men^are  ungodly  persons,  and 
not  christians.  Again,  that  all  those  who 
hear  and  follow  Christ,  and  submissively, 
obediently  and  conscientiously  follow  his 
word,  ordinances  and  unblamable  example 
in  faith,  by  virtue  of  the  new  birth,  are  the 
children  of  God,  and  that  they  shall  for- 
ever inherit  the  kingdom  of  honor.  I  trust 
that  I  shall  stand  before  the  throne  of  High 
Majesty  in  his  grace,  with  this  my  gross 
ignorance,  which  is  wisdom  in  the  sight  of 
God,  but  hidden  from  the;  world,  while  all 
high  minded  and  bold  hearted,  who  are  so 
wise  in  their  own  sight,  shall  hear:  "I 
never  knew  you;  Depart  from  me,  ye  that 
work  iniquity,  Matt.  7:  22.  My  dear  friend 
Micron,  take  heed. 

Again,  I  trust  that  T  shall  be  found  inno- 
cent before  the  Lord  and  his  judgment  of 
the  charge,  artfal  roguery,  which  you  pre- 
fer against  me;  for  I  have  dealt  with  you 
with  no  more  artful  and  roguish  heart  than 
those  do  who,  daily  for  the  sake  of  the  tes- 
timony of  Christ  and  of  their  consciences, 
are,  with  a  glad -and  joj'ous  mind,  martyr- 
ized; notwithstanding  this  I  have  to  hear 
from  you  this  unkind,  false  charge  made 
before  all  the  world.  But  the  Lord  will  be 
OTir  judge. 


Again,  as  to  the  charge  of  falsehood, 
which  you  prefer  against  me,  this  is  my 
plain  answer:  I  am  also  concluded  in  the 
word,  "All  men  are  liars,"  Ps.  116:  11; 
Rom.  3:4.  I  trust  that  I  would  submit  to 
be  killed  before  I  should  willfully  lie,  be  it 
slightly  or  grossly.  I  hate  falsehood.  I 
hated  falsehood,  even  before  I  knew  of 
whose  seed  it  was.  I  shall  also,  in  my  old 
age,  by  the  grace  of  the  Lord,  avoid  it,  so 
far  as  possible,  since  I  know  its  origin  or 
father. 

O,  Micron,  Micron,  how  pecisely  do  you 
treat  me,  as  the  false  prophets  and  stiff- 
necked  Jews,  out  of  mere  hatred  of  the  truth, 
treated  the  good  Jeremiah,  saying,  "Come, 
and  let  us  devise  devices  against  Jeremiah," 
and  not  pay  attention  to  his  words,  Jer. 
18:  18.  John  the  Baptist  had  to  hear  from 
the  Pharisees  and  Scribes  that  he  was  pos- 
sessed of  the  devil;  and  Christ  Jesus  was 
called  by  them  a  wine-bibber  and  glutton, 
Matt.  11 :  19,  that  he  cast  out  devils  in  the 
name  of  Beelzebub,  as  they  said,  Luke 
11:  15,  that  they  might  by  these  means  lead 
the  ignorant,  reckless  people  from  the  truth, 
and  keep  them  in  their  leaven  and  vain, 
false  doctrine.  Just  so  you  treat  me,  in- 
firm man,  out  of  mere  hatred  of  the  truth. 
For  if  j^ou  could  but  daub  me  with  so  much 
tilthy  falsehood,  that  they  would  be  affright- 
ed at  me,  then  you  would  think  that  the 
cause  of  Christ  was  already  lost.  Thus 
blind  is  poor,  foolish  flesh  which  is  not 
overshadowed  by  the  brightness  of  the 
Lord. 

You  may  fulfill  the  measure  of  your  fa- 
thers, so  long  as  the  hand  of  God  does  not 
intercede,  yet  I  am  assured  in  my  heart, 
by  the  grace  of  tfie  Lord,  that  as  Jeremiah, 
John  and  Christ  remained  Jeremiah,  John 
and  Christ  however  much  they  were  belied 
by  their  enviers,  and  persecuted  by  them, 
out  of  hatred  against  the  truth,  I  also,  by 
the  merciful  grace  and  power  of  God,  will 
remain  the  same  Menno  Simon  in  Christ 
which  I  was,  in  my  weakness,  for  more 
than  twenty  years,  however  infamously  you 
may  belie  me,  and  depict  or  portray  me, 
out  of  hatred  against  the  truth;  as  also, 
that  as  the  false  i^rophets,  scribes,  and 
Pharisees  were  inimical  to  truth,  and  were 
blobd-thirsty  men,  and  therefo'pQ  died  with* 


414 


AN  EPISTLE  TO  MARTIN  MICRON. 


out  God,  yon  also  are  without  God  and  his 
grace,  and  that  you,  together  with  all  false 
hypocrites,  will  receive  your  reward,  unless 
you  sincerely  repent;  something  of  which 
there  is  but  a  very  faint  hope,  because  you 
so  willfully  suppress  the  truth  in  regard  to 
our  discussion,  tell  so  many  falsehoods,  so 
wittingly  adulterate  the  Scriptures,  and  act 
so  deceitfully  against  your  neighbor  in  his 
absence;  something  which  no  regenerated 
christian  will  or  can  do.  For  the  word 
stands  firm.  Reflect,  and  see  if  I  do  not 
truly  point  out  your  errors. 

Ninthly,  it  is  manifest  that  you  have  com- 
mitted against  yourself  and  your  soul 
which  was  purchased  at  such  a  precious 
price,  the  grossest  kind  of  shame  and  in- 
jury; for  these  reasons,  first,  because  by 
your  writing  you  have  made  yourself  an 
open  accuser,  reprover,  nay,  teacher  and 
instructor  of  God  the  Father,  of  Christ  the 
Son,  of  Gabriel  the  angel,  and  of  all  the 
apostles  and  saints  of  the  New  Testament. 
The  Father  confesses  Christ  Jesus  to  he  his 
beloved  Son,  without  any  division;  Christ 
confesses  the  Father  to  be  his  Father;  and 
the  angel  and  the  apostles, together  with  all 
the  other  witnesses  unanimously  testify  the 
same,  in  regard  to  the  visible,  palpable, 
dying,  and  resurrected  Christ;  and  you 
boldly  say  and  write,  that  he  is  not.  I  will 
leave  you  to  consider,  in  the  fear  of  God, 
whether  you  are  not  such  an  one  as  I  have 
here  written. 

Secondly,  you  prove  yourself  to  be  an 
open  corrupter  of  the  Holy  Scriptures.  For 
you  write,  "That  Christ  is  of  David's  seed, 
Rom.  1 : 3;  that  he  is  of  a  woman ;"  whilst  all 
the  unadulterated  texts  have  it :  Born  of  the 
seed  (that  is,  of  the  generation)  of  David. 
Born  of  a  woman,  as  may  be  seen  by  the 
Lutheran  and  Zurian  translations. 

Thirdly,  you  write,  "  That  Christ  has  par- 
taken of  the  flesh  and  blood  of  the  children," 
Heb.  2:  14;  and  the  text  says  nothing  more 
than  "flesh  and  blood"  without  the  addi 
tion  of,  "of  the  children;"  if  we  accept  of 
the  Scriptural  meaning  of  the  pronoun,  eo- 
rundem,  that  is,  of  the  same. 

Fourthly,  you  write  at  different  places, 
"That  Christ  has  taken  on  him  Abraham's 
seed"  {xniyneterito,  that  is,  in  the  past  tense), 
while. the  text  says,  He  takes  on  7dm  (in 


praesenti,  that  is,  in  the  present  tense). 

Whosoever  does  not  believe  it  may  read 

the  text,  Heb.  2:  16. 

*  *  *  « 

Since  it  is  manifest  that  you  have  pre- 
meditatedly  adulterated  the  holy,  divine 
Scriptures  and  made  yourself  a  translation 
and  Scripture  (as  Tatian  made  himself  a 
gospel,  as  you  write)  of  your  own,  that  you 
may  the  better  maintain  your  anti-chris- 
tian  doctrine  before  the  unsuspicious  and 
ignorant,  therefore  I  will  leave  it  to  the 
judgment  of  all  the  impartial,  reasonable 
readers  of  all  the  world  what  kind  of  a 
teacher  and  writer  you  are. 

O,  dear  Micron,  consider  to  what  you 
have  already  come.  It  appears  as  if  you 
had  nearly  lost  both  the  Scriptures  and 
common  sense  by  the  deadly  disease  of  your 
ambitious  and  envious  partiality.  If  you 
should  thus  defame  his  imperial  majesty, 
and  his  son  Philip,  as  you  have  defamed  the 
heavenly  Father  and  his  blessed  Son  Christ, 
in  5'our  writing,  and  should  plainly  say, 
No,  king  Philip  is  not  the  son  of  the  em- 
peror; but  he  is  the  son  of  another  person, 
and  is  only  called  the  son  of  the  emperor; 
if  you  should,  besides,  adulterate  their 
public  mandates,  sentences,  and  command- 
ments, as  you  have  done  the  adduced  Script- 
ures, and  the  plain  ordinances,  word,  and 
commandments  of  Christ  concerning  bap- 
tism, and  the  oath;  and  moreover,  should 
deride,  upbraid,  scorn,  and  belie  their  sworn 
courtiers,  and  faithful  servants,  because 
they  honored  and  respected  the  emperor  as 
the  true  father  of  Philijo,  and  Philip  as  the 
true  son  of  the  emperor,  and  because  they 
faithfully  respected  and  obeyed  their  man- 
dates, sentences  and  jjolicies,  O,  Lord,  what 
ado  there  would  be  made  about  you,  and 
what  blood-songs  there  would  be  sung. 
But  of  what  reward  you  are  now  deserving, 
and  must  expect  in  due  time  from  God  the 
Lord,  because  you  so  lamentably  blas- 
pheme the  Emperor  of  all  emperors,  the 
God  of  heaven  and  of  earth,  and  his  blessed 
Son  Christ  Jesus,  because  you  adulterate 
and  break  their  heavenly  mandates,  ordi- 
nances, and  explicit  and  plain  command- 
ments, and  because  you  so  lamentably 
slander,  upbraid,  belie,  hate,  and  persecute 
their  faithful  servants  by  your  indiscreet 


AN  EPISTLE  TO  MARTIN  MICRON. 


415 


writing,  I  will  leave  to  Almighty  God  and 
his  judgment.  Dear  friend,  ponder  upon 
what  is  here  said. 

First,  you  have  made  yourself  to  be  an 
open,  perfidious  falsifier;  for  you  call  on 
God  as  a  witness  (which  in  my  opinion  is 
the  same  as  an  oath),  that  you  have  given 
a  true  narration  of  the  discussion;  and  the 
first  thing  you  wrote  in  your  book  is  an  un- 
truth. For  yon  write:  "A  true  Narration." 
And  how  quite  nntrue  it  is,  God  knows,  as 
also  you  yourself,  and  we.  We  have  also 
partly  touched  on  this,  above,  in  the  de- 
scription of  the  discussion. 

Secondly,  you  have  quoted  in  your  book 
my  first  words  and  very  brotherly  admoni- 
tion: "If  you  now  hear  more  powerful 
truths  and  surer  foundation  from  us  than 
you  have  heard  hitherto,  then  you  ought 
not  to  seek  your  own  praise  and  honor; 
but  you  ought  cordially  to  seek  the  honor 
and  praise  of  the  Lord,  &c.,"  and  have 
coupled  a  gross  falsehood  therewith,  and 
rendered  it  as  if  I  should  have  stiid,  that 
you  had  sought  your  own  honor  and  praise 
by  your  writing,  in  England.  Something 
which,  at  that  time,  I  had  never  thought 
about;  for  I  knew  no  more  about  you  than 
I  would  have  known  had  you  never  been 
in  the  world.  Yet,  you  garble  my  words 
to  make  it  appear  so.  I  will  leave  yourself 
to  judge  whether  it  was  the  Spirit  of  truth 
and  of  godly,  faithful  love,  or  the  spirit  of 
impure  falsehood  and  faithless  envy  which 
inspired  you  thus  to  write. 

Thirdly,  you  write,  "That  Herman  Back- 
ereel  had  already  proved  to  me  that  Mary 
was  a  daughter  of  David."  It  seems  that 
you  are  not  at  all  ashamed  to  tell  a  false- 
hood, if  it  can  but  make  your  cause  appar- 
ently true.  He  who  can  prove  to  me,  by 
virtue  of  the  Scriptures  that  Mary  was  a 
daughter  of  David,  must  have  a  Bible  and 
Scripture  different  from  ours;  for  it  can  not 
be  found  in  our  Bibles  and  Scriptures.  I 
asked  no  proof  of  you  nor  of  Herman,  as 
it  was  irrelevant.  And  now  you  make  it 
falsely  appear  that  I  should  have  said  that 
she  was  not,  and  that  Herman  proved  to 
me  that  she  was.  This  is  certainly  a  false- 
hood. 

Fourthly,  you  write,  "  That  you  frequent- 
ly confessed  to  us  that  the  Son  of  God  died 


for  us;"  while  I  dare  say  and  testify  with  a 
good  conscience  that  you  never  touched  up- 
on it  during  the  whole  discussion.  But 
when  I  asked  you  at  the  last  discussion, 
whether  you  did  not  still  call  the  man 
Christ  (who  you  said  had  no  Father)  the 
Son  of  God?  you  answered,  yes.  When  I 
asked  again,  why  you  called  him  so,  what 
kind  of  an  answer  I  received  to  that  ques- 
tion, was  related  above.  Yet  you  dare 
falsely  write  down,  "That  you  frequently 
confessed  it  to  us,"  as  has  been  heard. 

Though  you  were  not  ashamed  of  telling 
gross  falsehoods  against  us  before  men, 
because  you  are  aware  that  you  can  not 
sufiiciently  abuse  us,  in  the  sight  of  the 
world,  which  is  your  church;  yet  one  would 
reasonably  expect  that  you  would  be 
ashamed  to  do  so  before  your  God  who 
tries  the  hearts  and  reins;  and  that  j'ou 
would  remember  that  it  is  written,  that  "A 
thief  is  not  so  bad  as  a  man  accustomed  to 
lies;"  "for  he  can  never  attain  to  honor," 
Eccl.  20:  27,  28;  that  the  lying  mouth  kill- 
eth  the  soul,  Wis.  1:  11;  that  God  will  de- 
stroy the  liars,  Ps.  5:  6,  and  that  their  part 
will  be  in  the  lake  which  burns  with  fire 
and  brimstone.  Rev.  21 :  8. 

Fifthly,  you  vmte,  "  That  you  maintained 
the  purity  of  your  Christ  against  us;" 
while,  before  the  Lord,  before  you,  and  be- 
fore us  all,  it  did  not  occur  otherwise  than 
I  related  in  the  narration  of  the  first  dis- 
cussion, concerning  the  inconsistency  that 

you  had  an  impure  Christ. 

*  *  *  * 

I  was  also  surprised  at  the  fact  that  there 
was  not  sufficient  common  sense  left  in  you 
to  consider  that  you  might  have  made  it  so 
by  your  partial  writing  and  gross  false- 
hoods, that  many  of  the  readers,  and  par- 
ticularly of  those  present  at  the  discussion, 
might  suspect  you  of  writing  falsehoods 
out  of  mere  partiality,  and  might  thereby 
leave  your  church.  But  the  spirit  of  wis 
dom,  alas,  has  not  kissed  the  dwelling- 
place  of  your  soul,  nor  greeted  it  with  the 
friendly  lips  of  its  truth. 

Fourthly,  you  have  also  made  yourself  a 
very  unsteady,  wavering  and  inconstant 
person,  whom  one  can  not  overtake  on  one 
foundation  and  doctrine.  For,  at  the  time 
of  the  discussion    you    confessed,   "That 


416 


AN  EPISTLE  TO  MARTIN  MICRON. 


Christ,  from  everlasting,  was  born  of  the 
Father;  tliat  he  was,  also,  from  everlasting, 
seated,  divided,  and  separated  from  the 
Father.  Now  you  have  changed  yourself, 
and  you  write,  that  he  remained  in  tlie  Fa- 
ther.    Mark  your  hrst  change. 

Secondly,  you  confessed  two  Sons  in 
Christ;  and  now  you  say  there  is  but  one; 
yet,  in  fact  two,  if  we  impartially  consider 
your  doctrine. 

Thirdly,  you  confessed  that  the  cruciiied 
Christ  who  died  for  us,  was  not  Grod's  Son; 
and  now  you  write  that  you  frequently  con- 
fessed that  he  was.  Mark  your  second, 
and  third  changes;  and  yet  you  write  that 
he  had  no  Father.  Whether  this  is,  Sim- 
plex  ven'tates  oratio,  the  word  of  trutli  is 
plain,  as  you  write,  I  will  leave  yourself  to 
consider.  It  must  be  admitted  that  if  one 
can  not  see  lightminded  unsteadiness  and 
false  duplicity  in  this,  he  must  be  quite  un- 
intelligent and  blind. 

Fourthly,  you  confessed,  "That  Christ 
should  not  be  worshipped  according  to  his 
human  nature;"  and  now  you  say,  "That 
he  should  be."  Mark  your  fourth  change; 
yet  you  confess  that  he  was  an  earthly  man, 
of  earth,  who  was  born  of  Adam's  seed.  If 
this  be  not  idolatry  we  may  truly  say  that 
the  Scriptures  deceive  us. 

Whether  so  many  confessions  and  re- 
callings  are  consistent  with  a  sincere,  pious, 
constant,  and  wellfounded  teacher  and 
writer  (as  you  want  to  be),  who,  out  of  am- 
bition falsely  denies  it  all,  I  will  herewith 
leave  all  impartial  readers  to  judge. 

Fifthly,  you  have  made  yourself,  before 
all  intelligent  persons,  a  very  proud,  self- 
conceited,  bold  and  ambitious  boaster,  be- 
cause you  sing  such  great  triumphs  and 
glory  in  your  book,  while  it  is  manifest  to 
God,  to  yourself  and  to  all  who  were  pres- 
ent that  you  had  already  lost  the  whole 
point  in  discussion.  It  would  also  be  man- 
ifest to  the  whole  world,  if  you  had  but  im- 
partially told  it  as  it  happened;  for  you 
confessed  two  Sons  in  Christ,  and  that  the 
cruciiied  one  was  not  God's  Sop,  as  you,  in 
fact,  do  yet;  whereby  j^ou  had  ilready  fin- 
ished the  discussion.  You  could  not  an- 
swer a  word  to  all  the  Scriptures  I  read, 
whereby  I  testified  unto  you,  that  the  Son 
of  man,  the  visible,  palpable,  eating,  drink- 


ing, suffering,  dying,  and  arisen  Christ, 
was  al"so  God's  own,  true  Son,  nor  could 
you  reply  a  word  to  my  four  convincing  an- 
swers, with  which  I  overcame  your  unscript- 
ural  question  concerning  the  biith  fiom 
everlasting,  separation,  &c.,  all  of  which 
you  have  left  out  of  your  "Narration." 

Neither  did  you  say  an3-thing  about  the 
union  of  the  two  sons,  which  you  generally 
called  two  natures,  in  our  discussion,  which 
is  now  your  strongest  Scripture,  although, 
in  fact,  it  is  not  found  in  the  whole  Bible. 
For  if  you  had  made  mention  of  it  at  the 
time  of  the  discussion,  you  would,  by  the 
assistance  of  the  Lord,  have  received  an 
answer.  And,  besides,  having  told  such 
abominable  falsehoods,  you  have  changed 
the  order  of  the  discussion,  garbled  my 
words,  misinterpreted  them,  abbreviated  or 
added  to  them,  at  pleasure,  and  changed 
yoxrr  own,  whereby  it  is  manifest  before 
God  and  man  that  your  discussion  with 
us,  and  particularly  the  account  thereof, 
was  not-  prompted  by  an  humble,  convert- 
ed, and  contrite  heart;  not  by  the  Spirit 
and  love  of  Christ,  but  by  an  ambitious, 
self-conceited,  proud,  obdurate  flesh  and 
mind.  I  will  leave  it  to  the  all-knowing 
God,  and  to  yourself  (to  whom  are  best 
known  your  seeking)  as  also,  to  the  pious 
reader,  who  walks  in  the  truth,  whether 
this  is  not  the  truth.  O,  friend,  teach  your- 
self before  yoir  undertake  to  teach  others. 
Behold  yourself,  inwardly  and  outwardly, 
in  the  clear  mirror  of  Clirist  and  his  holy 
word,  that  you  may  realize  what  an  igno- 
rant teacher  and  unfit  christian  you  are  be- 
fore God. 

Sixthly,  you  have  also  made  of  yourself 
a  false  prophet  and  teacher,  a  deceiver  of 
men,  an  apparent  hypocrite  and  ravening 
wolf  in  sheep's  clothing.  Do  not  take  it 
amiss  that  I  call  you  such,  and  tell  the 
truth.  For  how  can  you  teach  a  more  false 
doctrine  than  to  teach  that  God  the  Father, 
is  not  the  true  Father  of  the  whole  Christ; 
and  that  the  whole  Christ  is  not  the  true 
Son  of  God;  to  make  the  angel  of  God, 
John  the  Baptist  and  all  the  apostles  of 
God,  false  witnesses;  to  make  Christ,  the 
eternal  truth,  a  false  teacher;  for  he  says, 
that  we  shall  not  swear  at  all,  Matt.  5:  34, 
and  you  say  that  we  are  allowed  to  swear 


AN  EPISTLE  TO  MARTIN  MICRON. 


417 


to  the  truth;  to  make  the  baptism,  which 
was  commanded  by  Christ,  and  taught  and 
practiced  by  his  holy  apostles,  a  false  bap- 
tism; and  to  want  to  teach  a  different  doc- 
trine and  practice,  of  which  not  a  word  is 
found  in  all  the  Scriptures. 

Dear  Micron,  if  j'ou  would  follow  good 
counsel,  3'ou  would  at  once  Quit  your  writ- 
ing. For  make  it  as  you  will,  it  is  certain 
that  you  by  your  strongest  arguments  and 
best  points  do  nothing,  in  fact,  but  super- 
sede and  teach  the  eternal  wisdom,  Christ 
Jesus,  the  Son  of  Grod,  and  his  Holy  Ghost, 
together  with  the  apostles  of  Christ;  noth- 
ing but  change  their  words,  doctrine,  com- 
mandments, institutions,  ordinances  and 
practices,  as  if  they  in  themselves  were  not 
essential  and  right,  yea,  powerless,  vain, 
and  useless,  and  thereby  show  that  you  are 
their  teacher  and  master.  Beloved  Micron, 
take  heed.  The  more  you  write  the  more 
manifest  you  make  your  own  shame  and 
false  doctrine,  and  the  greater  you  make 
the  guilt  of  your  deceit.  My  friend,  let 
yourself  be  warned. 

You  console  the  poor,  blind  people  with 
falsehood,  deprive  them  of  both  Father  and 
Son,  1  Jn.  2:  22,  lamentably  adulterate  the 
word  of  the  Lord;  from  which  it  is  very 
plain,  that  you  forsake  the  Lord  who  has 
purchased  us,  3  Pet.  2  :  1,  that  j^ou  are 
prompted  by  the  Spirit  of  anti-christ,  1  Jn. 
4:  3;  that  it  is  anathema.  Gal.  1:  8.  You 
teach  us  a  gospel  which  was  not  taught  us 
by  the  apostles  of  Christ.  It  shows  that 
you  rob  God  of  his  honor,  and  are  a  mur- 
derer of  souls,  Jn.  10:  1,  which  Christ  Jesus 
has  purchased  at  such  a  great  price,  1  Pet. 
1:8,  a  messenger  of  darkness  who  trans- 
forms himself  into  an  angel  of  light,  2  Cor. 
11:  14. 

Do  not  take  it  amiss,  that  I  write  the 
truth.  I  repeat,  a  ravening  wolf  in  sheep's 
clothing.  Matt.  7:  15,  who  devours  the  souls 
of  men  by  a  false  explanation  of  theScript- 
irre,  under  a  fictitious  semblance  of  truth, 
robs  them  of  the  truth,  and  thus  offers  and 
sacrifices  them  to  the  prince  of  hell,  for  the 
sake  of  a  woolen  rag  and.  a  piece  of  bread. 
Not  to  mention  that  you  cause  so  much 
trouble  to  many  a  chosen  saint  of  God,  de- 
prive him  of  possession,  and  even  of  life, 
by  your  false  doctrine,  because  you  falsely 
89 


charge,  slander,  defame,  and  trample  under 
foot  the  doctrine,  which  is  the  clear,  pure, 
unadulterated,  powerful,  saving  and  re- 
generating doctrine  of  Christ,  as  being  her- 
esy and  deceit,  and  the  faithful  children 
which  are  thereby  converted  from  unright- 
eousness unto  righteousness,  and  from  the 
dumb  idols  unto  the  living  God,  as  being 
deceitful,  sectarian  people,  before  the  erring, 
blind,  and  carnal  world  of  blasphemers 
blood-preachers,  messengers  of  the  devil, 
blood-thirsty  tyrants  and  covetous  robbers. 

O,  Micron,  friend,  how  good  it  would  be 
for  your  poor  soul  (if  you  do  not  sincerely 
repent)  if  you  had  never  been  born.  What 
have  you,  miserable  man,  suffered  your 
ambitious,  proud,  evil  flesh  to  do,  that  you, 
for  the  sake  of  a  little  breeze  of  vain  honor, 
which  you  can  enjoy  but  a  short  time  in 
this  confused  evil  world,  have  committed 
such  abominable  blasphemj^  against  the 
Almighty,  eternal,  and  great  God;  have  so 
lamentably  defamed  his  holy  apostles  and 
faithful  witnesses;  so  grossly  profaned,  the 
Lord's  word;  so  deadly  deceived  the  peo- 
ple; so  unmercifully  caused  trouble  to  the 
godly  and  pious,  and  that  j'ou  have  heaped 
such  gTeat  guilt  and  sin  upon  your  own, 
poor  soul,  by  your  writing.  Surely  your 
whole  book  is  nothing  but  a  plain  declara- 
tion and  manifestation  of  your  own  shame 
and  anti-christian  doctrine,  both  for  the 
present  and  future  world,  which  discovers, 
proclaims,  and  publishes  j^our  abominably 
great  abuse  and  error  unto  all  men  who 
seek  the  Lord.  Friend  Micron,  reflect,  and 
see  if  I  do  not  rightly  point  out  your  very 
dangerous  wounds  and  deadly  sores,  ac- 
cording to  the  Scriptures. 

Lastly,  you  have  made  j^ouself  a  shame 
and  dishonor  to  all  the  rest  of  the  preach- 
ers, who  are  your  fellows  in  doctrine  and 
service,  in  the  sight  of  all  the  pious  of  the 
world.  For,  as  you  migrated  from  Flan- 
ders to  England;  from  England  to  Fries- 
land,  for  the  sake  of  the  gospel,  as  is  said; 
and  as  you  do  much  writing  and  disputing, 
lead  a  reasonable,  civil  life  before  the  world; 
are  not  particularly  considered  as  an  adul- 
terer, wine-bibber  or  coxcomb;  in  short, 
as  you  are  finely  clothed  in  sheep's  clothing, 
&c.;  therefore  you  are  probably  looked 
upon  and  considered  as  an  exemplary  per- 


418 


AN  EPISTLE  TO  MAETIN  MICRON. 


son,  liead,  liglit,  or  at  least,  as  one  of  the  ' 
principal  of  them.  And  j^ou  are  yet  in 
truth  found  to  be,  before  God  and  all  Intel-  j 
ligent  persons,  such  an  one  as  we  have 
partly  shown  you  to  be  in  this  epistle,  by  | 
your  own  writings,  therefore  we  will  let  the  j 
reader  consider  in  the  fear  of  God,  what  we 
should  think  of  the  others  who  are  not  thus 
covered  with  sheep's  clothing,  but  who 
grasp,  eat,  drink,  and  lead  a  pompous,  os- 
tentatious, careless,  easy  and  carnal  life, 
who  fear  neither  God  nor  devil,  who  sell 
the  souls  of  men  for  a  trifle,  who  gladly  ac- 
cept liens  and  easy  times,  and  still  are  in 
the  same  doctrine,  vocation  and  service, 
with  you.  And  what  we  should  do  in  re- 
gard to  attending  the  preaching  of  both  you 
and  them  (on  which  account  they  would 
bite  their  own  tongues  for  madness),  I  will 
let  every  one  judge  who  cordially  seeks 
God,  according  to  the  word  of  the  Lord, 
Matt.  7:  15;  15:  IM;  IG:  6;  Jn.  10:  1;  Rom. 
IG:  16;  Gal.  5:  8;  1  Tim.  6:  3:  3  Tim.  2:  8; 
Tit.  3:  9;  2  Jn.  1:  7;  2  Cor.  G:  14;  Rev.  IS:  4. 

I  am  very  much  surprised  that  the  other 
preachers,  part  of  whom  (though  they  do 
not  want  to  be  upon  tlie  narrow  path  with 
Christ  and  his  chosen  ones),  are  naturally 
intelligent,  do  not  reprove  you  and  stop 
your  slanderous  writing,  as  it  is  a  shame 
to  them  as  well  as  to  yourself;  for  never 
was  your  anti-christian  foundation  and 
doctrine  conceining  Christ,  the  Son  of  God, 
made  so  manifest,  as  it  was  by  your  bold 
assertions  and  blindness,  and  by  my  nec- 
essary reply  thereto.  All  those  that  have 
eyes  may  see  what  fearful  unbelief  and 
abominable  foundation  and  doctrine  you 
have.  Still,  j'ou  will  remain  good  teachers 
in  the  sight  of  the  world;  for  it  is  such  they 
seek  and  desire.  John  truly  says,  "They 
are  of  the  world;  therefore  speak  they  of 
the  world,  and  the  world  heare^h  them,"  1 
Jn.  4:  5. 

Behold,  dear  Micron,  I  have  placed  the 
clear  mirror  of  truth  before  the  eyes  of  your 
conscience,  and  properly  dissected  the  in- 
visible members  of  your  soul.  Now  open 
your  eyes,  and  you  shall  see  what  kind  of  a 
man  you  are,  and  how  greatly  jon  are 
spiritually  diseased;  from  which,  spring  all 
these  obnoxious  exhalations,  such  as  up- 
braiding, lying,  defaming,  false  explana- 


tions, adulteration  of  the  Scriptures  and 
flatterings.  "  For  by  the  law,  is  the  knowl- 
edge of  sin,"  Rom.  3:  20,  thus  this  epistle 
will  discover  unto  you  how  deadly  you  are 
stung  by  the  serpent,  and  how  he  has  cor- 
rupted you,  before  God,  by  the  accursed 
venom  of  his  evil  nature,  and  poisoned 
your  whole  life. 

If  the  merciful  Lord,  by  his  loving  kind- 
ness, shoiild  make  you  feel  and  know  your 
abominable  shame  which  you  have  com- 
mitted against  God  and  man  by  your  slan- 
derous writing,  which,  I  fear,  you  have  un- 
til now,  by  your  great  blindness,  hatred, 
ambition,  and  self-love,  but  little  noticed, 
then  be  not  dilatory  (if  you  would  not  die 
in  your  ungodliness)  in  coming  before  the 
throne  of  grace,  the  ever  blessed  Christ 
Jesus,  with  a  broken,  contrite,  repentant 
spirit,  in  an  adulterated  faith,  with  a 
changed,  penitent,  and  new  heart;  for  he  is 
the  spiritual,  brazen  serpent,  raised  unto 
all  of  Adam's  children  (who  are  poisoned 
in  Adam)  as  a  wholesome  sign.  He  is  the 
man  who  can  cure  you  of  all  the  deep 
wounds  of  your  diseased  soul.  He  is  the 
Physician  in  Israel.  AVith  him  alone,  is 
found  the  ointment  and  medicine  of  eternal 
life.  And  if  you  would  commit  yourself  to 
him  and  follow  his  advice,  that  you  may 
find  help  and  health  for  j^our  diseased  soul, 
you  must  give  yourself  up  to  him;  obey  his 
word,  will,  commandments  and  prohibi- 
tions; deny  your  selfish,  ambitious,  false, 
partial,  envious,  vain,  wrathful  flesh  wliich 
leads  you  to  this  abominably  false  writing; 
become  little  in  your  own  sight;  lay  a  bet- 
ter and  christian  foundation  in  your  heart; 
quit  your  flattering,  adulteration  of  the 
Scriptures,  idolatrous  sacraments  and  all 
hypocrisy;  truly  seek  and  fear  the  Lord 
and  his  holy  word,  with  sincerity  of  heart; 
reconcile  your  neighbors  whom  j^ou  have 
wronged  through  pernicious  falsehood,  with 
tears,  in  sincere  brotherly  love,  and  by  oth- 
er writings  publish  to  the  world  that  through 
mere  hatred  against  the  truth,  j'ou  have 
causelessly  still  more  defamed  their  name, 
which  was  already  hated  too  much  for 
truth's  sake;  something  which,  I  fear,  you 
will  hardly  do  unless  you  become  a  more 
godly,  penitent  and  pious  Micron  than  you, 
alas,  have  been  hitherto. 


AN  EPISTLE  TO  MARTIN  MICRON. 


419 


So  long  as  yon  do  not  do  as  here  pointed 
out,  it  is  manifest  that  yon  without  cause 
hate  3'oiu'  neighbor,  and  are  inimical  to 
him,  out  of  hatred  of  the  truth;  and  are 
therefore  separate  from  Christ,  with  the 
murderers.  O,  friend,  reilect  and  repent. 
Take  heed,  lest  you  forever  destroy  your 
precious  soul  for  the  sake  of  a  little  tempo- 
rary and  vain  praise !  But  a  short  time, 
and  Micron  is  no  more !  O,  the  sentence. 
Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed,  into  the  ever- 
lasting fire !  Oh,  oh,  what  a  sentence  ! 

Friend  Micron,  in  faithful  love  I  warn 
you.  Take  heed,  I  pray  you.  I  have 
known  several  persons  who  were  prompted 
by  a  like  spirit  of  bitter  zeal  against  the 
Lamb  and  his  chosen  ones,  who  were  ad- 
judged and  punished  by  the  Lord,  who  does 
justly,  and  properly  rewards  the  unjust,  be- 
fore the  eyes  of  men. 

It  is  about  eighteen  or  nineteen  3^ears 
since  that  highly  esteemed  man,  who  was 
much  respected  by  tlie  world  (whose  name 
and  country  I  will  not  mention),  wickedly 
advised  that  they  should  destroy  me  to- 
gether with  the  pious.  Ilis  words  and  un- 
godly thoughts  were  hardly  finished  until 
the  avenging  hand  of  tlie  Lord  was  laid 
upon  him.  He  dropped  at  the  table;  and 
thus  in  a  moment  his  blood-thirsty,  impen- 
itent, ungodly  life  was  ended  in  a  terrible 
way.    O,  fearful  judgment ! 

About  the  same  time  it  happened  to  an- 
other man,  who  thought  that  he  would  so 
set  his  trap  that  I  could  not  escape,  that 
he  at  the  same  meal  he  was  eating  while 
speaking  these  words,  was  suddenly  struck 
by  an  arrow  from  the  Lord,  stricken  with  a 
severe  disease,  and  thus  had  to  give  an  ac- 
count before  the  Lord.  He  was  buried  with- 
in eight  days  from  the  time  he  spoke  these 
words. 

Another  Avho  was  to  become  an  officer  to 
the  emperor  at  a  certain  place,  thought  that 
he  would  destroy  this  people,  if  there  was 
any  vii-tue  in  the  imperial  army.  He  came 
to  the  place  vrhere  he  was  to  be  situated 
and  serve  in  his  capacity ;  and  four  or  five 
days  thereafter  the  bell  was  tolled  and  the 
requiem  sung  over  him.  Behold,  thus  God, 
the  Lord,  annihilates  the  designs  of  the  un- 
godly who  storm  this  holy  mount,  and  de- 


stroys those  who  hate  his  truth  and  are  in- 
imical thereto. 

In  the  year  1554  three  of  our  brethren 
were  at  Wisbui-g,  in  Gotland,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  earning  a  livelihood.  A  preacher 
of  the  city,  named  Lawrence,  who  M'as  of 
the  spirit  of  his  father  (the  devil),  cried  after 
them  in  the  street,  hooted  at  them,  and 
said  "That  they  should  not  there  practice 
their  religion,  if  it  were  to  cost  him  all  tliat 
was  surrounded  by  his  clothes,"  meaning, 
his  body  and  soul.  A  few  days  afterwards 
he  conversed  with  one  of  these  brethren  in 
the  presence  of  another  preacher  who  was 
not  unreasonably  minded.  He  behaved 
outrageously.  The  great  Lord,  in  the 
presence  of  both  of  them,  smote  him-  so 
that  he,  at  once,  lost  his  voice;  and  within 
twenty -four  hours  he  was  a  corpse.  O,  ter- 
rible punishment  and  judgment  of  God  ! 

A  case  almost  similar  happened  the  same 
year  at  Wismer.  They  had  accepted  a 
crier,  named  Doctor  Smedesteet,  who  said, 
"That  he  would  rather  have  a  hat  full  of 
our  blood  than  a  hat  full  of  our  gold."  He 
persuaded  the  magistracy,  who  glady  hear 
such  makers  of  pillows,  "To  iiroclaij-i,  just 
before  cold  winter,  to  the  poor  children  to 
clear  the  place  before  St.  Martin's  day;  or 
else  they  would  be  put  where  they  would 
not  like  to  go."  Smedesteet  was  very  joy- 
ous that  he  had  accomplished  the  fultill- 
ment  of  his  heart's  desire,  but  to  his  sor- 
row; for  the  same  day  the  Almighty,  great 
Lord  laid  the  hands  of  his  wrath  upon  iiim, 
and  within  seven  days  the  Lord  took  him 
away  by  a  severe  illness ;  yet  the  blind,  ob- 
durate world  does  not  observe  these  things. 

In  the  year  1555  in  the  same  city  there 
was  a  preacher  named  Vincent,  who  lives 
there  yet,  who  was  neA^er  tired  of  upbraiding 
and  slandering.  On  the  day  they  call  the 
Lord's  ascension-day,  he  read  the  Scripture, 
"  He  that  believeth,  and  is  baptized,  sliall  be 
saved, "Mark  16 :  16.  He  said,  "He  wouldup- 
braid  and  slander  us  so  long  as  his  mouth 
would  open."  The  same  hour  the  strong  Lord 
closed  it,  and  bound  his  tongue.  He  fell 
down  in  the  pulpit,  and  was  carried  by 
some  of  those  present  as  a  punished  one 
into  his  house,  a  dumb  man.  Behold,  tluis 
he  may  punish  those  who  would  touch  the 
apple  of  his  eye  and  harm  it.    If  I  were  to 


420 


AJSr  EPISTLE  TO  MARTIN  MICRON. 


relate  all  the  incidents  which  in  my  time 
befell  the  enemies  of  the  saints,  it  would  re- 
quire a  separate  volume.  Therefore  I  ad- 
vise 3^ou  in  sincerit}^  of  heart,  no  longer  to 
oppose  such  a  strong  and  avenging  God 
and  Lord.  I  tell  you  in  Christ  that  it  will 
be  too  hard,  j'es,  too  hard  for  you  to  kick 
against  the  pricks.  Acts  9:  5.  For  his  name 
is  Sovereign  Lord,  Mighty  Prince,  Isa.  9:  6. 
"Who  is  like  thee,  glorious  in  holiness, 
fearful  in  praises,  doing  wonders  ?"  Es. 
15:  11.  His  arrows  never  miss,  and  when 
he  calls  we  must  appear.  None  can  escape 
from  him,  and  avoid  his  wrath.  O,  Micron, 
take  heed. 

Good  friend,  if  your  battle  was  against 
me,  as  you  perhaps  think  it  is,  you  would 
already  have  won  it.  For  the  whole  world, 
in  this  matter,  is  on  your  side,  nay,  the 
serpent  himself,  and  against  me;  for  this 
foundation  is  the  only  weapon,  according 
to  the  doctrine  of  John,  which  is  to  conquer 
his  kingdom,  the  world.  But  the  battle  is 
not  against  me,  but  against  the  truth  itself, 
against  the  Father  and  his  blessed  Son, 
against  the  wliole  Scriptures,  and  against 
those  who  d>.vell  in  heaven.  Therefore  take 
heed.  For,  although  the  reckless,  rough 
world  may  say  amen  to  j'our  cause,  yet  it 
will  not  be  the  case  with  the  Most  High, 
whose  glory,  honor,  truth  and  testimony  I, 
according  to  my  small  talent,  uphold,  by 
his  grace  and  assistance. 

And  if  you  do  even  deprive  me  of  my 
honor,  reputation,  body  and  life,  which  I 
have  already  long  deemed  of  little  conse- 
quence, for  Christ's  sake,  in  the  sight  of  the 
world,  which  are  not  concluded '  under 
Christ's  praj^er,  Jn.  17:  9,  though,  thank 
God,  I  have  never  harmed  you,  nor  wished 
you  any  harm.  Still,  God  the  Father  will 
remain  the  true  Father  of  Christ,  and  Christ 
the  true  Son  of  God;  and  you  will  have  to 
turn  from  your  impure,  anti-christian  doc- 
trine to  the  unadulterated,  pure  doctrine  of 
Christ,  or  else  you  will  be  one  of  those  of 
whom  it  is  written:  "He  that  believeth  not 
is  condemned  already,  because  he  hath  not 
believed  in  the  name  of  the  only  begotten  j 
Son  of  God,"  Jn.  3:  18.  Neither  partizan- ' 
ism  nor  disputing  will  prevail  against  God 
and  his  word.  He  is  the  one  who  will  have  ' 
the  praise,  and  Ms  word  is  the  doctrine  j 


which  will  remain  the  truth.  If  you  do  not 
believe  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God, 
that  his  testimony  and  word  are  true,  and 
that  his  ordinances  are  the  true  ordinances; 
if  you  be  not  born  of  God;  do  not  become 
of  divine  disposition  and  nature;  are  not 
urged  by  and  possessed  of  the  Holy  Gho^; 
do  not  sincerely  repent;  if  you  be  not  in 
Christ,  nor  Christ  in  you,  then,  according 
to  the  doctrine  of  John,  you  are  one  of 
those  who  have  no  God,  1  Jn.  2:  23. 

But  if  you  have  Christ,  if  you  actually 
believe  that  he  is  the  true  Son  of  God,  then 
you  have  both  the  Father  and  the  Son,  1 
Jn.  2:  24;  and  yon  will  walk  as  he  walked, 
you  will  not  willfully  tell  a  falsehood;  for 
you  are  born  of  the  truth ;  you  will  not  hate ; 
you  will  not  defame;  you  will  not  inform 
against  your  neighbors;,  and  you  will 
wrong  no  person.  You  will  seek  the  sal- 
vation of  others,  and  not  their  corruption; 
you  vrill  reprove  their  sins;  you  will  right- 
ly teach,  and  not  deceive  them,  for  the 
spirit  of  love  which  does  justly  by  God  and 
man  will  dwell  in  you  and  prompt  you. 

If  you  have  Christ,  in  truth,  you  will  walk 
in  the  light,  Jn.  3:  21 ;  8:  12;  you  will  fol- 
low the  true  shepherd,  and  will  enter  in  at 
the  right  door,  Jn.  10:  2;  you  will  walk 
upon  the  true  road;  remain  in  the  truth,  in 
the  right  vineyard,  Jn.  15:  1;  build  iipon 
the  true  rock,  Eph.  2:  20;  1  Pet.  2:5;  you 
will  not  adulterate  the  word  of  God;  for 
your  spirit  is  one  with  the  Spirit  of  Christ; 
your  faith  will  be  one  with  his  word,  and 
yoiir  life,  tliough  in  weakness,  one  with  his 
life. 

You  will  seek  the  praise  and  honor  of 
the  Lord,  and  not  your  own;  you  will  con- 
fess Christ  as  your  Savior,  at  the  risk  of 
life  or  death  by  all  the  world;  all  your 
])leasure  will  be  in  the  law  of  the  Lord,  and 
your  whole  life  in  his  fear;  your  thoughts 
will  be  pure,  and  all  your  vrords  well-sea- 
soned; your  daily  combat  will  be  against 
the  world,  the  devil,  and  your  own  evil 
flesh;  and  you  will,  by  your  honest,  virtu- 
ous life,  set  an  example  to  all  the  world; 
the  cross,  taken  upon  yourself  for  the  sake 
of  the  Lord's  word  and  testimony,  you  will 
patiently  bear;  and,  if  you  should  thought- 
lessly think,  say  or  do  any  thing  wrong, 
you  will  sincerely  lament  it.    In  short,  you 


AN  EPISTLE  TO  MARTIN  MICRON. 


421 


will  prove  by  all  j^our  actions  that  you  are 
a  chosen  child  of  God,  born  of  the  heavenly 
seed  of  tlie  holy  Word,  and  that  you  are 
become  a  live  member  of  the  body  of  the 
Lord. 

Behold,  dear  Micron,  such  penitence  and 
and  reformation  I  sincerely  wish  you;  and 
I  would  like  to  see  it  truly  manifest  in  you, 
in  power  and  truth,  and  that  I  then,  for  the 
sake  of  the  testimony  of  Jesus,  together 
with  3'ou,  would  have  to  make  a  sacrifice 
of  my  blood,  to  the  praise  of  the  Lord,  and 
to  the  edification  of  our  neighbors.  I  re- 
peat it,  repent,  that  the  precious  treasure, 
given  for  us,  be  not  lost  in  your  case. 

I  would  herewith  commend  you  to  Al- 
mighty God.  He  will  bestow  upon  you  ac- 
cording to  his  great  grace,  as  I  would  like 
to  see  you  receive.  No  more  hereafter, 
however  much  you  may  cry  and  write,  un- 
less you  be  converted  into  a  better  mind, 
and  I  constrained  and  iirged  to  do  so  by 
the  godfearing. 

Nor  shall  I  hereafter  solicit  a  public  dis- 
cussion with  any  person,  and  that  for  this 
reason,  first:  Because  I  have  these  many 
years,  desired  it  by  numerous  written  and 
verbal  requests,  and  have  never  been  grant- 
ed it.  From  which  it  is  manifest  that  they 
care  but  little  about  the  glory  of  God,  and 
the  souls  of  men. 

Secondly,  because  your  principal  teach- 
ers and  exemplary  men,  as  John  A'Lasco, 
Calvin,  and  Tlieodore  Beza,  whom  j^ou  con- 
fess to  be  your  most  worthy  and  most  be- 
loved brethren,  are  men  of  blood.-  That 
this  is  the  case  is  testified  to  by  their  own 
books,  as  also  by  old  Seructus  of  Geneva, 
and  Joris  of  Paris,  who  was  burned  in  Eng- 
land. 

Thirdly,  because  your  brethren,  the  Welsh 
church,  as  they  are  called,  at  Frankfort 
have,  in  their  publications,  sworn  against 
US",  which  two  things  we  did  not  so  posi- 
tively know  heretofore  as  we  do  now. 

Inasmuch  as  I  plainly  see  that  there  is 
but  deceit,  faithlessness,  blood-thirstiness 
and  perverseness  found  among  tlie  children 
of  men  wherever  one  may  turn  himself;  and 
as  nothing  does,  nor  can  avail  on  earth  but 
the  praise  of  Christ  and  the  salvation  of 
souls;  therefore  I  will  let  Babylon,  with  its 
false  preachers,  impui'e  doctrine,  idolatrous 


baptism  and  supper,  together  with  its  false 
religion,  and  impenitent,  vain,  easy  life, 
be  Babylon,  and  will,  with  the  holy  proph- 
et Habakkuk,  stand  upon  my  watch,  and 
set  me  upon  the  tower,  and  thus  clearly 
sound  the  trumpet  of  the  holy,  divine  word 
from  the  walls  and  gates  of  Jerusalem,  ac- 
cording to  my  small  talent  and  faithfully 
awaken  the  citizens  of  the  eternal  peace, 
joyfully  to  sing  the  lovely  Hallelujah 
through  the  streets,  with  grateful,  joyous 
hearts,  to  the  honor  of  God,  Heb.  2:  1;  to 
attire  themselves,  before  God  and  the  world, 
in  the  shining,  white  raiment  of  the  saints, 
in  sincerity  of  heart  and  purity  of  doctrine. 
I  will  faithfully  admonish  them  with  care- 
ful, pious  Esdras  and  say,  My  people,  hear 
.my  word,  and  prepare  yourselves  for  the 
battle,  and  evil  things,  &c.,  4  Esdras  16:  41. 
With  holy  Paul,  "Take  unto  you  the  whole 
armor  of  God,  that  you  may  be  able  to 
withstand  in  the  evil  day,"  Eph,  6: 13.  And 
with  Christ  himself:  Watch  and  pra}^  Matt. 
24:42;  Mark  13:33;  Luke  21:36;  1  Pet. 
4:  7.  For  the  prince  of  darkness  with  his 
whole  force  and  kingdom,  besieges  the  city 
of  God,  storms  by  night  and  day,  uses 
many  means,  with  flesh  and  blood,  as  false- 
hood and  false  doctrine,  lusts  of  the  eye, 
imprisonment,  banishment,  confiscation, 
bloodshed,  tyranny  and  violence.  Whoso- 
ever does  not  constantly  pray,  and  fear  the 
Lord,  can  not  stand. 

I  will  let  Babylon  be  Babylon.  Those 
who  are  piously  inclined  will  leave  off  their 
ungodliness  and  wed  themselves  to  Christ; 
for  truth  is  revealed,  and  the  repast  is  pre- 
pared. Blessed  is  he  who  enters  in  with 
sincerity  of  heart,  and  saves  his  wedding 
garment.  I  would  sincerely  warn  all  the 
chosen  children  of  God,  the  sincere  fiiithful 
brethren  and  sisters  of  Christ,  with  beloved 
John,  our  most  beloved  brother  and  fellow 
in  tribulation,  in  the  kingdom  and  in  the 
patience  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  say,  children, 
"  Love  not  the  world,  neither  the  things  that 
are  in  the  world.  If  any  man  love  the 
world,  the  love  of  the  Father  is  not  in  him. 
For  all  that  is  in  the  world,  the  lust  of  the 
flesh,  and  the  Inst  of  the  eyes,  and  the  pride 
of  life,  is  not  of  the  Father,  but  is  of  the 
world;  and  the  world  passeth  away,  and 
the  lust  thereof;  but  he  that  doeth  the  wiU 


422 


A  HUMBLE  PRAYER  TO  THE  READER. 


of  God,  ahideth  forever,"  2  Jn.  2  :  15—17. 
Frieud  Micron,  again  be  warned;  rejient, 
pray  to  God  for  grace,  and  earnestly  reflect 
upon  that  wliicli  I  have  written.  And  be 
not  angry  because  I  have  thus  sharply  re- 
proved yon.  I  have  done  so  truthfully, 
and  to  the  honor  of  God,  and  to  the  benefit 
of  the  reader,  as  I  reprove  the  whole  world, 
without  respect  of  person,  that  you  may 
rightly  learn  the  brightness  of  Christ,  see 
and  feel  your  foul  sores,  be  healed  by  the 
Lord's  medicine,  sincerely  repent,  and  be 
eternally  saved.    I  herewith  commend  you 


to  the  gracious,  merciful  God  and  Father, 
for  the  enlightenment  of  j'our  blind  soul, 
and  the  reformation  of  your  sinful  life,  by 
his  blessed,  first-born,  and  only  true  Son, 
Christ  Jesus,  by  the  manifestation  of  his 
eternal  Holy  Ghost  unto  more  righteous- 
ness. "Open  rebuke  is  better  than  secret 
love.  Faithful  are  the  wounds  of  a  friend; 
but  the  kisses  of  an  enemy  are  deceitful," 
Prov.  27:5,  6. 


MEN  NO  SIMON. 


Octoler  Wtn. 


A  HUMBLE  PRAYEli  TO  THE  HEADER. 


It  is  an  old  proverb,  dear  reader,  that 
"Many  men  have  many  minds."  Every  per- 
son, generally  judges  according  to  his  own 
ideas,  whereby  many  an  unjust  and  wicked 
sentence  is  rendered,  especially  where  blind 
partiality  has  its  sway. 

Since  I  find  that  om-  opponents,  with  their 
false  doctrine  cannot  stand  before  the  power 
of  the  holy,  divine  word,  and  since  they 
diligently  try  so  to  defame  and  calumniate 
\is,  and  so  garble  our  words,  that  we,  with 
truth  on  our  side,  are  rejected  by  the  world, 
and  the}^  with  falsehood  on  their  side,  are 
honored  by  the  world;  therefore  I  pray  all 
impartial  readers  not  to  be  offended  at 
their  saying,  "Menno  has  not  truthfully 
written  this  or  that." 

In  accordance  with  the  doctrine  of  Christ, 
I  rejoice  in  being  called  a  liar  by  tlie  liars. 
I  trust  that  those  who  are  born  of  the  truth 
shall  not  charge  me  with  falsehood;  for  I 
have  chosen  truth  for  a  mother,  more  than 
twenty-one  years,  since.  I  also  desire,  in 
my  weakness,  to  walk  in  her  ways  as  an 
obedient,  faithful  child,  without  looking 
back  and  without  offense,  so  long  as  I  re- 
main on  earth.  Of  this  my  hand  and  mouth, 
my  humble  life,  together  with  my  tribula- 
tion, poverty,  jirivation,  misery,  cross  and 
death  shall  be  witness  against  my  enemies, 
at  the  judgment  of  Christ.     Take  heed. 

I  deem  it  impossible  literally  to  describe 
those  parts  of  the  discussion  which  Micron 


has  suppressed  or  misinterpreted,  just  as  it 
happened.  Nor  have  the  holy  apostles 
and  evangelists  who  described  the  actions 
and  doctrine  of  Christ,  by  the  inspiration 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  done  so.  For  the  one 
describes  the  same  occurrence  this  way, 
and  the  other  that  way.  It  sufficed  them 
to  show  the  foundation  of  truth;  so  it  does 
me.  I  do  not  desire  to  wrangle  about 
a  word.  I  only  care  about  showing  to  the 
the  reader  that  the  crucified  Christ  Jesus  is 
God's  first-born  and  only  begotten,  true 
Son;  and  to  show  that  Micron  has  given 
quite  an  untrue  account  of  the  discussion, 
and  that  he  has  deceived  his  readers  by 
open  falsehood. 

Secondly,  I  pray  them  not  to  take  it 
amiss  that  I  also  referred  to  John  A'Lasco. 
It  was  not  done  tlirough  hatred  nor  dis-l'a- 
vor;  but  zeal  for  the  glory  of  God  and  of 
Christ  his  Son,  and  for  the  honor  of  eter- 
nal truth,  and  for  the  sincerely  desired  sal- 
vation of  3'our  souls,  have  tirged  me  to  do 
so;  because  Micron  says,  "That  they  are 
of  one  mind  in  doctrine,"  and  I  do  not  see 
that  one  could  believe,  teach,  write,  speak, 
hold,  or  feel  more  abominably  concerniug 
tlie  crucified  Christ  than  he  does  in  his  de- 
fense against  me.  Besides,  I  hear  that  he, 
also,  is  become  a  man  guilty  of  blood,  not- 
withstanding he  verbally  confessed  to  me 
that  none  should  be  harmed  on  account  of 
the  faith. 


A  HUMBLE  PRAYER  TO  THE  READER. 


423 


But  now,  as  I  hear,  it  is  claimed  that  it 
was  not  on  account  of  faith,  but  on  account  of 
disobedience.  As  the  foundation  is  quick- 
sand so  are  their  assertions.  Let  the  rulers 
command  things  in  keeping  with  the  gos- 
pel of  Christ  and  neighborly  love;  and  if 
we  refuse  to  obey  them,  then  we  are  culpa- 
ble. I  will  leave  it  to  the  judgment  of  all 
reasonable  rulers,  as  before  God  in  Christ, 
whether  it  is  in  accordance  with,  or  contra- 
ry to  the  Scriptures,  to  expatriate  the  poor 
souls  because  they  fear  God;  confess  the 
crucified  Christ  to  be  God's  Son;  receive  the 
holy  baptism  according  to  the  command- 
ment of  the  Lord  and  the  doctrine  of  the 
apostles;  affirm  their  testimony  by  yea  or 
nay,  in  accordance  with  Christ's  command, 
and  because  they  lead  a  penitent,  pious 
life  in  righteousness,  &c. 

I  am  aware  that  there  are  many  unsus- 
pecting hearts  who  look  more  to  John 
A'Lasco  and  to  the  learned  than  they  do  to 
Christ  and  his  apostles;  therefore  I  have 
also  referred  to  his  errors  in  regard  to  this 
matter  that  all  godfearing  readers  may  see 
what  kind  of  writers  and  teachers  tliey  are 
who  are  so  highly  esteemed  and  whose 
names  are  considered  so  worthy. 

Tliirdly,  I  pray  that  none  will  accept  my 
saying  that  I  will  no  longer  soliint  a  public 
discussion,  in  such  a  sense  as  meaning  that 
I  have  no  courage  to  do  so.  This  is  not 
the  meaning  I  wish  to  impart.  But  I  do 
not  desire,  to  discuss  publicly  nor  privately 
with  such  people  as  those  to  whom  I  referred 
in  my  epistle;  nor  with  such  as  dishonestly 
adulterate,  change,  break  and  misinterpret 
my  words  and  testimony,  and  slander  us  as 
did  Micron  from  the  beginning  to  the  end 
of  his  v/riting.  For  I  generally  find  myself 
deceived  by  them  on  all  hands,  as  it  is  the 
nature  which  would  lead  an  easy  life  and 
not  take  up  the  cross  of  the  Lord. 

But  if  any  rulers  should  be  troubled  at 
heart  concerning  the  Scriptures  and  be  sus- 
picious of  their  preachers  and  teachers,  and 
would  ask  me  to  a  public  discussion  for 
the  sake  of  finding  out  the  truth,  it  would 
be  as  glad  a  tiding  to  me  as  I  could  hear 
on  earth;  nor  would  I,  I  trust,  be  dissuaded 
nor  prevented  by  the  godfearing,  to  whose 
hands  and  counsel  I  always  willingly  com- 
mend myself.     For  we  are  sure  that  we 


I  have  the  Scriptures  and  truth  on  our  side. 

Fourthly,  I  pray  them  not  to  take  it  as 
upbraiding  and  slandering  that  I  sometimes 
handle  Micron  roughly,  according  to  the 
truth.  It  was  done  for  no  other  purpose 
than  that  he  and  his  followers  may  ac- 
knowledge their  deceiving,  lying  spirit, 
through  such  earnest  admonitions  which 
are  in  keeping  with  the  foundation  of  Script- 
ure, that  they  may  take  a  dislike  to  their 
abominable  doings,  and  thus  renounce  their 
evil  ways;  as,  also,  that  all  the  unsuspect- 
ing, good  hearts  which  are  bound  by  their 
snares  of  unrighteousness,  may  be  delivered 
to  the  praise  of  the  Lord. 

It  was  done  in  the  same  spirit  which 
actuated  the  holy  apostles  and  prophets, 
which  actuated  Christ  himself,  in  their  sev- 
eral reproaches.  If  any  one  now  should 
reprove  me  of  pithiness,  they  must  first  re- 
prove Christ  and  his  messengers.  For  it  is 
they  who  have,  in  the  Holy  Scriptures,  thus 
taught  me  and  all  teachers  who  follow  and 
uphold  the  right. 

All  those  who  have  a  scriptural  under- 
standing, know  that  where  we  find  mention 
made  in  the  Scriptures  of  the  despising  of, 
and  blasphemy  against  God  we  also  find 
added  the  sentence  and  sharp  rebuke  of  the 
Holy  Ghost. 

Inasmuch  as  it  is  manifest  that  Micron  is 
not  ashamed  to  fasten  one  falsehood  upon 
another,  to  make  a  translation  to  suit  him- 
self; to  deny  the  testimony  of  God,  the  Fa- 
ther of  Christ  Jesus,  his  blessed  Son,  of  the 
angel  Gabriel,  together  with  that  of  all  the 
other  witnesses  of  the  New  Testament;  to 
flatter  the  rulers;  to  seek  the  favor  of  men, 
and  to  deceive  the  poor  souls  for  which  the 
Lord's  blood  was  shed;  therefore  it  suiely 
is  not  wrong  to  call  him  by  such  names  as 
are  applied  to  him  in  the  Scriptures  by  the 
Holy  Ghost.  The  truth  must  have  its 
course,  and  does  not  respect  emperor  nor 
king;  much  less  a  false  prophet  or  teacher, 
who  advocates  the  cause  of  the  serpent; 
perverts  the  testimony  of  God  into  false- 
hood; and,  for  the  sake  of  vain  honor,  and 
of  his  lusts,  strengthens  the  ungodly,  and 
troubles  the  saints.  Whosoever  has  sound 
judgment  and  knows  the  way  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  in  the  Scriptures,  must  say  that  I  am 
right. 


424 


A  HUMBLE  PRAYER  TO  THE  READER. 


Fifthly,  I  pray  that  no  person  will  think 
that  I  thus  write  to  retaliate  Micron's  writ- 
ing. O,  no.  I  leave  wrath  to  him  who  is 
judge  of  all  the  world.  I  have  done  so  to 
the  service  of  Micron  and  all  the  erring, 
that  they  may  be  converted,  and  give  be- 
coming praise  and  honor  to  Christ,  the  Son 
of  God,  Dent.  32:  35;  Heb.  10:  39;  1  Pet. 
2:3,  23;  3:9.  The  truth  is  presented  to 
them,  by  the  grace  of  God,  in  such  power 
and  clearness  that  no  man  can  disannul  it 
by  virtue  of  the  Scriptures,  nor  contradict 
it  by  virtue  of  intellect.  Therefore  it  would 
be  well  if  our  opponents  would  behold  it 
more  clearly,  that  they  may,  with  all  the 
saints,  flee  from  the  future  judgment,  and 
that  they  may,  in  the  day  of  his  appear- 
ance, stand  before  the  throne  of  his  Majes- 
ty in  eternal  joy. 

If  they  do  not,  but  refuse,  remain  obdu- 
rate and  partial;  if  they  repay  good  with 
evil,  and  love  with  hatred;  if  they  seek  as- 
sistance from  tlie  worldly  powers,  since 
they  are  too  weak  in  the  Scriptures,  and 
thus  watch  for  the  corruption  and  misfor- 
tune of  the  pious,  by  falsehood  and  orna- 
mented inventions,  as  has,  alas,  been  the 
case  hitherto,  with  many,  then  we  must 
leave  them  to  the  Lord,  possess  our  souls 
in  patience,  and  remember  the  saying  of 
Christ:  "  For  so  persecuted  they  the  proph- 
ets which  were  before  you,"  Matt.  5:  12. 

Lastly,  I  would  faithfully  warn  all  my 
readers  and  hearers,  both  great  and  small, 
rich  and  poor,  favorable  and  unfavorable, 
as  before  God,  and  sincerely  pray  them  in 
Christ  Jesus,  to  read  impartially  this  our 
incontrovertible,  thorough  answer  and  ex- 
planation; and  rightly  to  weigh  it  in  the 
balance  of  the  holy,  divine  word,  and  to 
compare  it  with  the  fictitious  foundation 
and  doctrine  of  our  opponents,  that  they, 
enlightened  by  the  truth,  may  find  the  true 
way  to  life. 

Let  none  believe  me;  but  believe  the  truth 
which  I  have,  according  to  my  small  talent, 
placed  before  you  in  invincible  power  and 


clearness,  according  to  the  pure  doctrine  of 
the  holy  apostles,  evangelists,  prophets, 
and  of  Christ  himself.  In  Christ,  be  warned. 
Your  poor  souls  are  lamentably  deceived 
by  the  doctrine  of  our  opponents;  for  it  is 
the  smoke  from  the  bottomless  pit.  Rev. 
9:  2,  which  obscures  the  bright  Sun,  Christ 
Jesus,  and  the  air  of  his  holy  word;  it  is 
the  falsehood  of  the  old  serpent;  its  egg  and 
brood;  he  that  eateth  it  dieth,  and  that 
which  is  crushed  breaketh  out  into  a  viper, 
Isa.  59:  5;  it  is  the  spiritual  dung  with 
which  Ezekiel  had  to  bake  his  bread,  Ezek. 
4:  12.  In  short,  it  is  the  horrible,  abomi- 
nable draught  of  the  golden  cup  of  the 
Babylonian  whore,  drunken  with  the  blood 
of  the  saints,  with  which  she  has  made 
drunk  all  who  dwell  in  the  earth.  Rev.  17:4. 

Their  doctrine  and  confession  stand  clear 
and  manifest,  that  the  crucified  Christ  Jesus, 
was  not  the  true  Son  of  God;  for  they  say 
he  had  no  Father,  and  is  only  called  so  on 
account  of  their  fictitious  union;  they  reject 
the  baptism  of  Christ;  they  rage  and  blas- 
pheme against  it,  and  institute  a  difli'erent 
baptism  which  is  neither  taught  nor  com- 
manded them  by  the  Scriptures.  The  dif- 
ference between  the  oath  of  Christ  and 
Moses  they  deny,  and  say,  we  are  allowed 
to  swear  to  the  truth,  that  it  is  a  holy  thing, 
&c..  Matt.  5:  34.  Let  him  who  is  intelli- 
gent, understand  what  we  have  explained 
in  both  our  book  and  epistle. 

John  says,  "The  Word  was  made  flesh," 
Jn.  1:  14.  Paul  says,  "Gi'eatisthe  myster}^ 
of  godliness.  God  was  manifest  in  the 
flesh,  justified  in  the  Spirit,  seen  of  angels, 
preached  unto  the  gentiles,  believed  on  in  the 
world,  received  up  into  glory,"  1  Tim.  3:  IC. 
Because  we  sincerely  confess  this  testimony, 
as  also  all  others  v.iiich  confess  the  visible, 
palpable,  crucified  Christ  to  be  the  Son  of 
God,  to  be  true  and  just;  therefore  we  must, 
alas,  be  called  by  the  world,  sectarians  and 
heretics.  It  is  time  to  beware.  Kind  read- 
er take  heed.  God  grant  you  his  grace. 
Amen.  Read  attentively  and  judge  impar- 
tially. Amen. 


h-<(g3aw*. 


A  PLAIN 


AND 


CONVINCING  PROOF, 

FROM  THE  SCRIPTURES, 


THAT 


JESUS  CIIEIST  IS  THE  TEUE,  PEOMISED,  SPIRITUAL  DAVID,  THE  KIKG  OF  KINGS,  THE  LORD   OF 
LORDS,  AiSTD  THE  TRUE,  SPIRITUAL  KING   OF  SPIRITUAL  ISRAEL,  TIL\.T  IS,  OF  IHS  CHURCH 
WHICH  HE  HAS  BEGOTTEN  AND  BOUGHT  WITH  lUS  OWN  BLOOD.       F0R5IERLY  WRITTEN 
TO   ALL    TKE    TRUE   BRETHREN   AND    FELLOW-CIIRISTIANS,    SCATTERED    IHTHER    AND 
TIHTHEE,  AGAINST  THE  ABO:MIN.VBLE  AND  TERRIBLE  BLASPHEMY  OF  JOHN  VAN  LET- 
DEN,  WHO  PASSED  HIMSELF  FOR  THE  JOYOUS  KING  OF  ALL,  AND  AS  HAVING  BE- 
COME THE  JOT  OF  THE  HHSERABLE;   HE  PLACED  HIMSELF  IN  THE  STEAD  OF  GOD. 


BY 


MENNO  SIMON. 


"For  otlier  founilatioa  can  no  man  lay  than  that  is  laid,  whicli  is  Jesus  Christ," 
1  Cor.  3:  11. 


ELKHART,  mOIANA: 

PUBLISHED  BY  JOHJT  F.  FUNK  AND  BROTHER. 

18  7  1. 


90 


TESTIMONY  AGAINST  JOHN  VAN  LEYDEN. 


Grace,  peace,  and  mercy,  from  God  tite  Father,  through  Jesus  Christ,  be  with  all  true 
brethren  and  fellows  scattered  hither  and  thither. 


The  eternal,  merciful  God,  who  lias  called 
us  from  darkness  into  his  marvelous  light, 
nay,  who  has  led  ns  into  the  kingdom  of 
his  beloved  Sou,  Jesus  Christ,  must  keep 
us  upon  the  right  way,  that  Satan  by  his 
wiles  does  not  deceive  us,  and  that  no  root  of 
bitterness  spring  up  among  us  to  make  con- 
fusion, and  many  be  thereby  made  unclean, 
as  is,  alas,  now  the  case  to  some  extent. 
And  thus  it  must  be  that  sects  will  arise 
amongst  lis  that  the  tried  may  be  made 
manifest,  1  Pet.  2:9;  Col.  1: 13;  Heb.  11: 15; 
Dent.  29:18;  1  Cor.  1:  18. 

Let  none  be  offended  thereat.  But  let  all 
give  heed  to  the  word  of  God,  and  abide  by 
it,  that  they  may  be  delivered  from  the 
strange  woman,  as  Solomon  says  (by  which 
woman  we  should  understand  all  the  false 
teachers),  "Even  from  the  stranger  which 
tiattereth  with  her  words;  which  forsaketh 
the  guide  of  her  youth,  and  forgetteth  the 
covenant  of  her  God,"  Prov.  2:  16;  4:  0,  7. 
This  is  the  true  nature  of  all  false  teachers. 

First,  they  forget  the  pure  doctrine  of 
Christ,  and  choose  a  strange  doctrine.  They 
enchant  others  so  that  they  can  not  believe 
the  truth,  and  use  smooth  talk,  as  Paul 
says,  "By  good  words  and  fair  speeches  they 
deceive  the  hearts  of  the  simple,"Rora.  16 :  18. 

Secondly,  they  leave  their  Master,  Christ, 
whom  alone,  they  should  hear,  as  the  Fa- 
ther testifies  of  him,  saying,  "This  is  my 
beloved  Son  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased. 
Hear  ye  him,"  Matt.  17:  5;  Mark  9:  7;  Luke 
9:  35.  But  this  voice  from  tlie  Father,  all 
false  teachers  forget,  and  they  leave  their 
only  Master,  Christ  Jesus;  for  as  they  are 
not  of  his  sheep  they  hear  not  his  voice. 
Matt.  23:9;  Jn.  10:26. 

Thirdlj',  the  false  teachers  forget  the  cov- 
enant of  God;  and  that  to  which  we  should 
give  most  heed,  they  pay  no  attention,  as 


Christ  reprovingly  said  unto  the  Pharisees, 
"Ye  pay  tithe  of  mint,  and  anise,  and  cum- 
min, and  have  omitted  the  weightier  mat- 
ters of  the  law,  j  udgment,  mercy,  and  faith : 
these  ought  ye  to  have  done,  and  not  to 
leave  the  other  undone.  Ye  blind  guides  ! 
which  strain  at  a  gnat  and  swallow  a  camel," 
Matt.  23:23,34;  and  as  Paul  said,  "The 
end  of  the  commandment  is  charity,  out  of 
a  pure  heart,  and  of  a  good  conscience,  and 
of  faith  unfeigned;  from  which  some  hav- 
ing swerved,  have  turned  aside  unto  vain 
jangling;  desiring  to  be  teachers  of  thelaw; 
understanding  neither  what  they  say  nor 
whereof  they  afhrni,"  1  Tim.  1:  5 — 7.  Thus 
all  false  teachers  forget  the  covenant  of 
God  whereby  they  are  bound  to  him,  as  is, 
alas,  the  case  with  many  at  present,  who 
have  forgotten  all  upon  which  they  were 
baptized,  namely,  the  cross,  and  would  rec- 
ommend and  make  use  of  the  sword .  May 
the  Almighty  God  save  all  true  christians 
from  this,  and  may  he  give  them  wisdom 
and  intelligence  to  keep  the  covenant  of 
God,  and  to  be  always  mindful  of  what 
kind  of  a  spirit  Christ  wants  his  disciples 
to  be,  Luke  9:  55. 

Grant  that  they  may  be  aware  of- this 
strange  woman;  for  her  house  is  inclined 
to  death,  and  her  ways  to  corruption.  All 
those  who  enter  in  unto  her,  will  not  come 
out  again,  nor  do  they  get  on  the  way  of 
life.  And  this  strange  woman  now  reigns 
extensively,  and  as  she  deceives  many,  as 
did  and  yet  does  the  prophetess  Jezebel, 
and  as  the  serpent  deceived  Eve;  therefore 
we  will,  by  the  grace  of  God,  discover  some 
things,  that  those  who  are  yet  blind  may 
become  seeing,  and  that  when  they  acknowl- 
edge anti-christ  to  be  an  abomination  stand- 
ing in  the  holy  place,  they  may  see  all  de- 
ceit, Rev.  2:20;  Gen.  3:13;  Matt.  24:15; 


428 


TESTIMONY  AGAINST  JOHN  YAN  LEYDEN. 


Mark  13:  14;  LiTke  21:  7;  Dan.  9:  17;  Rev. 
17:  18.  And  that,  as  they  will  not  drink  of 
the  cup  of  the  Babylonian  whore,  they  may 
beware  of  the  venom  of  the  serpent,  and 
that  if  they  be  bitten  by  the  serpent,  they 
may  become  aware  of  it  and  get  rid  of  the 
venom  by  looking  on  the  true  serpent,  and 
be  thus  cured.  All  of  which  God  must  give 
us,  Num.  21:  6;  Jn.  3:  14. 

We  should  not  have  wi-itten,  but  it  be- 
comes necessary;  partly  because  we  can 
not  tolerate  the  shameful  deceit  and  blas- 
phemy against  God,  that  a  man  be  placed 
in  Christ's  stead;  partly,  because  we  are 
not  allowed  a  verbal,  scriptural  defense 
against  such  deceit  and  abominable  heresy 
concerning  the  promised  David,  and  other 
articles.  But  it  is  the  nature  of  all  impos- 
tors and  erring  spirits  to  flee  from  the  word 
of  God,  as  Christ  says,  "For  every  one  that 
doeth  evil,  hateth  the  light,  neither  cometh, 
to  the  light,  lest  his  deeds  should  be  re- 
proved. But  he  that  doeth  truth  cometh  to 
the  light,  that  his  deeds  may  be  made  man- 
ifest that  they  are  wrought  in  God,"  Jn. 
3:  20,  21.  Therefore,  he  that  flees  from  the 
light,  that  is,  from  the  word  of  God,  mani- 
fests that  his  deeds  are  not  wrought  in  God. 

But  if  there  are  some  who  can  not  yet  see 
this  they  need  the  eyesalve  which  is  spoken 
of  in  the  revelation  of  John,  Rev.  3: 18.  O, 
God,  what  perilous  times  these  are!  How 
the  prophet  Baal  conspires  with  the  Moab- 
ite  king,  against  the  Israel  of  God  !  Num. 
24;  25. 

The  Egyptian  sorcerers,  how  they  stand 
against  the  true  Moses  !  Ex.  6. 

The  lying  Pashur,  how  he  is  heeded,  be- 
cause he  prophecies  prosperity,  of  which 
nothing  is  realized  !  Jer.  20;  2  Tim.  3. 

How  the  false  Hananiah  deceives  the 
pious  children  of  Israel,  and  makes  them 
trust  in  falsehood  !  Jer.  28. 

The  Almighty  God  shall  raise  a  Jeremiah 
to  reprove  the  deceiver  of  the  people,  who 
shall  speak  nothing  but  that  which  God 
commands  him  to  speak,  and  the  Lord  will 
place  his  word  in  the  mouth  of  this  Jere- 
miah, as  a  Are,  and  all  false  teachers  as 
stubble,  that  truth  may  prevail,  Jer.  1:  17. 

And  if  ever  so  many  prophets  of  Baal  be 
raised,  yet  the  Lord  will  leave  behind  a  Mi- 
cron who  shall  promulgate  the  true  word  of 


the  Lord.  But  sufficient  of  this.  We  shall 
commence  the  matter  to  the  honor  of  God, 
and  to  the  edification  of  the  chvn-ch. 

In  the  first  place.  It  is  incontrovertible 
that  Almighty  God  has  made  his  Son, 
Christ  Jesus  our  Lord,  King  of  all  the 
earth  and  of  his  faithful  church.  That 
Christ  is  the  King  of  all  the  earth  is  abun- 
dantly testified  to  by  the  Scriptures;  partic- 
ularly the  prophet  David,  who  says,  "  The 
Lord  most  high  is  terrible;  He  is  a  great 
king  over  all  the  earth,"  Ps.  47:  2;  and, 
"God  is  gone  tip  with  a  shout,  the  Lord 
with  the  sound  of  a  trumpet.  Sing  praises 
to  God,  sing  praises,  sing  praises  unto  our 
King,  sing  praises.  For  God  is  the  King 
of  all  the  earth:  sing  ye  praises  with  under- 
standing. God  reigneth  over  the  heathen ; 
God  sitteth  upon  the  throne  of  his  holiness," 
Ps.  47:  2,  5—8. 

Therefore,  as  true  as  Christ  is  God,  so 
true  he  is  King  of  all  the  earth. 

Paul  testifies  this  to  the  Ephesians,  say- 
ing, that  God,  the  Father,  "raised  him 
from  the  dead,  and  set  him  at  his  own  right 
hand  in  the  heavenly  places,  far  above  all 
principality,  and  power,  and  might  and 
dominion,  and  every  name  that  is  named, 
pot  only  in  this  world,  but  also  in  that 
which  is  to  come.  And  he  hath  put  all 
things  under  his  feet,  and  gave  him  to  be 
head  over  all  things  to  the  church,"  Eph. 
1 :  20—22. 

Christ  testifies  of  himself  that  he  is  a 
mighty  King,  sajdng,  "All  power  is  given 
unto  me  in  heaven  and  in  earth,"  Matt. 
28:  18.  Paul  says  that  Christ  is  the  ex- 
press image  of  God,  upholding  all  things 
by  the  word  of  his  power,  Heb.  1 :  3. 

Thus  Christ  is  the  king  of  all  the  eartli 
notwithstanding  the  wicked  may  deny  it. 
Therefore  the  prophet  says,  "The  Lord 
reigneth;  let  the  people  tremble;  he  sitteth 
between  the  cherubim;  let  the  earth  be 
moved,"  Ps.  99:  1.  Still  they  can  do  noth- 
ing more  than  the  Lord  allows  them  to  do, 
Jn.  19:  11;  and  none  can  withstand  him. 
The  mountains  melt  as  wax  before  the 
Lord,  the  ruler  of  all  the  earth,  Ps.  97:  5. 

Further,  that  Christ  is  king  of  his  believ- 
ing church  is  clearly  testified  to  by  the  Scrijjt- 
ures.  Thus  speaks  Isaiah,  "Unto  us  a 
child  is  born,  unto  us  a  Son  is  given,  and 


TESTIMONY  AGAINST  JOHN  VAN  LEYDEN. 


4S9 


the  government  shall  be  upon  his  shoulder 
and  his  name  shall  be  called  Wonderful, 
Counselor,  The  Mighty  God,  The  everlast- 
ing Father,  The  Prince  of  peace.  Of  the 
increase  of  his  government  and  peace  there 
shall  be  no  end,"  Isa.  9:  6.    . 

The  house  of  Jacob  is  the  believing  church 
as  is  generally  understood.  Of  this,  Christ 
is  king,  as  the  angel  clearly  testified;  and 
as  Jeremiah  says  concerning  Christ,  that 
he  would  be  a  king  who  should  reign  and 
prosper,  Jer.  23:  5.  Also  Isaiah  says,  "Be- 
hold, a  king  shall  reign  in  righteousness, 
and  princes  shall  rule  in  judgment,"  Isa. 
•33:  1. 

As  Christ  is  king,  both  of  all  the  earth 
and  of  his  believing  church,  as  we  have 
shown  by  the  plain  Scriptures,  according 
to  the  grace  received  of  God,  how  can  John 
Van  Leyden,  now,  call  himself  a  joyous 
king  of  all,  who  is  become  the  joy  of  the 
miserable? 

If  he  would  be  our  king,  our  Lord,  then 
Paul  and  Isaiah  must  stand  back.  Paul 
says,  "For  though  there  be  that  are  called 
gods,  whether  in  heaven  or  in  earth  (as 
there  be  gods  many,  and  lords  many),  but 
to  us  there  is  but  one  God,  the  Father,  of 
whom  are  all  things,  and  we  in  him;  and 
one  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  whom  are  all 
things,  and  we  by  him,"  1  Cor.  8:  5.  Isaiah 
says,  "  The  Lord  is  our  judge,  the  Lord  is 
our  law-giver,  the  Lord  is  our  king,"  Isa. 
•33:  22. 

Behold,  as  true  as  Christ  is  our  judge, 
and  as  sure  as  he  is  our  law-giver,  so  sure 
is  he  our  king.  Where,  now,  is  John  Van 
Leyden?  O,  abominable  blasphemy  against 
God,  that  a  man  should  call  himself  the 
joyous  king  of  all !  while  it  is  written,  O 
Lord,  Lord  God,  Creator  of  all  things,  who 
art  fearful,  and  strong,  and  righteous,  and 
merciful,  and  the  only  and  gracious  King," 
2  Mac.  1:24;  who  alone  art  good,  who 
alone  art  a  mighty  king,  who  alone  art 
righteous,  omnipotent,  and  eternal,  who  de- 
liverest  Israel  of  all  evil.  Paul  says,  "I 
give  thee  charge  in  the  sight  of  God,  who 
quickeneth  all  things,  and  before  Christ 
Jesras,  who  before  Pontius  Pilate  witnessed 
a  good  confession;  that  thou  keep  this 
commandment  without  spot,  unrebukable, 
lentil  the  appearing  of   our ;  Lord    Jesus 


Christ;  which  in  his  time  he  shall  show, 
who  is  the  blessed  and  only  Potentate,  tha 
King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of  lords,"  1  Tim. 
6:  13 — 1.^).  Again,  it  is  the  greatest  blas- 
phemy a  man  can  speak,  that  John  Van 
Leyden  asserts  that  he  is  become  the  joy 
of  the  miserable. 

Christ  became  our  joy  at  his  birth,  ac- 
cording to  the  testimony  of  the  angel  to  the 
shepherds,  saying,  "Behold,  I  bring  you 
good  tidings  of  great  joy,  which  shall  be  to 
all  people.  For  unto  you  is  born  this  day, 
in  the  city  of  David,  a  Savior,  which  is 
Christ  the  Lord,"  Luke  2:  10,  11;  with  this 
the  words  of  David  accord,  "Light  is  sown 
for  the  righteous,  and  gladness  for  the  up- 
right in  heart.  Rejoice  in  the  Lord,  ye 
righteous;  and  give  thanks  at  the  remem- 
brance of  his  holiness,"  Ps.  97  :  11,  12. 
"Make  a  joyful  noise  unto  the  Lord,  all  ye 
lands.  Serve  the  Lord  with  gladness;  come 
before  his  presence  with  singing,  know  ye 
that  the  Lord  he  is  God:  it  is  he  that  hath 
made  us,  and  not  we  ourselves:  we  are  his 
people,  and  the  sheep  of  his  pasture,"  Ps. 
100:  1 — 3.  "Rejoice  in  the  Lord  alway: 
and  again  I  say,  rejoice,"  Phil.  4:  4.  Thus 
all  the  Scriptures  admonish  us  that  we  shall 
rejoice  in  Christ,  our  Lord;  for  it  is  he  of 
whom  the  patriarch  Jacob  jirophesied  that 
he  would  be  the  expected  one  of  the  people, 
that  is,  the  one  for  whom  the  people  of 
God  sliouldlook  with  great  desire,  as  Christ 
also  testifies,  "Your  father  Abraham  re- 
joiced to  see  my  day;  and  he  saw  it,  and 
was  glad,"  Jn.  8:  56. 

Christ  is  the  true  Melchisedec,  king  of 
Salem,  tha't  is,  the  king  of  peace;  who  has 
made  peace  between  God,  the  Father  and 
the  human  race,  Heb.  7:1.  He  is  the  pious 
Isaac  who  by  his  sacrifice  has  reconciled 
us  with  his  heavenly  Father;  and  his  sacri- 
fice remains  worthy  forever,  Heb.  10:  10; 
9:  12.  He  is  the  true  Davtd,  who  has  slain 
the  great  Goliath,  and  has  taken  away  the 
blasphemer  of  Israel,  1  Sam.  17:  49;  Eccl. 
47:  4.  Yea  he  has  caused  great  rejoicing, 
as  it  is  written,  "The  Spirit  of  the  Lord 
God  is  upon  me  (says  Christ),  because  the 
Lord  hath  anointed  me  to  preach  good  ti- 
dings unto  the  meek;  he  hath  sent  me  to 
bind  up  the  broken  hearted,  to  proclaim 
liberty  to  the  captives,  and  the  opening  of 


430 


TESTIMONY  AGAINST  JOHN  VAN  LEYDEN. 


tlie  prison  to  them  that  are  bound;  to  pro- 
claim the  acceptable  year  of  the  Lord,  and 
the  day  of  vengeance  of  our  God;  to  com- 
fort all  that  mourn;  to  appoint  unto  them 
that  mourn  in  Zion,  to  give  unto  them  beau- 
ty for  ashes,  the  oil  of  joy  for  mourning, 
the  garment  of  praise  for  the  Spirit  of  heav- 
iness," Isa.  61:  1— '3;  Luke  4:  IS,  19.  Be- 
hold, how  clearly  it  is  shown  here  that 
Christ  is  become  the  jo}^  of  the  miserable, 
in  whom  all  pious  christians  rejoice,  say- 
ing, Rejoicing  we  will  rejoice  in  the  Lord; 
our  souls  shall  be  rejoiced  in  the  Lord;  for 
he  has  clothed  us  in  raiments  of  righteous- 
ness, and  surrounded  us  with  the  mantle  of 
righteoiisness,  as  a  l)ride  ornamented  with 
bracelets.  To  this  the  prophet  Zechariah 
admonishes  us,  saying,  "Rejoice  greatly  O 
daughter  of  Zion;  shout,  O  daughter  of  Je- 
rusalem; behold,  thy  King  cometh  unto 
thee;  he  is  just,  and  having  salvation;  low- 
ly, and  riding  upon  an  ass,  and  upon  a 
colt,  the  foal  of  an  ass,"  Zech.  9:9;  Matt. 
21 :  3.  And  the  king's  prophet  David,  says, 
"  Sing  unto  the  Lord  a  new  song,  and  his 
praise  in  the  congregation  of  saints.  Let 
Israel  rejoice  in  him  that  made  him:  let 
the  children  of  Zion  be  joyful  in  their  king. 
Let  them  praise  his  name  in  tlie  dance;  let 
them  sing  praises  unto  him  with  the  tim- 
brel and  harp,"  Ps.  149:  1—3. 

Thus  did  all  the  saints  of  God,  as  did 
David,  who  says,  "Our  soul  waiteth  for  the 
Lord;  he  is  our  help  and  our  shield.  For 
our  heart  shall  rejoice  in  him;  because  we 
have  trusted  in  his  holy  name,"  Ps.  33:  20, 
21.  And,  "Lo,  this  is  our  God;  vre  have 
waited  for  him,  and  he  will  save  us;  this  is 
the  Lord ;  we  have  waited  for  him ,  we  will 
be  glad  and  rejoice  in  his  salvation,"  Isa. 
25:  9.  By  this  we  may  see  how  ail  the 
saints  have  rejoiced  in  God.  And  how  can 
we  rejoice  in  man,  as  it  is  written,  "  Put  not 
your  trust  in  princes,  nor  in  the  son  of  man, 
in  whom  there  is  no  help.  His  breath  goeth 
forth,  he  retnrneth  to  his  earth;  in  that 
very  day  his  thoughts  perish.  Happy  is 
he  that  hath  the  God  of  Jacob  for  his  help, 
whose  hope  is  in  the  Lord  his  God,"  Ps. 
146:  3 — 5;  who  helps  the  miserable,  and 
raises  up  the  crushed.  "He  is  tlieir  mighty 
protection  and  strong  stay,  a  defense  from 
heat,  and  a  cover  from  the  sun  at  noon,  a 


preservation  from  stumbling  and  an  help 
from  falling.  He  raiseth  up  the  soul,  and 
lighteneth  the  eyes,  he  giveth  health,  life, 
and  blessing,"  Eccl.  34:  16,  17. 

As  Christ  is  become  our  joy,  so  every 
one  may  judge  for  himself  what  an  abomi- 
nation it  is  in  the  sight  of  God,  that  a  man 
would  be  that  which  our  Savior,  Christ  is. 
Is  it  not  an  abominination  standing  in  the 
holy  place?  And  what  is  worse  yet,  this 
John  Van  Ley  den  is  not  satisfied  with  pass- 
ing himself  for  the  joyous  king  of  all,  who 
is  become  the  joy  of  the  miserable;  but  he 
also  claims  to  be  the  promised  David  of 
whom  all  the  prophets  testify;  and  does 
not  admit  that  Christ  is  he  who  was  prom- 
ised. 

Of  such  a  mind  are  all  false  prophets  and 
anti-christs.  That  they  have  on  their  heads 
names  of  blasphemy,  and  crowns  like  unto 
gold,  by  which  is  meant  pride,  as  may  be 
seen  by  the  Babylonian  whore  who  was  ar 
rayed  in  scarlet  color,  having  a  golden  cup 
in  her  hand,  full  of  abominations  and  tilthi- 
ness  of  her  fornication;  for  she  saith  in  her 
heart,  I  sit  a  queen,  and  shall  see  no  sor- 
row. Rev.  17:  4;  18:  7.  But  the  Lord  can 
not  tolerate  it,  and  says,  "Babylon,  the 
glor}^  of  kingdoms,  the  beauty  of  the  chal- 
dees'  excellency,  shall  be  as  when  God  over- 
threw Sodom  and  Gomorrah,"  Isa.  13:  19. 
Therefore,  shall  her  plagues  come  in  one 
day.  Rev.  18:  7.  And  not  Bab3'lon  alone, 
but  also  all  anti-christs,  together  with  their 
deceit  and  false  writings,  shall  be  destroyed, 
as  Christ  says,  "Every  plant  which  my 
heavenly  Father  hath  not  planted,  shall  be 
rooted  up,"  Matt.  15:13.    ' 

And  greater  anti-christ  than  he  is  who 
passes  himself  for  the  promised  David,  can 
not  make  his  appearance,  which  promised 
David  is  Christ,  as  the  Scriptures  abun- 
dantly testify.  He  that  hath  ears  to  h(^ar 
let  him  hear. 

First,  the  j)rophet  Hosea  says,  "For  tlie 
childi-en  of  Israel  shall  abide  many  days 
without  a  king,  and  without  a  piince,  and 
without  a  sacrifice,  and  without  an  image, 
and  without  and  ephod,  and  without  a  ter- 
aphim;  afterward  shall  the  children  of  Is- 
rael return  and  seek  the  Lord  their  God, 
and  David  their  king,  and  shall  fear  the 


TESTIMONY  AGAINST  JOHN  VAN  LEYDEN. 


431 


Lord,  and  Ms  goodness  in  the  latter  days," 
Hosea  3:  4,  5. 

It  is  incontrovertible  that  this  king  David 
can  be  none  other  than  Christ  Jesns,  whom 
all  must  seek  who  want  to  be  saved,  as  it  is 
written.  Seek  the  Lord  and  je  shall  live, 
Amos  5:4.  Isaiah  says,  "Seek  ye  the 
Lord  while  he  may  be  found,  call  ye  upon 
him  while  he  is  near,"  Isa.  55:  6.  For  this 
reason  David  says,  "  I  sought  the  Lord  and 
he  heard  me,  and  delivered  me  from  all  my 
fears,"  Ps.  34:  5.  And  Christ,  the  wisdom 
of  God  says,  He  that  findeth  me  findeth 
the  life,  and  shall  have  the  pleasure  of  the 
Lord.  And  what  other  king  should  the 
children  of  Israel  have  than  Christ  Jesus, 
the  true  Melchisedec,  king  of  Salem,  which 
is.  King  of  peace?  Heb.  7:1;  of  whom  the 
whole  number  of  disciples  have  testified 
thus;  "Blessed  be  the  King  that  cometh  in 
the  name  of  the  Lord;  peace  in  heaven, 
and  glory  in  the  highest,"  Luke  19 :  28 ;  2 :  14. 

The  Jews  despised  this  King,  Christ,  and 
therefore  they  were  blinded,  yet  they  shall 
return  and  come  to  Christ,  their  King  David, 
as  Paul  testifies,  saying,  "That  blindness 
in  part  is  happened  to  Israel,  until  the  full- 
ness of  the  gentiles  be  come  in.  •  And  so  all 
Israel  shall  be  saved:  as  it  is  written, 
There  shall  come  out  of  Zion  the  Deliverer, 
and  shall  turn  away  ungodliness  from  Ja- 
cob. For  this  is  my  covenant  unto  them, 
when  I  shall  take  away  their  sins,"  Rom. 
11:  26;  Isa.  59:  20.  As  Israel  is  yet  to  be 
converted  unto  Christ,  it  follows  incontro- 
vertibly  that  the  King  David,  whom  Israel 
shall  seek,  can  be  no  other  than  Christ. 

Therefore  every  righteous  person  will  un- 
derstand in  what  terrible  error  those  are 
who  do  not  believe  that  by  David,  we  should 
imderstand  Christ,  but  another  man.  And 
of  such,  Christ  says,  "I  am  come  in  my 
Father's  name,  and  ye  receive  me  not;  if 
another  shall  come  in  his  own  name,  him 
ye  will  receive,"  Jn.  5:  43.  But  those  who 
with  Jerusalem,  will  not  receive  Christ,  will 
also  be  destroyed  with  it;  and  those  who, 
with  the  Pharisees,  oppose  Christ,  and  yet 
think  that  they  are  enlightened,  should 
also  be  blinded  with  the  Pharisees.  Let  all 
pray  to  God  for  wisdom,  and  they  shall 
understand  that  Christ  is  the  true  David, 
Luke  19:  7:  Isa.  6:  10;  Jn.  9:  12. 


Again,  Jeremiah  says,  "It  shall  come  to 
pass  in  that  day,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts, 
that  I  will  break  his  yoke  from  off  thy  neck, 
and  will  burst  thy  bonds,  and  strangers 
shall  no  more  serve  themselves  of  him :  But 
they  shall  serve  the  Lord  their  God,  and 
David  their  king,  whom  I  will  raise  up  un- 
to them,"  Jer.  30:  8,  9. 

Now  the  commandment  of  the  Lord  is, 
"Thou  Shalt  worship  the  Lord  thy  God, 
and  him  only  shalt  thou  serve,"  Matt.  4:  10. 
Therefore  this  king  David  is  none  but 
Christ,  which  the  Father  has  raised  unto 
us,  saying.  Yet  have  I  set  my  king  upon 
my  holy  hill  of  Zion.  And  the  christian 
church  acknowledges  no  other  king,  no  oth- 
er Lord  but  Christ.  Therefore  all  the  saints 
say,  "The  Lord  is  our  defense;  and  the 
Holy  One  of  Israel  is  our  King,"  Ps.  89 :  18. 
Now  who  is  the  Holy  One  but  he  of  whom 
Isaiah  testifies,  saying,  "For  thus  saith  the 
high  and  lofty  One  thatinhabiteth  eternity, 
whose  name  is  Holy,"  Isa.  57:  16.    And 

"These  things  saith  he  that  is  holy, \ui 

that  hath  the  key  of  David,"  Rev.  3:7. 
Thus  speaks  Jeremiah  concerning  Baby- 
lon, "Recompense  her  according  to  her 
work;  according  to  all  that  she  hath  done, 
do  unto  her;  for  she  hath  been  proud 
against  the  Lord,  against  the  Holy  One  of 
Israel,"  Jer.  50:29. 

Thus  the  Holy  One  of  Israel  is  none  but 
the  true  God  and  Lord,  Christ  Jesus;  there- 
fore none  can  be  the  King  of  his  believing 
church,  but  Christ,  as  the  Spirit  of  God  tes- 
tifies through  the  prophet  Micali,  saying, 
"The  Lord  shall  reign  over  them  in  mount 
Zion,  from  henceforth,  even  forever,"  Micah 
4:7;  who  else  is  this  Shepherd  but  Christ, 
of  whom  was  prophesied,  "Behold,  the 
Lord  God  will  come  with  strong  hand,  and 
his  arm  shall  rule  for  him;  behold,  his  re- 
ward is  with  him,  and  his  work  before  him. 
He  shall  feed  his  iiock  like  a  shepherd ;  he 
shall  gather  the  lambs  with  his  arm,  and 
carry  them  in  his  bosom,  and  shall  gently 
lead  those  that  are  with  young,"  Isa. 
40:  10,  11. 

Christ  testifies  of  himself  that  he  is  this 
shepherd,  for  he  says,  "I  am  the  good 
shepherd;  the  good  shepherd  giveth  his 
life  for  the  sheep,"  Jn.  10:  11.  Christ  truly 
pastures  his  sheep;  he  is  the  door  to  the 


432 


TESTIMONY  AGAINST  JOHN  VAN  LEYDEN. 


sheep-fold;  all  who  enter  into  the  fold 
through  him,  shall  be  saved;  he  shall  go 
in  and  out,  and  find  good  pasture.  There- 
fore David  says,  "The  Lord  is  my  shep- 
herd; I  shall  not  want.  He  maketh  me  to 
lie  down  in  green  pastures:  He  leadeth  me 
beside  the  still  waters,"  Ps.  23:  1,  2;  and 
the  apostle  Peter  sa3^s,  "For  ye  wei'e  as 
sheep  going  astray,  Ijut  are  now  returned 
unto  the  Shepherd  and  Bishop  of  your 
souls,"  1  Pet.  2 :  25.  Further,  the  Lord  God 
says.  My  servant  David  shall  be  a  Prince 
among  them.  Let  none  be  offended  at  God 
the  Father,  calling  his  Son  Christ,  servant, 
saying,  "Behold  my  servant,  whom  I  up- 
hold, mine  elect,  in  whom  my  soul  delight- 
eth,"  Isa.  42:  1;  and  at  another  place:  "Be- 
hold my  servant,  whom  I  have  chosen;  my 
beloved,  in  whom  my  soul  is  well  pleased," 
Matt.  12:  18;  at  still  another  place,  the  Fa- 
ther speaks  concerning  Christ,  "By  his 
knowledge  shall  my  righteous  servant  jus- 
tify many,"  Isa.  53:  11. 

Therefore  this  servant  David  is  Christ; 
and  he  is  the  Prince  of  the  christians.  And 
who  else  should  be  a  prince  of  the  church 
of  Christ,  but  Christ,  as  Paul  testifies  that 
he  alone  is  the  Prince;  and  as  the  prophet 
says,  "  Thou  Bethlehem  Ephratah,  though 
thou  be  not  the  least  among  the  thousands 
of  Judah,  yet  out  of  thee  shall  he  come 
forth  unto  me  that  is  to  be  ruler  in  Israel; 
whose  goings  forth  have  been  from  of  old, 
from  everlasting,"  Micah  5:  2. 

The  Lord  further  speaks  through  the 
same  prophet,  "  So  shall  they  be  my  peo- 
ple and  I  will  be  their  God,  and  David  my 
servant  shall  be  King  over  them;  and  they 
all  shall  have  one  Shepherd,"  Ezek.  37:  24. 
We  have  heretofore  clearly  proven  by  the 
Scriptures  that  God  the  Father  has  placed 
no  other  king  over  Zion,  than  his  Son  Jesus 
Christ,  and  that  he  gave  him  an  eternal 
kingdom,  therefore  it  is  needless  to  go  over 
this  again;  and  that  God  the  Lord  says, 
"David  my  servant  shall  be  King  over 
them,  and  they  all  shall  have  one  shepherd," 
is  also  understood  to  be  said  in  regard  to 
Christ;  for  no  man  can  be  our  only  shep- 
herd; and  although  God  gives  "  some,  apos- 
tles; and  some,  prophets;  and  some,  evan- 
gelists; and  some,  pastors  and  teachers," 
Eph.  4:  11;  yet  the  only  Shepherd  is  Christ, 


and  nobody  else,  as  may  be  plainly  under- 
stood from  the  words  of  Christ,  "Other 
sheep  I  have,  which  are  not  of  this  fold; 
them  also  I  must  bring,  and  they  shall  hear 
my  voice ;  and  there  shall  be  one  fold  and 
one  shepherd,"  Jn.  10:  16. 

All  the  believing  are  the  sheep  of  Christ 
and  there  is  but  one  fold,  of  which  Christ  is 
the  Shepherd.  From  this  it  must  follow 
that  Christ  is  the  only  Shepherd,  and  that 
no  one  else  can  be  the  only  Shepherd.  For 
this  reason  Peter  calls  Christ,  the  chief 
Shepherd;  and  Paul  says,  "Now  the  God 
of  peace,  that  brought  again  from  the  dead 
our  Lord  Jesus,  that  great  Shepherd  of  the 
sheep  through  the  blood  of  the  everlasting 
covenant,  make  you  perfect  in  every  good 
work  to  do  his  will,"  Heb.  13:  20;  1  Pet. 
5:4. 

Thus  Christ  is  the  only  Shepherd;  for  all 
the  believing  must  hear  his  voice  and  the 
voice  of  no  other.  From  this  it  follows  in- 
controvertibly,  that  he  is  also  the  promised 
David,  according  to  the  words  of  the  Lord, 
"David  my  servant  shall  be  King  over 
them;  and  they  all  shall  have  one  Shep- 
herd." Besides  this  God  says,  "My  serv- 
ant David  shall  be  their  Prince  forever." 
I  trust  that  none  are  so  ignorant  (unless  he 
be  mad,  and  accursed),  as  to  understand 
these  words  as  having  reference  to  some 
man,  that  a  man  shall  be  our  eternal  Prince. 
For  it  is  written  that  God  alone  is  eternal, 
and  alone  immortal,  and  that  he  dwells  in 
a  light  to  which  none  can  come.  No  man 
can  be  our  eternal  Prince;  but  Christ  is  our 
eteruPvl  Prince,  and  his  kingdom  is  an  eter- 
nal kingdom,  as  it  is  written,  "Thy  throne, 
O  God^  is  forever,"  Ps.  45:  6;  Heb.  1:8. 
Paul  and  Peter  say  that  Christ's  kingdom 
is  eternal;  and  the  angel  said  to  Mary, 
"The  Lord  God  shall  give  him  the  throne 
of  his  father  David,  and  he  shall  reign  over 
the  house  of  Jacob,  forever,  and  of  his  king- 
dom there  shall  be  no  end,"  Luke  1:  33. 
Again  the  prophet  says,  "His  seed  shall 
endure  forever,  and  his  throne  as  the  sun 
before  me.  It  shall  be  established  forever 
as  the  moon,  and  as  a  faithful  witness  in 
heaven,"  Ps.  89 :  36, 37.  From  this  all  must 
be  convinced  that  our  eternal  Prince  is  none 
but  Christ,  therefore  our  promised  David  is 
none  but  Christ. 


TESTIMONY  AGAINST  JOHN  VAN  LEYDEN. 


433 


Fourthly,  it  reads  tlius  in  one  of  the 
Psalms,  "Then  thou  spakest  in  vision  to 
thy  Holy  One,  and  saidst,  I  have  laid  help 
upon  one  that  is  mighty;  I  have  exalted 
one  chosen  out  of  the  people.  I  have  foimd 
David  my  servant;  vrith  my  holy  oil  (have 
I  anointed  him,"  Ps.  89:19,20.  Who  is 
this  mighty  one  on  whom  God  laid  help, 
but  Christ  Jesus  who  has  all  power  in  heav- 
en and  on  earth,  to 'whom  God  has  submit- 
ted all  things  and  to  whom  are  committed 
all  things  pertaining  to  the  church  ?  Matt. 
28:  18;  Heb.  2:  8;  Eph.  1:22. 

On  this  Christ,  the  Almighty  God  has 
laid  help ;  for  we  are  helped  and  saved  by 
him  as  Christ  says,  "If  the  Son  therefore 
shall  make  yon  free,  ye  shall  be  free  in- 
deed," Jn.  8:  36;  and  Paul  says,  "For  what 
the  law  could  not  do,  in  that  it  was  weak 
through  the  flesh,  God  sending  his  own  Son 
in  the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh,  and  for  sin, 
condemned  sin  in  the  flesh,"  Rom.  8:  3. 

Christ  is  the  strong  Samson  who^ broke 
the  jaw  bones  of  the  lion;  he  is^the  pious 
David  who  slew  the  great\Philistine  with 
whom  none  of  the  Israelites  dared  fight; 
he  is  the  chosen  one,  whom  the  Father  has 
chosen^ as  his  own  Son,  saying,  "Behold, 
my  servant  whom  I  have  chosen,"  Matt. 
12:  18.  This  chosen  one  the  Father  has  ex- 
alted from  out  the  people,  inasmuch  as  he 
has  placed  him  as  King  of  his  hoh^  mount 
Zion,  as  the  Prince  who  shall  rule  his  peo- 
ple; for  this  reason  the  church  acknowl- 
edges Ihim  to  be  their  head,  and  to  be  the 
most  exalted  of  men  on  earth,  saying,  "As 
the  apple  tree  among  the  trees  of  the  wood, 
so  is  my  beloved  among  the  sons.  I  sat 
down  under  his  shadow  with  great  delight, 
and  his  fruit  was  sweet  to  my  taste,"  Cant. 
2:  3.  Further  the  Lord  says,  "I  have  found 
my  servant  David;  with  my  holj^  oil  have  I 
anointed  him,"  Ps.  89:  20. 

This  anointed  David  is  Christ;  for  he  is 
the  truly  anointed  of  the  Lord  to  whom  God 
the  Father  speaks,  "Thy  throne,  0  God,  is 
forever;  a  sceptre  of  righteousness  is  the 
sceptre  of  thy  kingdom;  thoii  hast  loved 
righteousness,  and  hated  iniquity;  there- 
fore God,  even  thy  God,  hath  anointed  thee 
with  the  oil  of  gladness  above  thy  fellows;" 
Christ  says,  "The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  up- 
on me,  becaiise  he  hath  anointed  me." 
91 


Peter  also  says,  "God  anointed  Jesus  of 
Nazareth  with  the  Holy  Ghost  and  with 
power,"  Heb.  1:8,  9;  Ps.  45:6,  7;  Luke 
4:  18;  Acts  10:38. 

If  any  one  should  yet  be  in  doubts  (some- 
thing which  is  impossible,  in  view  of  such 
plain  Scripture),  then  let  him  consider  the 
following  words,  "He  shall  cry  unto  me. 
Thou  art  my  Father,  my  God,  and  the  Rock 
of  my  salvation.  Also  I  will  make  him  my 
first-born,  higher  than  the  kings  of  the 
earth,"  Ps.  89:26,27.  Christ  is  the  first- 
begotten  Son  of  God,  as  Paul  says,  God  the 
Father  has  predestinated  us  to  be  conformed 
to  the  image  of  his  Son,  that  he  might  be 
the  first-born  among  many  brethren.  And 
to  the  Hebrews,  "When  he  bringeth  in  the 
first-begotten  into  the  world,  he  saith.  And 
let  all  the  angels  of  God  worship  him," 
Heb.  1:  6;  Rom.  8:29. 

Therefore,  as  true  as  Christ  is  the  first- 
begotten  Son  of  God,  so  true  Jie  is  the  serv- 
ant David  whom  the  Father  anointed  with 
the  holy  oil,  that  is,  with  his  Holy  Ghost. 

Again,  the  Lord  says  concerning  his  serv- 
ant David,  "My  mercy  will  I  keep  for  him 
forevermore,  and  my  covenant  shall  stand 
fast  with  him.  His  seed  also  will  I  make 
to  endure  forever,  and  his  throne  as  the 
days  of  heaven,"  Ps.  89:  28,  29.  This  seed 
is  the  children;  for  it  further  reads:  If  his 
children  forsake  my  law.  Now  it  is  mani- 
fest that  this  should  not  be  understood  as 
having  reference  to  the  carnal  children  of 
the  figurative  David;  for  they  committed 
themselves  to  idolatry,  and  quite  forsook 
the  law  of  God.  For  this  they  were  often 
punished,  and,  at  last,  ciat  from  the  olive 
tree  as  unfruitful  branches,  Rom.  11:  21. 

Nor  did  the  worldly  kingdom  of  David 
remain  unbroken;  biit  it  was  destroyed;  as 
the  holy  patriarch  Jacob,  and  other  proph- 
ets prophesied.  And  to  understand  it  as 
having  reference  to  the  carnal  children  of 
David,  is  contrary  to  the  epistle  of  Paul  to 
the  Romans,  as  he  there  says,  "  For  they  are 
not  all  Israel,  which  are  of  Israel.  Neither, 
because  they  are  the  seed  of  Abraham,  are 
they  all  children:  but,  in  Isaac  shall  th}^ 
seed  be  called.  That  is,  they  which  are  the 
children  of  the  flesh,  these  are  not  the  chil- 
dren of  God;  but  the  children  of  the  prom- 
ise are  counted,  for  the  seed,"  Rom.  9:  6 — 8; 


434 


TESTIMONY  AGAINST  JOHN  VAN  LEYDEN. 


therefore  we  should  not  understand  this 
seed  as  having  reference  to  the  carnal  chil- 
dren, but  to  the  spiritual  seed,  of  which  it 
is  written:  When  my  servant  shall  have 
given  his  life  as  a  sacrifice  then  he  shall 
have  seed  and  live  long.  This  seed  are  all 
the  true  children  of  God,  which  are-  born 
again,  "not  of  corruptible  seed,  but  of  in- 
corruptible, by  the  word  of  God,"  1  Pet. 
1:  23. 

Christ  says,  "Behold  I  and  the  children 
which  God  hath  given  me,"  Heb.  2: 13;  and 
these  children  of  God  abide  in  eternity, 
eternal  joy  and  peace  shall  be  upon  them: 
they  shall  always  reign  with  Christ,  and 
Christ  their  King  has  an  eternal  kingdom, 
and  his  throne  shall  be  as  the  days  of  heav- 
en. This  psalm  quite  agrees  with  the  vrords 
of  the  prophet  Nathan,  which  he  spoke  un- 
to David  promising  him  Solomon.  As  we 
must  not  understand  the  words  of  the  proph- 
et Nathan  a^  referring  to  Solomon  alone, 
but  rather  as  referring  to  Christ  (although 
the  words  in  a  literal  sense  are  spoken  in 
reference  to  Solomon),  thus  we  should  not 
understand  the  words  of  the  psalm  as  re- 
ferring to  carnal  David  alone,  but  rather  to 
the  true  David,  Christ  Jesus.  And  this  the 
following  text  strongly  implies,  which 
speaks  of  the  peace  of  Christ.  This  is  our 
confession  of  the  promised  David. 

We  might,  by  the  grace  of  God,  write  a 
great  deal  more  to  show  that  Christ  is  our 
promised  David;  but  we  presume  that  sxiffi- 
cient  has  been  written  for  the  intelligent. 
We  do  not  serve  the  contentious.  Let  them 
cry.  Let  them  make  unto  themselves  a  dif- 
ferent king,  yet  Christ  will  remain  the  eter- 
nal King  reigning  in  his  believing  church. 
He  is  the  Lord.  He  will  not  give  his  glory 
to  another.  He  will  have  incense  which 
shall  be  sanctiiied  unto  him.  And  whoso- 
ever shall  make  such  incense  unto  himself, 
his  soul  shall  be  rooted  out  from  Israel, 
Ex.  5. 

None  shall  succeed  in  exalting  himself  to 
Christ  and  opposing  truth.  They  may 
make  a  disturbance,  but  Moses  and  Aaron 
will  gain  the  victory.  Jannes  and  Jambres 
must  give  way  and  be  shamed,  2  Tim.  3:  8. 
Korah,  Dathan  and  Abiram  may  rise 
against  Moses,  but  they  sliall  perish  with 
1  their  confederates,  Num.  16:  32. 


A  proud  Uzziah  may  rise  and  appropri- 
ate the  glory  which  is  not  due  him,  but  he 
will  be  smitten  of  God,  2  Chron.  26:  16. 

Hophni  and  Phinehas  may  for  a  time 
make  the  people  transgress,  and  turn  them 
from  the  tnie  religion,  but  they  shall  obtain 
their  reward,  1  Sam.  2: 12;  4: 11.  Let  every 
one  take  heed  and  remain  in  Christ.  Suf- 
^jdent  of  this. 

JBy  the  grace  of  God'we  will  also  write  a 
little  about  warfare,  tliat  christians  are  not 
allowed  to  figlit  with  the  sword,  that  we 
may  unanimously  leave  the  armor  of  David 
to  the  carnal  Israelites;  and  the  sword  of 
Zerubbabel  to  those  who  build  the  temple 
of  Zerubbabel  in  Jerusalem,  which  was  a 
figure  of  them  and  a  shadow  of  things  com- 
ing. For  the  body  itself  is  in  Christ  as 
Paul  says,  Col.  2:9. 

Now  we  should  not  understand  that  the 
figure  of  the  Old  Testament  is  so  applied  to 
the  truth  of  the  New  Testament,  that  flesh 
is  understood  as  referring  to  flesh;  but  the 
figure  must  answer  the  tiuth;  the  image,  the 
being,  and  the  letter,  the  Spirit. 

If  we  take  this  view  of  it  we  shall  easily 
understand  with  what  kind  of  arms  chris- 
tians should  light,  namely,  with  the  word 
of  God,  which  is  a  two  edged  sword,  of 
which  we  will,  by  the  assistance  of  God, 
say  a  few  words,  Heb.  4:  12;  Eph.  6:  17. 

Whereas  the  eternal  God  has  raised  his 
Son  Christ,  a  Prophet  unto  us  whom  we 
shall  hear;  and  whereas  Christ  testifies  of 
himself  that  he  is  our  only  Master,  there- 
fore it  is  incontrovertible  that  we  dare  not 
accept  any  other  doctrine  but  the  doctrine 
of  Christ.  No  siranr/e  doctrine,  which  is  con- 
trary to  the  doctrine  of  Christ  and  that 
which  the  apostles  by  the  Holy  Ghost  have 
written  and  taught  unto  us,  I  say,  we  dare 
accept,  Deut.  18:15;  Acts  3:22;  7:37; 
Matt.  23:  9.  For  there  may  be  no  strange 
fire  ofiered  unto  God.  Christ  will  not  tol- 
erate the  leaven  of  the  Pharisees,  Lev.  10: 1 ; 
Matt.  16:  8. 

Moses  had  to  make  the  cherubims  of  pure 
gold,  Ex.  25:  18.  "The  words  of  the  Lord 
are  pure  words;  as  silver  tried  in  a  furnace 
of  earth,  purified  seven  times,"  Ps.  12:  6. 

The  Lord  does  not  sufler  his  doctrine  to 
be  adulterated;  he  punishes  all  false  doc- 
trine, as  he  spoke  about  Jerusalem,  "Tliy 


TESTIMONY  AGAINST  JOHN  VAN  LEYDEN. 


435 


silver  is  become  dross,  thy  wine  mixed  witli 
water/'  "and  I  will  turn  my  liand  npon 
thee  and  purely  pnrge  away  thy  dross," 
Isa.  1 :  23,  25 ;  thus  "God  hates  all  false  doc- 
trine; and  therefore  the  apostles  admonish 
us  that  we  shall  abide  in  God's  word  alone, 
as  John  says,  "Let  that  therefore  abide  in 
you  which  3''e  have  heard  from  the  begin- 
ning. If  that  which  ye  have  heard  from 
the  beginning  shall  remain  in  you,  ye  also 
shall  continue  in  the  Son,  and  in  the  Fa- 
ther," 1.  Jn.  2: 24.  Paul  says  that  we  should 
beware  of  those  who  raise  contentions  and 
are  offended  at  the  doctrine  which  he 
preached,  that  they  should  be  separated. 
Yea,  so  strongly  does  Paul  urge  his  doc- 
trine that  he  says,  "If  any  man  preach  any 
other  gospel  unto  you  than  that  ye  have 
received,  let  him  be  accursed,"  Gal.  1 :  8. 
Thus  Paul  teaches  in  all  his  epistles  to  be- 
ware of  a  strange  gospel,  and  to  abide  in 
the  doctrine  which  is  not  his,  but  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  according  to  the  words  of 
Christ,  "For  it  is  not  ye  that  speak,  but 
the  Spirit  of  j^our  Father  which  speaketh  in 
you."  Now  the  Spirit  of  God  sjoeaks  thus 
through  Paul,  "My  brethren,  be  strong  in 
the  Lord,  and  in  the  power  of  his  might. 

.  Put  on  the  whole  armor  of  God,  that  ye 
may  be  able  to  stand  against  the  wiles  of 
the  devil.  For  we  wrestle  not  against  flesh 
andblood,but  against  principalities, against 
powers,  against  the  rulers  of  the  darkness 
of  this  world,  against  spiritual  wickedness 
in  high  places.  Wherefore  take  unto  you 
the  whole  armor  of  God,  that  ye  may  be 
able  to  withstand  in  the  evil  day,  and,  hav- 
ing done  all,  to  stand.  Stand,  therefore, 
having  your  loins  girt  about  with  truth, 
and  having  on  the  breastplate  of  righteous- 
ness; and  your  feet  shod  Avith  tlie  prepara- 
tion of  the  gospel  of  peace.    Above  all, 

.taking  the  shield  of  faith,  wherewith  ye 
shall  Ibe  able  to  quench  all  the  fiery  darts 
of  the  wicked ;  and  take  the  helmet  of  salva- 
tion, and  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  which  is 
the  word  of  God,"  Eph.  6:  10—17;  1  Thess. 
5:  8.  At  another  place:  "For  tlie  weapons 
of  our  warfare  are  not  carnal,  but  mighty 
through  God  to  the  pulling  down  of  strong- 
holds; casting  down  imaginations,  and 
every  high  thing  that  exalteth  itself  against 
the  knowledge  of  God,  and  bringing  into 


cax>tivity  every  thought  to  the  obedience  of 
Christ.  And  having  in  a  readiness  to  re- 
venge all  disobedience,  when  your  obedi- 
enc^e  is  fulfilled,"  2  Cor.  10:  4—6.  He  that"! 
is  not  blind  will  understand  with  what 
weapons  the  christian  is  to  light,  namely, 
with  the  word  of  God ;  with  this  they  should 
be  well  armored.  For  thus  speaks  the  holy 
church:  "Behold,  his  bed  which  is  Solo- 
mon's; threescore  valiant  men  are  about 
I  it,  of  the  valiant  of  Israel;  they  all  hold 
swords,  being  expert  in  war;  every  man 
hath  his  sword  upon  his  thigh  because  of 
fear  in  the  night,"  Cant.  3:7,  8;  that  is, 
!  each  one  is  armed  with  the  sword  of  the 
Spirit  against  all  the  wiles  of  the  devil, 
against  all  false  doctrine.  Concerning 
Christ  it  is  .written,  "  Gird  thy  sword  upon 
thy  thigh,  O  most  Mighty,  with  thy  glory 
and  thy  majesty.  And  in  thy  majesty  ride 
prosperously,  because  of  truth  and  meek- 
ness, and  righteousness;  and  thy  right  hand 
shall  teach  thee  terrible  things.  Thine  ar- 
rows are  sharp  in  the  heart  of  the  king's  en- 
emies ;  whereby  the  people  fall  under  thee," 
Ps.  45:3— 5. 

Here  the  Scriptures  say  that  Christ  shall  j 
have  a  sword.  What  sword  now  shall 
Christ  have?  This  he  himself  tells  in  the 
"Revelation,"  in  these  words,  "Repent;  or 
else  I  will  come  unto  thee  quicklj^  and  will 
fight  against  them  with  the  sword  of  my 
mouth,"  Rev.  2:  16. 

If  Christ  fights  his  enemies  with  the  Eword 
of  his  niouth,  if  he  smites  the  earth  with  the 
rod  of  his  mouth,  and  slay  the  wicked  with 
the  breath  of  his  lips ;  and  if  we  are  to  be 
j  conformed  unto  his  image,  how  can  we, 
I  then,    fight  our  enemies  with    any    other 
I  sword?   Does  not  the  apostle  Peter  say, 
,  "For  even  hereunto  were  ye  called,  because 
Christ  also  suffered  for  us,  leaving  us  an 
I  example,  that  ye  should  follow  his  steps: 
who  did  not  sin,  neither  was  guile  found  in 
'  his  mouth:  who,  when  he  was  reviled,  re- 
viled not  again;  when  he  suffered  he  threat- 
ened not;   but  committed  himself  to  him 
that  judgeth  righteously  ?"  1  Pet.  2:  21—23; 
Matt.  16:  24.    This  accords  with  the  words 
of  John  who  says.  That  he  that  abides  in 
Christ,  walks    as    Christ    walked.     Christ 
himself  says,  "Whosoever  vdll  come  after 
I  me,  let  him  deny  himself,  and  take  up  his 


436 


TESTIMONY  AGAINST  JOHN  VAN  LEYDEN. 


cross,  and  follow  me,"  Mark  8:  34;  Luke 
9:23.  Again,  "My  sheep  hear  my  voice 
....  and  they  follow  me,"  Jn.  10  27.  And 
this  is  the  voice  of  Christ,  "Ye  have  heard 
that  it  hath  been  said,  "An  eye  for  an  eye, 
and  a  tooth  for  a  tooth:  But  I  say  unto 
you,  that  ye  resist  not  evil :  hut  whosoever 
shall  smite  thee  on  thy  right  cheek,  turn  to 
him  the  other  also." 

Again,  "Ye  have  heard  that  it  was  said. 
Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor,  and  hate 
thine  enemy:  But  I  say  unto  you,  Love 
your  enemies,  bless  them  that  curse  you, 
do  good  to  them  that  hate  yon,  and  pray 
for  them  which  despitefully  use  you,  and 
persecute  you;  That  ye  may  be  the  children 
of  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven,  for  he 
maketh  his  sun  to  rise  on  the  evil  and  on 
the  good,  and  sendeth  rain  on  the  just  and 
on  the  unjust.  For  if  ye  love  them  which 
love  you  what  reward  have  ye  ?  Do  not  even 
the  publicans  the  same  ?  And  if  ye  salute 
your  brethren  only,  what  do  you  more  than 
others  ?  Do  not  even  the  publicans  so  ?  Be 
ye  therefore  perfect,  even  as  your  Father 
which  is  in  heaven  is  perfect,"  Matt.  5:  39, 
43—47;  Eom.  12:20;  1  Pet.  3:9;  Luke 
6 :  34;  1  Pet.  1 :  15.  Behold  this  is  the  voice 
of  Christ.  All  those  now  who  are  his 
sheep  will  hear  his  voice.  Bat  those  who 
are  not  his  sheep  will  not  hear  his  voice,  as 
Christ  said  unto  the  Pharisees,  "Ye  believe 
not  because  ye  are  not  of  my  sheep."  The 
Pharisees  thought  they  had  Moses  and  the 
prophets,  they  also  had  a  semblance  of  ho- 
liness; but  they  did  not  hear  the  voice  of 
Christ,  thei'efore  it  was  all  in  vain.  Thus 
it  is  with  all  those  who  do  not  submit  them- 
selves to  the  commandments  of  Christ. 
^  It  is  not  in  the  leaves  of  the  tree,  but  in 
the  fruit.  And  which  is  the  right  kind  of 
fruit,  Paul  clearly  testifies,  saying,  "The 
fruit  of  the  Spirit  is  love,  joy,  peace,  long- 
suflfering,  gentleness,  goodness,  faith,  meek- 
ness, temperance,"  Gal.  5:  22,  23.  Here 
we  are  not  taught  to  take  up  the  carnal 
sword,  or  to  repay  evil  with  evil.  But  rath- 
er as  Paul  says  at  another  place,  "Eecom- 
pense  to  no  man  evil  for  evil.  Provide 
things  honest  in  the  sight  of  all  men.  If  it 
be  possible,  as  much  as  lieth  in  you,  live 
peaceably  with  all  men.  Dearly  beloved, 
avenge  not  yourselves ;  but  rather  give  place 


unto  wrath:  For  it  is  written,  Vengeance  is 
mine;  I  will  repay,  saith  the  Lord.  There- 
fore if  thine  enemy  hunger,  feed  him ;  if  he 
thirst,  give  him  drink;  for  in  so  doing  thou 
shalt  heap  coals  of  tire  on  his  head.  Be 
not  overcome  of  evil,  but  overcome  evil  with 
good,"  Rom.  13:  17 — 21.  And  how  can 
christians  fight  with  the  implements  of 
war?  Paul  plainly  says,  "Let  this  mind  be 
in  you,  which  was  also  in  Christ  Jesus," 
Phil.  2:  5.  Now,  Christ  Jesus  was  minded 
to  suffer;  thus,  all  christians  must  be  sm 
minded. 

Christ  did  not  suffer  Peter  to  defend  him 
with  the  sword;  how  can  a  christian,  then, 
defend  himself  with  the  sword?  Christ 
would  drink  the  cup  which  the  Father  had 
given  him;  how  then,  can  a  christian  refuse 
to  drink  it?  Matt.  26:51;  Luke  22:50; 
Mark  14:  47;  Jn.  IS:  11. 

Or  does  any  person  expect  to  be  saved  by 
other  means  than  those  which  Christ  has 
taught  us?  Is  not  Christ  the  way,  the  truth, 
and  the  life  ?  Is  he  not  the  door  to  the  fold, 
so  that  none  can  enter  into  the  fold  but  by 
him?  Jn.  10:9;  14:6. 

Is  he  not  the  Shepherd  of  his  sheep, 
whom  the  sheep  should  follow?  Is  not  he 
our  Lord  and  Prince?  And  who  is  it  that 
would  be  above  his  Master  but  he  that 
would  not  suffer,  as  he  has  suffered.  Who 
is  it  that  w-ould  be  above  his  master  but  he 
that  is  not  satisfied  with  his  Master's  doc- 
trine? Let  every  one  take  heed.  It  is  for- 
bidden us  to  take  up  arms,  Matt.  10:  24; 
Jn.  13: 16;  15:  20. 

Paul  says, "  Put  them  in  mind  to  be  subject 
to  principalities  and  powers,  to  obey  magis- 
trates, to  be  ready  to  every  good  work,  to 
speak  evil  of  no  man,  to  be  no  brawlers, 
but  gentle,  shewing  all  meekness  unto  all 
men,"  Titus  3:1,2.  And  the  holy  apostle 
James  says,  "  Be  patient,  therefore  brethren 
unto  the  coming  of  the  Lord.  Behold  the 
husbandman  waiteth  for  the  precious  fruit 
of  the  earth,  and  hath  long  patience  for  it, 
until  he  receive  the  early  and  latter  rain. 
I  Be  3^e  also  patient;  stablish  your  heart; 
for  the  coming  of  the  Lord  draweth  nigh. 

Take,  my  brethren,  the  prophets, 

j  who  have  spoken  in  the  name  of  the  Lord, 
I  for  an  example  of  suffering,  affliction,  and 
1  of  patience.    Behold,  we  count  them  happy 


TESTIMONY  AGAINST  JOHN  VAN  LETDEN. 


437 


which  endure.  Ye  have  heard  of  the  pa- 
tience of  Job,  and  have  seen  the  end  of  the 
Lord;  that  the  Lord  is  very  pitiful,  and  of 
tender  mercy,"  Jas.  5:  7 — 11.  If  we  are  to 
be  longsuli'ering  until  the  coming  of  the 
Lord,  then  it  is.  surely,  forbidden  to  light 
inasmuch  as  the  Lord  is  not  yet  come. 

And  if  we  are  to  take  the  prophets  as  an 
example  to  bear  with  persecution,  then 
we  must  put  on  the  apostolic  armor,  and 
the  armor  of  David  must  be  left  behind. 
How  would  it  comport  with  the  word  of 
God,  that  one  who  boasts  of  being  a  chris- 
tian, should  lay  aside  the  spiritual  weap- 
ons and  take  up  the  carnal  ones,  for  Paul 
says,  "The  servant  of  the  Lord  must  not 
strive;  but  be  gentle  unto  all  men,  apt  to 
teach,  patient;  in  meekness  instructing 
those  that  oppose  themselves;  if  God  per- 
adventure  will  give  them  repentance  to  the 
acknowledging  of  the  truth.  And  that  they 
may  recover  themselves  out  of  the  snare  of 
the  devil,  who  are  taken  captive  by  him  at 
his  will,"  2  Tim.  2:  24—26. 
r'  All  of  you  who  would  fight  with  the  sword 
'  of  David,  and  be  the  servants  of  the  Lord, 
consider  these  words,  which  show  how  a 
servant  should  be  minded.  If  he  is  not  to 
strive,  how  can  he  war  ?  If  he  is  to  be  gentle 
to  all  men,  how  can  he  then  hate  them  and 
do  evil  unto  them  ?  If  he  is  to  be  apt  to 
teach,  how  can  he  lay  aside  the  apostolic 
weapons?  If  he  is  to  teach  he  will  need 
them.  If  he  is  to  instruct  in  meekness  those 
that  oppose,  how  can  he  destroy  them  ? 

If  he  is  to  instruct  in  meekness  those  that 
oppose  truth,  how  can  he  angrily  punish 
those  that  do  not  yet  acknowledge  the 
tiuth?  Paul  says,  if  God  peradventure  will 
give  them  repentance.  But  some  will  not 
wait  for  that,  and  if  they  even  do  it  with 
good  intention,  still  they  with  Uzzah  lay 
their  hands  on  the  ark  of  God.  Therefore 
I  fear  that  it  will  not  be  left  unpunished. 
And  if  they  with  Saul,  even  saved  the  best 
beasts  of  the  Amalekites,  for  sacrifices  unto 
God',  yet  it  will  not  please  the  Lord;  for  it 
is  contrary  to  his  word.  He  has  pleasure 
in  obedience  and  not  in  sacrifices. 
V"^  But  now  some  say,  the  Lord  wants  to 
'  punish  Babylon,  and  that  by  his  christians; 
they  must  be  his  instruments.  O,  God  !  It 
would  be  well  if  we  would  leave  the  Lord 


to  do  his  works,  and  remember  the  words 
of  Ecclesiasticus :  "Seek  not  out  the  things 
that  are  too  hard  for  thee,  neither  search 
the  things  that  are  above  thy  strength.  But 
what  is  commanded  thee,  think  thereupon 
with  reverence;  for  it  is  not  needful  for  thee 
to  see  with  thine  eyes  the  things  that  are  in 
secret.  Be  not  curious  in  unnecessary  mat- 
ters," Eccl.  3:  21—23.  — 

For  many  things  are  shown  men  above 
their  understanding,  and  presumption  has 
caused  many  to  fall,  and  held  their  under- 
standing in  vanity.  It  would  also  be  well 
for  those  who  ask,  with  the  disciples  of  the 
Lord,  when  the  kingdom  of  Israel  is  to  be 
restored,  to  observe  the  answer  of  the  Lord: 
"  It  is  not  for  you  to  know  the  times  or  the 
seasons,  which  the  Father  hath  put  in  his 
own  power,"  Acts  1 :  6.  But  this  they  for- 
get, and  cry :  God  will  shortly  punish  and 
destroy  Babylon.  To  do  this  the  christians 
must  be  his  instruments;  and  this  they 
make  the  simple  believe;  for  which  reason 
we  will  adduce  some  Scriptures.  It  is  true 
that  God  will  punish  Babylon,  but  not  by 
his  christians;  for  thus  speaks  Jeremiah: 
"The  Lord  hath  raised  up  the  spirits  of 
the  kings  of  the  Medes;  for  his  device  is 
against  Babylon  to  destroy  it;  because  it 
is  the  vengeance  of  the  Lord,  the  vengeance 
of  his  temple."  Again:  "Prepare  against 
her  the  nations,  with  the  kings  of  the  Medes, 
the  captains  thereof,  and  all  the  rulers 
thereof,  and  all  the  land  of  his  dominion. 
And  the  land  shall  tremble  and  sorrow:  for 
every  purpose  of  the  Lord  shall  be  per- 
formed against  Babylon,  to  make  the  land 
of  Babylon  a  desolation  without  an  inhabi- 
tant," Jer.  51 :  11,  28,  29. 

I  am  aware  that  this  was  fulfilled  against 
Babylon,  in  the  Chaldee  country,  though  the 
Roman  Babylon  shall  not  escape  the  same 
plague;  but  I  have  adduced  this  for  the 
service  of  the  advocates  of  the  sword  who 
want  to  prove  by  this  Scripture  of  Jeremiah, 
that  the  christians  shall  punish  Babylon, 
while  the  prophet  clearly  testifies  that  God 
has  done  this  by  heathen  hands,  and  that 
it  is  his  will  that  it  shall  be  done  by  such, 
as  is  shown  by  Rev.  17: 16:  "The  ten  horns 
which  thou  sawestupon  the  beast,  these  shall 
hate  the  whore,  and  shall  make  her  deso- 
late and  naked,  and  shall  eat  her  flesh,  and 


438 


TESTIMONY  AGAINST  JOHN  VAN  LEYDEN. 


burn  her  with  lire.  For  God  hath  put  in 
their  hearts  to  fulfill  his  •will,  and  to  agree 
and  give  their  kingdom  nnto  the  beast,  un- 
til the  words  of  God  shall  be  fulfilled." 

Thus  it  may  be  plainly  understood  fi-om 
these  words  that  the  Babylonian  whore 
shall  be  destroj^ed,  not  by  christians;  as 
also,  that  christians  should  not  destroy.  A 
Theudas  may  rise  up  and  cause  a  distur- 
bance, but  he  shall  not  succeed,  Acts  5:  36. 
There  may  rise  up  a  Judas  Galilee  and 
cause  a  riot,  brrthe  shall  perish,  and  all  his 
followers  shall  perish  and  be  scattered. 
Let  every  person  beware  and  diligently  ob- 
serve the  Scriptures,  and  he  shall  see  that 
the  Lord  himself  will  destroy,  at  his  coming 
again,  and  punish  all  his  enemies  who  will 
not  submit  to  him.  For  Luke  says,  "It 
I'ame  to  pass,  that  when  he  was  returned, 
having  received  the  kingdom,  then  he  com- 
manded these  servants  to  be  called  unto 
him,  to  whom  he  had  given  the  money,  that 
he  might  know  how  much  every  man  had 
gained  by  trading;"  and  when  his  servants 
had  given  an  account,  he  said,  "But  those 
mine  enemies  which  would  notthat  I  should 
reign  over  them,  bring  hither,  and  slay 
them  before  me,"  Luke  19:  15,  27. 

This  Scripture  clearly  testifies  that  the 
Lord  Christ,  must  first  come  again,  before 
all  his  enemies  are  punished.  And  how 
Christ  will  come  again  he  himself  testifies, 
saying,  "For  the  son  of  man  shall  come  in 
the  glory  of  his  Father,  with  his  angels; 
and  then  he  shall  reward  every  man  accord- 
ing to  his  works,"  Matt.  16:27.  Again, 
"For  as  the  lightening  cometh  out  of  the 
east,  and  shineth  even  unto  the  west;  so 
shall  also  the  coming  of  the  son  of  man 
be."  "And  then  shall  appear  the  sign  of 
the  son  of  man  in  heaven:  and  then  shall 
all  the  tribes  of  the  earth  mourn,  and  they 
shall  see  the  son  of  man  coming  in  the 
clouds  of  heaven,  with  power  and  great 
glory,"  Matt.  24:  27,  30;  Mark  13: 26;  Luke 
17:  24.  The  two  angels  also  testified  how 
Christ  would  come  again,  saying,  "Yemen 
of  Galilee,  why  stand  ye  gazing  up  into 
heaven?  This  same  Jesus,  which  is  taken 
up  from  you  into  heaven,  shall  so  come  in 
like  manner  as  ye  have  seen  him  go  into 
heaven,"  Acts  1:  11.  From  this  it  is  plain 
to  everybody  how  Clu'ist  shall  come;  there- 


fore, when  ye  shall  see  Christ  come  in  this 
manner  then  you  may  rest  assured  that  all 
the  enemies  of  God  will  be  punished;  and 
do  not  suppose  that  it  shall  be  so  before 
his  coming  again,  for  you  will  find  your- 
selves mistaken;  or  else  God's  word  must 
be  false,  which  is  impossible.  Luke  also 
says,  that  the  Lord  had  received  the  king- 
dom. 

Of  this  Daniel  says,  "I  saw  in  the  night 
visions,  and  behold,  one  like  the  son  of 
man  came  with  the  clouds  of  heaven,  and 
came  to  the  Ancient  of  days,  and  they 
brought  him  near  before  him.  And  there 
was  given  him  dominion,  and  glory,  and  a 
kingdom,  that  all  people,  nations,  and  lan- 
guages, should  serve  him :  his  dominion  is 
an  everlasting  dominion,  which  shall  not 
pass  away,  and  his  kingdom,  that  which 
shall  not  be  destroyed,"  Dan.  7 :  13,  14. 
Here  observe  of  whom  Christ  receives  this 
kingdom,  that  you  may  see  what  abomina- 
ble deceit  it  is  that  some  say  that  John  Yan 
Ley  den  would  take  the  kingdom,  and  that 
he  who  has  taken  it  will  give  it  unto  Christ, 
as  David  gave  the  kingdom  unto  Solomon. 

Farther,  the  evangelist  says,  That  Christ 
will  take  account  with  his  servants,  which 
will  not  be  until  the  day  of  judgment;  Paul 
says,  "We  must  all  appear  before  the 
judgment  seat  of  Christ;  that  every  one 
may  receive  the  things  done  in  his  body, 
according  to  that  he  hath  done,  whether  it 
be  good  or  bad,"  2  Cor.  5:  10.  Jesus  says, 
"That  every  idle  word  that  men  shall  speak, 
they  shall  give  account  thereof  in  the  day 
of  judgment,"  Matt.  12 :  36.  Then  the  faith- 
ful servants  shall  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
their  Lord;  then  shall  the  wicked  be  pun- 
ished, and  all  whose  names  are  not  found 
written  in  the  book  of  life  will  be  cast  into 
the  lake  of  fire;  for  they  would  not  confess 
Christ  to  be  their  king,  but  worshipped  the 
beast  and  his  image,  Rev.  20:  15;  13:  8. 

This  parable  some  adulterate,  and  say, 
"The  enemies  of  God  must  be  destroyed 
before  the  coming  of  Christ,  and  therefore 
we  will  be  the  instruments  to  do  so."  But 
they  must  come  to  shame;  "  For  thus  saith 
the  Lord  God,  the  Holy  One  of  Israel;  In 
returning  and  rest  shall  3^e  be  saved;  in 
quietness  and  in  confidence  shall  be  yqiu- 
strength:  and  ye  would  not.    But  ye  said. 


TESTIMONY  AGAINST  JOHN  VAN  LEYDEN. 


439 


No;  for  we  will  flee  upon  horses;  therefore  ] 
shall  ye  flee;   aud  we  will  ride  upon  the  , 
swift ;  therefore  shall  they  that  pursue  you  : 
be  swift,"  Isa.  30:15.     O,  that  the  advo- 
cates  of  the   sword  would    observe  these 
words  !  Yea,  those  who  would  be  angels  to 
root  up  the  tares  !  while  Christ  told  the  par- 
able with  a  difi"erent  understanding,  saying, 
"The  good  seed  are  the  children  of  the 
kingdom ;  but  the  tares  are  the  children  of 
the  wicked  one ;  the  enemy  that  sowed  them 
is  the  devil,  the  harvest  is  the  end  of  the 
world;  and  the  reapers   are  the  angels," 
Matt.  13:  38,  39.    Inasmuch  as  the  chris-  ^ 
tians  are  the  good  seed,  how  then  can  they 
be  the  angels  or  reapers ;  or  if  they  be  the  ' 
reapers,  how  can  they  ho  the  seed  ?  These 
two  are  quite  diiferent  things,  the  seecj.  and  i 
the  reapers ;  its  plainness  is  incontrovertible. 

It  is  true  that  the  christians  are  some- 
times called  angels.  But  we  cannot  always 
understand  it,  when  reading  of  angels,  as 
meaning  the  believing.  There  are  also 
other  angels  of  which  it  is  written:  "Who 
maketh  liis  angels  spirits;  his  ministers  a 
flaming  five,"  Ps.  104:  4;  103:  20;  Heb.  1:7. 
With  these  angels  Christ  will  come,  as 
Paul  says,  "The  Lord  Jesus  shall  be  re- 
vealed from  heaven  with  his  mighty  angels, 
in  flaming  fire,  taking  vengeance  on  them 
that  know  not  God,  and  that  obey  not  the 
gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,"  3  Thess. 
1:7,8.  These  angels  will  be  the  reapers 
who,  at  the  end  of  the  w^orld,  that  is,  in  the 
day  of  judgment,  will  root  up  all  tares  and 
cast  them  into  the  lake  of  fire.  Until  that 
time  the  tares  will  be  left  among  the  good 
seed;  let  none  think  that  we  should  root 
up  the  tares  now,  or  that  we  should  now 
separate  the  goats  from  the  sheep.  "  When 
the  son  of  man  shall  come  in  his  glory,  and 
all  the  holy  angels  with  him,  then  shall  he 
sit  upon  the  throne  of  his  glory:  And  be- 
fore him  shall  be  gathered  all  nations;  and 
he  shall  separate  them  one  from  another, 
as  a  shepherd  divideth  his  sheep  from  the 
goats:  and  he  shall  set  the  sheep  on  his 
right  hand,  but  the  goats  on  the  left,"  Matt. 
35:  31—33. 

These  words  are  as  clear  as  the  sun,  yet 
some  do  not  understand  them,  so  that  we 
may  well  say  unto  them,  "O  foolish  Gala- 
tions,  who  hath  bewitched  you,  that  ye 


should  not  obey  the  truth,  before  whose 
eyes  Jesus  Christ  hath  been  evidently  set 
forth,  crucified  among  you?  This  only 
would  I  learn  of  you."  AVhether  you  are 
baptized  on  the  sword  or  on  the  cross? 
"Are  ye  so  foolish?  having  begun  in  the 
Spirit,  are  ye  now  made  perfect  by  the 
flesh  ?  Have  ye  suffered  so  many  things  in 
vain?  if  it  be  yet  in  vain,"  Gal.  3:  1 — 4. 

AVhat  avails  it  that  you  have  left  Egypt 
if  you  again  look  back  to  Egypt,  that  is, 
to  dajkness,  and  leave  the  true  light,  yea, 
are  desirous  after  the  flesh  of  Egypt,  that 
is,  human  doctrine,  and  are  not  satisfied 
with  the  bread  from  heaven?  Ex.  14:  11; 
Num.  14:  2. 

What  does  it  avail  that  you  are  gone 
away  from  Pharaoh,  if  you  are  slain  by 
Amalek  on  account  of  your  disobedience; 
that  is,  because  you  fight  against  the  will 
of  the  Lord  ?  What  does  it  profit  that  you 
have  gone  through  the  Red  Sea  with  the 
children  of  Israel,  if  you  do  not  enter  with 
Joshua  and  Caleb,  into  the  promised  land, 
by  firm  faith  in  God's  word  ?  And  how  we 
are  to  enter  into  the  promised  land,  in  the 
eternal  kingdom  of  God,  is  testified  to  by 
Paul  and  Barnabas,  who  taught  the  church- 
es that  they  had  to  enter  into  the  kingdom 
through  many  tribulations. 

Christ  has  not  taken  his  kingdom  with 
the  sword,  but  he  entered  it  through  much 
sufi"ering.  Yet  they  mean  to  take  it  by  the 
sword !  O,  blindness  of  man  !  But  thus  it 
must  be,  that  those  who  will  not  confess 
Christ  to  be  their  only  Shepherd,  that  they 
may  be  pastured  by  him,  will  have  to  eat 
of  the  pastures  which  are  trampled  upon; 
and  that  those  who  will  not  draw  the  clear, 
crystal  water  from  the  fount  of  the  Savior, 
will  have  to  drink  the  impure  water  which 
the  false  shepherds  have  made  impure  with 
their  feet.  And  that  for  the  reason,  because 
they  have  done  double  evil  to  the  children 
of  Israel.  They  have  forsaken  the  Lord, 
the  living  fountain,  and  have  made  fount- 
ains of  their  own  which  appear  beautiful, 
but  they  afford  no  water.  Therefore  I  ad- 
monish all  beloved  brethren,  yea,  I  pray 
you  by  the  mercy  of  God  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  to  give  heed  to  the  word  of  God, 
and  do  not  forsake  it;  for  you  have  seen 
your  Master  Christ,  with  the  eye  of  faith, 


440 


TESTIMONY  AGAINST  JOHN  VAN  LEYDEN. 


and  you  have  heard  his  voice,  saying,  This  ' 
is  the  tnie  way,  walk  upon  it,  go  neither  to 
the  right  hand  nor  to  the  left.  \ 

Let  every  one  of  you  guard  against  all 
strange  doctrine,  of  the  sword,  of  opposition 
and  of  other  like  things,  which  is  nothing  i 
short  of  a  tine  cover,  under  which  lies  hid- 
den an  evil  serpent  which  has  blown  its 
venom  into  many.  Let  every  one  beware 
of  it! 

Let  every  one  behave  himself  in  accord- 
ance with  the  example  of  the  divine  word, 
which  he  has  received  from  the  apostles,  by 
faith  and  love.  Let  every  one  remember 
that  Christ  was  taught  to  him  in  no  other 
way  but  throxigh  tribulation.    Abide  in  it. 


For  in  Christ  is  an  upright  being;  he  is  the 
light  of  the  world;  he  who  follows  him 
shall  not  walk  in  darkness,  but  have  the 
light  of  life,  Ps.  67:  1.  God,  the  Father  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  be  gracious  unto  us, 
and  enlighten  us  that  we  on  earth  may  ac- 
knowledge his  way,  and  his  salvation 
among  the  Gentiles. 

All  you  who  have  tasted  the  kindness  of 
the  Lord,  love  him.  The  Lord  upholds  the 
upright.  Be  of  good  cheer,  and  doubt  not ; 
for  the  Lord  will  strengthen  your  souls, 
who  patiently  wait  for  his  coming.  "The 
Lord  reigneth;  let  the  people  tremble;  he 
sitteth  between  the  cherubim ;  let  the  earth 
be  moved,"  Ps.  99:  1.  This  King  the  Jews 
scorned,  and  they  became  blind. 


j^  i^xi<rjD 


ADMONITION  OR  INSTEUCTION 


FROM  THE  WORD   OF  GOD, 


HOW  A_CHRISTIAN  SHOULD. BE  DISPOSED;  AND  CONCERNING  THE  SHUN- 
NING AND  SEPARATION  OF  THE  UNFAITHFUL  BRETHREN  AND 
SISTERS,  EITHERIDECEIVED  BY  HERETICAL  DOCTRINE,  OR 
LEADING  A  CARNAL,  SHAMEFUL  LIFE. 


BY 


MENNO   SIMON. 


"For  other  foundation  can  no  man  lay  than  that  is  laid,  which  is  Jesus  Chngt," 
1  Cor.  8:  11. 


93 


ELKHART,  SI^DIANA: 

PUBLISHED  BY  JOHN  F.  FUNK  AND  BROTHER. 

187  1. 


A  KIND  ADMOIITION. 


Menno  Simon  wisJies  all  true  hrdhren  and  sisters  in  Jesus  Christ  the  grace  and  peace 
of  God  our  heavenly  Father,  through  Jesus  Christ  his  Son,  our  Lord,  who  loved  us,  and 
cleansed  us  of  our  sins  hy  his  hlood.     To  him  he  glory,  now  and  forever.  Amen. 

Hear,  believe,  and  fulfill  God's  loord,  and  you  shall  liave  everlasting  life.  Do  not 
judge  until  you  have  perused  and  well  understood  this. 


SiNCEKELYbelovedcliildren  in  Christ  Jesus, 
you  are  aware  with  what  diligence,  nay, 
how  sincerely  I  have  of  late  admonished 
most  of  you,  according  to  the  word  of  the 
Lord,  by  many  Scriptures,  flowing  from  a 
loving,  inclined  and  moved  Spirit,  as  you 
yourselves  have  witnessed,  I,  who  seek 
nothing  (of  which  God  is  my  witness)  but 
alone  the  salvation  of  your  souls;  teaching 
nothing,  desiring  nothing,  admonishing  you 
to  nothing  but  alone  that  your  most  holy 
faith  and  works  may  be  powerful  and  fruit- 
ful before  God;  and  that  your  life  and  walk 
may  be  found  before  God,  before  his  an- 
gels, and  before  all  the  world,  holy,  pure, 
sober,  chaste,  temperate,  humble,  gentle, 
kind,  mild,  merciful,  righteous,  iinblamable, 
in  conformity  with,  and  obedient  to  the 
gospel  of  Christ,  a  shining  light,  that  in  all 
your  doings  you  may  express  Christ  Jesus 
whom  you  have  put  on,  if  you  have  right- 
ly put  him  on,  as  I  trust;  and  thus  show  in 
your  life  his  divine  and  heavenly  image 
after  which  you  are  created,  Col.  8;  Eph.  4. 

You  know  that  I  do  not  desire  your 
money,  silver,  and  carnal  gifts,  although  I 
may  be  blamed  of  it  by  the  infamous,  lying 
world.  I  beseech  all  of  you,  and  would 
with  much  solicitation,  anxiety,  tribiilation, 
sighing,  weeping,  and  pains,  teach  you 
such  faith,  love,  spirit,  conscience  and  walk 
that  you  can  stand  before  the  righteous 
judgment  of  God,  and  that  in  Christ  Jesus. 

I  do  not  doubt,  most  beloved  brethren, 
that  you  w^ell  know  (if  you  be  born  with 
Christ,  of  God  the  Father  of  the  heavenly 
seed  of  the  divine  word),  that  you  must  be 
conformed  unto  Christ  in  mind,  spirit,  coiu"- 
age  and  will,  both  in  doctrine  and  life,  as 
Christ  Jesus  is  conformed  unto  the  nature  and 
image  of  his  blessed,  heavenly  Father,  to 
which  he  was  so  conformed  that  he  did 
nothing  but  that  his  Father  did,  Jn.  5;  that 


he  taught  nothing  but  the  word  of  his  Fa- 
ther, Jn.  7.    In  the  same  manner  with  those 
who  are  begotten  of  the  living,  saving  word 
of  our  beloved  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  they  are, 
by  virtue  of  their  new  birth,  so  conformed 
]  unto  Christ,  so  like  unto  him,  so  really  im- 
1  planted  into  him,   so  converted   into  his 
\  lieavenly  nature,  that  they  do  not  teach  nor 
believe  any  doctrine  but  that  which  con- 
I  forms  unto  the  doctrine  of  Christ;  do  not 
make  use  of  any  religious  ceremonies  but 
Christ's  ceremonies,  which  he  has  taught 
and  commanded  in  his  holy  gospel ;  for  how 
can  the  natural  branches  bear  fruit  differ- 
ent from  that  of  the  vine  itself  of  which  they 
budded  forth?  Jn.  15. 

\  As  there  is  nothing  found  in  Christ  Jesus 
but  solely  the  holiness,  wisdom,  brightness, 
'  righteousness,  power,  love,  peace,  -mercy, 
and  truth  of  the  Almighty  Father,  thus  you 
have  in  the  same  manner  partaken  of  his 
being  and  goodness,  because  you  with  him 
are  regenerated  and  renewed  of  the  same 
Father. 

Behold,  brethren,  such  regenerated  and 
godly  minded,  live  unblamably,  even  ac- 
cording to  the  measure  of  the  rule  of  the 
holy  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  and  his  apos- 
tles.   Therefore  he  hisses  them  as  his  l^e- 
I  loved,  chosen  ones,  with  the  mouth  of  his 
peace,  Cant.  1,  and  calls  them  his  church, 
his  bride,  flesh  of  his  tiesli,  and  bone  of  his 
'  bone,  of  which  he  begets,  with  inexpressi- 
ble pleasure,  by  his  powerful  seed,  his  holy 
word,  the  children  of  God,  the  children  of  the 
promise,  the  children  of  righteousness,  the 
children  of  truth,  and  the  children  of  life  eter- 
nal. But  of  the  Babylonian,  Sodomitic,whor- 
!  ing,adulterous,  idolatrous, bloody,unbeliev- 
ing,  blind  and  unclean  whore  with  which  they 
,  have,forcenturies,livedin  adultery  by  theuse 
I  of  wood,  stone,  gold,  silver,  bread,  wine, 
;  false  doctrine,  and  of  the  very  vain,   ac- 


444 


A  KIND  ADMONITION. 


cursed  works  of  their  own  hands,  contrary 
to  Jesus  Christ  and  his  holy  word,  he  will 
never  beget  them,  Rev.  17;  18. 

Therefore  I  admonish  all  our  beloved 
brethren  and  sisters  in  the  Lord,  so  pre- 
cious as  is  Christ  Jesus  to  you,  never  to  let 
it  go  out  of  your  mind,  but  ever  to  remem- 
ber for  what  purpose  j^ou  are  called,  taught, 
and  baptized.  Remember  the  covenant  of 
the  most  high  God,  that  into  which  you  vol- 
untarily entered ;  into  which  you  have  volun- 
tarily desired  and  accepted,  being  taught 
by  the  word  of  God,  and  operated  upon  by 
the  Holy  Spirit;  and  remember  that  accord- 
ing to  the  doctrine  of  Paul,  you  have  volun- 
tarily buried  in  baptism,  all  your  avarice, 
uncleanness,  pride,  hatred,  envy,  abuse  of 
the  sacramental  signs,  idolatry,  gluttony, 
drunkenness,  sensuality,  falsehood,  deceit, 
&c.,  and  that  you  are  arisen  with  Christ 
Jesus,  into  newness  of  life,  Rom.  6,  if  you 
are  rightly  arisen  with  him ;  which  new  life 
is  nothing  else  but  righteousness,  unblama- 
bleness,  love,  mercifulness,  humility,  long- 
suffering,  peace,  truth,  yea,  the  whole,  gen- 
tle life  which  is  taught  by  the  gospel,  and 
was  found  in  Christ  Jesus. 

O,  brethren,  how  far  are  some  of  us,  alas, 
yet  distant  from  the  evangelical  life  which 
is  of  God  !  Notwithstanding  that  they  stay 
out  of  the  other  churches,  and  are  outward- 
ly baptized  in  water,  they  yet  are  carnal 
and  devilish  minded  in  all  things,  think- 
ing perhaps,  that  Christianity  consists  of 
outward  baptism  and  the  non-attendance 
of  the  church.  No,  beloved,  no  !  I  tell  you, 
as  truly  as  the  Lord  lives,  before  God  avails 
no  outward  baptism,  nor  staying  away 
from  the  churches,  nor  supper,  nor  being 
persecuted,  if  we  do  not  obey  the  command- 
ments of  God,  1  Cor.  7;  if  our  faith  does 
not  manifest  itself  in  love,  and  the  new 
creature,  as  also  Christ  Jesus  says,  "Verily, 
verily,  I  say  unto  you,  except  a  man  be 
born  again,  he  can  not  see  the  kingdom  of 
God,"  Jn.  3:  3.  At  another  place  he  says, 
"  Verilj^,  I  say  unto  you.  Except  ye  be  con- 
verted and  become  as  little  children,  ye 
shall  not  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven," 
Matt.  18:  3.  But  the  regenerated  and  con- 
verted, that  is  the  believing,  are  rightly 
baptized  in  accordance  with  God's  word; 
for  they  bury  their  sins  in  baptism,  and 


arise  with  Christ  into  newness  of  life,  Rom. 
6;  they  are  spiritually  circumcised  with  the 
circumcision  of  Christ,  Col.  2;  they  put  on 
Christ  Jesus;  they  show  by  the  washing  of 
regeneration  that  tliey  are  born  again ;  for 
it  is  a  washing  of  the  new  birth.  Tit.  3. 

These  regenerated  ones  use  the  true  Sup- 
per; for  they  proclaim  the  death  of  Christ 
until  his  coming  again,  1  Cor.  11;  their 
pleasure  is  in  the  church  of  the  righteous, 
their  works  are  nothing  but  brotherly  love, 
one  heart,  one  soul,  one  spirit.  Yea,  one 
undivided  body,  fruitful,  serving,  and  com- 
mon in  Christ  Jesus,  which  are  symbolized 
by  the  outward  cup,  and  the  outward  bread, 
1  Cor.  10. 

These  regenerated  ones  shun  all  false 
doctrine,  all  idolatry,  all  improper  usage 
of  the  sacramental  signs  in  the  church  or 
out  of  the  church;  they  seek  only  the  true 
teachers  who  are  unblamable  both  in  doc- 
trine and  in  life ;  the  true  religion,  as  taught 
and  expressed  in  Christ's  word,  namely, 
the  dying  unto  the  flesh,  Rom.  12;  Gal.  5; 
the  service  of  the  aflBicted,  Matt.  15;  the 
visiting  of  the  widows  and  orphans;  as 
James  says,  They  seek  to  keep  themselves 
unblemished  and  unspotted  from  the  world, 
Jas.  1.  These  regenerated  ones  bear  the 
cross  of  Christ  with  gladness  of  heart,  so 
established  in  Christ  Jesus  that  they  can 
not  be  separated  from  the  eternal  truth  and 
love  of  God,  by  false  doctrine,  nor  by  hor- 
rible torments,  ever  remembering  their 
Lord's  word,  whei'e  he  says,  "Whosoever 
therefore  shall  confess  me  before  men,  him 
will  I  confess  also  before  my  Father  which 
is  in  heaven,"  Matt.  10:  32. 

All  their  thoughts  are  chaste,  gentle, 
peaceful,  heavenly  and  of  the  Holy  Spirit; 
all  their  words  are  wisdom,  truth,  doctrine, 
admonition  in  grace,  well  seasoned,  the 
words  of  God  and  words  spoken  at  the 
right  time.  They  are  spirit,  and  they  are 
life.  In  short,  all  their  works  are  love, 
mercifulness,  righteousness,  piety,  and  are 
done  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord. 

Behold,  brethren,  this  is  the  true  nature 
and  mind  of  the  children  of  God,  who  are 
by  grace  converted  in  their  hearts  and  with 
Christ  born  of  God  the  Father.  Therefore 
I  beseech  you  as  my  sincerely  beloved 
brethren,  by  the  grace  of  God,  nay  I  com- 


A  KIND  ADMONITION. 


445 


mand  you  with  holy  Paul,  by  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  who  at  his  coming  will  judge 
the  living  and  the  dead,  diligently  to  ob- 
serve each  other  unto  salvation,  in  all  be- 
coming ways  teaching,  instructing,  admon- 
ishing, reproving,  threatening  and  consoling 
each  other  as  occasion  requires,  not  other- 
wise than  in  accordance  with  the  word  of 
God,  and  in  unfeigned  love,  that  we  may 
all  grow  up  in  God,  and  become  united  in 
faith  and  in  the  knowledge  of  the  Son  of 
God,  into  one  perfect  man,  and  according 
to  the  measure  of  the  gift  of  Jesus  Christ, 
Eph.4:7. 

Therefore  take  heed.  If  you  see  your 
brother  sin,  then  joass  not  by  him,  as  one 
that  does  not  prize  his  soul;  but  if  his  fall 
be  curable,  from  that  moment  endeavor  to 
raise  him  up  by  gentle  admonition  and 
brotherly  instruction,  before  you  eat,  drink, 
sleep  or  do  any  thing  else,  as  one  who  ar- 
dently desires  his  salvation,  lest  your  poor, 
erring  brother  harden  and  corrupt  in  his  fall, 
and  perish  in  his  sin. 

Do  not  act  so  unfaithfully  as  you  have 
hitherto  done,  as  not  to  make  the  trans- 
gressions of  3^our  dying  brother  or  sister 
known  to  those  within  the  church  before 
those  without;  but  rather  exhort  them,  and 
seek  by  prayer,  by  words,  and  by  actions 
to  convert  him  from  the  error  of  his  way,  to 
save  his  soul  and  thus  to  stop  the  multiply- 
ing of  his  transgressions,  Jas.  5.  Take  heed, 
brethren,  take  heed  !  that  you  allow  no  de- 
famer  among  you,  as  Moses  taught,  Lev.  19, 
no  double,  lying,  roguish,  nor  backbiting 
tongue ;  and  do  not  consent,  lest  you  fall  into 
the  wrath  of  God.  Let  every  one  take  heed, 
how, where,  when  and whathe  speaks,  lesthis 
tongue  blaspheme  his  God  and  his  neigh- 
bor; but  always  remember  the  words  of 
Ecclesiasticus,  "Honor  and  shame  is  in 
talk,  and  the  tongue  of  man  is  his  fall," 
Eccl.  5:  13. 

But  brethren,  if  those  of  years  of  under- 
standing who  were  with  us,  by  the  urging 
of  the  Spirit,  baptized  in  the  most  holy 
body  of  Jesus  Christ,  which  is  the  church, 
again  withdraw  themselves  from  the  body 
or  church  of  Christ,  actuated  either  by  false 
doctrine  or  vain,  carnal  life,  no  matter 
whether  it  be  father  or  mother,  sister  or 
brother,  husband  or  wife,  son  or  daughter, 


or  any  one  else,  for  God's  word  applies  to 
all  flesh,  without  respect  of  person.  Acts 
10:  34;  Kom.  2:  11;  Gal.  2;  Eph.  6;  Col.  3, 
if  he  or  she  do  not  heed  the  admonitions  of 
the  brethren,  which  is  given  with  sorrow, 
tears  and  a  compassionate  spirit  of  love, 
but  continue  in  their  Jewish  doctrine,  name- 
ly, of  sword,  kingdom,  polygamy  or  the 
like  deceit;  again,  in  the  doctrine  of  the  in- 
famous confession,  of  shamelessness  in 
exposing  their  persons,  and  the  like 
unnatural,  inhuman  actions;  again  in  the 
doctrine  which  is  opposed  to  the  cross  of 
Christ,  such  as  that  uncleanness  is  pure  to 
the  pure,  and  thus  having  communion  in 
fruitless  works,  as  the  hearing  of  the  preach- 
ers of  the  world,  infant  baptism,  the  world- 
ly supper,  and  the  like  abominations. 
Again,  continue  in  drunkenness,  avarice, 
adultery,  fornication,  unbecoming  words, 
&c.,  with  such  have  nothing  to  do,  nor  eat 
with  them,  as  Paul  has  taught  and  com- 
manded us  in  plain  words,  1  Cor.  5. 

But  if  he  alfectionately  receive  the  admo- 
nitions of  his  faithful  brethren,  if  he  confess 
his  fall,  if  he  be  sorry,  promise  reformation, 
show  signs  of  penitence,  and  acknowledge 
his  transgression,  then,  no  matter  how  he 
has  transgressed,  receive  him  as  a  return- 
ing, beloved  brother  or  sister,  but  beware, 
lest  he  mock  his  God;  for  the  acceptation 
of  brethren  does  not  avail  if  we  be  not  ac- 
cepted of  God.  Beware,  I  say,  lest  his 
hearing  the  admonitions,  his  sorrow,  his 
promise  of  reformation,  and  his  penitence 
be  not  sincere  before  God;  for  he  searches 
the  hearts  and  reins,  and  he  knows  all  in- 
ward feignedness  and  thoughts  of  men,  Jer. 
17;  Jn.  2;  Rom.  8. 

If  his"  hearing  the  admonitions,  his  sor- 
row, promise  and  penitence  are  not  sincere 
and  from  his  heart,  but  merely  indifferent, 
feigned,  spiritless,  hypocritical,  just  because 
he  does  not  want  to  be  outwardly  thrown 
out  of  the  communion  of  the  brethren,  he  is 
still  cut  off"  by  Christ,  and  is  a  hypocrite  in 
the  sight  of  God.  Nor  will  he  be  looked 
upon  nor  judged  by  God  as  being  any 
thing  else.  For  God  the  righteous  Judge 
does  not  judge  according  to  the  outward 
appearance,  but  solely  according  to  the  in- 
ward intentions  of  the  heart. 

Say,  beloved,  inasmuch    as  this  is  the 


446 


A  KIND  ADMONITION. 


case,  wliat  does  it  avail  to  go  by  the  mere 
name  of  a  christian  brother  if  he  have  not 
the  inward,  evangelical  faith,  love,  and  vm- 
blamable  life  of  a  true  brother  of  Jesus 
Christ  ? 

Or  what  does  it  avail  to  partake  of  the  I 
Holy  Supper  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  with  ! 
the  brethren  if  we  have  not  the  true  symbol- 
ized fruits  of  this  Supper,  namely,  the  love 
of  the  brethren,  and  the  peaceable  unity  of ; 
faith  in  Christ  Jesus  ?  Or  does  it  avail  any-  ] 
thing  outwardly  to  converse  in  the  com- 1 
munion  of  the  brethren,  if  we  are  not  in- 
wardly in  the  communion  of  our  beloved 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  ? 

Therefore,  brethren,  none  is  cut  off  by  us, 
or  ejected  from  the  communion  of  the  breth- 
ren (judge  rightly)  but  those  who  have  al- 
ready ejected  themselves  either  by  false 
doctrine,  or  by  a  blamable  life,  from  Christ 
and  his  communion.  For  we  do  not  wish 
to  eject  any,  but  to  accept  them;  not  to  cut 
them  off,  but  to  restore  them;  not  to  reject, 
but  to  win  them  back;  not  to  afflict,  but  to 
console  them ;  not  to  condemn,  but  to  save 
them.  For  this  is  the  true  nature  of  a  chris- 
tian brother.  Whosoever  renounces  evil, 
be  it  false  doctrine  or  vain  life,  and  con- 
forms himself  to  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ, 
unto  which  he  is  baptized  neither  shall  nor 
can  be  ejected  or  cut  off  by  any  of  the 
brethren. 

But  those  whom  we  cannot  raise  up  and 
admonish  unto  repentance  by  tears,  threat- 
ening, reproving,  or  by  any  other  chris- 
tian services  and  divine  means,  we  should 
reluctantly  separate  from  us,  sincerely  de- 
ploring the  fall  and  damnation  of  such  err- 
ing brethren,  lest  Ave  also  be  deceived  and 
led  astray  by  such  false  doctrine  which 
eats  about  itself  like  a  cancer,  2  Tim.  2;  lest 
we  corruj)t  our  flesh  which  is  inclined  to 
evil,  by  the  contagion;  and  that  we  may 
thus  obey  the  word  of  God  which  com- 
mands us  to  do  so;  and  that  thus  the  sepa- 
rated brother  or  sister,  whom  we  can  not 
convert  by  gentle  services,  may,  by  means 
of  the  separation,  be  shamed  imto  repent- 
ance, 2  Thess.  2,  and  acknowledge  to  what 
he  has  come  and  from  what  he  is  fallen. 
Thus  the  ban  is  a  great  work  of  love,  not- 
withstanding it  is  looked  upon  by  the  un- 
intelligent as  an  act  of  hatred. 


Brethren  and  sisters  this  separation  or 
ban,  so  earnestly  taiight  and  commanded 
in  the  Scriptures  by  Christ  Jesus  and  his 
holy  apostles  was  instituted  to  be  practiced 
for  these  causes  and  reasons,  first:  For 
false  doctrine,  Matt.  7;  16;  Rom.  16;  2  Tim. 
2;  1  Tim.  6;  Tit.  3;  Phil.  3;  2  Jn.  1;  again, 
for  sinful,  carnal  life.  Matt.  18;  1  Cor.  5;  2 
Thess.  3;  2  Tim.  3;  again,  that  Ave  should 
admonish  them  (understand,  those  that 
will  be  admonished).  Matt.  18;  Tit.  3. 
Therefore  take  heed,  and  watch  your  OAvn 
soul,  lest  you  despise  the  word  of  God  in 
this  necessary  matter  of  separation,  and 
transgress  his  ordinances;  but  that  y oil  in 
every  respect  practice  upon  and  uphold  it 
with  divine  wisdom,  discretion,  gentleness 
and  prudence,  in  the  case  of  those  who  have 
gone  aside  from  the  evangelical  doctrine  or 
life;  not  with  austerity,  nor  with  cruelty, 
but  rather  with  gentleness,  reluctance,  and 
with  sorrow  and  pity  for  the  diseased  mem- 
bers who  are  not  cured,  in  whose  case  pains 
and  labor  avail  nothing,  who  should  be 
cut  off  with  the  knife  of  the  divine  word, 
lest  the  others  be  corrupted,  and  lest  the 
abominable  scurvy  is  imparted  to  the  other 
sheep.  Yea  it  should  be  done  in  such  a 
manner  that  the  erring  sister  or  brother 
may  be  made  ashamed  at  heart,  and  thus 
be  Avon,  as  was  said  above.  And  in  case 
there  be  any  moving  of  the  Spirit,  any 
spark  of  life,  or  any  fear  of  God  in  such 
sister  or  brother,  their  heart  will  surely 
quake  and  tremble ;  for  by  the  admonition 
of  the  Avord  of  God,  and  by  the  testimony 
of  his  own  conscience  he  will  acknowledge 
that  he  has  cut  himself  off  from  the  com- 
munion of  Jesus  Christ,  by  his  vain,  carnal 
life,  and  that  he  has  again  entered  into  the 
commvmion  of  the  devil ;  and  that  therefore 
his  lot  and  part  shall  not  be  Avith  the  blessed 
souls  in  heaven,  but  with  the  damned  in 
hell  unto  eternity,  unless  he  convert  himself. 

May  God,  the  merciful  Father,  save  all 
his  chosen  children  who  have  entered  into 
his  holy  covenant  and  communion,  from 
such  a  fearful  fall,  obduracy,  and  separa- 
tion, Amen. 

All  the  apostate  sisters  and  brethren  who 
are  offended  at  and  angry  AA-ith  us  on  ac- 
count of  this  open  doctrine  and  practice  of 
the  christian  ban  or  separation,  will  be  of- 


A  KIND  ADMONITION. 


447 


fended  more  and  more;  for  whosoever  is 
impure  will  be  rendered  still  more  impure, 
as  the  Holy  Spirit  of  the  prophecies  teach- 
es, Rev.  22.  For  the  word  of  God  is  unto 
the  reformation,  righteousness,  and  life  of 
the  pious  and  godly;  but  unto  the  lost  it  is 
unto  offense,  unrighteousness  and  death. 
What!  be  angry  with  us  because  we  obey 
Scripture  in  this  respect?  Let  them  rather 
be  angry  with  themselves;  for  they  dare 
teach  and  live  contrary  to  the  command- 
ment of  God.  If  they  want  to  renounce 
their  heresy,  and  reform  their  ungodly  life, 
the  heavenly  doctrine  of  our  beloved  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  will  not  offend  them  nor  make 
them  worse,  but  rather  urge,  affright  and 
convert  them. 

If  they,  by  their  apostatic,  refractory  and 
carnal  hatred,  are  so  deprived  of  grace  and 
the  knowledge  of  God,  and  become  worse 
and  worse,  so  that  they  see  death  in  the 
eternal  life,  and  darkness  in  the  heavenly 
light  of  divine  truth,  then  we  can  claim  to 
be  clear  before  God  and  his  holy  angels, 
from  their  sins,  obduracy,  and  eternal  death 
if  we  do  toward  them  that  which  the 
Lord's  word  has  commanded  us  in  regard 
to  this  matter.  Therefore  we  desire  not  to 
have  communion  with  them,  nor  lot  nor 
part,  unto  eternity,  so  long  as  they  do  not 
sincerely  renounce  their  false  doctrine  and 
reform  their  miserable,  accursed,  earthly, 
carnal,  and  devilish  life,  to  the  praise  of  the 
Lord.  But  in  case  true  penitence  is  found 
in  them,  in  good  faith,  as  before  God  who 
sees  all  things,  then  we  say,  welcome  be- 
loved brethren,  welcome,  beloved  sisters, 
and  we  sincerely  rejoice  at  the  sincere  con- 
version of  such  brethren  and  sisters.  Yea, 
we  rejoice  as  one  is  rejoiced  at  the  restora- 
tion of  an  only  Son  who  was  dangerously 
ill  as  at  the  restoration  of  a  lost  sheep  or 
penny;  and  as  at  the  reappearance  of  a  son 
who  was  given  up  as  lost.  Matt.  18;  Luke  15. 

Behold,  brethren,  therefore  I  will  leave 
every  apostate  brother  to  consider  why, 
and  wherefore,  with  what  kind  of  spirit,  and 
with  what  intention  this  separation  or  ban 
was  so  diligently  practiced,  first  by  Christ 
Jesus  and  his  apostles  and  afterward  by  us 
who  are  again  placed  in  their  doctrine  and 
practice  of  all  christian  doings,  as  may  be 
easily  deduced  from  the  alleged  Scriptures. 


Well,  dear  brethren  in  the  Lord,  you  who 
are  baptized  by  one  Spirit  into  one  body, 
and  have  voluntarily  entered  into  the  com- 
munion of  Jesus  Christ,  and  also  you  who 
are  of  a  good  mind,  inasmuch  as  you  must 
shun  the  apostatic  in  accordance  with  the 
word  of  God,  therefore,  take  heed,  that 
while  you  shun  them  as  diseased,  foul  and 
useless  members,  unfit  for  the  body  of 
Christ,  you  yourselves  may  be  found  to  be 
sound,  fit,  and  fruitful  members  in  Christ 
Jesus;  and  that  while  you  shun  them  as 
children  of  darkness  and  of  death,  you 
yourselves  may  be  children  of  the  light  and 
of  eternal  life,  that  the  righteous  sentence 
of  God  may  not  be  pronounced  against  you; 
take  heed,  lest  you  who  shun  others  on  ac- 
count of  their  evil  doing,  secretly  commit 
worse  things  in  the  sight  of  God.  Take 
heed,  lest  you  adjudge  others  of  what  you 
I  yourselves  are  guilty,  Rom.  2.  Behold, 
I  brethren,  thus  the  ban  or  separation  should 
I  be  practiced  in  the  house  of  the  Lord,  that 
is,  in  God's  church;  nor  have  they  any  oth- 
I  er  weapon  unto  eternity.  Of  this  I  would 
have  written  more  bi;t  defer  it  to  some  oth- 
er time,  if  it  please  God. 

Now,  beloved  brethren,  take  heed,  take 
heed,  brethren,  this  I  advise  you  that  there 
may  never  be  any  thoughts  in  your  hearts 
otherwise  than  such  as  are  i3ure,  holy, 
chaste,  heavenly,  and  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
"Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart;  for  they 
shall  see  God,"  Matt.  5 :  8.  "The  mouth  of 
the  righteous  speaketh  wisdom  and  his 
tongue  talketh  of  judgment,"  Ps.  37:  30. 
Let  all  thy  words  be  as  a  sworn  oath  before 
God  and  before  the  world.  Matt.  5;  Jas.  5. 
Let  all  your  actions  be  wrought  of  God  by 
God,  and  in  God,  Jn.  3.  Measure  all  your 
thoughts,  words  and  actions  by  the  rule  of 
the  divine  word,  that  the  ungodly  defamer 
who  so  diligently  watches  all  your  words 
and  actions  may  find  nothing  which  he  can 
truly  cast  up  to  you,  whereby  he  can  accuse 
or  blame  you,  as  Paul  taught  and  requested 
the  church,  in  some  instances,  Eph.  4;  1 
Tim.  3;  Tit.  2. 

It  is  also  the  nature  of  those  who  are  in 
God,  not  to  sin,  as  John  says,  "Whosoever 
abideth  in  him  (God)  sinneth  not:  whoso- 
ever sinneth  hath  not  seen  him,  neither 
known  him.    Little  children,  let  no  man 


448 


A  KIND  ADMONITION. 


deceive  you:  he  that  doeth  righteousness, 
is  righteous,  even  as  he  is  righteous.  He 
that  committeth  sin  is  of  the  devil;  for  the 
devil  sinneth  from  the  beginning.  For  this 
purpose  the  Son  of  God  was  manifested, 
that  he  might  destroy  the  works  of  the 
devil.  Whosoever  is  born  of  God  doth  not 
commit  sin:  for  his  seed  remaineth  in  him: 
and  he  cannot  sin,  because  he  is  of  God,  1 
Jn.  3:  6—9.  Therefore  I  implore  and  pray 
you  to  consider  well  the  nature  of  the  new 
birth,  and  examine  what  it  is  in  reality, 
namely,  the  divine  natui'e,  and  the  divine 
image;  of  whom  it  is,  that  it  is  of  God;  from 
whence  it  is — from  heaven;  and  what  is  ob- 
tained by  it — life  eternal.  For  without  the 
new  birth  it  is  merely  the  nature  of  earthly 
Adam,  sin,  evil,  blindness,  transgression, 
devil  and  eternal  death  (I  speak  in  regard 
to  those  of  mature  years),  whatever  we  do; 
but  in  whomsoever  the  new  birth  is,  there 
is  also  everything  godly,  wisdom,  goodness, 
light,  righteousness,  truth,  peace.  Spirit, 
Christ,  God  and  life  eternal.  Therefore  the 
eternal  Truth,  Christ  Jesus,  says  in  plain 
words,  that  we  must  repent  and  be  born 
again,  if  we  would  enter  into  the  kingdom 
of  heaven,  Matt.  18;  Jn.  3.  For  the  first 
birth  is  of  the  earth,  earthly,  and  inclined 
to  the  earth;  but  the  second  birth  is  of 
heaven,  and  is  heavenly,  and  inclined  to 
heaven,  Jn.  3.  that  is  to  say,  the  birth  of 
earth  makes  earthly  minded  and  the  birth 
of  heaven  makes  heavenly  minded. 

If  this  good  and  perfect  gift  of  the  new 
birth  be  given  us  of  the  Father  of  light,  by 
grace,  then  we  become  the  chosen  children 
of  God,  Jn.  1 ;  Eph.  1;  then  we  are  the  true 
sisters  and  brethren  of  Christ,  Luke  8 ;  then 
we  are  conformed  unto  Christ,  Rom.  S;  then 
we  are  created  after  the  image  of  God,  Col. 
3;  Eph.  4;  then  we  have  the  sign  Tau  on 
our  foreheads;  then  the  kingdom  of  God  is 
ours,  Luke  18;  then  we  are  the  bride  of 
Christ,  Jn.  3,  the  church  of  Christ,  Eph.  5, 
the  body  of  Christ,  1  Cor.  12;  Eph.  1.  Col. 
1 ;  then  Christ  dwells  in  our  hearts,  Eph.  3; 
then  we  are  led  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  Rom.  8; 
we  are  the  chosen  generation,  the  royal 
priesthood,  the  holy,  begotten  people, 
which  is  God's  own,  1  Pet.  2;  then  we  are 
the  temple  of  the  Lord,  1  Cor.  3;  6;  2  Cor. 
6;  the  spiritual  Mount  Zion,  and  the  new 


heavenly  Jerusalem,  Heb.  12;  the  spiritual 
Israel  of  God,  Gal.  6;  we  are  of  divine 
mind  and  nature;  we  are  delivered  from  the 
sentence  of  the  law,  Isa.  9;  Gal.  5;  1  Tim. 
3;  yea  from  hell,  sin,  devil,  and  eternal 
death,  Eph.  2;  then  we  have  Christ  Jesus 
forever  blessed;  his  word,  life,  flesh,  blood, 
cross,  sutfering,  bitter  death,  burial,  resur- 
rection, ascension,  kingdom  and  eternal 
joy,  with  him,  received  as  a  gift  from  God 
the  Father,  Rom.  8.  But  in  case  we  be  not 
born  again  (understand,  those  of  under- 
standing age),  then  we  have  not  such  prom- 
ises. 

Therefore,  sincerely  beloved  brethren, 
partakers  of  the  heavenly  calling  through 
Christ  Jesus;  "Humble  yourselves  there- 
fore under  the  mighty  hand  of  God,"  1  Pet. 
5:  6,  and  sincerely  deny  yourselves.  Fear 
God  in  all  your  thoughts,  words  and  works, 
love  and  serve  God  and  your  neighbor; 
love  God  above  all  things  created,  andyoui- 
neighbor  as  yourselves,  Matt.  22.  Let  all 
your  meditations  be  in  the  law  of  the  Lord, 
Ps.  1.  Keep  God's  word;  I  repeat  it,  breth- 
ren, keep  the  word  of  God  which  has  been 
so  often  taught  you  in  love,  both  verbally 
and  in  writing. 

Let  your  ardent  prayer  at  all  times  go 
up  to  God,  for  all  men;  for  emperors,  kings, 
lords,  princes,  judges,  and  for  all  those 
that  are  placed  in  authority,  that  God  may 
so  direct  their  hearts  that  we,  if  it  be  his 
blessed  will,  may  lead  a  peaceable  and 
godly  life,  1  Tim.  2: 2. 

Be  not  envious  in  your  hearts  and  not 
inconsiderate  in  your  talking  about  others, 
whether  he  be  a  slanderer,  traitor,  persecu- 
tor, priest  or  monk,  no  matter  who  he  be; 
for  they  shall  receive  their  reward  from 
God.  But  ever  remember  the  longsuffering 
of  our  beloved  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as  also, 
that  we  were  all  foolish  and  unbelieving, 
erring,  serving  divers  lusts  and  desires;  we 
were  also  naturally,  children  of  the  wrath, 
the  same  as  they  are.  Willingly  obey  all 
human  ordinances  if  they  be  not  against 
the  ordinances  of  God,  1  Pet.  2.  Be  liberal 
in  rendering  assistance  to  all  the  children 
of  God.  Receive  each  other  without  mur- 
muring, 1  Pet.  4.  Let  each  one  work  with  his 
own  hands,  and  eat  his  own  bread,  if  pos- 
sible, 2  Thess.  3.     Shun  all  manner  of  idle- 


A    LETTEK. 


449 


ness  and  worldly  pomp.  Take  faithful  care 
of  each  other  by  admonitions,  Heb.  10,  as 
I  have  verbally  admonished  you  to  do  be- 
fore, and  now  again  in  this  epistle. 

Wash  the  feet  of  your  beloved  brethren 
and  sisters  who  are  come  to  you  from  a 
distance,  tired.  Be  not  ashamed  to  do  the 
work  of  the  Lord,  but  humble  yourselves 
with  Christ,  before  your  brethren's  feet,  that 
all  humility,  according  to  the  divine  nature, 
may  be  found  in  you,  Jn.  13;  1  Tim.  5. 

Above  all  pray  for  your  jjoor  humble 
servant,  whose  life  is  sought  with  all  dili- 
gence, that  God,  the  gracious  Father,  may 
strengthen  him  with  his  Holy  Spirit,  and 
save  him  from  the  hands  of  those  who  so 
unjustly  seek  his  life,  if  it  be  his  fatherly 
will,  and  if  it  be  not  his  will,  that  he  may 
then  give  him  in  all  tribulation,  torture, 
oppression  and  death,  such  heart,  mind, 
wisdom  and  strength,  that  he  may  steadily 
fulfill  the  glorious  work  of  God,  which  is 
begun  in  us,  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  to  the 
praise  of  the  Lord. 

O,  beloved  brethren,  fulfill  my  desire,  and 
finish,  as  obedient  children  of  God  that 
which  I  have  faithfully  taught,  admonished 
and  written  unto  you  from  the  word  of  God, 
to  your  eternal  salvation,  that  you  may 
also  be  partakers  of  the  glorious  crown, 
hope  and  joy,  in  the  day  of  the  coming  of 
Christ,  1  Thess.  2.  "Not  slothful  in  busi- 
ness; fervent  in  spirit,"  Rom.  12: 11.  Bless 
God  in  all  his  works  toward  us,  and  pray 
him  to  guide  your  way,  and  let  all  your 
counsel  be  in  him,  Tob.  4.  Walk  fearlessly 
in  the  commandments  of  the  Lord.  Go  not 
in  any  manner  beyond  the  gospel  of  Christ, 
Gal.  1.  Be  firm  in  the  way  of  the  Lord. 
Overcome  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil 
by  the  most  holy  faith  which  is  in  you,  1 
Jn.  5.  Joyfully  serve  each  other,  "In  pa- 
tience possess  ye  your  souls,"  Luke  21 :  19. 


"Be  patient  In  tribulation,"  Rom.  12:  13. 
Prepare  your  hearts  for  the  cross  of  Christ, 
so  that  when  it  comes  you  may  not  be  terri- 
fied with  the  cowardly. 

No  more  at  present,  but  watch  closely  all 
the  days  of  your  lives,  the  unexpected  com- 
ing of  our  beloved  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who 
has  made  us  such  dear  creatures,  bought  us 
with  his  precious  blood,  graciously  called, 
enlightened  and  regenerated  us,  and  who 
will  crown  us  with  the  crown  of  glory,  array 
us  in  the  garment  of  unblamableness,  and 
give  us  the  gift  of  eternal  life.  To  him  be 
eternal  praise  and  glory,  now  and  forever. 
Amen. 

Ponder,  holy  brethren,  upon  every  word 
which  I  have  written  unto  you;  read  it  at- 
tentively; reflect  upon  it  diligently,  under- 
stand it  rightly,  judge  spiritually,  and  live 
up  to  it  divinely.  O,  brethren,  then  my  ad- 
monition and  writing,  and  your  perusal 
and  hearing  shall  be  fruitful. 

I  pray  you  with  holy  Paul,  by  the  grace 
of  God,  not  to  suppress  this  admonition, 
nor  to  lay  it  away,  but  to  read  it  to  all 
faithful  brethren  and  sisters  in  the  Lord; 
as  also  to  all  the  ajjostates  who  are  not 
entirely  given  up,  that  they  may  be  won 
back.  Yea,  not  alone  to  these,  but  to  all 
men  in  or  out  of  the  church,  who  may  de- 
sire to  hear  it.  The  grace  of  our  beloved 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  all  true  brethren 
and  sisters,  Amen. 

Again,  pray  for  me  and  for  all  your  serv- 
ants in  the  Lord. 

Beware  of  all  doctrine  and  works  which 
are  not  conformable  to  the  gospel  of  Christ. 
Beware. 

May  grace  and  i^eace  remain  with  all  the 
true  children  of  God,  and  fellow-laborers  of 
the  promise,  in  the  kingdom  of  Christ. 

MEN  NO  SIMON. 


A   LETTER. 


Most  beloved  in  Christ    Jesus.     Grace 

and  peace.   Dear,  faithful  sister  in  the  Lord. 

My  inmost  soul  is  grieved  in  your  behalf. 

More  so  than  I  can  write;  for  I  understand 

93 


from  our  beloved  brethren,  that  you  can 
hardly  acquiesce  in  the  desire  and  prayer 
of  the  afflicted  and  pastorless  church  in  re- 
gard to  your  beloved  husband.    I  cannot 


450 


A    LETTEB. 


severely  reprove  you  for  your  action  if  I 
look  at  it  in  a  carnal,  and  not  in  a  spiritual 
light.  I  also  understand  from  the  words  of 
Lenart  and  Helmicht,  that  you  hoped  that 
Lenart  would  be  excused  from  serving,  by 
me.  Most  beloved  sister  in  Christ  Jesus,  I 
trust  that  I,  by  the  grace  of  God,  sincerely 
love  you  with  divine  love  in  God;  and  that 
I  am  prepared  to  serve  you  and  all  pious 
people,  even,  with  my  blood  if  so  required. 
But,  beloved  sister,  who  am  I  that  I  should 
resist  the  Holy  Spirit  ?  You  are  aware  that 
not  I,  but  the  church,  has  called  him  to 
this  service,  unknown  to  me.  As  the 
church  so  imploringly  desires  him;  and  as 
he  perhaps  can  not  conscientiously  deny 
them,  how  could  I  then  oppose  it?  as  I  can 
find  nothing  in  Lenart  for  which  I  could 
Bcripturally  oppose  his  being  called.  Dear 
sister,  I  am  sorry  that  I  can  not  aid  you  in 
this  matter;  for  the  sorrow  and  fear  of  your 
flesh  pierces  my  heart  as  often  as  I  think 
of  it;  but  above  all,  we  must  act  in  love 
to  God  and  our  brethren.  You  are  called 
of  the  Lord,  and  by  the  operation  of  your 
faith  you  have  committed  yourself  to  the 
service  of  Jesus  Christ  and  of  your  brethren 
as  long  as  you  live;  and  I  trust  that  you 
will  willingly  fulfill  it  even  at  the  risk  of 
money,  possessions  and  life.  You  certain- 
ly comprehend  how  needful  it  is.  There- 
fore, be  mindful  of  the  days  of  your  en- 
lightenment, and  obediently  and  resigned- 
ly fulfill  that  which,  willingly  and  without 
constraint,  you  have  promised  the  Most 
High. 

O,  beloved  sister,  look  at  the  abandon- 
ment and  misery  of  your  beloved  brethren. 
The  spiritual  fathers  are  become  betrayers 
of  souls;  the  watchmen,  blind  leaders,  and 
the  shepherds,  wolves.  The  walls  of  Jeru- 
salem are  laid  waste;  the  stones  of  the 
sanctuary  are  trampled  upon  at  the  corners 
of  every  street.  Great  is  the  plague  of 
Israel.  With  Jeremiah  and  Ezra  we  may 
well  bitterly  sigh  and  weep,  and  let  our 
tears  flow  over  our  cheeks,  nay,  our  inmost 
soul  must  be  grieved  at  the  need  of  our  be- 
loved brethren,  when  we  take  to  heart  the 
very  great  hungering  and  thirsting  of  many 
pious  hearts,  the  accursed  deceiving  of  evil 
spirits,  and  dissensions,  sects  and  all  like 
evils.    Inasmuch,  then,  as  the  merciful  Lord 


has  gifted  our  beloved  brother  with  his  di- 
vine knowledge,  has  enlightened  him  with 
his  Holy  Spirit  and  gifted  him  with  speech 
and  wisdom,  so  that  the  brethren  are 
pleased  with  him,  sincerely  love  him  and 
desire  his  talent;  and  if  you,  for  the  sake 
of  your  flesh  and  blood  should  oppose  this 
and  not  acquiesce  therein,  would  seem  to 
me  as  being  nothing  else  than  that  if  you 
should  see  your  brethren  in  imminent  dan- 
ger of  life,  should  see  them  in  fire  or  water, 
suffering,  want  and  misery,  you  would  not 
assist  them  at  your  own  peril.  Dear  sister, 
love  your  brethren  as  Christ  Jesus  has  loved 
us.  If,  for  the  sake  of  your  brethren,  you 
should  be  deprived  of  your  property,  re- 
member that  Christ  has,  for  a  time,  left  the 
glory  of  his  Almighty  Father  and  the  com- 
pany of  angels,  that  we  might  obtain  an 
eternal  inheritance  in  heaven.  So  long  as 
we  live  we  shall  have  enough  of  the  neces- 
saries of  life,  if  we  fear  God,  depart  from 
evil  and  do  righteously. 

Yea,  sister,  be  of  good  cheer.  The  eter- 
nal Truth  has  promised  us  salvation  if  we 
seek  the  kingdom  of  God  and  his  righteous- 
ness. The  necessaries  of  life  will  be  pro- 
vided for  us.  If  then  you  are  solicitous  for 
your  husband's  flesh,  remember  and  believe 
that  our  life  is  measured  by  spans;  that 
life  and  death  are  in  the  hands  of  the  Lord ; 
that  not  a  hair  falls  from  our  heads  with- 
out the  will  of  our  Father.  He  protects  us 
as  the  apple  of  his  eye. 

Elias,  David,  Daniel,  Shadrach,  Meshach 
and  Abednego,  Peter  and  Paul,  have  all 
evaded  the  hands  of  the  tyrant,  and  none 
could  injure  a  single  hair  of  their  heads  so 
long  as  the  appointed  day  and  hour  was 
not  come.  For  so  long  as  the  Lord  has 
more  pleasure  in  our  life  than  in  our  death, 
they  cannot  injure  us;  but  when  our  death 
is  more  pleasing  to  the  Lord  than  our  life, 
we  can  not  escape  from  their  hands.  O, 
beloved  sister,  if  our  beloved  brother  should 
not  serve  our  brethren,  yet  he  has  years 
ago,  already  committed  himself  to  danger 
of  death,  tribulation,  misery,  scorn,  perse- 
cution, anxiety,  robbery,  water,  fire  and 
sword;  and  if  he  had  not  committed  him- 
self to  the  cross  by  baptism,  nay,  if  he 
could  pass  through  all  cities,  countries,  and 
nations  unmolested,  you  know  not  at  what 


PROVIDENTIAL  DELIVERANCES  OP  MENNO  SIMON. 


451 


moment  he  would  have  to  put  off  the  taber- 
nacle of  clay  and  appear  before  his  God. 
Therefore,  beloved,  faithful  sister,  be  strong 
in  the  Lord;  be  of  good  cheer;  commend 
yourself  to  the  Most  high  God,  who  holds 
heaven  and  earth  in  his  hand;  who  has 
given  you  and  your  husband  body  and 
soul;  who  has  called  you  in  the  word  of  his 
grace;  who  has  purchased  and  delivered 
you  with  the  blood  of  his  blessed  Son;  who 
has  washed,  sanctified  and  cleansed  you 
with  his  Holy  Spirit.  His  mercy  is  above 
all  his  works;  he  knows  your  going  out 
and  coming  in;  your  setting  down  and 
rising  up.  Yea,  you  were  before  him  be- 
fore you  were  formed  in  your  mother's 
womb;  he  it  is  who  searches  the  hearts  and 
reins;  he  knows  what  our  brethren  seek. 
Beloved  sister  strengthen  your  husband,  and 
do  not  weaken  him ;  for  it  is  required  of  us 
that  if  we  love  God  we  should  also  love  our 
brethren.  In  short,  prove  yourself  to  be  to  j 
your  neighbor  what  Christ  has  proven  to  ' 


be  to  you;  for  by  this  only,  sure  and  im- 
mutable rule  must  all  christian  actions  be 
measured  and  judged.  Behold,  worthy, 
faithful  sister,  as  the  church  calls  our  be- 
loved brother  to  the  office  and  service,  I  can- 
not conscientiously  interfere;  or  else  I 
should  love  flesh,  your  flesh,  more  than 
Christ  Jesus  my  Lord  and  Savior,  and  my 
sincerely  beloved  brethren. 

May  the  Almighty,  merciful  Father  act 
in  this  measure  according  to  his  divine 
pleasure,  and  guide  the  heart  of  my  be- 
loved sister  so  as  to  be  resigned  to  his  holy 
will.  I  sincerely  thank  my  beloved  sister 
for  the  gift  of  your  love  you  have  sent  me. 
The  Lord  repay  you  the  heavenly  riches  of 
eternal  glory.  My  consort  greets  you  with 
the  peace  of  the  Lord.  The  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  be  forever  with  my  most  beloved 
friend  and  sister.  Amen. 

Your  brother  in  the  Lord, 

MENNO  SIMON. 
A.  D.  1553. 


PROYIDENTIAL  DELIVERANCES  OF  MENNO  SIMON. 


The  following  is  an  extract  from  Book  16 
of  the  Ondergangli  der  Tyrannen,  en  Jaer- 
lyckscTie  OescMedenisse  (Downfall  of  the  Ty- 
rants, and  Annual  Events)  by  Peter  Jansz 
Twisck,  Pages  1074  and  1075,  in  which  it  is 
shown  how  wonderfully  the  Lord  preserved 
Menno  Simon,  from  the  cunning  artifices  of 
his  opponents,  as  in  his  divine  zeal  for  the 
triith,  he  exhorted  all  men  to  true  repentance 
and  regeneration. 

The  daughter  of  Menno  Simon,  a  praise- 
worthy woman,  in  our  presence  related  the 
following  incident:  A  certain  traitor  had 
agreed,  without  fail  for  a  certain  sum  of 
money,  to  deliver  the  person  of  Menno  or 
his  head  into  the  hands  of  his  enemies,  ex- 
pecting to  apprehend  him  in  one  of  their 
meetings ;  but  it  so  happened  that  he  was 
not  able  to  accomplish  his  object,  for  when- 
ever he  arrived  at  the  place  where  he  sought 
to  spy  him  out,  Menno  in  a  providential 
manner  escaped. 

At  another  time  this  same  traitor,  in  com- 
pany with  an  officer  or  police,  as  they  were 


in  search  of  Menno,  unexpectedly  met  him 
as  he  was  going  along  on  the  canal,  in  a 
small  boat.  The  traitor  kept  silent  until 
Menno  had  passed  them  some  distance,  and 
had  leaped  ashore  in  order  to  escape  with 
less  peril.  Then  the  traitor  cried  out,  "Be- 
hold, the  bird  has  escaped!"  The  officer 
chastized  him— called  him  a  villian,  and 
demanded  why  he  did  not  tell  of  it  in  time; 
to  which  the  traitor  replied,  "I  could  not 
speak;  for  my  tongue  was  bound."  The 
lords  were  so  displeased  at  this  that  the 
traitor,  according  to  his  promise,  had  to 
forfeit  his  own  head.  It  is  worthy  of  con- 
sideration, how  wonderfully  God,  in  this 
and  in  other  like  instances  preserves  his 
people,  and  especially  how  fearfully  he 
punishes  the  tyrants. 

Menno  had  to  suffer  so  many  dangers, 
perils  and  so  much  misery,  that  in  the  mem- 
ory of  the  oldest  persons  it  is  almost  inde- 
scribable, and  afterwards  died  a  natural 
death ;  notwithstanding  he  often  with  great 
zeal  and  resolution  preached,  conversed, 


452 


PROVIDENTIAL  DELIVERANCES  OF  MENNO  SIMON. 


disputed  with,  and  reproved  the  priests  of 
Baal,  and  opposed  his  opponents  openly 
in  their  presence,  so  that  a  number  of  his 
fellow-laborers  did  not  remain  faithful  un- 
der these  severe  persecutions. 

Among  other  incidents  it  happened  (which 
I  have  received  as  creditable),  that  Menno 
came  into  the  priest's  church  in  Eenigen- 
burgh,  a  village  in  the  north  of  Holland, 
after  the  pastor  had  performed  his  services, 
and  conversed  with  him  in  Latin  about  dif- 
ferent papistic  suioerstitions,  with  great 
boldness,  fluency  and  profoundness,  upon 
which  the  priest  or  pastor  was  greatly  sur- 
prised, and  after  he  was  through  with  his 
papal  services,  he  had  a  long  conversation 
with  Menno.  Menno  often  conversed  with 
the  priests,  and  at  one  time  with  no  little 
boldness,  unknown,  entered  a  cloister,  con- 
versed with  the  Superior,  pointed  him  to 
repentance,  showed  him  his  great  folly  and 
such  like  things. 

Although  his  name,  and  a  description  of 
his  clothing,  person,  &c.,  was  nailed  to  the 
church  doors,  with  the  certain  promise  of  a 


hundred,  or  several  hundred  guilders  to  any 
one  who  should  discover  to  or  deliver  him 
into  the  hands  of  his  enemies,  yet  God  pre- 
served him  from  all  the  designs  and  cunning 
devices  of  his  enemies,  so  that  it  truly  is  as 
he  wrote  in  a  letter  to  the  wife  of  Leonard 
Bouwensz  in  which  he  says,  ?' If  you  regard 
the  life  of  your  husband,  think  and  believe, 
that  our  lives  are  but  as  a  hand  breadth ; 
that  both  life  and  death  are  in  the  hands  of 
the  Lord;  that  not  a  hair  shall  fall  from 
our  heads  without  our  heavenly  Father's 
notice;  he  preserves  us  as  the  apple  of  his 
eye.  Elias,  Elisha,  David,  Daniel,  Shad- 
rach,  Meshach,  and  Abednego,  Peter  and 
Paul,  all  escaped  the  hands  of  the  tyrants, 
and  no  one  could  injure  a  hair  of  them,  as 
long  as  their  day  and  hour  had  not  come, 
for  as  long  as  the  merciful  Lord  has  more 
pleasure  in  our  lives  than  in  our  death  they 
shall  not  be  permitted  to  injure  us,  but 
when  the  Lord  shall  be  more  pleased  to  re- 
move us,  then  we  will  not  escape  their 
hands." 


/ 


Note  1. — It  is  due  to  the  reader,  at  the  conclusion  of  this  worTc,  to  say  that  in  the 
translation  of  the  writings  of  Menno  Simon  upon  the  ^'■Incarnation  of  Christ  "  the  pub- 
lishers have  talcen  the  liberty  to  condense  and  abridge  some  parts  thereof  and  also,  here 
and  there,  to  leave  out  such  parts  as  they  considered  of  no  importance  in  the  illustration 
and  explanation  of  the  subject,  and  which  were  not  edifying  to  the  reader.  But  in  no 
case  have  they  perverted  the  meaning  or  purpose  of  the  author.  Throughout  the  entire 
loorTc  they  have  labored,  loith  the  translator  and  reviewer,  conscientiously  to  give  the  true 
sentiments  of  the  tcriter,  that  they  onight  be  able  to  p>i'csent  to  the  reader,  as  true  and 
faithful  a  translation  as  x>ossible,  and  they  hope  that  the  blessing  of  God  may  rest  upon 
their  efforts,  and  that  a  generous  public  icill  throw  the  mantle  of  charity  upon  any  errors 
that  in  any  icay  may  have  crept  into  the  wrolc.  The  Publishees. 

Note  2. — I  have  carefully  read  and  compared  with  the  original  Holland,  the  entire 
^oorTcs  of  Menno  Simon,  herewith  presented  to  the  public,  and  do  hereby  bear  testimony 
that  this  is  a  true  and  faithful  translation  of  the  same.  Joseph  Summees. 


INDEX,  TO  FART  II. 


PAGE. 

Accusations  against  Menno, 94 

A  very  humble  supplication  of  the  poor, 

despised  christians, 107 

A  letter  of  consolation  to  an  afflicted         ; 
widow, 113  : 

A  complaint  or  apology  of  the  despised 

christians  and  exiled  strangers,. 11 5  \ 

A  scriptural  explanation  of  Excommu- 
nication,   123 

Associate  not  with  an  apostate  after 

separation. 136 

An  incontrovertible  confession  founded 

on  the  Holy  Scriptures, 139 

A  confession  of  the  Triune,  Eternal  and 
true  God,  Father,  Son,  and 
Holy  Ghost, 179,  183 

An  explanation  of  christian  baptism  in 

the  water, 189 

Apostles  teach  baptism  as  Christ  taught 

it, 210 

A  letter  of  caution  on  discord, 231 

A  clear  confession,  concerning  Justifica- 
tion, Preachers,  Baptism,  &c.,  .257 

A  christian,  in  some  cases  may  deal 

with  an  apostate, 279 

-Can  have  no  apostate  as  a  regu- 
lar customer, ib 

A  thorough  answer  to  Zylis  and  Lem- 
mekes  concerning  Excommuni- 
cation,   283 

A  humble  and  christian  Justification, 

replication,   &c., 297 

A  scriptural  demonstration  of  the  In- 
carnation of  Jesus  Christ, 325 

An  admonition  to  the  Preachers  and 

how  they  should  be  minded, . . .  340 

A  plain  and  pointed  reply  to  the  anti- 
christian  doctrine  of  Martin 
Micron, 351 

Articles,  thirty-one  presented  to    the 

reader, 371 

An  epistle  to  Martin  Micron, 403 

Affirmation, 411 

A  humble  prayer  to  the  reader, 422 

A  convincing  proof,  that  Jesus  Christ  is 

the  true,  spiritual  David,  &c.,.  .425 


PAGE. 

A  kind  admonition,  concerning  shun- 
ning and  separation, 441 

A  Letter, 450 

B 

Baptism,  concerning, 39 

Rhenanus,  Cyprian,  Erasmus, Zu- 

inglius,  Bucer,  Oecolampadi- 
us,  Luther,  and  others,  on  in- 
fant,   49 

Ban,  Excommunication  or  Separation, .  .69 

Baptism, 189,  268 

In  the  water, 200 

No  remission  of  sins  through, . . .  .201 

Degenerated  in  early  days, 203 

But  one  in  the  water  pleasing  to 

God, 204 

How  the  apostles  practiced  it  in 

the  water, 222 

Applied  only  to  the  believing, . .  .227 

Infant, 269 

Ban,  should  husband  and  wife  shun 

each  other  on  account  of, 276 

Banned,  should  we  greet  one  that  is  ? . .  .277 
Are  we  allowed  to  show  any  char- 
ity, love  and  mercy  to  the? 278 

Are  we  allowed  to  deal  with  the?. 279 

Are  we  allowed  to  travel  with  the  ? .  280 

Who  should  be, ib 

Ban,  a  work  of  love, 446 

C 

Calling,  Preachers, 17 

Concerning  Baptism, 39 

Church  of  Christ  and  anti-christ,  how  to 

distinguish, 77 

Six  signs  by  which  both  churches 

may  be  known, 81,  83 

Concerning  some  accusations  against  us, .  94 
Confession  of  the  learned  concerning 

Christ, 97 

Conclusion, 105 

Complaint  or  apology, 117 

Confession  of  the  Incarnation, 147 

Confutation,  reply  to  the  points  of  de- 
fense of  John  A'Lasco,  on  the 

Incarnation, 154 

Confession  of  the  Triune  God, 179,  188 


464 


INDEX,  TO  PART  II. 


PAGE. 

Christian  Baptism, 195 

Children,  Little,  have  apeculiarpromise,  226 

Confession  of  Justification,  &c., 261 

Conclusionto  Justification,  Baptism, &c.,  275 

To  questions  and  answers, 280 

To  a  humble  defense, 322 

To  admonition  to  preachers, 348 

To  unscriptural  confessions, 380 

Confession,  Micron's, 388 

Concerning  the  two  natures  in  Christ, . .  .391 
Conclusion  to  reply  to  Martin  Micron, .  .399 
Christ  is  King  of   kings,    convincing 

proof, 425 

D 

Doctrine  of  the  church  of  Christ  and 

anti  Christ, 83 

Description  of  a  true  preacher, 120 

Difference  between  willful  sin,  and  error,  .277 
Discussion,  How  the  English  came  into 

with  us, 355 

Between  Herman  and  Myself, . . .  .356 

Partial  narration  of,  by  Micron, . .  359 

Micron's  confession  during  our 

second, 364 

Deliverances  of  Menno  Simon, 451 1 

E  I 

Excommunication,  Ban  or  Separation,.  .69  ! 

Scriptural  explanation  of, 123  j 

Not  to  shun  before, 136 

Questions  and  answers, 276 

Error,  difference  between  willful  sin  and,. 277 

P 

Fourteen  inconsistencies  which  must  re- 
sult and  follow  from  the  foun- 
dation and  doctrine  of  our  op- 
ponents,   381 

Foundation  and  faith  of  our  opponents 

concerning  Christ  Jesus,  ifcc, . .  .383 

Faith  and  doctrine  in  Jesus  Christ, 384 

G 

Gellius  Faber,  Reply  to, 1 

Genesis  3:  15, 386 

God  the  Father  is  the  true  Father  of  the 

whole  Christ  his  Son, 393 

H 

How  to  distinguish  between  the  church 

of  Christ,  and  anti-christ, 77 

Hearing  the  Preachers, 264 

Holy  Supper,  The  Lord's, 270 

Husband  and  wife,  should  they  shun 
each  other  on  account  of  the 

ban, 276 

How  the  English  came  into  discussion 

with  us, 355 

Herman,  Discussion  with, 356 

How  and  what  Micron  confessed  during 

our  second  discussion, 364 


PAGK. 

How  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God,  is  also 
the  son  of  Abraham  and  David, 
&c., 389 

How  the  divine  word,  in  the  fullness  of 
time  according  to  the  Script- 
ures, was  made  flesh, 396 

I 

Incarnation,  Menno's  confession  of, 147 

Scriptural  references  upon, 168 

Conclusion  of, 177 

Israelites  received  their  remission  of 

sins  through  the  promise, 201 

Incarnation,  Confession  of, 330 

Thirty-one  Articles  on, 371 

Forty-five  Unscriptural  confes- 
sions, of 379 

Inconsistencies,  Fourteen, 381 

J 

John  A'Lasco,  Reply  to  concerning  the 

Incarnation, 143 

Justification, 261 

John  Van  Leyden,  Testimony  against,  .427 

L 
Letter  addressed  to  an  afflicted  widow,  .113 

Of  Caution  on  discord, 231 

Another, 232 

From  Menno  Simon  to  Margaret, 

wife  of  Rein  Edes, 401 

Leyden,  John  Van,  Testimony  against,.  427 
Letter, ^ 450 

m 

Menno  Simon's  confession  of  the  Incar- 
nation,   147 

Salutation, 190 

Reasons  for  teaching  and  writing .  .233 

Martin  Micron,  Reply  to, 355 

Confession,  in  his  narrative,  that 

Christ  is  the  Son  of  God  and 

man, 388 

An  epistle  to, 403 

Menno  Simon,  Summary  punishment  to 

those  who  would  injure  him, . .  .419 

Willing  to  enter  into  discussion, .  .423 

Providential  deliverances  of, 

O 

Our  confession, 147 

Oaths, 272,409 

P 

Preface,  Reply  to  Gellius  Faber, 3 

Preachers,  Their  Calling, 17 

Description  of  a  true, 120 

Preface  to  the  reply  to  John  A'Lasco, .  .141 

To  the  Triune  God, 181 

To  Menno  Simon's  Salutation, . .  .191 

To  Justification,  Baptism,  &c., . . .  259 

Preachers,  Hearing  the, 264 


INDEX,  TO  PART  II. 


465 


PAGE. 

Preface  to  Justification,  &c., 298 

To  the  Incarnation, 326 

To  reply  to  Martin  Micron, 352 

Punishment  to  those  who  would  injure 

Menno, 419 

Prayer  to  the  reader, 422 

Q 

Questions  and  answers  on  Shunning, . .  .276 
R 

Reply  to  Gellius  Faber, 1 

To  John  A'Lasco,  on  the  Incar- 
nation,   138 

To  Zylis  and  Lemmekes, 283 

To  Martin  Micron, 351 

S 

Supper,  The  Lord's, 64 

Separation,  Ban  or  Excommunication,.  .69 
Signs,    six    by   which    the   church    of 
Christ  and  anti-christ  may  be 

known, 81,  83 

Shimning  does  not  apply  to  necessary 

dealings, 135 

Separation,  Not  to  shun  before, 136 

Scriptures,  A  clear  confession  of, 143 

Scriptural  references  upon  the  Incarna- 
tion,   168 


PAGE. 

Salutation,  Menno  Simon's, 190 

Supper  of  the  preachers, 271 

Swearing,  Oaths, 272,  409 

Shunning,  Is  it  a  command  ? 276 

Shunning  and  separation, 441 

T 

The  Lord's  Supper, 64 

The  Confutation, 154 

Teachings  of  the  holy  apostles  concern- 
ing baptism  in  the  water, 200 

The  reason  Menno  Simon  does  not  cease 

teaching  and  writing, 233 

The  Lord's  Holy  Supper, 270 

The  Supper  of  the  preachers, 271 

The  Swearing  of  Oaths, 272 

To  the  reader, 298 

Thirty-one    articles    i)resented  to  the 

reader,  &c., 371 

The  foundation  and  faith  of  our  oppo- 
nents concerning  Christ  Jesus, .  .383 
Testimony  against  John  Van  Ley  den, .  .427 

W 

Warfare, 434 

Z 

Zylis  and  Lemmekes,  reply  to, 283 


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